ASHA-IIE-SOCIAL-MEDIA — ASHA Issues in Ethics: Ethical Use of Social Media (2024)
What does ASHA-IIE-SOCIAL-MEDIA say?
Social media use by SLPs and audiologists raises specific ethical concerns. Key guidance: (1) Posting distinctive personal information about clients or research subjects that breaches confidentiality violates the Code. (2) Misrepresenting services, products, or credentials on social media is an ethical violation. (3) Personal attacks or inflammatory comments toward colleagues are unprofessional and may violate ethical standards. (4) Endorsement of products or services on social media must be transparent about financial relationships and conflicts of interest. (5) Sharing clinical videos or photos requires proper consent, even if identifying features are obscured. (6) SLPs should exercise caution when providing informal clinical advice on social media forums, as this may constitute a clinical relationship. (7) Review and understand privacy settings on all platforms used professionally. (8) Separate professional and personal social media presence when possible. (9) Be mindful that social media posts are permanent and may be used in ethics complaints. Relevant Code sections: Principle I Rules O, P (confidentiality); Principle III Rules A, E, F (honesty, accurate public statements); Principle IV Rules A, D (professional relationships, non-disparagement).
Official source: read the full text in the ASHA Code of Ethics (2023) (official document).