Professional Journalists Association Ethics Code Being Revised for the Artificial Intelligence Era
Declining trust in media organizations and rapidly spreading artificial intelligence technologies have made a comprehensive update of century-old ethical principles mandatory.
Journalistic professional organizations have rewritten their nearly century-old ethics codes in response to declining media trust and the challenges brought by new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
New Era in Century-Old Rules
The Professional Journalists Association has decided to update its ethics rules for the first time in twelve years due to rapid changes in the media ecosystem and new technologies. This process is being carried out for only the sixth time in the association's history.
Indianapolis Meeting and New Draft
Committee members and media ethics experts came together in the city of Indianapolis in June to finalize the new draft text, which consists of 967 words.
Emphasis on Artificial Intelligence and Technology
In the updated draft text, although the term artificial intelligence is not used directly, it is clearly stated that the tools used cannot constitute an excuse for compromising the principles of accuracy and honesty.
Responsibility Toward Those in Power
One of the significant changes in the draft was the removal of controversial old wording, replacing it with new language that calls those holding power to account and opposes the marginalization of those with less power.
Voting Process and Future Steps
The newly prepared draft text will be put to a vote by the association's broad membership in October, following the completion of the feedback process.