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Social Media & Social Work Ethics: Determining Best Practices in an Ambiguous Reality.
Voshel, Elizabeth H.
Wesala, Alia.
University of Michigan
Journal Article
Copyright
Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics
Vol. 12, No. 1
, p. 67-76
With the rapid evolution of social media today; social workers must be proactive regarding their ethical and professional responsibilities. Professional standards and the NASW Code of Ethics help keep us accountable, but in this fast paced world they are not enough. This article discusses the importance of developing risk management strategies and contains recommendations for the ethical use of social media. In the Internet age, social workers must stay focused on maintaining client privacy while simultaneously establishing and maintaining their professional and personal boundaries. In many settings, ethical coherence may be best achieved through the development of comprehensive social media guidelines/policies and training that focuses on effectively preparing new social workers for the ethical challenges they will confront in the global world of social media. (Author abstract)
Keywords:
ETHICS; RISK MANAGEMENT; AGENCY STANDARDS; social media; social workers; professional conduct; Internet; guidelines; confidentiality; worker client relationships