How to talk about children, people with disabilities, families facing difficult life circumstances, and other sensitive social issues without harming the people involved, reinforcing stereotypes, while still creating content that engages audiences?
This question was at the heart of the “Ethical and Effective” training series developed and delivered by the u.comms team for representatives of regional media outlets in Lviv, Volyn, and Zakarpattia regions.
The project was implemented as part of the “Building Community Capacity to Provide Integrated Social Services to Vulnerable Children” initiative, in partnership with the Dzherelo Lviv Centre for Social Services and Rehabilitation, with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Below are practical principles to help media outlets and communication professionals assess their content for ethical considerations before publication.
Put the person first
Every story is about a real person. Their dignity, privacy, safety, and right to have control over their own story should remain important at every stage of producing a piece of content.
Pay particular attention to photos and videos. Potentially problematic choices include:
- images of people in humiliating, helpless, or overly personal circumstances;
- staged photos that emphasize a person’s dependence on assistance;
- images that may cause the person or their loved ones shame or discomfort.
It is also important to pay attention to the language you use. For example:
- “person with a disability,” not “disabled person”;
- “wheelchair,” not “wheelchair cart”;
- “person experiencing homelessness” or “homeless person,” not “vagrant”;
- “older people,” not “the elderly” or “old people”;
- “child,” not “little child”;
- “person who has experienced violence” or “survivor,” not “victim”;
- “family experiencing difficult life circumstances,” not “dysfunctional family”;
- “child with Down syndrome,” not “sunshine child.”
Also avoid generalizations, diminutives, and labels used to describe people. Phrases such as “all older people,” “mommies,” “the disabled,” or “cancer patients” can reduce diverse individuals to a single characteristic.
Check the material using the “put yourself in the hero’s shoes” test
Before publishing, it is useful to imagine yourself or your loved ones in the hero’s position.
Ask yourself:
“Would I want to see myself or my loved ones featured in this photo, video, or story?”
“Would I feel comfortable seeing this material several years from now?”
If the answer is no, reconsider how the story is presented. This is especially important when covering children and people who have experienced trauma.
Do not use trauma as the main way to attract attention
Suffering, loss, and traumatic experiences can be an important part of a story. However, they should not define the person’s entire identity.
Warning signs include:
- focusing exclusively on suffering, loss, or hardship;
- excessive dramatization;
- describing traumatic experiences in detail without a clear editorial reason;
- emphasizing painful details that add emotional impact but do not help the audience understand the story.
Before publishing, ask yourself one simple question: Is this detail really necessary to understand the story? If its main purpose is to intensify the audience’s emotional reaction, it is better to leave it out.
Do not make people relive traumatic experiences
Conversations about violence, loss, evacuation, war, or other traumatic events require particular care.
Avoid:
- asking people to describe traumatic events in detail simply to make the story more powerful;
- publishing photos or videos that bring the person back to a painful experience without a compelling reason;
- revealing sensitive details solely for emotional impact;
- sharing information that could harm the person or their loved ones.
Children require particular attention. Their vulnerability increases the author’s responsibility for every question, photo, quote, and detail included in the material.
Focus on the person, not only on their problem
Every person featured in a story has their own history, experiences, personality, habits, and everyday life. These aspects help the audience see the person rather than only the circumstances they are facing.
Look for ways to show people through ordinary activities.
For example:
- instead of a staged photo with a humanitarian aid package, film the person doing something from their everyday life;
- if someone received a football, show them actually playing with it;
- if someone received food, show them preparing a meal and tell their story;
- if a workshop, training session, or run was organized, show the participants, their experiences, the impact of the event, and its results.
A story becomes more meaningful when the person remains a full-fledged protagonist rather than merely an illustration of a problem.
Do not use stereotypes as ready-made descriptions
Even familiar words can create a simplified image of a group of people.
Common problems include:
- Generalizations: “all older people…”
- Diminutives: “little kids,” “mommies,” “ladies.”
- Labels instead of people: “the disabled,” “pensioners,” “cancer patients.”
Such language can create distance between audiences and the people featured in a story and reinforce stereotypical perceptions.
A quick pre-publication check
Before hitting “publish,” review the material with four questions:
- Am I respecting this person’s dignity?
- Am I exploiting their trauma or someone’s pity?
- Is all the information I am publishing safe for the person and their loved ones?
- Are there any details about me or my loved ones that I would not want to see publicly available?
If the answer to even one question is “no” or “I’m not sure,” reconsider the material.
Conclusion
Ethical communication does not mean avoiding difficult stories or removing emotion from them. Its purpose is to tell important stories while respecting the people at their center.
In practice, this often means simple things: choosing a photo more carefully, removing an unnecessary traumatic detail, replacing a label with respectful language, and giving the person more space to speak in their own voice.
A strong story can draw attention to an issue while preserving a person’s dignity and privacy. This approach helps media maintain audience trust and prevents people from becoming prisoners of their own stories after publication.
