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For a century, journalists have had a voluntary ethics code. Editors are giving it an AI-era reboot
The 967-word draft adds guidance on verification, misinformation and fabricated images as public trust falls and freelance work grows.
- The Society of Professional Journalists has drafted its first ethics code update in 12 years, addressing the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and shifting media landscapes to maintain professional standards.
- Seeking to address declining public trust in journalism, the SPJ Ethics Committee convened in Indianapolis in June after extensive virtual meetings to finalize the draft code.
- The result is a 967-word draft code, 73 words longer than the existing version, adding a requirement to 'be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable' .
- SPT President Chris Vaccaro stated the code remains vital despite being voluntary, saying, "We're definitely not going to operate under the assumption that no one's going to use it."
- With one-third of journalists now freelance or self-employed, the committee emphasizes that professional standards apply regardless of platform or employer, reminding practitioners that ethical responsibility remains constant across all work arrangements.
Insights by Ground AI
27 Articles
27 Articles
Walk to some corner of a newsroom and you can often find it glued to a bulletin board, perhaps peeking behind the coffee maker: the Code of Ethics of the Professional Journalists Society (SPJ), in the United States. It has less than a thousand words and fits on a poster.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources27
Leaning Left11Leaning Right0Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution52% Center
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
52% Center
L 48%
C 52%
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