Traditional ethics of journalism
Simply by its existence, the SND code accomplishes something.  It sends a message to the text-oriented journalism industry that visual media needs to adhere to ethical standards, same as a news story does.
 
Clearly and concisely, it states that SND’s nearly 3,000 members worldwide must exhibit in their professional life accuracy, honesty, fairness, inclusiveness and courage.  And, it explains that these values apply not only to content, but also process and staffing.

This is an important thing, especially for an organization such as SND, and visual journalists in general.  But, is it enough to improve the industry?  Will it make a difference to the many news organizations around the world that keep the people who know visual journalism ethics disenfranchised?  Or, for editors, reporters, artists and multi-media designers who are forced to train themselves in new media, while on the job?

Ethics in real-world situations
In an interview with The Poynter Institute last February, Ken Irby, one of the code’s crafters, suggests the code alone is not enough, and goes on to explain how it can be implemented in a newsroom.  Irby’s suggestions are useful and right on target with what I am thinking, which is: Okay, these ethical principles are great, but how exactly do we apply them?  

For me, this is the missing piece in SND’s presentation of its code of ethics.  We can nod our heads in agreement at what sounds good ideally, but for those who control visual media without training and experience, the code alone is redundant, vague and confusing.  

In order to truly see ethnical standards upheld, visual journalists must talk publicly - outside the design community - about the dilemmas they have encountered, and how they resolved them.  The SND code is a strong base, but the real question is: what is allowed, and what isn’t?  

As a news graphics editor, I begin making this determination by recognizing there is information conveyed in artwork, design, and animation.  My job is to decide whether this information is relevant to my audience (ie, newsworthy) and to present it in a credible fashion (ie, ethically).  

The media forms I deal with are not decoration, cartoon or illustration.  They are visual conventions: maps, charts, diagrams, timelines, fact boxes, sequences, scenarios and portraits.  These forms are powerful conveyers of fact-based, specific information.  They communicate using a visual language akin to traffic signs and can misrepresent the truth when treated improperly.

Below are some examples of possible applications of SND’s code:

1.  Accuracy
For news graphics, accuracy is more than getting the facts straight and spelling the words correctly.  The presentation choice can also be inaccurate.  In the SND’s code, accuracy is at the top of its list, stating: “We must ensure that our content is a verifiable representation of the news and of our subjects.”  

Police chase timeline on a fake map
Situation: Your editor wants the events of a police chase (a timeline) placed on a map so the reader can see the trail the criminals took before they were apprehended, but you don’t know the exact locations.  What do you do?  

Possible solution:  You could create a fake map that resembles the trail, and state clearly that it is not real, but what if the reader doesn’t look that closely at your text, and therefore comes away with a false impression of the geographic relationship of events?  Perhaps it would be more ethical to forget the map, and instead design a simple, straightforward timeline.  

A satellite launch animation referring to the wrong satellite
Situation: Your editor wants a cool animated Flash graphic of a French satellite launch, but you can’t find information about how it occurs exactly.  What do you do?  

Possible solution: You could look in the archive for other satellite launches you have covered and use one of those instead, stating clearly in your text that it is not the actual one in the story, but what if your viewer doesn’t bother to read the text?  Perhaps it would be more ethical to postpone the animation until you can verify that your satellite will launch in the same way as the one in the archive.

A price drop on a squeezed chart
Situation: Your editor is disappointed because the fever line in the chart you’ve made shows the price of oil dropping less dramatically than the story says.  What do you do?  

Possible solution: In the computer, you could stretch your chart vertically to accentuate the drop, but won’t your reader come away with a false impression?  Perhaps it would be more ethical to convince your editor to spike the chart completely, or rewrite the story.

Facts in a false hierarchy
Situation: Your editor wants you to “make a graphic” out of a set of facts by putting them in individual boxes with lines connecting, resembling some kind of diagram.  Unfortunately, you notice that with the space you’ve been given, this inserts a hierarchy into the facts that is inaccurate.  What do you do?  

Possible solution: You could do what your editor says and go home early for the night, but wouldn’t that be doing a disservice to your readers?  Perhaps it would be more ethical to scrap the boxes, lines and diagram (that signifies nothing in particular), and instead convince your editor that the facts will be more readable in a glance box with well-designed topography.

2. Honesty
Another quite prominent value stressed in the SND code is honesty.  The code states: “Our work will be free from fraud and deception -- that includes plagiarism and fabrication.  We will attribute content and honor copyrights.  We will strive to keep news content free of special interests, inside or outside the news organization.”

A diagram copied from another source
Situation: Your editor wants you to copy a detailed diagram from National Geographic showing how malaria infects the human body.  What should you do?

Possible solution: You could copy the artwork exactly and pretend it is your own, but you and your company might be sued.  Perhaps it would be more ethical to draw your own artwork, using NG as reference (stated as a source), or hold the graphic until you have time to find a source that is more neutral, like a medical encyclopaedia.

3. Fairness
On fairness, the SND code states: “We recognize that our work can have great impact on the subjects we cover and therefore we must respectfully balance that against the public's need to know.”

Data from an advocacy group
Situation:  Your editor has a story comparing the number of executions in different countries and wants you to make a graphic using data from Amnesty International, an advocacy group you disagree with.  What do you do?

Possible solution: You could use the information and not source it, thus avoiding a free promotion of Amnesty, but that might mislead your reader into thinking the data comes from an objective source.  Do you trust the figures and feel they are accurate and truly representative?  If so, perhaps it is more ethical to clearly state where they come from and let your reader be the judge.  (Note, the issue of special interest groups themselves are referred to specifically in the code under the principle of honesty.)

4. Inclusiveness
In the SND code, inclusiveness applies both to content and staffing.  The code states: “We will avoid stereotypes in reporting, editing, presentation, and hiring.”

Illustration showing inaccurate stereotype
Situation: Your editor asks you to come up with some imagery to go with an animated opinion poll chart about smoking habits in China.  What do you do?

Possible solution: You could draw a cartoon of a smoking Chinese man who wears rags while pulling a rickshaw, but wouldn’t that be inaccurate today?  And furthermore, it would probably alienate your ethnic-Chinese audience.  Perhaps it would be better to use a photograph of a modern Chinese person smoking, which is faster anyway.

5. Courage
The final ethical value highlighted in the SND code is courage, stating: “Journalists need moral and, at times, physical courage to fulfil their responsibility to serve the public. It takes courage to stand behind values such as accuracy, honesty, fairness and inclusiveness.”

The real world
It takes a tremendous amount of courage to stand up for ethics in the newsroom.  And, if you lose your ethical battle, it can be so demoralizing, that some people would prefer to not deal with it at all.  But, perhaps the SND code and practical examples from visual journalists in the field will help those whose battles are tougher than others.
 
And, one final note. The examples above are hardly the most sexy and interesting involving visual journalism and certainly more than one aspect of SND's code can apply to each situation.  For the sake of discussion, please feel free to add your own situations and comments, either here or in other blogs.