Essay Sample on Ethics of Technology in Social Work Practice

The use of technology has continued to grow over the past few years. It has led to the emergence of social media, which continues to attract a lot of people. Various ethical issues arise from the use of a social work Instagram account. The new social worker's Instagram account is a career magazine that provides information to social work students, seasoned professions, and recent graduates. However, the account has to deal with various ethical issues in the delivery of its services. Founded in 2010, Instagram has become one of the most used sites as it enables people to share pictures with friends allowing them to follow your life (Banks, 2016).

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Instagram has experienced several ethical problems since its founding. It has become hard for social workers who fight for human rights to use the platform and give voice to the unheard. One ethical problem that they have faced on Instagram is cyberbullying. As they try to better individuals' lives, there is a lack of a moral compass that guides Instagram users, which interferes with the delivery of social work services (Banks, 2016). According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code of ethics, there are specific values that social workers should follow regardless of whether they use sites such as Instagram to serve the people.

One standard from the NASW code of ethics that social workers on Instagram should follow is the importance of human relationships (Reamer, 2017). Social workers link people who need help with organizations that can help them. Hence, they should avoid using the site for selfish gain or trying to cyberbully those who reach out to them via Instagram for help. Human relationships are essential as they can bring about change that will improve the lives of families, neighborhoods, and the entire community.

Another ethical problem affecting social workers on Instagram is the issue of privacy. Privacy is important and should be taken seriously to ensure that social workers remain trustworthy. The use of technology has led to people sharing more information than ever. However, social workers collecting such information should be aware of the privacy issue. Therefore, social workers must be transparent on the kind of services they are offering. The more one is transparent with the content they post, the more people will trust them and reach out to them for help. It is also essential to be honest in whatever one says as a social worker.

Social workers' actions on Instagram should be guided by the integrity standard of the NASW code of ethics. To help improve the quality of life of others, they should exhibit trustworthiness (Reamer, 2017). All social workers should be aware of their mission, ethical standards, principles, and professional values. They should also set an excellent example for their clients by being responsible and honest.

To ensure the site's ethical use, Instagram has put up terms and conditions that each user should comply with. They help in preventing unethical conduct. One strategy used by the site is to ensure that everyone is authentic. The site ensures that most of its content is honest and has no hidden agendas (Banks, 2016). It creates respect among the users. Another strategy used is to ensure there is effective communication. Social workers should know people and let others know them on the site. Each social worker on Instagram should say who they are, be transparent with their intentions, and mention their affiliations.

In conclusion, ethics is essential in social work practice as it acts as a guide to social workers' conduct. The issue of cyberbullying is a significant concern that interferes with the delivery of social work. Social workers should also be aware of other people's privacy on Instagram to ensure that their clients can trust them. Transparency and integrity are essential as it enables social workers to share things of value with others.

References

Banks, S. (2016). Everyday ethics in professional life: Social work as ethics work. Ethics and Social Welfare, 10(1), 35-52.

Reamer, F. G. (2017). Eye on ethics: New NASW Code of Ethics standards for the digital age.