What is Ethical Storytelling?
Impact stories. Ethically.
“Ethical Storytelling” means different things to different people.
“Ethical storytelling” emerged from concerns about impact storytelling in the storytelling boom.
Impact storytelling was established as a common communications practice before ethical standards and best practices were established. At first, communications staff turned to journalism for ethical standards, however it quickly became clear that wasn’t enough: for one, a journalist has no relationship to the people in their story but a nonprofit very much does.
Today, “ethical storytelling” is considered important for any organization telling impact stories, but there is no consensus on when impact storytelling is considered “ethical storytelling”. This is due in part to the interdisciplinary nature of impact storytelling: when someone refers to “ethical storytelling” they are usually referring to a problem relevant to their discipline:
Communications practitioners are usually describing the production process of the story (e.g. the consent process)
Narratologists are usually critiquing the use of the story (e.g. fundraising emails and other forms of instrumentalization)
Media professionals — such as journalists — are usually describing the accuracy of the story (e.g. representation and attribution)
Advocates are usually describing the content of the story (e.g. language use or characterization that contribute to systems of injustice)
“Telling stories — about real people — narrated by organizations, without causing harm.”
— Fiona Ramsey, No Lip Service
Telling Stories
Defines “ethical storytelling” as an action, and includes all ethical issues related to the storytelling process.
Also includes all ethical issues related to narrative and storytelling, such as narrative identity, narrative agency and authorship.
About Real People
Does not apply to fictional stories.
Narrated by Organizations
Includes ethical issues relating to power (especially power disparities) and narration.
Without Causing Harm
Includes all the possible areas where harm could take place, including the real life of the story protagonist and the audience.
Concerns
Ethical Issue
Privacy & Consent
Benefit
Identity
Power
Real People
Audience
Society
Practitioners
Story Production
Story Text
Storytelling
Area of Impact
Area of Practice
How is consent asked for — and given — when collecting impact stories. How can practitioners be sure participants are giving informed consent?
How is the privacy of vulnerable populations protected?
How do practitioners account for the direct benefit to the organization as a result of telling someone’s personal story?
How do organizations acknowledge the purpose of the storytelling without affecting the story?
How is someone’s personal identity affected by a story told about them publicly, especially if it reveals some of the most difficult and/or traumatic times of their life?
How does someone retain agency over their identity if they consent to their story being told publicly? How was social media impacted identity?
How does the inherent power imbalance between an organization and someone impacted by its work create the risk of exploitation — intentional or otherwise.
How can practitioners prevent unintentional exploitation?
A public story about a real person can affect their private life in ways they don’t want, didn’t anticipate — and can’t control.
Telling stories to communicate human impact raises concerns about emotional manipulation of the audience.
Whose stories are told and whose are not — and how does that impact society?
Being exposed to the aversive details of traumatic events — such as a communications professional or journalist might — can cause Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS).
Was the story produced in a way that protected the privacy of real people?
Did they consent to participation in the story, and did they control the way they were represented?
Did their relationship with the organization influence their choices?
This area focuses on the text and meaning of the story, and whether it has been constructed in a way that supports social good; tension exists between critique and practice.
Further reading: Better Conversations about Ethical Storytelling
Is the story being used as a tool of manipulation?
Will the public telling of the story impact the agency or identity of the real people in the story?