From The Overlook, a local weekly in New York state: Violence against political leaders tests our democracy. We must reject dehumanizing rhetoric and model restraint—starting in our own communities. theoverlooknews.com/choosing-civ...

The power of AI is new, but it raises age-old ethical questions - Project on Ethics in Political Communication director Peter Loge in a special edition of Campaigns & Elections campaignsandelections.com/ce-45/the-po...

Journalists, pundits and pols should reinforce this message. "Only a vanishingly small number of Americans support political violence in any meaningful sense." www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/u...

Project director @ploge.bsky.social sat down with communications expert Kristen Grimm to talk about the ethics of talking about political violence. A recording of the conversation and follow up notes are here - www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/recordi...

What are the ethics of talking about political violence? Join Project director Peter Loge and communications leader Kristen Grimm tomorrow for a conversation about how to ensure political violence remains rare, condemned, and unpopular www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/event-t...

Join the Project on Ethics in Political Communication for a conversation with Kristen Grimm about the ethics of talking about political violence. Details and registration here: www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/event-t...

Journalists, pundits, and politicians: Political rhetoric matters and framing matters. Defining political violence as normal and acceptable makes it normal and acceptable. The result is a democratic death spiral. www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/the-eth...

Do political consulants have an obligation to make political rhetoric less extreme and less violent? campaignsandelections.com/industry-new...

Political violence is unacceptable. The point of democracy is that we argue instead of shooting. Violence is, by definition, anti-democratic. Do not promote, applaud, mock, or minimize political violence.

Two high school students -one Dem, one Rep - started a national organization to fix politics. www.deseret.com/politics/202...

Contact sheets are case studies in ethics - is President Kennedy contemplative? Feeling the weight of the world? Or just stretching his back? The viewer answers the question and assigns it meaning. The Analog Allure of Photographers’ Contact Sheets www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/a...

What are the ethics of paying political influencers? Via @wired.com www.wired.com/story/dark-m...

The AI in politics toothpaste isn't just out of the tube, it's going to happy and taking selfies with the candidate. But the ethics of AI in political campaigns remains an open discussion. campaignsandelections.com/industry-new...

Former US Rep. Claudine Schneider (R-RI) joined Project director Peter Loge to talk about making campaigns more ethical - check out the conversation here. www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/making-...

Join the Project on Ethics in Political Communication on Aug 28 for a conversation with former US Rep Claudine Schneider (R-RI) about how to make politics more ethical. Details and registration here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Big thanks to IBM's Tech for Impact series for asking Project director Peter Loge to talk about ethics, AI, and fakes deep, shallow and historical. A very interesting conversation.

Earlier today I talked to Andrew Doty and @dustinwahl.bsky.social about the communication ethics of advocating for political reform. A very interesting conversation and a lot of food for thought. Check it out. www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/video-conver...

The Project on Ethics in Political Communication's occasional conversation series is back - on July 15 we're talking about ethics and political reform with Andrew Doty and @dustinwahl.bsky.social. Details and registration here: www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/ethical...

Politics is one of the most public things we do. That so much of our politics is being funded in private is undemocratic. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

"The free press may be trouble, but it goes with the territory of a healthy democracy." A.G. Sulzberger: A Free People Need a Free Press www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/o...

Ethics question, a version of which was the final exam question in Political Communication Ethics in @smpagwu.bsky.social: Would it be ethical for Democrats to campaign for Paxton in the Republican primary? Via @punchbowlnews.bsky.social

Of course accepting a jet from a foreign government is unethical. Good grief. apnews.com/article/trum...  Trump defends the prospect of Qatar gifting him a plane to use as Air Force One

Presidents swear an oath to uphold the Constitution. It is a sacred oath to uphold a sacred document. They don't get to pick which parts of the Constitution they follow any more than priests get to pick which commandments to follow. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The President refusing to follow a court order is anti-democratic. Asserting he can ignore the courts says he can ignore democratic institutions on which our democracy relies. Trump Says He Could Free Abrego Garcia From El Salvador, but Won’t www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/u...

Political norms matter. Those in politics have an ethical obligation to politics itself. "...democracy got into this mess, and democracy is going to have to get us out. And that’s going to mean, kind of, fostering a public understanding of why these principles and norms are important..."

"Our Constitution is written on ancient paper. Its effectiveness, durability and power depend upon people embracing its commands today, with good faith and with good will...We are in perilous waters." - Prof. Dawn Johnson, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/o...

Outside groups with secret funders are buying ads praising Trump. The ads run in DC during the week and the Mar a Lago media market on weekends. Ads thanking elected officials are legal and SOP. So are secret donors and shadow groups - ethical? www.nbcwashington.com/investigatio...

"...attacks erode public confidence in government institutions, deter political participation, discourage political discourse." Politicians and pundits have an ethical obligation promote political debate and condemn partisan attacks. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

Norms matter in a democracy. "A president ordering investigations of specific individuals whom he considers to be his political enemies is a remarkable breach of the traditional wall of separation between the White House and the Justice Department." www.politico.com/news/2025/04...

Democracy requires a free, sometimes adversarial, often irritating, press. Part of the media's job is making elected officials uncomfortable. www.cnn.com/2025/04/08/p...

Politics is a mess. A couple of high school students from different ends of the political spectrum think they have an answer.

An interesting regular look at the ethics of images in politics, @azzacohen.bsky.social is worth following.

We talked to two high school students from different political parties about their new organization - and their PAC - that gets students involved in politics and promotes bipartisanship. That and our other conversations are here: www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/video-conver...

Join the Project this afternoon for a conversation with two high school friends with different political views who started a PAC and are building a national organization to help improve American politics. www.ethicsinpoliticalcommunication.org/blog/event-y...

Legislators who enforce their own rules and hold each other accountable, regardless of political party, build public trust. Kudos to the Montana legislature. nbcmontana.com/news/local/m...

A heartfelt and thoughtful piece on navigating a real life ethical challenge faced by @smpagwu.bsky.social graduating senior Aaliyah Guzman. Take her advice. gwhatchet.com/2025/03/31/p...

"The way we frame powerful women visually reflects and reinforces how we see them in the real world, outside the camera’s frame." What ethical responsibilities do photographers and photo editors have? contrarian.substack.com/p/split-scre...

Democracy relies in part on public faith in elections. A partisan with a clear and public political agenda paying people to vote undermines that faith because it says "vote my way and win a prize" - even if the prize is fair it looks bad. And looks matter. electionlawblog.org?p=149196

Announcing you are going to violate the US Constitution is anti-democratic. Trump Says He’s ‘Not Joking’ About Seeking a Third Term in Defiance of Constitution www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/u...

RESCHEDULED: Can high school classmates who support different political parties show us how to fix America's politics? forms.gle/27djJYGdxQXg...

Should Members of Congress live in the Congressional district they represent? www.wpri.com/target-12/ma...

Leaders in democracies lead through persuasion, not vengence. Vengence is the governing tool of despots. Trump’s Old Grudge Fuels Swipe at a New Law Firm www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/u...

Attacking courts because you don't like their rulings is fundamentally undemocratic. The point of courts is to check power, not enable it. www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Join us tomorrow when we talk to high school friends who launched a bipartisan political group to help elect ethical advocates committed to better politics. forms.gle/NvPP3n9F7cvV...

American politics feels broken. Can two high school students from different political parties fix it? Next Tuesday we talk to two friends from different ends of the political spectrum who have come together to make partisan politics work. Details and registration here: forms.gle/rKsHf1AyUFib...

Government officials shouldn't promote private companies - especially not ones clearly and directly tied to the President. www.axios.com/2025/03/20/t...

Calls to impeach judges because they disagree with you is fundamentally anti-democratic. Democracy requires public disagreement. A lack of public disagreement is proof of either apathy or acquiescence and is evidence of a failing democracy. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Really looking forward to this conversation next week with two high school students - one Dem, one Rep - who founded a PAC that supports Dems and Reps committed to making politics better. Details and registration here: forms.gle/9qDLmCeNcTgd...

This is anti-democratic behavior. "White House officials and their allies...attack individual judges, question the legitimacy of the courts — and undermine the separation of powers that has been at the core of American governance since the nation’s beginning." www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/u...

Many of the new questions AI raises are really old questions about the connections between rhetoric, persuasion, truth, and authenticity.