Truth and honesty in the modern world
When we think about honesty and truth in communications today, it seems like a modern challenge – social media verifications, and the constant battles with misinformation and ‘fake news.’
Do you ever have it watching the news and a politician comes on and there’s a collective *sigh* because it’s likely they’ll just not say anything or spin the interview a certain way- that’s collective ministerial responsibility fun fact, it’s a constitutional convention that they have to follow, the difference is now, the public doesn’t want that, they want honesty.
That’s the thing: these aren’t new debates. If anything, now it’s easier to spot things like that because we can hold people accountable on a wider scale.
A look back...
When I was doing my A-Levels, we did an Extended Project Qualification – essentially, I got to choose a topic and write my own essay – I chose to write about the fall of standard news and the rise of digital media.
When we were thinking about this topic a lot of that came back to me.
The main thing I remember learning about was how revolutionary the printing press was – for educational purposes obviously but it also meant information was no longer for the elite.
And that made them nervous because now accountability had shifted. Free speech became true the more people learnt to read. And the truth became harder to hide if they chose to.
Think about every time an ‘expose’ has been released, or government documents came to light. The public now can hold those at the top accountable much easier, spin is becoming nearly impossible.
That’s the lesson we need to take into the future, that honesty in how you communicate leads to a stronger bond and resonates with audiences.
What can we learn from this?
History tells us that truth in communication isn’t just a moral choice—it’s strategic. And choosing to withhold the full truth in a world where audiences are savvy and sceptical is the wrong move and can possibly lead to the fall in reputation.
For us at Untamed, I’m very aware and proud that we are transparent in the way we speak to our clients and internally. Honest communication builds stronger connections. And in a noisy world, that’s the message people want to hear.
Abbie Parrott, Marketing Assistant
