E-5 Responsibility in public statements

The BACB code of ethics states that behavior analysts must be responsible for their public statements. This includes protecting the rights of its clients, supervisees and trainees by maintaining confidentiality, being truthful and avoiding misleading statements.

Synopsis of each point

5.01 Protection of the rights of clients, interested parties, supervisees and trainees

• Behavior analysts must take appropriate steps to protect the rights of their clients, stakeholders, supervisees, and trainees in all their public statements.

• This includes avoiding statements that may be harmful or discriminatory.

5.02 Confidentiality in public statements

• Behavior analysts must protect the confidentiality of their clients, supervisees, and trainees in all public statements.

• This means avoiding sharing sensitive information without the client's informed consent.

5.03 Public statements by behavior analysts

• Behavior analysts must ensure that their public statements are truthful and not misleading.

• They must also be based on existing research and a behavioral conceptualization.

• Behavior analysts should not provide specific advice related to a client's needs in public forums.

5.04 Public statements of others

• Behavior analysts are responsible for public statements that promote their professional activities or products, regardless of who creates or publishes them.

• Behavior analysts must make reasonable efforts to prevent others from making misleading statements about their professional activities or products.

5.05 Use of Intellectual Property

• Behavior analysts must know and comply with intellectual property laws.

• This includes obtaining permission to use materials that are trademarked or copyrighted.

5.06 Advertising of non-behavioral services

• Behavior analysts do not advertise non-behavioral services as behavioral services.

• If behavior analysts provide non-behavioral services, those services must be clearly distinguished from their behavioral services and BACB certification.

5.07 Request for testimonials from current clients for advertising

• Behavior analysts do not solicit testimonials from current clients to use in advertisements to gain new clients.

5.08 Use of testimonials from former clients for advertising

• Behavior analysts must obtain informed consent from former clients before using their testimonials in advertisements intended to gain new clients.

5.09 Use of testimonials for non-advertising purposes

• Behavior analysts may use testimonials from current or past clients for non-advertising purposes.

5.10 Social media channels and websites

• Behavior analysts should be aware of the privacy and confidentiality risks associated with the use of social media and websites.

• They should not post customer information and/or digital content on their personal social media accounts and websites.

• If they post client information and/or digital content on their social media accounts and professional websites, they must obtain the client's informed consent, include a disclaimer, and make reasonable efforts to prevent and correct misuse of the information. information.

• Behavior analysts should frequently monitor their social media accounts and websites to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of information shared.

5.11 Use of digital content in public statements

• Before publicly sharing client information using digital content, behavior analysts must ensure confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and use it only for non-professional purposes.

• Behavior analysts should ensure that all shared media is accompanied by a disclaimer stating that informed consent has been obtained.

Conclusion

By following this code, behavior analysts help ensure that their public statements are ethical and responsible.