Ethical judgement
Reason about consent, conflicts, fairness and responsible escalation.
Covered in this guide
- Recognise competing duties and conflicts of interest.
- Evaluate consent, fairness and foreseeable harm.
- Select proportionate documentation and escalation.
Ethical decisions begin by identifying who is affected, what duties apply and which interests could distort judgement. Disclosure is necessary when a reasonable observer would question impartiality.
Consent must be informed and specific enough for the proposed use. Access to information does not automatically create permission to reuse or disclose it.
Escalation should protect people and evidence without making unsupported accusations. Record what was observed, preserve relevant information and use the appropriate accountable channel.