01/13/2026
🌐 Ethics in the Digital Age
When “Just One Click” Becomes an Ethical Crossroads
In today’s digital world, it can feel harmless to look up information online especially when you’re trying to help or understand a situation better.
But the NASW Code of Ethics (effective January 2021) (1.07(q)–(r)) reminds us to slow down.
Social workers are asked to avoid searching for client information online unless there is a compelling professional reason and, when appropriate, the client’s informed consent. We’re also advised to avoid posting any identifying or confidential client information online even when names are changed or not mentioned at all.
Using my copyrighted 5 Pillars for Navigating the Social Work Ethics Maze, here’s how to pause before clicking:
1️⃣ Scenario Facts
What do you actually know and what are you assuming?
Is there a clear professional reason for searching?
2️⃣ Ethics Standards
Curiosity, discomfort, or wanting “more context” doesn’t automatically meet the ethical threshold.
3️⃣ Law
Public information can still carry legal and ethical risks, especially in court-involved or high-conflict cases.
4️⃣ Policies & Procedures
What do your agency or practice policies say about online searches and social media boundaries?
5️⃣ Documentation
If you wouldn’t ethically justify documenting it, it’s worth pausing before doing it.
✨ Sometimes the most ethical choice is not clicking at all.
Reflection question:
What helps you pause before turning curiosity into an ethical risk?
