SITUATION ETHICS
Application of situation ethics
A Situation Ethicist would reject absolute rules or principles - such as "always protect privacy" or "always publish in the public interest" - and instead assess each case individually, focusing on what produces the most loving outcome. The form of love is agape, the highest form of selfless love and a kind of Christian love. At every stage, the Situation Ethicist would ask themselves: " "What is the most loving thing to do in this situation?". Like a utilitarian, a situation ethicist is a consequentialist, rather than a deontologist.
A situation ethicist would apply Joseph Fletcher's Six Fundamental Principles.
Love is the only intrinsic good. The morality of publishing sensitive information depends on whether it leads to selfless love. If exposing private details prevents harm, protects the country, or uncovers injustice, it is justified. If it causes unnecessary suffering or is done simply for entertainment, it is unethical.
2. Love is the ruling norm of Christian ethics. Instead of strict privacy rules, an editor should make decisions based on what best serves love and human well-being. Rules like "never publish private details" should be broken if withholding this information in this particular case causes more harm than good.
3. Love and justice are the same. Justice means doing what is best for everyone. Publishing sensitive information can be just (and thus also bring about love) if it exposes wrongdoing, but it would be unjust (and reduce love) if it harms individuals without real benefit to society.
4. Love wills the neighbour's good. The well-being of others should be the priority in everything we do. A journalist should ask, "Will publishing this truly help people, or does it simply satisfy readers' curiosity without helping to bring about the public interest ?" If the revelation of private information is driven by sensationalism to attract readers rather than genuine concern for others, it would be considered morally wrong.
5. Only the end justifies the means. If publishing prevents harm or promotes justice (and therefore love), then breaking traditional ethical rules (such as respecting privacy) can be justified. However, if publishing only causes suffering, it should be avoided. In that sense the philosophy is a bit like utilitarianism.
6. Love decides there and then. There are no strict rules: every judgement must be made depending on the context and the situation at hand rather than following fixed principles. Sometimes publishing sensitive information is right, and sometimes it is wrong, depending on its impact on people's well-being and on love. For example, a journalist might obtain private WhatsApp messages proving that a celebrity has been involved in taking illegal drugs. Will publishing this in this case be good for overall love, or bad? A Situation Ethicist would argue that if publishing this information serves the greater good by warning others, reducing harm, or raising awareness about the dangers of drugs, it might be justified, despite invading privacy. However, if publishing it only damages the celebrity's career without any public benefit, it would be unethical.
How useful is Situation Ethics in relation to publishing sensitive information?
Situation Ethics is not that useful in addressing this issue. Publishing sensitive information is neither always right nor always wrong. The circumstances, including personal needs, and consequences must be considered in each case, which is one of the appealing features of this philosophy. It focuses on the context and what produces the most loving outcome. Unlike deontological approaches, it allows flexibility, so a journalist can weigh the public benefit against the harm caused by revealing the sensitive information. However, different people may interpret what is most loving in a situation in a different manner, or may have a different knowledge of all the factors. The reasoning in Situation Ethics can be very subjective, and different individuals facing the same situation may come up with the opposite answers. It is also hard to work out what would maximise agape love, which is not a simple idea to understand.