New DIACOMET principles promote ethical and inclusive communication

We are proud to have published the Principles for dialogue-supportive communication, aimed at fostering ethical, respectful, and inclusive communication in democratic societies. These principles are grounded in dialogic communication ethics and draw on insights from communication theory, journalism ethics, and dialogic pedagogy, as well as empirical research conducted within our project.

The principles emphasise the importance of balancing power relations, ensuring equal access to information, and promoting mutual respect and evidence-based argumentation. They are designed to help prevent misunderstandings, manipulation, and violations of social norms across a wide range of communication contexts.

Unlike traditional professional codes, the framework applies broadly to interpersonal, institutional, and digital communication, including machine-mediated environments. It identifies six key domains of ethical communication: equality, freedom and safety; individual autonomy  and informational self-determination; quality of information and deliberation; ethical conduct in situations of confrontation and disagreement; active listening and inclusion; and constructive feedback.

By offering a flexible and context-sensitive approach, the principles aim to support shared understanding of ethical communication and strengthen a culture of dialogue in diverse settings.