Who’s Disclosing What? Questions on Transparency
Picture this: you’re scanning the morning news and come across an op-ed on Canada’s financial future and suggested policies to help get us ahead. A reputable source publishes the article, and the author’s blurb indicates they’re a member of an academic institution. You think to yourself, “this must be legit…” and share it on your social media page. But what if I told you the author had shares in a large corporate entity and was also a member of their board. Even more, the policies they suggest would generate significant revenue for that company. Do you still feel like sharing it?
Canada is at a policy crossroads. Climate change, shifting demographics, emerging political dynamics, and COVID-19 have caused governments and policy decision-makers to rethink the status quo. With policy ideas and research flowing from all sides, it’s a challenge for Canadians and their governments to know what’s what. We rely on published authors and academics to publish with transparency, but that is not always the case. We want to think that those sharing their ideas have our collective best interests at heart, but how do we know that for sure.
Whether you’re reading an op-ed by an established policy pundit or flipping through a new article on climate change, the same questions remain. Who carries the responsibility to determine an author’s potential bias? Are readers and the audience expected to spend time scouring the internet, ensuring that the opinion presented is one rooted in evidence and fact?
No, there’s an easier way. We should be expecting authors to disclose their conflict of interests and conflict of commitments within the article. Public news entities and publications should be taking their responsibilities of transparent publishing into their own hands and request and print this information upfront. Including a statement indicating any affiliations, financial or otherwise, allows the reader to decide whether the author’s interests and obligations present a potential bias in the report.
There is often a lot of skepticism and disdain for a conflict disclosure; some see it as an admittance of wrongdoing. Others feel it’s an invasion of their privacy. But, by disclosing any conflicts, authors are actively avoiding the accusation of misconduct. As a reader, I don’t expect the author to have no connections to the topic; I often anticipate the opposite. However, I want to know what those connections are to make an informed decision on the presented opinion’s validity and premise. But perhaps this is exactly why authors refuse to disclose their conflicts for fear of undermining their views.
Contributors cannot cry “invasion of privacy” when they invited us into the conversation. We are not asking for personal information but any potential connections to professional work that could unintentionally bias your judgement. If people want to share their opinions, they should expect some accountability and transparency to be asked of them.
To the policy authors reading: this means if you’re providing an opinion on the benefits of universal basic income and are an active advocate and researcher in that space, disclose it. If you’re writing an article that’s pro-oil, you need to disclose your connections to the oil industry, financial or nonfinancial. As your audience, we have the right to make an informed opinion, but only when we know the whole story. If you feel your idea is the right one, you should feel comfortable laying all the facts on the table.
The solution to this problem is a simple one. When providing an opinion in the public policy space, disclose conflicts of interest and commitments. As readers, we need to demand better of our policy academics and researchers. For myself, as a future policy-maker, this means that I pledge transparency with my audiences and always declaring any conflict of interest. I hope my colleagues do the same.
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About the author: Kayla Doody completed her Bachelor of Arts at St. Thomas University, with a double major in political science and human rights. She is currently a Masters student with The School of Public Policy. Kayla works with Dr. Lindsay Tedds as a researcher, analyzing and determining appropriate frameworks for conflict of interest disclosure within the policy space. In her spare time, Kayla enjoys hiking in the mountains, chatting with family, and cross-stitching.
Disclosure: Kayla received no direct compensation for writing this article, and has no active affiliations or associations with organizations that would present a conflict to the topic discussed.