Ethics E-mail and Ethical Issues Loretta J. Bradley Bret Hendricks Texas Tech University The proliferation of the use of e-mail and texting has created some ethical dilemmas for family counselors. Although e-mail can expand and encour- age communication, it is not problem free and, in fact, can pose problems. There are issues with privacy, confidentiality, and maintaining an appro- priate professional relationship. Family counselors should be aware of the promises and pitfalls in using e-mail and related technologies. Keywords: e-mail; family counseling; confidentiality; ethical dilemmas; counseling relationship J ason, a family counselor in private practice laments, ‘‘I checked my e-mail today and realized that a client had sent me an e-mail last week about his increasing problems with his family. Until today, I was unaware that he had sent that e-mail. I don’t check my e-mail every day. Now I am wondering if I’m legally liable for answering that e-mail that was sent outside the counseling session?’’ If I do answer that e-mail, will that be considered counseling? If I don’t answer that e-mail, am I ignoring my ethical duty as family counselor? In the past decade, e-mail has created new ethical dilemmas for family counselors. The questions listed above represent a growing body of questions produced by the rapid increase of e-mail use. The proliferation of the use of e-mail and texting has increased to the extent that many clients of family counselors use these methods of communication so often that verbal communication becomes a lesser preferred mode of communication (Finn, 2006; Fisher & Fried, 2008; Haberstroh, Duffey, Evans, Gee & Trepal, 2007; Walther, 2007). Electronic communication has spawned a new lan- guage, seemingly understood only by those who practice it. For example, although the word ‘‘texting,’’ a verb, was not seen in Webster’s 2002 Dictionary (Landau, 2002), is now used so frequently that the word is now used as standard English. The phrase ‘‘B hr B4 H gts 2 th crb’’ (‘‘Be here before he gets home’’) presents the reader with a plethora of contextual meanings and misunderstandings while the message is clearly understood by clients who are contemporary e-mail users. Given the potential ethical and legal issues generated by e-mail, this article is written to explore the ethical concerns posed by e-mail in family counseling. Specifically, this article will focus on the ethical dilemmas generated from the use of e-mail in family counseling while simultaneously trying to answer the question, is e-mail friend or foe? The authors wish to point out that our focus is on e-mail, not internet counseling, which has been addressed recently in the American Counseling Code of Ethics (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2005) and earlier in the ACA Standards for Online Counseling (ACA, 1999). TECHNOLOGY EXPANSION The past three decades, and especially the last decade, have produced enormous advances in technology. Ten years ago, McMinn, Buchanan, Ellens, and Ryan (1999) described three waves in the advancement of technology. The three were detailed as those technologies that increase office efficiency, enhance clinical services, and improve new, emerging technologies. The researchers identified the first wave as advances in fax machines, word processors, answering machines, and voice mail machines. Now, 10 years later, the first wave technologies have been integrated into daily work activities. Second wave technologies were defined as advances to enhance test administration, scoring, and interpretation. McMinn et al. (1999) identified third wave technologies that affect practice. In 1999, when their article was written, the third wave included the use of telephone, e-mail, and chat rooms. Now, in 2009, as the technology horizon has expanded, the division between the first, second, and third wave has blurred because all three waves are entrenched in the work place. Consequently, Authors’ Note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Loretta Bradley, Texas Tech University, COE Box 41071, Lubbock, TX 79409; e-mail:loretta.bradley@ttu.edu. THE FAMILY JOURNAL: COUNSELING AND THERAPY FOR COUPLES AND FAMILIES, Vol. 17 No. 3, July 2009 267-271 DOI: 10.1177/1066480709338293 # 2009 SAGE Publications 267