Organizational tools may be seen as social media in days like the present. Personally I would have to utilize linked in due to not having other social platforms. One thing that stood out to me was the emphasis on the idea that technology isn’t neutral it can either support ethical practice or unintentionally cause harm depending on how we use it. The standards Barsky discusses remind us that professionalism, confidentiality, and boundaries don’t stop once we log onto social media. When using LinkedIn, that means being intentional about how I present myself, what I share, and who I connect with. Accepting connection requests from clients or posting content that indirectly references client experiences can blur boundaries and create ethical issues, even if it feels harmless in the moment. Barsky’s discussion also made me reflect on power and access in digital spaces. Not everyone we work with has the same comfort, safety, or ability to navigate technology, and platforms like LinkedIn often center professional privilege

I highlighted this section to relate it to some of the times at work I have seen social workers fail their clients and not live up to the ethical standards placed by the NASW. While the NASW Code of Ethics is an important guide, putting it into practice isn’t as straightforward as it sometimes sounds. Our decisions are shaped not only by ethical theory and agency policies, but also by the real-life systems our clients are navigating every day. Many of the communities social workers work with, immigrants, people of color, those living in poverty and dealing with homelessness, are dealing with systems that were never designed with them in mind or rather it was staged as it was . Laws, policies, and even helping institutions can unintentionally reinforce the same inequalities they claim to address. As a Latina woman, I can’t ignore how racism, classism, and gender inequality show up in these systems, because I see how they directly impact the people sitting across from me. The code of ethics reminds social workers constantly to keep questioning the role social workers play within these power structures. Are we truly advocating for our clients, or are we sometimes acting as gatekeepers for systems that continue to marginalize them? Regardless there is much that needs to change.

I chose to annotate this due to the first idea that a code of ethics lays out values and principles that guide our actions really shows up in day-to-day work. The NASW Code of Ethics isn’t something I think about only in theory it’s something that helps me decide how to respond to people in real situations, especially in places like a detox unit where emotions are high and people are vulnerable. In substance use treatment, a lot of clients already feel judged or ashamed before they even walk through the door. As a Latina, I see how cultural expectations, family pressure, and stigma around addiction can affect how someone acts in treatment. When clients seem withdrawn or unmotivated, it’s often not because they don’t care, but because they’re scared, embarrassed, or trying to protect their family image. For example, on a detox unit that offers both inpatient and outpatient services, I worked with a Latina client detoxing from alcohol. She barely spoke in groups and kept asking to be discharged early. Some staff saw her as resistant or noncompliant. When I talked with her individually, she opened up about feeling like she had let her family down. She was also worried about outpatient appointments interfering with work and potentially losing her job. Looking at the situation through the lens of the NASW Code of Ethics helped me respond differently, especially not on a judgemental level.