Reportage artists, as eyewitnesses and visual communicators, have a moral duty to show what they have seen as truthfully as possible. Unlike photography, a reportage artist tells the story through hand drawn imagery, giving them the ability to influence what is or how something is viewed to create bias, which, depending on the nature of the drawing, can be morally contentious. For example, painting the beauty of a landscape in a war zone to avoid facing the realities of war.​

Since reportage illustration is so frequently used to depict real world, modern day society, it is important to use it to promote representation and diversity by being inclusive of different ages, races, cultures, sexualities, abilities and backgrounds. It is vital that people of all kinds can see themselves represented in the media they consume. Equally, it is important not to perpetuate stereotypes for the sake of being inclusive, for instance reinforcing someone's race by exaggerating, adding or removing certain facial features.