Ethical issue Matrix

Ethical issue Matrix

I chose online behavioral tracking as it is an important issue not only to me but to many internet users. I have worked as an online marketer, and during my work, I noticed in many instances that some unscrupulous advertising agencies monitored my browsing patterns. The advertisers did not have respect for my privacy. Instead, they collected information about my browsing history and the sites I visited most. The information was used to tailor-make adverts that were always popping up my browser whenever I was browsing.  It is essential to ensure that the privation of knowledge should be respected an all internet users protected from hackers. The ethical principle of anonymity must apply to data of internet users. Besides the principle of autonomy requires that everyone’s independent decision is respected. The same principle applies to information technology, where users’ choices are supposed to be appreciated (Goldman, 2007).

The principle of beneficence also applies to information privacy. Information and other content information on the internet are supposed to benefit every user. This principle requires that all information site provide information that will help both the consumers and the site owners. Lastly, the laws of respect for persons should be upheld in the information arena.  For instance, it is essential to respect data privacy and avoid collecting information from browsers without their consent.

Analysis of research

The ethical issue matrix was developed based on three ethical principles that are considered key to the enhancement of data protection as access principles. The ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and respect for others work together to ensure that various stakeholders respect data sharing guideline. The principle of independence has been described as an essential requirement for all persons in all fields. People, regardless of their economic and social standing in the community, must be respected and allowed to make independent decisions (Ten Have, 2004).  The respect to autonomy is also applied in the field of data sharing and access to information to further human rights. The principle of beneficence, on the other hand, seeks to ensure that the profit acquired from any action is equitably shared to benefit all. In the spirit of guaranteeing equitability, this principle has proved to be fundamental in the IT and data access. For instance, access to information that is classified by the online behavioral hacker, paint a perfect picture of a situation where the information acquired by the hackers is not used for the benefit of all.

Bynum explores the dangers posed by hackers who get access to information without authorization from relevant authorities (Bynum & Simon, 2004). Information accessed illegally can be used negatively to bring companies down by tarnishing the reputation of the company are even get into private information of other people acquiring private information. According to Bynum, this is a violation of fundamental human rights and should not be allowed to happen. Lastly, Bynum expounds the adverse outcomes associated with the breach of respect to persons ethical principle. This principle re-enforces the strategies used by different IT companies to protect their clients from the unethical hacker (Bynum & Simon, 2004). In our ethical issue matrix, the need for hackers to respect other internet users and avoid accessing their data cannot be overstated. The importance of this principle is based on its efforts proposing that hackers must take it as a personal responsibility to respect other people’s space on the internet. Avoidance of looping into their personal is what the principle proposes. According to Byrum, the responsibility of preventing hackers from accessing private client information lies with the website developer. To enhance the effectiveness of the website companies in protecting internet users, the ethical principles have provided a framework for policy development (Bynum & Simon, 2004).

Policy Overview

The primary responsibility of the website providers is to provide information to web users and enable them to execute online-based functions. Notwithstanding the essential role of providing information to the public, the website has the responsibility of protecting their clients from unethical hackers. The hackers, despite collecting information from browsers without their consent (violation of respect for a person’s principle), they use the information for their benefits without considering the befit to other people. Unethical hackers frequently violate the ethical principle of beneficence.

Purpose of the policy

This policy is aimed at enhancing the security of internet users by ensuring that online behavioral trackers are prevented from getting access to information of online users. It is essential to ensure that all internet users understand their rights, particularly the right to privacy and data protection.  The policy will attain these function by exploring the three different ethical principles. The principles include autonomy, beneficence, and respect for persons.

Scope of the policy (roles and responsibilities of stakeholders)

The policy will require website holders to develop various mechanism to protect internet users. One of how the internet users will be protected from the online behavioral tracking is by the implementation of additional security features on the website. The security features will block all the unethical hacker and trackers from getting access to unauthorized data. The website developers will also be required to install hack detection mechanisms to detect and warn internet users whenever hackers are attempting to gain access to their data. The proposed actions to correct the ethical issues will be implemented by the website providers, who are the key stakeholders.

The specific department that will be responsible for the execution of policy actions will be the IT department of the in liaison with the legal department the policies will be implemented in the company and adhered to by all the employee of the organization. In addition to the implementation of the policy be the website developers, the policy will also require the online users to avoid installing applications that can lead the hackers to track them.

This policy is anchored supported by the data protection law that requires data belonging to a particular individual be protected. Data protection is an international law that has gained the interest of data analyst and experts (Bygrave, 1998). Studies have explored the interpretation of data protection laws in different contexts and defined the tight relationship between data laws and ethical principles underlying data protection.

Article 17 of the international convention about data use and access to data requires that company policies be developed and to protect both the end-users and internet web developers (Bygrave, 1998). There is a strong relationship between data protection laws and ethical data principles. Firstly, the autonomy principle requires that unethical hacker respect the autonomy of internet users and desist from accessing the information without consent. Besides the hackers who get access to unauthorized data are not acting effectively since the information acquired only benefits them and not everyone as expected. In terms of respect to others, the hackers have been shown as using internet users as the means to their end. When adverts popup on the screen while browsing, the hackers are advertising their products to increase their sale without considering the respect for internet users.

References

Bygrave, L. A. (1998). Data protection is according to the right to privacy in human rights treaties. International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 6(3), 247–284. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijlit/6.3.247

Bynum, T. W., & Simon, R. (2004). Computer ethics and professional responsibility.

Goldman, E. (2007, May). Social Networking Sites and the Law. Retrieved from http://www.ericgoldman.org/Resources/socialnetworkingsitesandthelaw.pdf

Ten Have, H. (2004). Ethical perspectives on health technology assessment. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 20(1), 71–76.