The Dilemma of Internet-Related Privacy - Coursework Example

Privacy-Related Matrix College This research paper has been focused on the dilemma of Internet related Privacy. Illegalaccess of the information on the health related website has been chosen. Stakeholders of the dilemma include the individuals whose information is stored, other individuals who access their medical information and website. Ethical principles of confidentiality, autonomy and non-maleficence oblige all stakeholders to secure the information of medical records. It is analyzed that how three principles are used for personal and medical related information of individuals over the internet. Stakeholders as well as federal governments can take action to hinder the individuals from illegal access of information over the internet. Privacy-Related Matrix Introduction: Ethical Matrix is a decision sport framework used for exploring the IT related ethical issues within an organization. This ethical matrix has been applied to a large number of case studies. Ethical matrix has become a central focusing point of IT related organizations for last many years. In the ethical matrix, literature studies and theoretical analysis are combined with the engagement of stakeholders’ exercises. IT related ethical issues emerge when users utilize the Information Technology. Data protection involves relationship between the legal rights and technology. Privacy concerns emerge when an identifiable unique data related to individuals is stored in a digital form. Sometimes, issue is related with the access of information given to someone who is not authorized. Internet privacy does not only deals with information controlled but also keeps control over the individuals or organizations that can access the information (Feruza & Kim, 2007). Ethical dilemma: Illegal access of your information on the health related website. Stakeholders Autonomy Confidentiality Non-maleficence 1 You You are independent to take any decision and responsible for making any decision. You can focus upon the determination of your rights. (Peter, 2011) You need to take actions based on the ethical principles against the individuals who try to steal your information. You are also ethically responsible for avoiding the illegal access of health related information of others. You are morally obliged to do not cause harm or suffering to other people whose data is stored in the websites. 2 Other users browsing the networking website All other users of social networking are morally obliged to respects the rights of other persons. All other users of health information on social networking must not access the information of others. All other users of health related websites must ensure that they do not cause harm to any other individual whose data has been kept within that website. 3 Health related websites Health related websites with confidential information is governed by the health laws. Health related website must secure the information of other individuals and do not let any person to steal the information. Lv (2014) stated that a group communication within groups or organization is secured through the integration of new schemas of protocols, which resist the individuals who try to access the information of other individuals. Health related website must not harm other individuals who are legal users of that website. I have chosen this dilemma as it is a challenging issue for people and requires a balancing act between personal privacy and access of the public records. In the current era of information technology, people have adopted the illegal manners in accessing the personal information and personal identifiers via electronic records. In developed countries of the world, electronic health record system has been implemented; and legal users of these systems share important information through these systems. Therefore, individuals using these websites need to access their own information and never try to log in the systems with login information of other individuals (Private Clearing House, 2014). This dilemma is growing more complex as Yu (2013) argues because potential for privacy breaches has also increased. Hospitals using these electronic systems for handling the patients’ records have been alerted on the improper access of patients’ records. Within this dilemma, moral principles of my concerns are the autonomy, confidentiality and non-maleficence. Cohen et al., (2003) also stated that confidentiality was the vital components for building the trust between counselor and client. Principle of fidelity is threatened by the trust violation. In this dilemma of illegal access of the electronic records, confidentiality breach hinders the autonomy. Individuals involved in breaching the confidentiality try to keep the secrecy of their acts. Law and order agency controlling the cyber crimes find it difficult to locate the real people. However, ethically it is duty of all of us to recognize the extents of such consequences. Third principle in the current research is the non-maleficence that asks for stakeholders to refrain from those actions, which cause harm to other individuals. Beauchamp & Childress (2009) stated that non-maleficence imparted the obligation to refrain the stakeholders from harming the individuals. Stakeholders including the physicians took the Hippocratic Oath of strictly avoiding the harm to other people. In terms of law on the non-maleficence, all stakeholders are obliged to prevent harm against any person. Rules that emerge from non-maleficence principle are not causing suffering or pain, not killing, not offending and incapacitating others. Non-maleficence is also breached when an online pharmacy sends the wrong products to a patient and puts the patient at risk. In the current dilemma of illegal accessing the information on the internet several actions can be taken to ensure the security of patients’ information on the internet. If someone breaches the ethical principle of non-maleficence and accesses the information of someone else, then organizations can use their self regulatory codes. They can also report about the incident and share information to relevant sources such as CERT in US and ICC as a Commercial Crime Services in UK. Similarly, all countries have their own sources who investigate such illegal information accessing cases. Programs based on the education and awareness raising can be arranged to educate the people about the illegal access of the information, which can cause harm to other people (International Chamber of Commerce, 2004). Federal laws are enacted to govern the data breaches. Firms experiencing the breaches of data security need to pay for the credit monitoring of the victims (Waldron & Hallstrom, 2013). Users’ privacy and security are compromised by a digital trail of the online transactions. Introduction of Web 2.0 technology has made it easier for internet users to freely communicate with their friends and also access the information of other individuals who also use the internet for different purposes, including the bank statements, credit card information and storing the health related information. O’Connor (2014) a Forbes Staff in an article also revealed that communication made on the internet 10 years before could be retrieved. This is surprising because target keeps the information about the email or other Ids used for the communication. Therefore, communication on the internet requires changing the login information subsequently. Some of the organizations dealing with payment transaction send alerts to their clients to change the login information if someone tries to use their login page and puts the incorrect entries. In this dilemma, medical privacy is allowed to keep the electronic medical records beyond the reach of culprits. Concerns on the illegal access of electronic medical record may affect the insurance coverage. Patients also want to ensure information about their personal life. Conclusion: In this dilemma paper, IT related privacy issue of illegal access of medical information via electronic source has been focused. Ethical principles about IT privacy over the internet have been explained. Dilemma of the Illegal access of someone’s information on the health related website has been selected with ethical principles such as autonomy, confidentiality and non-maleficence. Main stakeholders of the dilemma are identified. Reasons for choosing the dilemma include the rise in the illegal access of the medical record and exploit them to harm other individuals. Moral principles ask all stakeholders to secure the information on medical records and never let any illegal access to this information. References Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics (6th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Cohen L, Baer N & Satterwhite P. (2002). Developing effective coalitions: an eight step guide In: Wurzbach ME Community health education and promotion: A guide to program design and evaluation (2nd Ed.) Gaithersburg (MD): Aspen; Feruza F.Y. & Kim T. (2007). “IT Security Review: Privacy, Protection, Access Control, Assurance and System Security”, International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering Vol. 2, No. 2. International Chamber of Commerce (2004). Updated Matrix of issues related to the Internet and organizations dealing with them, ICC, The World Business Organization. Lv, X. & Li, H. (2013). “Non-reputation for mobile ad-hoc networks”, IEEE, Vol. 7, Issue 2. 61- 66. O’Connor, C. (2014). Surprise! 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A breach of client data: Risks to CPA firms, Available from http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2013/Aug/20138003.htm Accessed on 30-03-2014. Read More