Kyle Kehoe

4/2/2017

EE 394

Ethics Essay/Reflection

Ethics: What are They and Why Have Them?

If you look up the definition of ethics in the dictionary youll find something like they are

the moral principles that influence a persons behavior or how an activity is carried out. This is

an apt definition; however, a definition can only tell a fraction of what ethics really entails. I

recently had a meeting and discussion on ethics with a group of my peers in the college of

engineering that was facilitated by a professor whose specialty area was cyber-security. A recent

current event in the news regarding legislation on Internet privacy was the focus of our ethics

discussion. Talking and listening to my peers perspectives about this ethical issue has allowed

me to get a deeper understanding of the components of ethics. These components include the

importance of having ethics, a decision-making process for ethical decisions, and ethical virtues.

The first component of ethics I would like to address is the importance of having an

ethical code. An ethical code can be thought of as a written framework that individuals can

follow to keep in good standing with ethical decision making. It is necessary to have that

framework written out to clarify any ambiguous meanings of what constitutes ethical behavior

and unethical behavior. Since it is in writing, it can be assumed that it can be easily referred to

(perhaps by electronic means on a computer or disseminated physical copies) when an ethical

decision is to be made or just identifying whether ethics will come into play for a decision to be
made. In addition, a code can be modified to address any newfound areas where new ethical

issues arise.

Having established the importance of having an ethical code in writing, the steps

in an ethical decision-making process can be discussed. I am going to give a general outline of

the steps required for many different ethical decisions to be made. Obviously, no scenario is the

exact same and decisions arent always black and white. The first step in any case is

identifying whether an issue is ethical or not, e.g., a conflict of interest. This can be done by

consulting an ethical code manual or a companys conduct policy handbook. If it still is unclear

whether ethics is involved in a future decision, one should talk with their supervisor to get their

opinion. If a decision does involve ethics, one should could consider the next step which is to

consider the different courses of action that can be taken and weigh the pros and cons of taking

each one. When weighing the benefits versus the costs of each possible decision one should also

consider whether that course of action is ethical. Essentially, the goal is to choose the option

where the benefits to cost ratio is highest while ensuring that the ethical criterion is met. This is

the hardest step in ethical decision-making since value judgments and personal beliefs come into

play. Values and beliefs are different from person-to-person making it a gray area when it

comes to making a choice. Finally, once a choice has been made the individual should monitor

the results and consequences of that action to see if it truly was the most ethical decision to be

made and learn from it. Even if a decision wasnt a great decision, one can still learn from it and

better apply that knowledge for future decisions to be made.

Now that the reader has an appreciation for why ethical codes are important and the

general process for making an ethical decision, I will talk about a specific ethical dilemma

brought to the attention of a few of my peers and myself at an ethics discussion meeting.
 Recently, the Senate and House of Representatives voted to pass a piece of legislation

that allows ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to sell their customers personal data to companys

or organizations that pay enough money for it. My understanding is this can include a customers

browser search history, financial information, among other personal information. The consensus

at the ethics meeting of this new legislation was completely negative. My peers and I pointed out

that this infringes upon the right to privacy which is addressed in the U.S. Constitution, e.g., law

enforcement cant just enter a residence without having a warrant to search the premises. In

addition, the internet is such a complex and massive entity that most of the users wouldnt even

be aware of the potential consequences of this legislation and just how much a company or

organization can find out about their personal lives just by contacting their ISP. The internet was

created to help make access to information easier and our lives more convenient with online

shopping, applying for jobs, among the many other functions the internet can serve. When people

feel like they are being overly watched or monitored on the internet, it contributes to a more

apprehensive or fearful outlook of the internet. Our group didnt complete our discussion on a

way to possibly resolve this ethical dilemma, however, I think a framework for a solution would

have been to rewrite the legislation to include regulations on what customer information an ISP

can provide to another entity and when its okay for them to do so. The approved legislation

doesnt seem to have any regulations and is centered around ISPs wanting to create more profit

at the expense of their customers cyber security and privacy.

While there isnt any single policy or solution to the ethical dilemma of internet privacy,

there are different ethical virtues that should be considered to make an ethical outcome possible.

Firstly, honesty is probably the most important virtue when it comes to being ethical. Being

forthcoming and truthful about information surrounding a decision that affects people. In the
context of internet privacy, ISPs need to tell their customers in simple language how the new

legislation will affect their online privacy and how their personal information can be used and

sold. Next, fidelity is a virtue of similar importance. Being faithful and loyal can be incredibly

difficult when there are many other enticing options and alternatives for a company to make

more money. Fidelity is what ultimately separates highly ethical businesses from unethical ones.

Having or not having fidelity answers the question of how faithful businesses are to their

customers best interests. Another virtue is responsibility. Its realizing you have an obligation to

carry out a duty and holding yourself accountable. In the case of an ISP, their name states their

primary responsibility: provide a reliable internet service to the customers they serve. An ISP

shouldnt just be in the internet business to make as much money as possible while ignoring their

customers have a right to privacy in cyberspace just like they would in their homes. Selling

customers online data puts them at even more unnecessary risk in an online world prone to

hacking already. If an ISP mishandles information and customers identities are stolen, does the

ISP want to bear the responsibility of making amends for a costly mistake? That is, would an ISP

be able to or willing to be held liable for customers safety online?

To summarize I first discussed the importance of having an ethical code. A written code

can be referenced and serves as a reminder of the basic components of ethics. When making an

ethical decision, there is a basic ethical decision-making process that can be slightly modified as

needed depending on the ethical situation at hand. I also delved into a recent current event

regarding new legislation affecting the state of the countrys internet privacy and the obvious

ethical conflicts that have arisen. Finally, I talked about how honesty, fidelity, and responsibility

are important virtues that are necessary to consider and have when making an ethical decision.

While many decisions have definite right and wrong courses of action, there are many that are
not obvious. It is of utmost importance in the latter case decision makers truly pay attention to

ethical considerations and use good sense and judgment so that an optimal, ethical solution is the

result.