MODULE 5: OVERVIEW OF ETHICS

OVERVIEW
This module will discuss the overview of ethics by defining ethics, identifying values and attitude
anchored to ethics, the different ethical principles, and its application, as well as the different
forms of ethical theories.

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this, students are expected to:
1. Define ethics, values, and attitude
2. Discuss the different ethical principles
3. Differentiate the forms of ethical theories

LESSON 1
ETHICS, VALUES, and ATTITUDE
What is Ethics?
The set of standards of right and wrong that govern human behavior, it involves recommending
concepts of what humans ought to do. It can also refer to as a set of accepted beliefs of
individual or group of people based on morals that control human behavior. Ethics can be seen
in the form of codes of conduct implemented personally or by organizations. Ethics has
something to do with human behavior and it have direct impact on human values and attitude.
Values can contribute to determine appropriate standard behavior, and attitude is manifested in
persons behavior.
Values
It can simply define as something that is worthy or important to an individual. Person’s belief
affects evaluative judgments about what is right or desirable. How personal character will
develop, people think and behave determined by things that a person regard as good or right.
Some examples of values are respect, honesty, personal responsibility, or kindness.
Attitude
It refers to person’s strong belief or feeling towards people, things, and situation. Attitude can be
positive or negative and it can influence the behavior of those around them. Example of positive
and negative attitudes are confident, cooperative, considerate, cheerful, unfriendly, selfish,
snobby and the like.
 LESSON 2
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
Ethical Principles
It is the basis of ethical analysis and serves as the viewpoints in making decisions. These are
the ethical recommendations and evaluations of human actions in justifying judgments. It
determines the considerations that should be weighed in decision making or judgment. The
different ethical principles are beneficence, least harm, respect for autonomy, and Justice.
Beneficence
It refers to an act of charity, mercy, and kindness with a strong connotation of doing good to
others including moral obligation. A person’s duty to act in the best interests and well-being of
the patient, client, or resident. This action can be in a form of kindness, mercy, and/or charity
with implication of doing good to others and moral obligation. However, doing more than is
required or beyond what is obligatory is called exceptional beneficence or classified as
supererogatory. For example, providing an extra benefit to clients that exceeds to the required
services.
Least Harm (Non-maleficence)
A person’s duty to do no harm, to protect others from harm, and to maintain one´s professional
competence. It is like beneficence except that it can be applied to situations in which neither
choice is beneficial where a person should choose to do the least harm possible and to do harm
to the fewest people. A person has a larger responsibility to simply walk past other person rather
than to make derogatory remarks about that person.
Respect for Autonomy
A person’s duty to respect and promote individuals´ decision for themselves or apply to their
lives in achieving what they believe to be in their best interests that includes respect for privacy
and confidentiality. For example, a patient can choose or decide about their medical treatment.
Justice (Distributive Justice)
All persons involved, being of equal moral worth, should be treated fairly. Ethical decisions
should be consistent with the ethical theory except there is a situation that provide an excuse
and justification for an action. For example, A police officer is allowed for over speeding to arrive
in the crime scene immediately and to prevent a person from getting hurt.

LESSON 3
FORMS OF ETHICAL THEORIES
Ethical Theories
Ethical theories are based on ethical principles that points up different aspects of an ethical
conflict and serves as guide to ethically correct resolution that is not beyond the ethical theory
guidelines. The choice of a person in ethical theory commonly based on their experiences.
There are four categories of ethical theory that includes deontology, utilitarianism, rights, and
virtue.

Deontology

A category of ethical theory stating that people should adhere to their obligations and duties
when performing decision making in an ethical conflict. Upholding one’s duty is considered
ethically correct where a person follows his/her obligations to another individual or group of
people. A deontologist produces consistent decisions since they will be based on individual’s
set of duties.
The flaw of this theory is that there is no rationale or logical basis for deciding an individual’s
duties. The reasons why people chose to make it as their duty is unknown. Another flaw is the
conflict on duties and concern with the welfare of others, for example a person’s duty is to attend
a meeting on time and the situation of this person is running late, how this person supposed to
drive? Speeding breaks his/her duty in the society and on the other hand he/she will arrive at the
meeting late that will not fulfill his/her duty.
Utilitarianism
It is founded on one’s ability to predict the consequences of an action. For utilitarian, the
ethically correct choice is the option that yields the greatest benefit to the most people. It
compares predicted solutions and determine the choice which is more beneficial for more
people.
Two Types of Utilitarianism:
1. Act Utilitarianism – adheres precisely the definition of utilitarianism that stick to the action
that that benefit the most people regardless of personal feelings or even societal
constraints such as laws.
2. Rule Utilitarianism – actions are concerned with fairness and takes law into account. It
seeks to benefit the most people however through the fairest and most just means
available. It values justice as well as beneficence at the same time.
Act and rule utilitarian have disadvantages although life experience can be applied in
predicting outcomes, it is not certain that these predictions are accurate. This flaw can lead
to unexpected results and the decision maker appear unethical. Another concern of
utilitarian decision maker is the ability to compare various types of consequences against
each other on a similar scale. It is also difficult to compare material gains against intangible
gains (such as money and happiness) since their qualities differ to such a large extent.
Achieving the maximum good is the concern of act utilitarian. Consequently, one individual’s
right may break the terms to benefit a greater number of people. This type of utilitarianism is
not always concerned with autonomy, beneficence, and/or justice for an individual if
persecuting leads to a solution that benefits majority of people. Another challenge for act
utilitarianism occurs when an individual faces sudden changes in experiences in the set of
variable conditions that can lead to changes in the decision.
 The possibility of conflicting rules occurs in rule utilitarianism. It may encounter conflicting
ideas about what is ethically correct that leads to no ethically correct answer. For example,
the scenario of running late in the meeting. An individual may believe that following the law
would benefit society and at same time he/she may also believe that arriving on time in the
meeting is ethically correct since it also benefits the society.

Rights - to be able to choose what they want / the right to choose

The ethical theory that based on rights are the rights that established by a society and are
given the highest priority and protected. When the rights were endorsed by a large
population,

it is considered valid and ethically correct. Rights can also be grant to others if they have the
ability and resources.
On a larger scale, this theory has major complication. Understanding the characteristic of a
right in the society is a must and the society must determine what rights it wants to sustain
and give to its citizens. To be able to do that, they must decide what is the ethical priorities
are and the society’s goals. Hence, to make the rights theory useful, it must be used
concurrently with another ethical theory that explain the goals of the society constantly. For
example, upholding the right to freedom of religion was one of the goals of a society, and this
right was upheld in the Constitution then people have the right to choose their religion.

Virtue
The virtue ethical theory judges the character of a person rather than an action that may veer
from the person’s normal behavior. When rating an unusual behavior that considered
unethical, they must consider the person’s reputation, morals, and motivation. For example,
if a person plagiarized a passage that was later detected by a peer, the peer who knows the
person well will understand the person’s character and will judge the friend accordingly. If the
plagiarizer normally follows the rules and has good standing amongst his colleagues, the
peer who encounters the plagiarized passage may be able to judge his friend more leniently.
Perhaps the researcher had a late night and simply forgot to credit his or her source
appropriately. Conversely, a person who has a reputation for academic misconduct is more
likely to be judged harshly for plagiarizing because of his/her consistent past of unethical
behavior. The change in the person’s moral character does not take into consideration and
this is the weakness of this form of ethical theory.

MODULE 6: ETHICAL ISSUES IN DIGITAL

AGE
OVERVIEW
As data become available over the internet, ethical issues arise as well. Digital age makes our
data vulnerable to different types of ethical issues. This module will discuss the privacy, privacy
invasion, hacking, theft, copyright infringement, freedom of expression and online defamation,
piracy, fraud, and Internet pornography.
 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this, students are expected to:
1. Identify the different ethical issues in digital age.
2. Describe the threats posed by hackers, fraud, piracy, and internet pornography
3. Identity the different types of theft
4. Discuss the copyright infringement
5. Discuss the freedom of expression and online defamation

1. Privacy
The law stated that a privacy is the right of every people to make personal decisions and live
their lives that is secluded from public scrutiny in a reasonable manner. In other words, it is the
ability of an individual or group of people to selectively express themselves and make
themselves or information about themselves private.

Privacy Invasion
It is a legal term that describe a situation or condition of intruding of a person to other people’s
privacy such as misuse or disclosure of confidential information and unlawful surveillance.
Privacy invasion is a wrongful act that have corresponding legal responsibility because it
causes loss or injury to people’s lives.

Types of Privacy Invasion

a) Intrusion into seclusion – it refers to the intrusion on other person’s private affairs
intentionally. It also includes the act of searching private information of a confidential
nature despite that the information is not publicly disseminated. The legal standard in
this type of tort should be intentional and highly offensive to a reasonable person.
b) Appropriation of name or likeness – it refers to the act of using the name and likeness
of other person publicly without authorization for his/her own benefit such as trading
and advertising purposes.
c) Public disclosure of private facts – it refers to the publication of other person’s private
affairs with the state that it is highly offensive to a reasonable person and in legitimate
public concern.
d) Placing a person in a false light – the act of stating information base on opinion and
may be technically truthful however indicating to that reasonable person something
negative and/or false is true about the target. It is like defamation except that this type
of tort does not require false assertions.

2. Hacking
The act of gaining unauthorized access to data using a system or any digital devices such as
computers also called system penetration. It is one of the most common threats in
cybersecurity since information in digital form is vulnerable to various types of attacks.
Different forms of hacking have several labels and it includes the following:
a) Black-hat hacker – it refers to an act that takes advantage of security vulnerabilities to
gain unlawful access to private networks for the purpose of private advantage.
b) White-hat hacker – it is a type of hacker that works for the common good by hacking
networks to call attention to flaws in security to be fixed.
c) Gray-hat hacker – It refers to the person who enact activities of both black hat and white
hat hacker.
d) Script Kiddie – a novice in hacking. It follows instructions and uses already developed
 software to hack networks.

There are also different tools and methods used in hacking:

a) Key-logging software – it is remotely installed on a computer to record keystrokes and
commands. These recordings will be collected over the Internet and played back to spy
and steal username and password.
b) Packet-sniffing software – it is used to steal private data that is being transported over a
network. It focuses on capturing and analyzing packets that flows over the network or
Internet. It might capture important information such as passwords and credit card
numbers.
c) Port-scanning software – it is used to search random IP addresses for open ports to be
hacked.
d) Social Engineering – it refers to the exploitation of natural human tendency to trust others.
For example, pretending to be an administrator through phone call to make the person to
provide a password or other important information.
e) Dumpster diving – a method of going through trash of other user to steal personal
information such as credit card numbers.

3. Theft
Another ethical issue concerning the use of computer is theft. The most popular type of theft is
known as identity theft – an act of stealing other’s personal information to commit fraud. It can
also be in the form of pretending to be someone else, using the information of other people for
money and other benefits. An identity thief can make unauthorized purchases and transactions
using other person’s credit card information.

Personal information can be obtained using computer technology by accessing computer-

based public records, hard drives of discarded and stolen computers, hacking computer
networks using information-gathering software/malware, or by simply sending deceptive text
messages or emails, and browsing social networking sites.

4. Copyright Infringement
The act of using the copyrighted works or covered by copyright law without permission.
Specifically, reproducing, distributing, displaying, performing protected work, or making
derivative works without authorization of the copyright holder. A copyright holder can be a
creator of the work, publisher, or other business that copyright was assigned where they invoke
legal and technological measures to prevent and penalize copyright infringement.

According to Federis Intellectual Property Law (2013), copyright infringement in the Philippines
constitutes the following statement: “Under Philippine law, copyright infringement occurs when
there is a violation of any of the exclusive economic or moral rights granted to the copyright
owner. It may also consist in aiding or abetting such infringement. The IP Code also provides
for the liability of a person who at the time when copyright subsists in a work has in his
possession an article which he knows, or ought to know, to be an infringing copy of the work for
the following purposes: (a) selling or letting for hire, or by way of trade offering or exposing for
sale or hire, the article; (b) distributing the article for the purpose of trade, or for any other
purpose to an extent that will prejudice the rights of the copyright owner in the work; or (c) trade
exhibit of the article in public.”.

Different forms of copyright infringement:

 • Film recording in a movie theater

• Posting a video on your company’s website that features copyrighted contents such as
songs, wordings, and images
• Modifying copyrighted image or videos and displaying it to company’s website

• Creating merchandise for sale that features copyrighted works

• Downloading films or music without paying their use

• Copying any artistic or literary work without license

5. Freedom of Expression and Online Defamation

Freedom of expression is the right to search, receive, and impart information of your choice
regardless of boundary without interference. It is the right of every person to express themselves
even online and to access information, opinions, and expressions of others including views on
religion, political speech, opinions, and expressions that are inoffensive, but also expressions
and opinions that might be offensive and disturbing to others. Having the right to express
yourself should consider the rights of others and right to privacy.
Online Defamation is the act of giving false statement that is harmful to someone’s reputation
verbally or in written form using online platforms such as social media platform. There are two
types of defamation:
a) Libel – it refers to the written defamatory statement
b) Slander – it refers to the spoken defamatory statement

For example, if the defamatory statement is posted online such as comment in a Facebook post,
it is considered as libel and identified as online defamation. Other example includes public
comments on media websites such as online newspapers or magazine, chatrooms, and blog
posting comments.

Is freedom of expression can be a defamation?

Statements that are labeled as merely opinions does not make it as defamation. Courts focuses
on statement of verifiable facts which means the statement conveys probable false factual
assertion such as cheating on his/her spouse, or someone committed murder.

6. Piracy
It involves illegal copying, use, and distribution of digital intellectual property such as software,
music, and movies. Piracy and plagiarism are classifications of violation of laws regarding
intellectual property rights such as copyright crimes. Pirated software, music, and videos can be
accessed through file sharing networks or from other homemade CD’s and DVD’s.

Examples of Piracy includes the following:

• Illegal use or interception of internet connection of other people

• Publication, reproduction, and/or use of patented or copyrighted work without permission •

Unauthorized copying of protected software
 • Using protected software without license

7. Fraud
In general, it is a wrongful act and criminal deception resulting in financial or personal gain.
Computer fraud is the term used in executing the illegal act using computer system or attacking
a computer intends to alter, damage, or worst disable it.

Types of fraud includes:

a) Mail Fraud – fraudulent activity that uses mails or emails such as sending a letter to
someone to scam money or gain personal information. It also includes using chain
letters to collect items or money, or by simply stealing and opening someone else’s
mail.
b) Health Care Fraud – it refers to a situation where an individual such as insurance
provider or medical office misuse the insurance information for their own personal gain.
c) Debit and Credit Card Fraud – accessing other people’s debit or credit cards that can
completely drain bank accounts.
d) Internet Fraud – fraudulent activity using internet to take advantage to other people. It
includes data breaches, malware, and phishing.

8. Internet Pornography
Accessing pictures or films that contains representation of sexual behavior using Internet. It is
accessible over the Internet via file sharing and websites. The widespread of public access
through World Wide Web increases the growth of internet pornography. It is prohibited to minors
however, pornography become accessible and freely available so that it is considered as one of
the biggest threats in children’s online safety.

Internet pornography is regard as illegal when there are minor children involved. It was stated on
the website of Coxwell & Associates PLLC (2021) that online child pornography become a huge
problem that can consist of photographs, videos, drawings, animations, and even computer
generated images. In some cases, child pornography can involve an adult that is being depicted
as a child. Altering an image to look like a child can also be included in the umbrella of child
pornography.
Internet pornography includes uploading and downloading pornographic materials via internet
illegally, this is also regard as internet pornography crime.

MODULE 7: PRIVACY
OVERVIEW
Privacy can be described as imposing constraints on access to and/or use of personal
information. Privacy refers to the usage of information collected about individuals and stored in
databases. This module will discuss the difference between privacy and security, explain
various risks to Internet privacy, and identify and understand the different key privacy and
anonymity issues.

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this, students are expected to:
1. Difference between privacy and security.
2. Explain various risks to Internet privacy.
3. Identify and understand the different key privacy and anonymity issues
WHAT IS PRIVACY?

Privacy is the proper, or knowledge to control the sharing or revealing of certain data about
yourself or your behaviour. Privacy are often hard to return by lately because we are so
connected and open with our information. Two decades ago, internet privacy would have meant
ensuring your computer’s network connection was secure. Now a days, we use more internet-
connected devices during a single day, including your smartphone, smart home device,
smartwatch, tablet, and laptop.

Much of the web today is being employed by big companies like Google, Facebook, and
Amazon trying to gather people’s data for monetization and marketing purposes. Another
problem experience is that not only our privacy being captured, but it’s also being given in a
privacy focused products. In many cases, when we’re given access to a free product, we pay
with our data information. If we don’t want to be tracked, we frequently need to prefer to use
paid, privacy friendly options.

INFORMATION PRIVACY

Information privacy is that the relationship among the gathering and circulation of information,
technology, the general public expectation of privacy, and therefore the legal and political issues
surrounding them. It is also best-known as data privacy or data protection.

Data privacy is difficult since it try to use data while securing a person's privacy preferences
and personally typical information. The fields of computer security, data security, and knowledge
security all design and use software, hardware, and human resources to deal with this issue.

Information privacy, data privacy or data protection laws render a legal structure on the way
to get, use and store data of natural persons. The various laws all over the world describe the
interest of natural persons to regulate who is using its data. This includes usually the proper to
urge details on which data is stored, for what intention and to request the deletion just in case
the aim isn't given anymore.
✓ For all data gathered, there should be a stated purpose.

✓ Information collected from a private can't be expose to other organizations or individuals

unless clearly authorized by law or by consent of the individual.
✓ Records kept on an individual should be authentic and up to date.

✓ There should be instrument for individuals to review data about them, to check accuracy.
This may include periodic reporting.
✓ Data should be removed when it's not needed for the stated purpose. ✓ Transmission of
private information to determine where "equivalent" personal data protection can't be confirmed
is prohibited.
✓ Some data is just too sensitive to be collected, unless there are severe circumstances (e.g.,
 sexual orientation, religion).

What is Privacy Protection?

Privacy protection is keeping the information you’d like to secure to yourself from getting into the
custody of companies, hackers, government organizations, and some other groups. The
explanation of privacy protection change from person to person. Each person has various
assumptions of privacy, therefore the level of security they want to feel that their privacy is really
secure limit importantly.
Advantages of Privacy Protection

✓ Protect Your Personal Data

Privacy protection keeps your personal data secure from people that might want to take
advantage of it. Minimizing your digital trace makes it harder for people to make advantage of
your data.

✓ Stop Unwanted Solicitations

Without privacy, marketers can target advertisements and other messaging immediately to you.
If these sorts of ads bother you, the simplest way to avoid them is to stop the marketers from
getting your data. Privacy-intrusive data collection runs the web advertising industry. If you'll end
the flow of information you give to the marketers, they’ll not be ready to target you with ads.

✓ Protect Your Email Address

If you'll keep third-parties from acquiring your email address, you'll avoid getting plenty of
unwanted spam email. Willingly giving out your email leads to an intense flow of advertising
messages in your inbox.

Disadvantages to Privacy Protection

✓ Privacy-Focused Products Cost Money

Keeping your personally distinctive data secure isn’t free. Because more mainstream services
gather and exchange your data to form money, private alternatives need to adopt various
business models. Free tools often collect your information, so you don’t need to pay. Privacy-
friendly business models frequently utilize a subscription-based payment model.

✓ Is it Really Private?
You can take all recommended step towards privacy and as to one deficiency , leak your
information. It’s our viewpoint that any privacy protection is best than none, but it could be
overwhelming. If you sense like your efforts aren’t being honor, it might be difficult to continue
using privacy-focused products and services.

✓ Your Information Might Still Be Public

If you need privacy products your data should be private. Forgetting only one aspect of
protecting your privacy could let your personal information slip into an enormous database and
within the hands of an online advertiser.

✓ Your Reputation May Be In Question

There are some spots surrounding privacy on the web. Some people feel that the merely reason
that somebody would want to hide their tracks online is because they’re performing something
illegal. While this isn’t the case, it’s an hopeless condition for anyone who sees the benefits of
keeping your internet activity hidden from prying eyes.

PHILIPPINES – THE DATA PRIVACY ACT OR RA NO. 10173

In 2012, the Philippines passed Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA)
“to protect the fundamental human right to privacy of communication while ensuring free flow of
information to promote innovation and growth. The State recognizes the vital role of information
and communications technology in nation-building and its inherent obligation to ensure that

personal information in information and communications systems in government and in the

private sector are secured and protected”.

The DPA was passed in accordance with the Philippines agreements under ASEAN Vision 2020
and at the urging of the growing business process outsourcing industry. The law was modeled
after the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC) with many of its terminologies and provisions
similar to privacy laws in other jurisdictions.

What acts are covered by the DPA?

The DPA and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) apply to all acts done or practices
engaged in and outside of the Philippines if:

✓ If the person, either an individual or an institution, involved in the processing of personal data
is located in the Philippines;
✓ The act or practice involves personal data of a Philippine citizen or Philippine resident;
✓ The processing of personal data is done in the Philippines; or

✓ The act, practice or processing of personal data is done by an entity with links to the
Philippines, subject to international law and comity.

“Personal data” refers to all types of personal information.

“Processing” is any operation/s performed upon personal data. These operations include, but
are not limited to the collection, recording, organization, storage, updating or modification,
retrieval, consultation, use, consolidation, blocking, erasure, or destruction of data.

Who implements the DPA?

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) is in charge of administering and implementing the
DPA. It is also tasked to monitor and ensure compliance of the Philippines with international
standards for personal data protection. The major functions of the NPC are as follows:

✓ Rule making.

✓ Advisory. The NPC is the advisory body on matters related to personal data protection. ✓
Public education. The NPC shall launch initiatives to educate the public about data privacy, data
protection and fair information rights and responsibilities.
✓ Compliance and monitoring. The body has compliance and monitoring functions to ensure
personal information controllers comply with the law. It is also tasked to manage the
 registration of personal data processing systems.
✓ Complaints and investigations.

✓ Enforcement.

“Personal information controller” is an individual or institution, or any other body who controls the
processing of personal data, or instructs another to process personal data on its behalf.

How to comply with the Data Privacy Act?

If you are a personal information controller, you are required to comply with the following in
accordance with the law:

Registration of data processing systems (DPS). An individual or institution employing fewer

than 250 employees need not register unless its data processing operations: involves sensitive

personal information of at least 1,000 individuals; likely to pose a risk to the rights and freedoms
of data subjects; or the processing is not occasional.

Notification of automated processing operations where the processing becomes the sole
basis of making decisions about a data subject and when the decisions would significantly affect
the data subject. A “data subject” is an individual whose personal, sensitive personal or
privileged information is process.

NOTE: No decision with legal effects concerning a data subject shall be made solely on the
basis of automated processing without the consent of the data subject. The consent may be in
written, electronic or recorded form. It may be given by a lawful representative or agent.
Appointment of a Data Protection Officer in charge of ensuring compliance with the DPA;
Creation of a data breach response team that will immediately address security incidents or
personal data breach;
Adoption of data protection policies that provide for data security measures and security
incident management; Annual report of the summary of documented security incidents and
personal data breaches; and Compliance with other requirements as may be provided by the
NPC.

PRIVACY AND ANONYMITY ISSUES

Data Breaches

A terrible figure of identity theft incidents can be traced back to data breaches involving large
databases of personal information. Data breaches are sometimes lead by hackers breaking into
a database, but more often than one might suspect, they're grounds by negligence or failure to
follow proper security procedures.

Organizations are afraid to announce data breaches due to the following bad publicity and
potential for lawsuits by customers. However, victims whose personal data was compromised
during a data breach need to be knowledgeable so they will take protective measures.

The value to an organization that experience a data breach are often quite high—by some
estimates nearly $200 for every record lost. Nearly half the value is usually a results of lost
business opportunity related to the customers whose patronage has been lost due to the
incident. Other costs include public-relations-related costs to maintain the firm’s reputation, and
increased customer-support costs for information hotlines and credit monitoring services for
victims.

Electronic Discovery

Electronic discovery (e-discovery) is the compilation, preparation, inspection, and production of

electronically stored information for use in criminal and civil actions and proceedings.
Electronically stored information (ESI) includes any sort of digital data, together with electronic
mails, drawings, graphs, Web pages, photographs, word-processing files, sound/audio
recordings, and databases stored on any sort of electronic storage device, along with hard
drives, CDs, and flash drives. Through the e- discovery process, it's quite likely that various
sorts of ESI of a private or personal nature (e.g., personal emails) are going to be disclosed.

Traditional software increase firms as well as legal organizations have established the growing
need for enhanced processes to speed up and lessen the costs associated with e discovery. As
a result, lots of companies offer e- discovery software that cater the ability to
do the following:

✓ Evaluate large volumes of ESI instantly to perform early case assessments. ✓ Simplify and
assign data collection from across all relevant data sources in various data formats.
✓ Choose large amounts of ESI to lessen the include documents that need to processed and
reviewed.
✓ Identify all participants in an investigation to figure out who knew what and when.

E-discovery increase many ethical issues: Should an organization ever plan to destroy or hide
incriminating evidence that would rather be revealed during discovery? To what degree must an
organization be proactive and careful in providing evidence needed through the discovery
process? Should an organization plan to hide incriminating evidence during a mountain of trivial,
routine ESI?

Consumer Profiling

Companies fully gather personal information about users when they register at Websites,
complete surveys, fill out forms, or enter contests online. Various companies also obtain
information about Web surfers through the utilization of cookies— text files which will be
downloaded to the hard drives of users who visit an internet site, so that the Web site is able to
identify visitors on following visits.

Companies also use tracking software to permit their internet sites to study browsing habits and
deduce personal interests and preferences. The use of cookies and tracking software is
questionable because companies can gather information about consumers without their
consent. After cookies have been stored on your computer, they make it possible for a Web site
to vary the ads and promotions given to you. The marketer knows what ads are viewed least
and makes sure that they aren’t shown again, unless the advertiser has decided to promote
using repetition. Some variety of cookies can also track what other sites a user has visited,
allowing marketers to use that data to make educated guesses about the kinds of ads that
would be almost exciting to the user.

Consumer data privacy has fully grown into a serious marketing issue. Companies that can’t
secure or don’t value customer information often lose business, and some become defendants
in class action lawsuits arise from privacy violations.

Opponents of consumer profiling also are concerned that private information is being collected
and taken to other companies without the permission of consumers who provide the
information. After the information has been collected, consumers haven't any way of knowing
how it is used or who is using it.

Workplace Monitoring

Enough of data exists to support the conclusion that a lot of workers waste large portions of
their time period doing non-work- related activity. One recent study discovered that between 60
to 80 percent of workers’ time online has nothing to do with work. Another source estimates
that, on average, workers consume about four or five hours per week on private matters. In a
recent survey by an IT staffing firm, 54 percent of companies reported they were restrict the
utilization of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and LinkedIn to help
lessen waste at work.

The actual for decreased productivity and increased legal liabilities has led numerous
employers to watch workers to make sure that corporate IT usage policies are being followed.
Many firms find it necessary to record and review employee communications and activities on
the job, along with phone calls, email, and Web surfing. Some are even videotaping employees
on the work . In addition, some companies utilize random drug testing and psychological testing.
With some exceptions, these progressively common (and many would say intrusive) practices
are perfectly legal.

Advanced Surveillance Technology

A number of advances in information technology—such as surveillance cameras and satellite-

based systems which will spot a person’s physical location—bring awesome new data-gathering
capabilities. However, these advances also can diminish individual privacy and simplify the
issue of what proportion information should be secure about people’s private lives.

✓ Camera Surveillance

Surveillance cameras are utilized in major cities around the world in an attempt to discourage
crime and terrorist activities. Critics believe that such scrutiny may be a violation of civil liberties
and are concerned about the value of the equipment and other people required to watch the
video feeds. Surveillance camera supporters offer report data that means the cameras are
effective in preventing crime and terrorism. They can give examples during which cameras
helped solve crimes by validate the testimony of witnesses and helping to trace suspects.

✓ Vehicle Event Data Recorders

A vehicle event data recorder (EDR)is a tool that records vehicle and occupant data for a couple
of seconds before, during, and after any vehicle crash that's terrible enough to deploy the
vehicle’s air bags. Sensors located around the vehicle take and register information about
vehicle speed and acceleration; seat belt use; air bag formation; activation of any automatic
collision notification system, and driver inputs like brake, accelerator, and turn signal usage. The
EDR cannot take any data that could determine the driver of the vehicle. Nor can it tell if the
driver was managing the vehicle under the effect of drugs or alcohol.

The fact that the majority cars now come equipped with an EDR which the information from this
device could also be used as evidence during a court of law isn't broadly known by the public.
The future capacity of EDRs and the extent of use of their data in court proceedings remains to
be seen.

✓ Stalking Apps

Technology has made it easy for an individual to trace the whereabouts of somebody else in the
least times, without ever having to follow the person. Cellphone spy software called a stalking
application are often loaded onto someone’s cellphone or smartphone within minutes, making it
feasible for the user to perform location tracking, record calls, view every text message or
picture sent or received, and record the URLs of any internet site visited on the phone. A built-in
microphone are often activated remotely to use as a listening device even when the phone is
turned off. All information collected from such apps are often sent to

the user’s email account to be accessed live or at a later time. Some of the most popular spy
software consist of Mobile Spy, ePhone Tracker, Flexi SPY, and Mobile Nanny.

There is no law that prohibits a business from making an app whose primary purpose is to
assist one person track another, and anyone can buy this software over the web . (Some users
have complained that they contracted malware when downloading stalker apps or that the app
did not work as advertised.) However, it's illegal set up the software on a phone without the
consent of the owner. It is also illegal to hear someone’s phone calls without their knowledge
and permission. However, these legal technicalities are not a hindrance for a determined
stalker.