Topics in Information Technology Ethics: Data Collection “Harvesting” Personalities Online

Running head: TOPICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
Topics in Information Technology Ethics: Data Collection “Harvesting” Personalities Online
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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TOPICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
1. Introduction
The chosen article sheds light to the process of data harvesting or harvesting personalities
online with an aim of helping the political candidates to customize or tailor their campaigning
messages. With the collected data from different types of online surveys, the voters across
America are categorized on basis of their demographics and issues they face. The article reveals
that the company has assessed almost all the 190 million registered voters in United States
(University, 2019). The main issue related to this data collection process is that the participants
of the survey generally has no idea about the purpose of data collection. The data fetched in
name of targeted ads or personality traits are used for tailored political campaigns. The question
arises, whether the collection or harvesting of the personalities of all the people without their
knowledge is ethical or not. The disclosure provide to the participants prior to the survey is not
enough as it does not reveals the main intention behind collection of those data. Furthermore, the
data of the part of population that has not participated in the online survey is assumed by the
method of extrapolation, which may not be ethical as well. The purpose of the essay is to
evaluate the situation on basis of four ethical theories.
2. Utilitarianism Theory
The Utilitarianism theory of ethics determines the rightness or wrongness of a situation
solely on the consequences of the situation. Therefore, according to the theory of Utilitarianism,
a situation will be ethically correct only if it works for greater good (Kahane et al., 2015). A
situation should not only take into consideration of an individual’s interest but should ensure that
the interest of others is fulfilled as well. By ensuring that, it is possible to make a situation
ethically correct.

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TOPICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
On analyzing the situation highlighted in the chosen article on basis of the Utilitarianism
theory, it can be said that the situation is not ethically correct (Boutilier et al., 2015). This is
mainly because the revelation of the incomplete or to an extent, untrue information indicates that
the data collected is mainly tailored to ensure the benefit of the political participants and not the
190 million voters of U.S. The participants of the survey are providing their data in order to
understand their personalities and they have a very little or no idea of the real intention or need
for collection of such data. Thus, the situation thus arises is not at all ethical on basis of
Utilitarianism theory of ethics. The action of collection of data without revealing the entire cause
to the individuals who are providing the data makes the situation unethical on Utilitarianism
perspective. The situation might not have been unethical if the participants of the survey were
provided with detailed information about the real reason behind data collection or harvesting of
the personalities online. The situation is evaluated on basis of Deontology theory, contract theory
and virtue theory in the following paragraphs.
3. Deontology Theory
The deontology states that an action can be morally and ethically correct if the intention
behind the same is correct. An intention behind a particular work is mainly based on the values
of a person (Constantin, 2014). Thus, following a deontology theory, an individual should
always work according to the rules that can be accepted universally. This is mainly because the
deontology theory is based on universality and impartiality.
On analyzing the ethical issue arising from the situation highlighted in the chosen article,
on basis of theory of deontology, it is found out that the situation is not ethical (Weiss, 2014).
This is particularly because deontology theory approves the concept of telling truth to the