This essay discusses the ethical issues related to privacy and data security in mobile health applications. It explores the potential risks and breaches of personal information and emphasizes the importance of developing secure and user-friendly apps.
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Running Head: Network Management in Organisations Network Management in organisations Essay System04104 1/3/2019
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Network Management in Organisations 1 Introduction Now a day’s smartphone apps are providing various facilities to its users in terms of health tracking, online buying and selling, online banking services, and online payment as well. Especially large number of health apps trending in the smartphones and make life easier and healthier. But these apps also collect the precious personal information of the user. But, despite of being strict cyber laws and regular scrutiny of privacy practices many apps use these personal information for their personal use and do whatever they please to do with that information [1]. The other ethical issue which is noticeable that only apps are not only thing to collect user data rather mobile phone itself does too and these apps access these data with small user permission. Thus, a little bit lack in care might cause a breach of privacy information to public. Identification The level of privacy depends on which type of phone user is using and how careful user is. Apple i-phone to android phone user everyone facing the privacy problem while they are using the health app [2]. Mobile health applications often collect large number of information from user such as information related to their name, gender, e-mail, phone number, age, photos etc. These information are stored in the cloud storage of that application [3]. These apps not only records personal data rather they can easily track you by your location, collect information regarding your daily routine, exercise, pregnancy and menstrual cycle, diet, and medication refills as well. These apps not only contains private information rather they are free for users and in turn they show large number of advertisement through that app, and there is increasing chance of breaching security and data theft. Analysis Privacy of people can be considered as an essential freedom and rights of person. A person can only decide to whom and when he/she can share the personal information. But when a person theft the personal information of a person without the consent of that person, then it will be considered as an illegal and unethical practices. The current and latest example of data breaching through mobile apps was Facebook user’s information breach. In last year March 2018, more than 50 million of user profiles and their private information breached by a political form named ‘Cambridge Analytica’ [4]. Cambridge Analytica collected the personal
Network Management in Organisations 2 information through a mobile app that scraped details about people’s personalities, social network, and engagement on the platform. In initial stage Cambridge Analytica disclose that they had information only on 30 million users, but in April, Facebook confirms that more than 87 million of Facebook user were influenced by this major data breach of 2018. Most of the people all over the world using Facebook for exchanging message and their personal information and this breach were the major concern for the world for their privacy [5]. Evaluation and Justification Privacy is major concern while developing an app for people by a software company. A quality software is a software application that meets user needs and objectives and it is well tested, documented, and maintainable. A research conducted by Khalid, Shihab & Nagappan demonstrated that there are numerous issues found with the apps on both android play store and Apple’s app store. They also disclosed that most of the apps are lack in their security features and hide the user comments and review about the data privacy concern they faced through any particular app [6]. The most fundamental ethical principal while any company is developing mobile application is to protect the personal information of their users and treat them as their own. However, if any data breach happened then it might be possible that company lack in security features of that app. Any security breach might cause a serious problem for the user as the personal or some sensitive information such as bank account other details could be leak out in public [7]. Thus, it is essential for the company to develop high secure app with user-friendly features that cannot be able to crack by any hackers and users can enjoy the freedom of using the app without any stress of privacy concern. The software company should update their app on regular basis and keep it on its latest security features that remove the fear of hacking [8]. Conclusion In the conclusion, it can be said that company should care the basic ethical principles during development of apps. Security factor of applications and privacy of the user information must be on high priority while a company develop any apps because a small breach can be result of a major data breach and enhance the possibility of hacking for data theft. Facebook is very recent example of such case.
Network Management in Organisations 3 Reference [1] H. Khalid., E. Shihab, And M. Nagappan, “What Do Mobile App Users Complain About?”A Study on Free iOS Apps,vol. 18, no. 8, pp. 1-6, 2018. [2] R. Karen. and V. Zimmermann. "Ethical Guidelines for Nudging in Information Security & Privacy."IEEInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies,vol. 6, no. 9, pp. 18-22,2018. [3] S. Alexander, M. Hofer, and M. Allemand. "Mobile Data Collection: Smart, But Not (Yet) Smart Enough."Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 12, no. 8, p. 971, 2018. [4] P. Carolyn and U. Lehmann. "Social Media in Health Care: Time for Transparent Privacy Policies and Consent for Data Use and Disclosure."IEEApplied clinical informatics, vol. 9, no. 04, pp. 856-859, 2018. [5] I. Jim and M. J. Hanna. "User Data Privacy: Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and Privacy Protection."Computer, vol. 51, no. 8, pp. 56-59, 2018. [6] K. Nicole R., and N. R. Presser. "Ethical and Legal Issues Addressing the Use of Mobile Health (mHealth) as an Adjunct to Psychotherapy."IEEEthics & Behavior28, no. 1, pp. 1-22, 2018. [7] A. Zargaran, J. Ash, G. Kerry, D. Rasasingam, S. Gokani, A. Mittal, and D. Zargaran, “Ethics of Smartphone Usage for Medical Image Sharing”.IEEEJournal of Surgery,vol.80, no.3, pp. 300-301, 2018. [8] F. Christian, and N. Sörum. "Agencing ethical consumers: smartphone apps and the socio- material reconfiguration of everyday life."Consumption Markets & Culture, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 1-26, 2018.