Professional Practice and Ethics in Cambridge Analytica Scandal

This document covers the analysis of Cambridge Analytica situation by applying “Doing ethics technique” and point of view of an ICT professional using “ACS code of ethics”. It discusses the ethical issues and implications, ACS code of ethics, and more. The document also provides insights on the stakeholders affected, options available, and the best option to handle the situation.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND
ETHICS
Professional Practice and Ethics 0

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Doing Ethics Technique..................................................................................................................2
Protection.....................................................................................................................................3
Catastrophic failure to lawmakers...............................................................................................3
Misuse of the data........................................................................................................................3
Users/Members............................................................................................................................3
Government.................................................................................................................................3
Employees....................................................................................................................................4
Breach of trust..............................................................................................................................4
ACS code of ethics..........................................................................................................................5
Public interest..............................................................................................................................5
Quality of Life.............................................................................................................................5
Honesty........................................................................................................................................6
Competence.................................................................................................................................6
Professional Development...........................................................................................................6
Professionalism............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Cambridge Analytica had provided information to president trump’s presidential campaign
(Meredith, 2018). This organization has targeted the political posts of Facebook to influence
voting intentions of people (Meyer, 2018). This organization has gathered personal information
through a quiz by login Facebook (Simberkoff, 2018). Doing ethics technique is a process for
analyzing the ethical issues. ACS code of ethics refers to the Australian computer society. This is
the part of the ACS constitution. Analysis of Cambridge Analytica situation by applying “Doing
ethics technique” and point of view of an ICT professional using “ACS code of ethics” has been
covered in the following discussion.
Doing Ethics Technique
Analyzing ethical issues in any scenario is a process of doing ethics technique (Talreja, 2011).
This is a process to analyze ICT related ethically questionable raised in an organization. This
technique is helpful to find out the answers of Cambridge analytical incident.
What is going on?
The data of millions of Facebook users ended up giving to Cambridge analytica. This was the
center of a dispute in Cambridge analytica scandal.
What are the facts?
Data of Facebook users utilized to direct messages for political campaigns that are supported by
the Cambridge analytica for notably Trump’s election victory and the Brexit vote.
What are the issues?
Many issues were involved in the case of Cambridge analytica that is as followed.

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Protection
Information of users shared at large number. This scandal affected directly Facebook as this
organization loosed the privacy policy for protecting the data of users.
Catastrophic failure to lawmakers
This is a catastrophic failure to lawmakers. Facebook breached the law of conduct for saving the
users data.
Misuse of the data
This carried out the misuse of the data of users. This supposed as this information could be used
for analyzing the data and target the users in an improper way.
Who is affected?
In this incident, stakeholders like members/users, government, communities, governments, and
employees of the organization affected at the large number.
Users/Members
The users of Facebook affected by this decision at a large level. 50 million Facebook profiles
used for this data. Users changed online behavior. Facebook loosed transparency towards the
user data. It supposed to be that data of users used in the wrong manner.
Government
By this decision, the government also affected at a large number. Rules regarding supporting the
data of users of Facebook has not been followed. By this scandal, government loosed the
identity. Rules of government were not up to mark regarding this issue.

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Employees
Employees of Facebook also loosed their identity by providing such information, as they were
not authorized by passing several information. Employees of the organization not used the policy
of transparency. This leads the negative response towards its employees of the organization as it
was against the rules, regulations, and policies of the organization.
What are the ethical issues and implications?
Breach of trust
This scandal is related to ethical mining data practices and robust data protection paramount.
Artificial intelligence growing in capabilities, Scandal like these can be weaponized against the
companies and individuals (Matthew, 2018). People can be targeted with misinformation
campaigns that urge them to take action against the organization.
What can be done about it?
There is more control required for the information of users. There is a need to take the proper
authorization or permission about the use of several data.
What are the options?
The organization has the option to take the proper authorization about the use of the data. This
will show the result regarding this, as users were aware about the use of data.
The survey form can be filled by the organization to take care about the use of the information of
users. This will show a positive impact on users.
Information of the users can be used in a format by reaching only on several details by protecting
the data of users. This will show the benefits towards users by using lesser details of users.

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Which option is best and why?
The survey form is the best result in terms of the use of the data of users. This will lead to the
success of the organization by using only several information on the users. This will show the
positive result towards customers, as they were aware about use of the information.
ACS code of ethics
ACS code of ethics is an essential characteristic of a profession (Leonard, 2019). This is part of
the ACS constitution. This is also the need of the members to bind with a code of ethics (Braue,
2018). As a member of ACS, a professional should hold effectiveness, dignity, and honor. This
code is applied in the field of communication and information on technology. ACS code of ethics
in Cambridge analytica scandal has been analyzed in the following discussion.
Public interest
Facebook not placed the interest of the public above the organization interest as information of
the users has been used at the large number to support a political campaign. The Organization
not acted within the law.
Quality of Life
Facebook did this kind of mistake that strive the quality of life by which many users affected.
Information used in an unethical manner to support a political campaign at a large level. This
kind of scandal not presents democracy within the country. Release of several information leads
to a negative impact on the people and society.

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Honesty
Facebook is well known for providing excellent services and features to the users. In Cambridge
analytica scandal, Facebook was not up to the mark by releasing that kind of information, as this
organization not represented their honesty in the knowledge, skills, products, and services. This
organization provides many information of the users to the political campaign by which this
organization loosed the transparency towards its services.
Competence
In this scandal organization not worked regarding the diligently and competently of stakeholders.
This scandal affected the stakeholder at a large level. As the price of the shares of Facebook goes
down. In this scandal ratio of profits also scored at a lower level that directly affected the
stakeholders. The competence level of Facebook compare to other social media campaign like
twitter, yahoo, etc. goes down. The Organization also loosed the level of trust.
Professional Development
The Organization did not show the development of the profession regarding their own and staff.
By applying ACS, code of ethics organization can lead the development of profession within the
organization.
Professionalism
Facebook not enhanced the integrity of the ACS and the respect of its members for each other.
By applying the ACS, code of ethics organization can lead the ratio of success towards its
members and help them to perform in a good manner.
The aim of the code of professional conduct is to provide the guideline for the acceptance of
professional conduct. In Cambridge analytica, scandal ACS code of ethics refers to the specific

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role and area of expertise within the organization to handle and maintain the good structure of
the organization. This constitutes the professional behaviour within the organization to handle
this kind of scandal. This established the spirit for the order to solve the contentious or
ambiguous issues regarding professional conduct. The ACS code of ethics in Cambridge
analytica scandal provides the solution regarding the ethical dilemmas in the organization.
Conclusion
In Cambridge, analytica case both the analysis has the potential for present the meaning towards
ethics of business. The Organization has not followed the policies of the doing ethics technique
and ACS code of ethics. If the organization followed the concepts of both analysis than there is
no breach of the trust towards its users. The Organization will also enhance the degree of
goodwill at a large level that will also increase the number of users. The users of Facebook will
have the potential for data protection.

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References
Braue, D., 2018. Cambridge Analytica. Data Marketer, XII(56), pp. 09-53.
Leonard, P., 2019. Cambridge Analytica. Information Stage, X(89), p. 18.
Matthew, R., 2018. Ethics of Business. Breach of Trust, VII(63), p. 16.
Meredith, S., 2018. Cambridge Analytica Scandal. CNBC, IX(63), pp. 06-16.
Meyer, R., 2018. Facebook Was Breached by Cambridge Analytica. Technology, IV(69), pp. 96-
100.
Simberkoff, D., 2018. Workplace Conferences. Impact of Cambridge Analytica Scandal, V(96),
pp. 60-89.
Simpson, C., 2013. Ethics Technique. Ethics in Business, VI(10(2)), pp. 127-133.
Talreja, A., 2011. Doing Ethics Technique. [Online]
Available at: https://myassignmenthelp.com/doing-ethics-technique
[Accessed 05 19 2019].

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