Data Collection: “Harvesting” Personalities Online

Social Media

SOCIAL MEDIA 1
Data Collection: “Harvesting” Personalities Online
In this report, the discussion is made on the topic of ethical theories which are implemented on
the case study. In this paper, the case study of Cambridge Analytica has been taken in into
consideration to evaluate the unethical steps taken by the business as per the ethical theories. In
the case study of Cambridge Analytica, it has been seen that the Facebook leaked the user’s
sensitive information to Cambridge. Cambridge Analytica is a government advisory corporation
that supports government to take the decision. Cambridge Analytica uses the personal
information of users to predict the voters voting (Raicu, 2018). As per the concept of ethical
theories, the action taken by the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica is unethical.
Utilitarian theory refers an action that brings the happiness among the people (Mill,
2016). According to the scandal news, Cambridge Analytica uses the personal information of
operators just to predict the voters which brings the happiness for the government. But it has
been seen that the users afraid from using the social media applications as their private
information had leaked. The action taken by Facebook brings the happiness for government of
America and Cambridge Analytica as the firm gets the amount from government to predict the
voters.
Deontology theory states action weather it is right or wrong under the instructions.
According to the rules and duties, Cambridge Analytica has the duty to provide the good advice
to the government so that they can take the decision according to it. In the case study of
Cambridge Analytica, the corporation predict the voters by took incorrect step as using the
private information which is unethical (Paquette, Sommerfeldt, & Kent, 2015). As per the rules,