Business Ethics: Snowden's Actions and Ethical Justification

This essay delves into the ethical complexities of Edward Snowden's actions, examining the conflict between loyalty to the government and the well-being of citizens. The analysis explores the values at stake, the harms and benefits of Snowden's actions, and whether his actions were ethically justified. The author argues Snowden should have used legitimate channels to report concerns. The essay also discusses scenarios where whistleblowing would be ethically ideal or prohibited. It uses a utilitarian ethics approach to evaluate Snowden's actions, considering the consequences for the greatest number of people. The essay offers a nuanced perspective on the ethical dilemmas presented by the case, including the potential for loss of life and the importance of legal considerations.

BUSINESS ETHICS

Table of Contents
1. What values are in conflict in this case? What harm did Snowden cause? What benefits did
his actions bring?.........................................................................................................................3
2. Do you agree that Snowden’s actions were ethically justified even if legally prohibited?
Why or why not? Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case................3
3. If you were in Snowden’s position, what would you have done and why?.............................3
4. Would you change your position if you knew that Snowden’s leak would lead to a loss of
life among CIA operatives? What about if it would save lives?.................................................4
5. Is there a circumstance in which you think whistleblowing would be ethically ideal? How
about ethically prohibited?..........................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

1. What values are in conflict in this case? What harm did Snowden cause? What benefits did his
actions bring?
Values that are in conflict in this case is Loyalty of Edward Snowden towards citizens
and Loyalty of Edward Snowden towards government and legislation of the country.
Edward Snowden caused harm to national security because data that he shared with press
was valuable data for the security of country. Releasing confidential data of government about
existence of government surveillance caused harm to national security which was intended
through surveillance system (Boehme, 2017).
Benefit that the actions bring was that citizens of the country became aware about
surveillance program and about what is being done by government on their name and what is
being done against them.
2. Do you agree that Snowden’s actions were ethically justified even if legally prohibited? Why
or why not? Make an argument by weighing the competing values in this case.
Competing values in this case was adherence to law and loyalty of Edward Snowden for
the government and legislation and another value that compete with this is well-being of citizens
and service to country. There are two competing values and in case of Edward Snowden, it was
Ethical. This can be justified in light of utilitarian ethics approach, according to this approach a
ethical decision is one that is based on consequences and that seeks to benefit greatest number of
people. Actions of Edward Snowden were also for the benefit of large population and citizens of
America and this is why his actions are Ethical.
3. If you were in Snowden’s position, what would you have done and why?
If I was in position of Edward Snowden I would have reported the concern through
legitimate channels. This is because however, the data was to keep Americans safe and this is
why leaking of data the way Edward Snowden was not right (Abdul Rahman and Ingólfsdóttir,
2018). He should have reported it through authorities and to people who are concerned about
safety and well-being of Americans. Leaking data like this was also inappropriate as he broke
laws whilst doing good for the country. Doing this through inappropriate and wrong means his
behaviour become criminal behaviour that would not have happened if he would have reported to
authorities.

4. Would you change your position if you knew that Snowden’s leak would lead to a loss of life
among CIA operatives? What about if it would save lives?
As my position is not in favour of leak of information in the way Edward Snowden, so I
would not change my position. This is because when not in favour of leak of data, so no loss of
life would result from leak of loss. However, if there is threat to life and only leak of data could
save it, in such situation leak of data is appropriate. This is because saving lives is important and
leak of data was also not done with wrong intention, neither is it rightly collected data, so that
leak of data becomes wrong.
5. Is there a circumstance in which you think whistleblowing would be ethically ideal? How
about ethically prohibited?
Whistleblowing would have been ethically ideal, in situation when Edward Snowden
would have reported and communicated about data being collected through surveillance program
of government. This is because it would have involved legal consideration as well as right
intention which would have made Whistleblowing ethically ideal (Edward Snowden, Whistle-
Blower, 2014). Whistleblowing that Edward Snowden did raised several questions about how
ethically ideal it is. Concerned with ethically prohibited, the situation in which leak of data
causes harm to people and this creates safety concern for Americans, this becomes ethically
prohibited.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abdul Rahman, D. and Ingólfsdóttir, K., 2018. Heroes or Traitors?: A comparative study on how
US liberal and conservative leading news articles frame Julian Assange & Edward
Snowden.
Boehme, G., 2017. Edward Snowden: Heroic whistleblower or traitorous spy?. Cavendish
Square Publishing, LLC.
Online
Edward Snowden, Whistle-Blower. 2014. [Online]. Available Through: <
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/opinion/edward-snowden-whistle-blower.html?
_r=0>.
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