A Research Proposal on Ethics and Challenges in Internet of Things

This report is a research proposal that investigates the ethical considerations surrounding the Internet of Things (IoT). It identifies key research questions related to ethical issues, user awareness, and the digital divide. The literature review covers data privacy, security breaches, violation of security protocols, and the lack of trust and governance in IoT. It also addresses the digital divide, vulnerability issues, and their impact on data handling and privacy. The proposal outlines the research methodologies and project plan to further explore these ethical dimensions of IoT, highlighting the need for increased security, awareness, and ethical guidelines in the development and deployment of IoT technologies. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and research papers for students.

Running head: ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................1
Title..................................................................................................................................................2
Abstract............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Research Question...........................................................................................................................4
Literature Review............................................................................................................................4
Literature Gap................................................................................................................................10
Research methodologies................................................................................................................10
Project Plan....................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
Appendices....................................................................................................................................15
References......................................................................................................................................16

2ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Title
The title that is chosen for performing of the research proposal is Ethics in Internet of
Things.

3ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Abstract
This report has discussed about the ethics and ethical matters that are present in the platform of
Internet of Things. Research Questions are also provided that will guide the processing of the
entire system. Literature Review regarding ethics in Internet of Things is also provided.
Literature gap is also provided in the proposal itself. Research methodology that has been used in
the proposal is also stated in the proposal. Project planning steps are also stated in this proposal.

4ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Introduction
Internet of Things has been unique of the most highly accepted technology. The
convenience that it provides is unmatchable at times. The cost that are incurred in the processing
of the business management can be decreased with the help of the implementation of the Internet
of Things. Despite these benefits there are presence of ethical issues. This has been one of the
major issue that has been affecting the operative of the Internet of Things. This report will
discuss about the research questions which will be directing the entire scenario of the project.
Literature review will also be provided as per the data collection of the system. Literature gap
that is present in the data set will help in proper understanding of the gap that is present in the
literature that has been created previously. Research methodology that has been used in the
process is also well defined in this proposal. Project plan will also be provided in the project
proposal.
Research Question
Research Question 1: What are the ethical issues that are present due to the usage of Internet of
Things?
Research Question 2: How does user awareness mark the functioning of Internet of Things?
Research Question 3: Is digital divide a proof of ethics aspect of Internet of Things?
Literature Review
Ethics in IOT
Maintaining the ethical perspective while using the use of the IoT is needed to be
maintained. According to Caron et al. (2016) the ethical issues of the using the IoT can cover the

5ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
protection of the data privacy, data usability, data security and data user experience. It has been
seen that the application of the ethics and the responsibility while using the IoT is more complex.
The key motive of IoT is to maintain the interactive communication between two devices. In that
case the violation of the privacy and the security of the individual can take place.
Data Breaching
O’Connor et al. (2017) has described the chances of the security breaches through giving
the examples of application of IoT. One of the common use of IoT is the baby monitoring
system. The system will monitor the movement of the baby while the parents are away from the
side. In case, if any problem occurs, the system will inform that to the parents through the
connected device. The application of the baby monitor has increased the security of the baby and
it has helped the parents to monitor the baby. However, if the data stored in the scheme can be
exposed due to the breaching of the data there is a chance that the security of the respective
family can be violated.
According to Another example of using IoT is its use in the smart car system. The smart
car system will inform the diver about the conditions of the road, it will track the location of the
road and will inform the diver which road is congestion free. In that case, if the data breaching
occurs, the system can expose the confidential info about the driver of the carriage along with the
position of the car that will be a threat for that respective car owner.
All these examples indicates that there is an ethical subject concerning the use of the IoT
in the every day’s application. The misuse of the ethics can lead to the violation of the private for
both public and private life of the individual. Apart from that it has been seen that maximum of
the threats in the cyber security have been originated through Internet of Things. In most cases,

6ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
the use of the internet of things are linked with the personal email. Hacking the system related to
IoT will lead to the access of the personal mail of the individuals. The hacking of the email will
help the interlopers to get the admittance of all the personal information of the individual.
Considering all these things it can be said that there is an issue regarding the breaching of
the data. Apart from that the data user experience can be affected from the breaching of the data
and the safety of the users can be violated.
Sicari et al. (2016) has used the ethical aspects of evaluating the security breaches due to
the use of the IoT. According to the ethical theory the act can be regarded as the ethical if the
consequence of the work can deliver the greater happiness to the most of the people. The
breaching of the data does not fit into this definition. Apart from that on the basis of the act of
deontology, it has been seen that the breaching of the data by the intruders are not an ethical act.
According to Nicolescu, Huth, Radanliev and De Roure (2018), ethical issue concerning
the using if the IoT is that there is not specific rules and regulation concerning the breaching of
the data in the organization or for the individuals. In this situation, the organization or the
individuals may not proceed to the right step after the breaching of the data. The lack of proper
guideline also become problematic for the organization and the individuals to take proper steps
in order to mitigate the possible threats while using IoT.
According to Jones (2018), the lack of trust is another ethical issue regarding the use of
the IoT. It has been seen that the lack of security can be from both the individual’s end or from
the service provider’s end. From this perspective it can be said that the breaching of the data will
hamper the trust between the organization and the service provider. Apart from that the lack of

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awareness among the users and the employees in the organization will increase the possibility of
the data breaching.
Violation of Security Protocol
Li, Tryfonas and Li (2016) has described the mitigation of the threats using the IoT. The
key objective of the IoT is to maintain the interconnectivity among the devices. The intruders are
using this vulnerability to exploit the use of the IoT. The intruders are using the interconnected
nature of the overall system and tries to exploit the security protocol of the system. The security
protocol can be violated through the use of the different advanced hacking mechanism. In order
to prevent this the organization has to maintain the proper security measures like implementation
of the secured protocol.
According to Luz and Gottschalg-Duque (2018) Apart from that it has been seen that
some of the users and the employees are talking some aspects those are unethical in nature. Some
of these are taking the password of the other for accessing system. Changing the data of the
system and the interrupting the line of the communication.
Another ethical subject concerning the usage of the IoT is that different countries have
different rules regarding the use of the IoT. It has remained seen that there is a lack of
synchronization of maintaining the laws and regulation concerning the use of IoT in the
organization. Apart from that the data used in the IoT is stored in the cloud computing in the
organization. The breaching of the data can be done from the cloud architecture in case if the
cloud providing vendor is not following proper security measures.
Baldini et al. (2018) has mentioned the characteristics of IoT those can be responsible for
raising the ethical issues. Some of these characteristics are the interesting nature of the IoT. The

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use of IoT is generated everywhere. Apart from that the users who are using these IoT driven
system are not aware the way of its working and they are not concerned about following the
proper rules and regulation regarding its use. Apart from that the main motive of the IoT is the
use of the ultra-connectivity. It has been seen that transfer of the malicious data can be done
through the transfer of the huge data. In that case, it is hard to prevent the threats in the use of the
IoT driven system. Moreover the use of the IoT makes it behaviour autonomous and
unpredictable. The interconnected objects can interface the human activities unintentionally or
intentionally. In this context, the concept of the digital foot print can be mentioned. The digital
footprint will expose the online activity of the users. This monitoring is not is not ethical from
the perspective of the classical theories of the ethics.
According to Shahraki and Haugen (2018), ethical problem concerning the use of the IoT
is that the governance of the IoT cannot be centralized as there are the presence of large number
of hubs and the connected devices. Therefore, it can be said that there is always an absence of
lack of governance for the using of thee IoT devices.
Digital Divide
According to Capurro (2018), digital divide has been one of the major issue that is
present in the commencing of Internet of Things. This is one of the foremost reason that
dispensation of the statistics administration as processing of differentiating between people who
can gain access over the internet and the processing of the data administration of the whole
scenario will get achieved as per the completion of the whole system will be performed in a
manner as the people who do not have access in internet, they fail to attain the level that is
expected from them. This is one of the main reason that commencing of the digital divide. This

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is one of the main aspect that gaining of benefits will not be present. This will create a difference
in between the people who have access over internet and people who does not have access over
internet. This is one of the chief aspect that will help in enhancing of the data organisation
processing.
Vulnerability
According to Fortner, Normore and Brooks (2018), Vulnerability that is contemporary in
the processing of the internet of things also have been one of the foremost feature that provides
proper dispensation of the data section. Robustness of the infrastructure of Internet of things has
not been very high. This clues to the fact that correct understanding of the data organisation has
been performed with proper functioning and hence the data that will be transacted might get
accessed in a wrong manner and the authenticity of the entire process will be a major issue. This
vulnerability issue will lead to data breaching. Privacy will also be an issue that will ensure that
appropriate indulgent of the data processing will be required. For having this kind of issues the
key characteristic that will be taken into deliberation is improper management of the data
handling. Due to the presence of the data handling issue another feature that can be taken into
thought is that proper understanding of the data set will be present. Hence increasing the security
and robustness of the project will be performed as per the data transaction process.
According to Tzafestas (2018), Property right also has been one of the major concern of
the usage of Internet of things. Gaining access to personal data sets can be made, via using the
platform of internet of things. This contains the detail that proper empathetic of the system will
be encountered with the dispensation of the data organisation system. Due to the dispensation of
the data organisation system, the main characteristic that is taken into deliberation is that identity

10ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
theft can take place. This will lead to the fact owning of intellectual property illegally gets easier.
Usage of others intellectual property have been very easy and hence proper understanding of the
process must be commended in a manner that will affect the owner of the intellectual property.
Literature Gap
It is seen that the most of the literature that have been created are concerned with the
ethical issues that are present in the system. With the help of the literatures that are present does
not provide any understanding regarding the processing of the methods that will help in bettering
of the situation so that these issues does not occur. No prevention technique of the issues are
stated in this procedure. This is one of the major aspect that will assistance in enhancing of the
data organization process. Instead of stating the ethical issues that are present will include the
datum that the processing of the data management section will get performed as per the
processing of the data organisation section. Another issue that is present in the section includes
the fact that no proper concern regarding the functioning of the project for preventing the
situation can be made. Another issue that is present is that no cure to the issues are stated in the
system. This ensures that even after the occurrence of the ethical issue, processes to mitigate the
issue must be stated. Issues regarding digital divide is described in all the articles that have been
gone through but the major missing that is found was improper management of the issue that is
created by the internet of things,.
Research methodologies
The research methodologies that are implemented in commencing of the proposal is both
primary and secondary. Usage of both qualitative and quantitative data will be performed in this
proposal. The initial method that will be taken into consideration is secondary research method.

11ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Then main purpose of the secondary research methodology was to gain a brief ideology
regarding the terminologies of the ethics of Internet of Things. With the help of the secondary
qualitative statistics analysis of the already recorded statistics can be made. This safeguards the
fact that the administration of the task will be done as per the data that are already present in the
peer reviewed journals. The sources that has been used for this proposal includes the likes of
government publications, technical journals, trade journals, public records and statistical and
historical documents. In the qualitative secondary data collection the other mentioned data
sources were used for data collection. The data that was collected helps in bettering of the data
analysing. The definitions of the key terms that are important for completion of the project will
also be known in this process. The experience of other people who have already performed this
project will be taken into consideration for the commencing of the project. This is one of the
major aspect that processing of data management will be performed as per the data processing
terminology. After this stage quantitative secondary data gathering is to be performed. With the
help of this process a proper understanding of the data analysis can be developed as statistical
data will help in increasing the preciseness of the project. With higher preciseness of the data
that will be used for the commencing of the project, the accuracy that will be received will be
high and hence proper understanding of the data processing will be done and hence the output
that will be received will be efficient. After commencing of the secondary data collection
process, primary data gathering method will be performed. In this process, the main feature that
is present includes gaining of data from the direct data collection processes. In this process the
main feature that is proposed into thought is that the processing of the data commencing process.
Conducting survey is one of the major aspect of performing the project. In this process the main
concern that is taken into deliberation is that processing of the data organisation system.

12ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Processing of the survey team will be made. A sample population will be selected. With the help
of the survey conduction and hence proper considerate of the data will be achieved. Before this
stage, creation of questionnaire will be made. After the creation of the questionnaire the
questions will be provided to the survey conduction team. The survey will be conducted with
created questions and the data that will be gathered will be used for this proposal. After
commencing of the survey conduction process, individual interviews are also taken. People who
are in the higher authorities of the business organizations that implements Internet of Things in
their regular process. A different set of questions are prepared for interviewing the higher
officials of the users of the Internet of Things in business processes. This distinct set of question
will provide a precise understanding of the entire data collection process.
Project Plan
Task Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish
Auto
Schedule
d
Project1 32 days Tue 07-05-
19
Wed 19-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled Plan initiation 9 days Tue 07-05-
19 Fri 17-05-19
Auto
Scheduled
Planning Project
initiation 2 days Tue 07-05-19 Wed 08-05-
19
Auto
Scheduled
performing
planning 3 days Thu 09-05-
19
Mon 13-05-
19
Auto
Scheduled
creation of
schedule 4 days Tue 14-05-19 Fri 17-05-19
Auto
Scheduled
Collection of the
data 11 days Mon 20-05-
19
Mon 03-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
Determination of
the data 2 days Mon 20-05-
19
Tue 21-05-
19
Auto
Scheduled
perform secondary
data collection 3 days Wed 22-05-
19 Fri 24-05-19
Auto
Scheduled
prepare
questionnaire 2 days Mon 27-05-
19
Tue 28-05-
19
Auto conduct survey 3 days Wed 29-05- Fri 31-05-19

13ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
Scheduled 19
Auto
Scheduled
Evaluate data
collected 1 day Mon 03-06-
19
Mon 03-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
Execution of the
project 8 days Tue 04-06-
19
Thu 13-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
Understanding the
scope 2 days Tue 04-06-19 Wed 05-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
creation of goals
and objectives 3 days Thu 06-06-
19
Mon 10-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
achieving the goals
and objectives 1 day Tue 11-06-19 Tue 11-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled Mitigating issues 2 days Wed 12-06-
19
Thu 13-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled Project closure 4 days Fri 14-06-19 Wed 19-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
checking the
presence of ethical
issues
3 days Fri 14-06-19 Tue 18-06-
19
Auto
Scheduled
understanding the
literature gap 1 day Wed 19-06-
19
Wed 19-06-
19
Conclusion
From the above proposal, it can be stated that Internet of Things has been beneficial in
the functional process of the data management of the business organization. Enhanced
connectivity has been one of the major aspect of the Internet of things. There are several other
benefits that can be received due to the application of the Internet of Things. Despite these
advantages the ethical issues have been a major reason of concern for the entire society. Internet
of things have been one of the highly spreading technology that has been reaching out to the
mass. This technology has been continuously increasing the convenience of the regular life style
of the people who have been implementing this technology. Connectivity has been one of the
major advantages that is received after the implementation of the Internet of Things.
Connectivity among the mass has been getting higher and hence appropriate commencing of the

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business organisation is performed in a better manner. Asset utilization also has been one of the
major aspect that will be considered as a benefit of the IOT. Security system can also be bettered
with the help of the usage of the Internet of Things.
Appendices
ID Task
Mode
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
0 Project1 32 days Tue 07-05-19Wed 19-06-19
1 Plan initiation 9 days Tue 07-05-19Fri 17-05-19
2 Planning Project initiation2 days Tue 07-05-19Wed 08-05-19
3 performing planning3 days Thu 09-05-19Mon 13-05-192
4 creation of schedule4 days Tue 14-05-19Fri 17-05-19 3
5 Collection of the data11 days Mon 20-05-19Mon 03-06-19
6 Determination of the data2 days Mon 20-05-19Tue 21-05-194
7 perform secondary data collection3 days Wed 22-05-19Fri 24-05-19 6
8 prepare questionnaire2 days Mon 27-05-19Tue 28-05-197
9 conduct survey3 days Wed 29-05-19Fri 31-05-19 8
10 Evaluate data collected1 day Mon 03-06-19Mon 03-06-199
11 Execution of the project8 days Tue 04-06-19Thu 13-06-19
12 Understanding the scope2 days Tue 04-06-19Wed 05-06-1910
13 creation of goals and objectives3 days Thu 06-06-19Mon 10-06-1912
14 achieving the goals and objectives1 day Tue 11-06-19Tue 11-06-1913
15 Mitigating issues2 days Wed 12-06-19Thu 13-06-1914
16 Project closure 4 days Fri 14-06-19 Wed 19-06-19
17 checking the presence of ethical issues3 days Fri 14-06-19 Tue 18-06-1915
18 understanding the literature gap1 day Wed 19-06-19Wed 19-06-1917
S T M F T S W S T M F T S W
05 May '19 19 May '19 02 Jun '19 16 Jun '19

15ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
References
Baldini, G., Botterman, M., Neisse, R. and Tallacchini, M., 2018. Ethical design in the internet
of things. Science and engineering ethics, pp.1-21.
Capurro, R., 2018. Why Information Ethics? 1. International Journal of Applied Research on
Information Technology and Computing, 9(1), pp.50-52.
Caron, X., Bosua, R., Maynard, S.B. and Ahmad, A., 2016. The Internet of Things (IoT) and its
impact on individual privacy: An Australian perspective. Computer Law & Security
Review, 32(1), pp.4-15.
Fortner, K., Normore, A.H. and Brooks, J.S., 2018. DIGITAL EQUITY AND ITS ROLE IN
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. Crossing the Bridge of the Digital Divide: A Walk with Global
Leaders, p.1.
Jones, M.L., 2018, November. Comparative Ethics of Computing Without Consent. In 2018
IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) (pp. 43-48). IEEE.
Li, S., Tryfonas, T. and Li, H., 2016. The Internet of Things: a security point of view. Internet
Research, 26(2), pp.337-359.
Luz, K. and Gottschalg-Duque, C., 2018. IoT, users information and ethics or who ate my
data?. Web of Knowledge| A Look into the Past, Embracing the Future, p.60.
Nicolescu, R., Huth, M., Radanliev, P. and De Roure, D., 2018. Mapping the values of
IoT. Journal of Information Technology, 33(4), pp.345-360.

16ETHICS IN INTERNET OF THINGS
O’Connor, Y., Rowan, W., Lynch, L. and Heavin, C., 2017. Privacy by design: informed consent
and internet of things for smart health. Procedia computer science, 113, pp.653-658.
Shahraki, A. and Haugen, Ø., 2018, May. Social ethics in Internet of Things: An outline and
review. In 2018 IEEE Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS) (pp. 509-516). IEEE.
Sicari, S., Cappiello, C., De Pellegrini, F., Miorandi, D. and Coen-Porisini, A., 2016. A security-
and quality-aware system architecture for Internet of Things. Information Systems
Frontiers, 18(4), pp.665-677.
Tzafestas, S., 2018. Ethics and law in the internet of things world. Smart Cities, 1(1), pp.98-120.