IT Ethics Essay: Analysis of Christchurch Video and Ethical Theories

This essay examines the ethical dimensions surrounding the Christchurch video, focusing on the role of social media platforms like Facebook. It delves into the application of four key ethical theories: utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and contractual theory, to analyze the actions and responsibilities of social media companies in the dissemination of the video. The essay assesses the impact of the video on users, exploring issues such as the spread of fear, the promotion of unethical values, and the potential for inciting aggression. It concludes with a discussion of the need for both social media companies and governments to take proactive steps towards fostering a more positive and ethically sound online environment, while highlighting the challenges presented by cybercrime and the misuse of technology. The essay utilizes the provided case study to explore the ethical dilemmas, offering a comprehensive analysis of the situation and its implications.

Running head: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ETHICS
Name of the Student
Name of the Organization
Author Note

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Introduction
Social media can be easily defined as a particular technology based upon computer which
possess with the capability of offering several kinds of different services for entertaining users
like sharing information, several thoughts or rather ideas with a huge number of people. It is
considered to be the best source as well as platform for properly interacting with a huge number
of people across the entire world. Several people are capable of sharing a number of pictures,
documents as well as several videos to each other just by a single click only. It is considered to
be an easier way for connecting with a huge number of people and further helping in enhancing
the knowledge of all the users who are seen to be related to the world. But it is also to be
remembered that social media has the capability of promoting several values which are totally
unethical for earning money because of which it has been observed that several issues rises like
all the values which are immoral, several conflicts and so on. In this particular case of the video
of Christchurch, it has been seen that the popular social media cite Facebook has helped to make
the video of Christchurch of showing the attack a viral one (Bogle, 2019). In this particular
essay, discussion will be made upon the mindmup which shows clearly all the ethical theories or
rather issues which are seen to be associated with the unethical behavior of the social media.
Utilitarianism Theory
The main concept about the particular theory of utilitarianism involves all the actions
which possess with the capability of providing happiness to several people within the society
(Mill, 2016). It is actually the responsibility of any organization to help in providing several
services to all the consumers as per their needs or rather huge requirements with the main
purpose of being happy. It has been clearly observed that the particular social media site of

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Facebook has performed its basic responsibility of spreading a video as most of the people
possess with the huge curiosity of watching the video (Koven, 2015). It has been then observed
that this particular video has not been able to bring happiness among a number of people as the
video has developed a feeling of fear and they have literally become very much scared by the
action of several shooters. This video which has been spread by the social media site has
ultimately scared the people instead of bringing a lot of happiness. As it has been noticed that the
social media has finally failed in bringing a lot of happiness among people, it can be easily said
that the specific step which has been taken by the companies clearly shows a behavior which is
entirely unethical.
Deontology Theory
This particular theory of deontology is mainly capable of defining several actions which
will be very much advantageous or rather hugely beneficial for the entire society. It is very much
important for the entire organization to hugely provide several services in a careful way mainly
for protecting all the services which will be very much beneficial for all the users (Körner &
Volk, 2014). It has been observed that several users of the social media are frequently utilizing
the Facebook application mainly for the basic purpose of exploring as well as learning several
new things directly from the communication or rather the interaction with huge number of people
or users and also for the purpose of watching a large number of videos. In the particular case of
this specific study, it has been noticed that the specific video of the Christchurch shooting attack
which has become highly viral is very much advantageous for almost all of the users mainly in
the terms of the enhancement of knowledge (Meyers, 2018). On the other hand, it has also been
observed that the particular video has been able to greatly inspire huge number of people in

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showing great aggression towards any kind of religion. This spreading of this particular video
has also indicated a huge unethical value which is not at all advantageous for the entire society.
Virtue Theory
The particular theory of Virtue mainly defines the behavior of any leader who will be
able to bring great happiness by directly performing several actions in the lives of some others. It
is actually the responsibility of the owners of each and every organization to provide huge
happiness by directly offering with a great quality of services to them. In the case of the viral
video of Christchurch, it has been seen that Facebook has helped a lot in spreading the video
which has been watched by over millions of people. It has also been observed that a number of
family members have died in this attack and due to this all the users are not at all happy and they
are not at all feeling good to see the video more than one time. It has brought a lot of sadness in
their lives instead of bringing in happiness (Kosters & Van der Heijden, 2015). The CEO of the
social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have been able to control this particular issue by
directly adopting the hash tag technique for totally removing the video from the application of
social media mainly for the purpose of reducing all the values which are unethical.
Contractual Theory
This particular theory which is named as contractual theory mostly defines the particular
contract in between several people who are seen to be living together at a common place. The
specific contract in between several people actually shows a mutual understanding of several
people among each other (Fried, 2015). It is actually the responsibility of any organization to
provide services which will be very much effective for all the customers in terms of the exchange
of money. The CEO of Facebook and Twitter are held responsible for providing several services

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which will be helping a lot in the creation of a positive environment (Sandler, 2013). In the
particular case study of the viral video of Christchurch, it has only been observed that huge
negativity has been spread due to the viral video within the minds of the users. The main
perception of the users has also seen to be changing a lot regarding all the religions as well as the
countries and due to this there have been a number of issues which have arose like conflicts and
so on. Social media helps a lot in the promotion of several values which are totally unethical by
the making the video viral for their individual advantages.
Conclusion
After the entire discussion regarding the case of the viral video of Chrstchurch which has
been shown in the MindMup, it can be concluded that social media is very much advantageous in
huge number of areas but the particular way of doing business which is totally unethical has been
considered to be very much fatal for the entire society. The particular case of the video of
Christchurch is showing a proper example of cyber-crime and it is also depicting the huge
negativity of the cyber technology. It can be highly recommended that both the companies of
social media as well as the government must take severe action mainly for the purpose of the
development of an environment which will be greatly positive.

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References
Bogle, A. (2019) Social media deserves blame for spreading the Christchurch video, but so do
we. Retrieved from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-03-19/facebook-to-
blame-for-christchurch-live-video-but-so-are-we/10911238
Fried, C. (2015). Contract as promise: A theory of contractual obligation. Oxford University
Press, USA.
Körner, A., & Volk, S. (2014). Concrete and abstract ways to deontology: Cognitive capacity
moderates construal level effects on moral judgments. Journal of Experimental Social
Psychology, 55, 139-145.
Kosters, M., & Van der Heijden, J. (2015). From mechanism to virtue: Evaluating Nudge
theory. Evaluation, 21(3), 276-291.
Koven, S. G. (2015). Public sector ethics: Theory and applications. Routledge.
Meyers, C. (2018). 8 Deontology. Communication and Media Ethics, 26, 139.
Mill, J. S. (2016). Utilitarianism. In Seven masterpieces of philosophy (pp. 337-383). Routledge.
Sandler, R. L. (2013). Environmental virtue ethics. International Encyclopedia of Ethics.

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Appendix