Essay on Network Management in Organisations: Data Privacy Concerns

This essay explores the critical issues surrounding network management in organizations, with a specific focus on data privacy. It highlights the increasing prevalence of smartphone apps and their potential to collect and misuse personal user information, despite existing cyber laws. The essay uses the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal as a prime example of large-scale data breaches and discusses the ethical responsibilities of software companies in protecting user data. It emphasizes the importance of robust security features, regular app updates, and adherence to ethical principles to ensure user privacy and prevent data theft, concluding that prioritizing user privacy is essential for maintaining trust and security in the digital age. Desklib provides similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Running Head: Network Management in Organisations
Network Management in organisations
Essay
System04104
1/3/2019

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Introduction
Now a day’s smartphone apps are providing various facilities to its users in terms of health
tracking, online buying and selling, online banking services, and online payment as well.
Especially large number of health apps trending in the smartphones and make life easier and
healthier. But these apps also collect the precious personal information of the user. But,
despite of being strict cyber laws and regular scrutiny of privacy practices many apps use
these personal information for their personal use and do whatever they please to do with that
information [1]. The other ethical issue which is noticeable that only apps are not only thing
to collect user data rather mobile phone itself does too and these apps access these data with
small user permission. Thus, a little bit lack in care might cause a breach of privacy
information to public.
Identification
The level of privacy depends on which type of phone user is using and how careful user is.
Apple i-phone to android phone user everyone facing the privacy problem while they are
using the health app [2]. Mobile health applications often collect large number of information
from user such as information related to their name, gender, e-mail, phone number, age,
photos etc. These information are stored in the cloud storage of that application [3]. These
apps not only records personal data rather they can easily track you by your location, collect
information regarding your daily routine, exercise, pregnancy and menstrual cycle, diet, and
medication refills as well. These apps not only contains private information rather they are
free for users and in turn they show large number of advertisement through that app, and
there is increasing chance of breaching security and data theft.
Analysis
Privacy of people can be considered as an essential freedom and rights of person. A person
can only decide to whom and when he/she can share the personal information. But when a
person theft the personal information of a person without the consent of that person, then it
will be considered as an illegal and unethical practices. The current and latest example of data
breaching through mobile apps was Facebook user’s information breach. In last year March
2018, more than 50 million of user profiles and their private information breached by a
political form named ‘Cambridge Analytica’ [4]. Cambridge Analytica collected the personal

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information through a mobile app that scraped details about people’s personalities, social
network, and engagement on the platform. In initial stage Cambridge Analytica disclose that
they had information only on 30 million users, but in April, Facebook confirms that more
than 87 million of Facebook user were influenced by this major data breach of 2018. Most of
the people all over the world using Facebook for exchanging message and their personal
information and this breach were the major concern for the world for their privacy [5].
Evaluation and Justification
Privacy is major concern while developing an app for people by a software company. A
quality software is a software application that meets user needs and objectives and it is well
tested, documented, and maintainable. A research conducted by Khalid, Shihab & Nagappan
demonstrated that there are numerous issues found with the apps on both android play store
and Apple’s app store. They also disclosed that most of the apps are lack in their security
features and hide the user comments and review about the data privacy concern they faced
through any particular app [6]. The most fundamental ethical principal while any company is
developing mobile application is to protect the personal information of their users and treat
them as their own. However, if any data breach happened then it might be possible that
company lack in security features of that app. Any security breach might cause a serious
problem for the user as the personal or some sensitive information such as bank account other
details could be leak out in public [7]. Thus, it is essential for the company to develop high
secure app with user-friendly features that cannot be able to crack by any hackers and users
can enjoy the freedom of using the app without any stress of privacy concern. The software
company should update their app on regular basis and keep it on its latest security features
that remove the fear of hacking [8].
Conclusion
In the conclusion, it can be said that company should care the basic ethical principles during
development of apps. Security factor of applications and privacy of the user information must
be on high priority while a company develop any apps because a small breach can be result of
a major data breach and enhance the possibility of hacking for data theft. Facebook is very
recent example of such case.

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Reference
[1] H. Khalid., E. Shihab, And M. Nagappan, “What Do Mobile App Users Complain
About?” A Study on Free iOS Apps, vol. 18, no. 8, pp. 1-6, 2018.
[2] R. Karen. and V. Zimmermann. "Ethical Guidelines for Nudging in Information Security
& Privacy." IEE International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, vol. 6, no. 9, pp.
18-22, 2018.
[3] S. Alexander, M. Hofer, and M. Allemand. "Mobile Data Collection: Smart, But Not
(Yet) Smart Enough." Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 12, no. 8, p. 971, 2018.
[4] P. Carolyn and U. Lehmann. "Social Media in Health Care: Time for Transparent Privacy
Policies and Consent for Data Use and Disclosure." IEE Applied clinical informatics,
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[5] I. Jim and M. J. Hanna. "User Data Privacy: Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and Privacy
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[6] K. Nicole R., and N. R. Presser. "Ethical and Legal Issues Addressing the Use of Mobile
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“Ethics of Smartphone Usage for Medical Image Sharing”. IEEE Journal of
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[8] F. Christian, and N. Sörum. "Agencing ethical consumers: smartphone apps and the socio-
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