Case Study 2: Ethical, Professional and Legal Issues Analysis

This case study presents an ethical dilemma faced by Maureen, an employee in a government department dealing with substance abuse. Maureen accidentally leaves a USB drive containing sensitive client information, including names and addresses, at home, raising concerns about potential breaches of confidentiality and legal violations. The analysis employs Thomas White Methodology to evaluate the consequences of the situation and determine the appropriate course of action, referencing the Australian Computer Society's code of ethics and professional conduct. The study emphasizes the importance of honesty, professionalism, and competence in resolving the dilemma, including informing relevant parties and taking steps to secure the data. The case also touches upon ISO 19600 standards for compliance management, highlighting the significance of maintaining integrity and avoiding noncompliance issues in organizations.

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Case Study 2: Ethical, Professional and Legal Issues
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Ethical, Professional And Legal Issues 2
Case Study 2: Ethical, Professional and Legal Issues
Discussing Maureen’s Dilemma
According to the case study, the organization forbids exposure of sensitive information to
the public. Maureen’s department is dealing with clients engaging in substance abuse. Thus, it
maintains a database containing their confidential information, including their names and current
addresses. However, Maureen forgot the USB containing these details at home, and she is
worried that it might be leaked to the public if accessed by an unauthorized individual.
Therefore, the dilemma that Maureen faces is adhering to that law that criminalizes the exposure
of individuals’ personal information to the public domain while the USB left at home might
breach this law if it falls on the wrong hands
Analyzing and Resolving Maureen’s Dilemma Using Thomas White Methodology
Thomas White Methodology is defined by three steps, including analyzing the
consequences, analyzing the actions, and making a decision. For instance, leaving the USB at
home exhibits significant implications for both the organization and Maureen. If an erroneous
person accesses the USB, the information will be leaked to the public. The company will not
only ruin its reputation but might be sued for breaching the law that forbids exposure of a
person’s sensitive and confidential information to the public. Maureen, in contrast, might lose
her job and face a legal lawsuit for violating the company’s policy.
Both the Australian Computer Society code of ethics and code of professional conduct
require employees to be professional, honest, and competent. Honesty as a value needs Maureen
to be frank in her representation of products, services, knowledge, and skills (Australian
Computer Society no date). Therefore, she should inform the human resource manager and other

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significant parties so that they advise her on the way forward before unauthorized individuals
accesses the data on the USB.
Professionalism as a value requires Maureen to promote the integrity of the society in
addition to respecting its members. Clause (f) of this value requires her to refrain from any action
or conduct that might jeopardize the reputation of her profession or detract from the perfect
image of the ACS (Australian Computer Society 2014). Clause (i) of the same value encourages
Maureen to take pride in her profession by promoting and protecting professionalism in
communication and information technology. Therefore, Maureen should collaborate with human
resource managers and ICT managers to ensure that the information on the USB is not leaked to
the public. Following all these recommendations will help her in resolving her dilemma.
Competence as a code of ethics requires Maureen to work diligently and competently for
her stakeholders. Clause (c) of this value expects Maureen to be aware of the relevant legislation
and standards and act as expected (Australian Computer Society 2014). For instance, she should
inform the human resource manager that she stored sensitive information on her USB, which she
has left it at home. Clause (g) requires Maureen to respect and pursue their colleagues’
professional expertise in their area of specialization. Therefore, the employee in question should
seek advice from the human resource management on what she should do after leaving the USB
containing the organization’s sensitive e information at home. Lastly, Maureen as per the
primacy of the public interest clause (g) should focus on preserving the privacy and
confidentiality of the information of others. Maurine must, therefore, ask employees in the ICT
department and Human Resource on the best way to destroy the information on the USB.

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Reference List
Australian Computer Society (no date). ACS Code of Ethics[Online]. Available from:
https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-documents/Code-of-Ethics.pdf [Accessed 5
October 2019]
Australian Computer Society (2014) ACS Code of Professional Conduct[Online].
Available from: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/rules-and-regulations/Code-of-
Professional-Conduct_v2.1.pdf [Accessed 5 October 2019]