Technology and Dating Assignment 3: Applying Ethical Theory Analysis

This assignment from Charles Sturt University's School of Computing and Maths analyzes the ethical implications of technology in dating, focusing on a case study where a woman struggles with the impact of social media on her relationships. The assignment applies four ethical theories: utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and contract theory, to evaluate the rightness and wrongness of actions in the context of online dating and cyberstalking. The analysis explores how technology, such as Facebook and Google, influences relationship dynamics, trust, and privacy. The assignment concludes that while technology presents challenges, it can also strengthen some relationships, emphasizing the importance of ethical online behavior and managing expectations in the digital age. References include academic sources related to media ethics and cybercrime.

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND MATHS, Charles Sturt University
Technology and Dating
Assignment 3: Applying Ethical Theory
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Student Number
Word Count: 1300

Technology and Dating
Task Chosen
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/technology-and-dating-20090520-besc.html
1. Introduction
In the case study the good things that can be interesting about her is that she is young,
vaguely entertain the company, and have a good job. As per the scenario in the case study,
the individual could not understand the reason of breaking of her relation that never last
more than two months (Gordon, 2018). The main problem here was the technology. If gone
back to past ten year, there was no mobile phone. Even Facebook was not existing. There
was only single computer in the entire office that had an email. At that time people had to
literally wait for the other person to call them on their landline. It use to even take week to
speak to a person whom they have dated. The whole process was like a tortuous. However,
it had still worked. When she discussed her last relationship they met in a party and
swapped their mobile numbers and ended in just a week. Thus with the concept of ethical
theory this would be discuss in four different ethic for her to keep up with the relationship
(Xiao, 2015).
2. Utilitarianism Theory
The theory of Utilitarianism will discuss the rightness and wrongness of the technology
used in dating and it will judge the consequences that it brought in relationship (Hamsi et al.,
2015). With this theory the greatest pleasure and happiness can be define which will kill the
pain. The action that is taken could be right that tends to promote happiness and the same
action can be wrong that tends to reverse the happiness. Utilitarianism theory can define the
morality of the action (D. Newton et al., 2013). Similarly, in this case study the girl was happy
when she dated someone but cyber-stalking about his posted in Facebook and Google has
created a bad impression about her on the guy. The similar was seen when the guy invited
her for a dinner and was talking about the articles that she wrote several years back which
inadvertently seems like the guy was trying to reveal that he was also cyber-stalking her
profile too. With the advance technology, the relationship meet and break quickly with the
use of social media like Facebook, Google where a person tries to get into the privacy of
other life and tries to cyber-stalk with their personal profile. For a relationship to last long,
one should create such an impression on the other person that they should build a trust for
each other. The stronger the relation, the more the happiness will be in an individual life.
Instead of getting into the painful life, one was thing of moving on with the relationship that
they have presently and keep the bounding strong.
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3. Deontology Theory
Every action has some morality and Deontology Theory is based on rules that judge the
action morality. Deontology is a duty or rule or obligation that is based on the ethics
(Christians et al., 2015). The action that the girl and the guy had taken as per the case study
will be discussed based on the series of rules whether the action taken by them is right or
wrong. The girl when cyber stalking the guy profile she did not know that the guy was also
cyber stalking her profile. When doing for a dating it is a good thing that a person is trying to
know everything about the person whom they are about to me. In the past decade, it had
happen that people do not know what type of person they are going to meet and keep their
relationship. However, with the advance technology, it is easier to know about the
background of the person. In a relationship to last longer, the individual has to build a trust
between each other, share their personal profile, and keep clear everything about their past
relationship and the present state of their mind in keeping any relationship (Holyoak &
Powell, 2016). It should not be like two individual are forcefully maintaining a relation which
has no meaning of life and such relation doesn’t last long. In the case study when she was
comparing the relation of her friend, she was listening to the tale of her life. According to her,
when someone is in a relationship without an email and text message was like living in a
cave and the present generation was hindering her relationship only because of the advance
technology. They were not looking in the personality or figure but trying to break the security
and privacy of an individual profile and try to get every details about it.
4. Virtue Theory
The ethics of virtue is to emphasize the character of an individual which help an
individual to think ethically (Lapsley, 2016). In the case study, the girl was young, have a
good job, and have a larger-than-average chest and her own teeth which as an individual
personality is a good thing for her. Still she was not able to keep any relationship last for
more than two month. Here the only thing the girl can do is to keep hope of what she desire
in her relationship to last for longer and can expect the relation to work with a flow (Yazdani
& Murad, 2015). The internal happiness will be only when a person love themselves more
than the other. Once this is done, then people will automatically keep relation with them. The
person need not to be worried about whether they are going to get the right person. For self-
security the use of Facebook and Google is not wrong. It keep the bond stronger. People do
not have to wait for longer for a call back or a message.
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5. Contract Theory
With Contract theory concept, an individual gain protection from the one who may harm
them. The theory of contract can challenge both the political and moral elements
(LoMonaco-Benzing & Ha-Brookshire, 2016). The concept of contract theory helps in
structuring the marriage, citizenship and many more. It is an agreement between two
individual (Birnbaum & Lach 2014). As per the case study, for any relationship to continue
for longer, there has to a bond or contract that need to be agreed by both the individual. It
will be a registered contract between the two of them. The most common bond of a
relationship is the Marriage. The lifelong relation is possible only when two individual keep
the bond continue between them. If any one of them violates to keep up with the bond than it
is no longer valid. If the case of the friend who is married with whom the girl was discussing
about her unstable relationship had given on clue that the ten year old relation had work so
well that the stability in relationship still continue. Today’s generation though had advance
with their technology still should keep a hope to maintain the relation for longer instead of
breaking it quickly.
6. Conclusion 100
From the case study and the ethical observation that has been done in the report
concludes that technology though hinder the relationship is some or the other way but it has
also help it keeping some relationship stronger. The only thing that the person in the study
needs to do is keep a hope of getting the right person from the dating website. However, she
should avoid cyber stalking to harass someone. This can even hamper in maintaining any
relation. Dating website has both good and bad part. The good thing about dating website is
that it is an online meeting of people and then later dating in-person. For socially shy or
weird or anxious people, meeting a stranger in public is a nightmare. To meet a person who
is charming and going out with him would need a luck.
References
Birnbaum, R., & Lach, L. (2014). Teaching about what ethical social work practice means:
Responsibility starts with schools of social work. Intervention 2014, 140, 37-43.
Christians, C. G., Richardson, K. B., Fackler, M., Kreshel, P., & Woods, R. H. (2015). Media
Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning, CourseSmart eTextbook. Routledge.
D. Newton, J., J. Newton, F., Turk, T., & T. Ewing, M. (2013). Ethical evaluation of audience
segmentation in social marketing. European Journal of Marketing, 47(9), 1421-1438.
Gordon, B. (2018). Technology and dating. Retrieved from
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/technology-and-dating-20090520-besc.html
Hamsi, A. S., Bahry, F. D. S., Tobi, S. N. M., & Masrom, M. (2015). Cybercrime over Internet
Love Scams in Malaysia: A Discussion on the Theoretical Perspectives, Connecting
Factors and Keys to the Problem. Journal of Management Research, 7(2), 169.
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Technology and Dating
Holyoak, K. J., & Powell, D. (2016). Deontological coherence: A framework for
commonsense moral reasoning. Psychological bulletin, 142(11), 1179.
Lapsley, D. (2016). Moral self-identity and the social-cognitive theory of virtue. Developing
the Virtues: Integrating Perspectives, 34.
LoMonaco-Benzing, R., & Ha-Brookshire, J. (2016). Sustainability as social contract: Textile
and apparel professionals’ value conflicts within the corporate moral responsibility
spectrum. Sustainability, 8(12), 1278.
Xiao, Y. (2015). The Structure of Ethical Theory in Early Chinese Philosophy. The Routledge
companion to virtue ethics, 471.
Yazdani, N., & Murad, H. S. (2015). Toward an ethical theory of organizing. Journal of
Business Ethics, 127(2), 399-417.
Do not remove the following marking sheet.
Marking Sheet
Criteria Standards
Marks
awarde
d
Classical
Ethical
Theory
(Value 60%)
HD: Demonstrates an excellent ability at applying ethical theories to the ethical
issues. (51-60)
DI: Demonstrates a good ability at applying ethical theories to the ethical issues.
(45-50.4)
CR: Makes a genuine attempt at applying the ethical theories to the ethical
issues. (39-44.4)
PS: The ethical theories do not link well with the ethical issues. (30-38.4)
FL: The ethical theories are not properly applied to the ethical issues. (0-29.4)
Writing &
structure
(Value 20%)
HD: Language features and structures are used to convey meaning effectively,
concisely, unambiguously, and in a tone appropriate to the audience and
purpose with no spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors. (17-20)
DI: Well developed skills in expression & presentation of ideas. Fluent writing
style appropriate to assessment task/document type. Grammar & spelling
accurate. (15-16.8)
CR: Good skills in expression & clear presentation of ideas. Mostly fluent writing
style appropriate to assessment task/document type. Grammar & spelling
contains a few minor errors. (13-14.8)
PS: The text contains frequent errors in spelling, grammar, word choice, and
structure, lacks clarity, and is not concise, but the meaning is apparent to the
reader with some effort. (10-12.8)
FL: Rudimentary skills in expression & presentation of ideas. Not all material is
relevant &/or is presented in a disorganised manner. Meaning apparent, but
writing style not fluent or well organised. Grammar & spelling contains many
errors. (0-9.8)
Conclusion
(Value 10%)
HD: Superior conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together into a
coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. (8.5-10)
DI: Very high standard conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together
into a coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. (7.5-8.4)
CR: High standard conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together into a
coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. (6.5-7.4)
PS: Rudimentary conclusion that provides a convincing argument. (5-6.4)
FL: Sub-standard (or no) conclusion. (0-4.9)
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Referencing
(Value 10%)
HD: Referencing is comprehensive, demonstrates academic integrity, and
conforms exactly to APA style conventions. (8.5-10)
DI: Very good referencing, including reference list and citations. High quality
references. (7.5-8.4)
CR: Good referencing, including reference list and citations. Good quality
references. (6.5-7.4)
PS: Referencing is comprehensive, mostly accurate according to APA style
conventions, and demonstrates academic integrity. Some minor errors or
omissions in style and formatting choices (e.g. italics, punctuation, etc) don’t
impact on the transparency and traceability of the source, or demonstration of
academic integrity. (5-6.4)
FL: Sub-standard (or no) referencing. Poor quality (or no) references. (0-4.9)
Total
Marks
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