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Chapter 6
Privacy
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Although privacy is a relatively recent concept—dating in American law to the 1890s—
public
concern is clearly increasing, primarily in response to privacy-invading
technologies. Chapter 6 discusses the ethical arguments for an individual’s right to privacy
and describes big data analytics and other ways in which businesses challenge the privacy of
employees, consumers, and Internet users. The chapter also considers the question of how to
protect privacy while still allowing individuals to benefit from technology and businesses to
access necessary information. Americans say that they value privacy, and yet they give up a
great deal for
convenience and material gain. Without question, the technologies that
threaten privacy
have brought us many benefits. Finding the right means is a great
challenge to business
firms that must meet employee and consumer expectations as they
utilize new
technologies. Protecting privacy a l s o requires a
coordinated solution
involving many parties. Until a solution is found, though, the focus of
businesses will
6.1: Identify how different business practices challenge the privacy of employees in the
workplace and consumers in the marketplace
6.2: Explain the concept of privacy and how the utilitarian and Kantian arguments
defend privacy as a necessary right of all individuals
6.3: Evaluate the reasoning that leads a company to monitor its employees and the
measures undertaken to limit such monitoring
6.4:
Determine what ethical issue(s) are associated with a particular handling or use of
employee records and whether the action is justified or a violation of the employee’s
privacy
6.5:
Describe how big data analytics enables companies to profile and target consumers and
the potential ethical issues with this process
6.6:
Analyze the ethical issues associated with collecting and using information about
consumers’ online activities, and the adequacy of the rules and principles created to
protect Internet privacy
SUGGESTED DISCUSSION PROMPTS
1.
What are some definitions of privacy? Is privacy a right unto itself, or is it a special
3.
To what extent do you think companies’ gathering of personal employee information
4.
Why is it ethically objectionable for companies to share employee information
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1.
The Freedom of Information Act of 1966 had the unforeseen consequence of
.
A.
making government more transparent in its dealings
B.
making corporations more transparent in their dealings
C.
compromising confidentiality about private individuals
D.
making information more readily available to individuals
6.1: Identify how different business practices challenge the privacy of employees in the
workplace and consumers in the marketplace
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
2.
Employers feel the need to monitor their employees at work primarily .
A.
to influence them
B.
to promote morale
C.
to be competitive
D.
to maintain productivity
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
3.
Employers may want to use psychological testing on employees primarily .
A.
to gauge suitability for a job
B.
to detect potential sources of trouble
C.
for statistical reporting purposes
D.
to test for intelligence
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Topic/Concept: Challenges to Privacy
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
4.
One of the biggest issues in consumer privacy is when .
A.
companies find out what customers most like
B.
companies sell their collected information to other companies
C.
companies use databases to store customer information
D.
companies keep personal information on employees
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
5.
An argument used by employers to justify “off the clock” policies is ________.
A.
to limit the amount of work related discussions
B.
to influence employee morale
C.
to promote a safe workplace
D.
to create information databases
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
6.
Which of the following is the best definition of privacy?
A.
when certain facts are not known to others
B.
when information about ourselves is under our control
C.
to be free of to make choices
D.
to be free of supervision
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze
7.
Utilitarian arguments for privacy focus on .
A.
the rights of individuals
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B.
the harm in violation
C.
breaking the law
D.
justice
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
8.
A Kantian argument for privacy focuses on __.
A.
not harming people
B. contractual obligations
C.
violations of the law
D.
autonomy
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
9.
An example of an acceptable use of employees’ medical information would be
__
.
A.
for reporting to the government
B.
to determine eligibility for employment
C.
for determining benefits that would be needed
D.
to gather companywide statistics to share with employees
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understanding
10.
To protect customers’ privacy on the Internet, ABC Corporation is comparing
several strategies. To best protect privacy, the company should allow its customers
to _________.
A.
opt out of information collection because it is most comprehensive
B.
opt in for the collection of certain types of personal data
C.
opt out with respect to sharing information that is given voluntarily
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D.
opt in for information that is noncommercial in value
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analysis
Essay Questions
1.
As a part of its new recruitment strategy, XYZ Corporation’s human resource
department has decided to review social media posts of prospective employees to
determine if the applicants are very religious. The company has encountered
scheduling difficulties during the holidays and wishes to screen for applicants who
would not object to working during the holidays. Evaluate the company’s new
recruitment strategy involving social media and make your best argument against
this particular approach.
6.3: Evaluate the reasoning that leads a company to monitor its employees and the
measures undertaken to limit such monitoring
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Evaluate
2.
What are some reasons that employers collect personal employee information? In
what ways might such collection raise ethical problems?
6.4: Determine what ethical issue(s) are associated with a particular handling or use of
employee records and whether the action is justified or a violation of the employee’s
privacy
Topic/Concept: Privacy of Employee Records
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Evaluate