Let us start by defining an ethical issue. An ethical issue is a “branch of philosophy that deals with what is deemed right or wrong” (Swiss Cyber Institute, 2021). The four ethical issues when storing data electronically on individuals are privacy, confidentiality, implementations, and data inaccuracies (Jamshed et al., 2018).
Privacy has many definitions, but today, we will be using Justice Louis Brandeis’s definition, which is “to be [left] alone (Jamshed et al., 2018). As we move into the digital age, more and more data is being uploaded for the world to see. The hardest part in this new world is staying private, but now, everyone wants our data to sell. When a company stores data on people, they take a considerable risk. They now become a target for hackers trying to access the data.
An example was the Equifax hack, leaking 147 million people’s private information and costing the company 425 million dollars to help the people in the breach (Federal Trade Commission, 2022). Let that sink in. One hundred forty-seven million people were affected by one hack. If you are wondering what Equifax is, it is a credit card reporting company; an example is credit score.
As the fundamental component of data security, confidentiality controls the privacy of information and who can access it. Strict confidentiality regulations are essential in the healthcare industry to protect private patient information and uphold patient-provider trust. It affects not just the medical industry but also the safeguarding of private and corporate information, breaches of which can have dire repercussions like identity theft or monetary losses. Strong confidentiality measures, such as access controls and encryption, are frequently put in place by organizations to protect people’s right to privacy and to fulfill their moral obligation to handle sensitive data securely.
Implementation depends on the company but has much room for improvement. It is how a company stores, secures and moves your data. A hospital has different standards to follow than a bank. The problem arises when old hardware is not patched or goes out of life. This is primarily a problem for government agencies or hospitals. The software they might use only works on a particular Operating System (OS) or a specific version of the OS. It is leading to vulnerabilities and risks to people’s data. Now, how does this apply to ethical reasons? Suppose a hospital does not take the specific mitigations for the risk. They could get hacked and leak private information. Furthermore, this led to a loss of trust in the hospital and significant issues for the people involved in the hack.
Significant risks are associated with data inaccuracies, particularly in healthcare settings where mistakes in the storage of information like medication lists or surgical histories can have a negative impact on patient care. Proper documentation of information such as height, weight, medications, and surgeries is essential for maintaining the integrity of various systems that depend on precise data and protecting individual privacy.
References
Federal Trade Commission. (2022, December). Equifax Data Breach Settlement. Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds/equifax-data-breach-settlement
Jamshed, N., Ozair, F., Sharma, A., & Aggarwal, P. (2018). Ethical issues in electronic health records: A general overview. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 6(2), 73–76. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-3485.153997
Swiss Cyber Institute. (2021, April 15). A Holistic Approach to Ethical Issues in Cyber Security. Swiss Cyber Institute. https://swisscyberinstitute.com/blog/a-holistic-approach-to-ethical-issues-in-cyber-security/