- Privacy- Arguably the largest ethical dilemma with storing personal information about individuals electronically is the question of privacy. The issue that most individuals face is that the world is becoming more dependent on technology so more personal information is in the hands of larger organizations. Once these larger organizations obtain this information which can include medical records or financial statements there is no guarantee that the organization or information holder is taking the proper precautions to protect the information. To better protect the individuals these organizations should make sure that there are proper steps in place so that the information is safe and steps in place in case something goes wrong.
- Accuracy- The accuracy of data/information is another ethical issue that is present with the storing of electronic information. This is an ethical dilemma because if the information in files is not the correct information it can cause individuals to receive repercussions that can negatively affect their lives. These repercussions can make it so that individuals miss needed benefits or make it so that individuals don’t get a job that they are qualified for. This can be fixed by making sure that all the information is up-to-date and correct.
- Accessibility- Another ethical issue that is present when storing data electronically is the arguement on who can access the information. With the internet being a worldwide thing that means it can be accessed from anywhere. So then that means if the information does not have proper access control then people across the world can find personal information on most individuals. So there needs to be steps in place so that only the individuals and those given permission can access the needed information.
- Ownership- Ownership of information is an ethical dilemma when storing individual’s information. The thing is once the inforamtion leaves the individual and is given to an orgization then the information is technical owned by both parties. So this raises concerns if the orginization doesn’t fully inform the individual.