Describe four ethical issues that arise when storing electronic information about individuals:

The four ethical issues I will discuss that arise when storing electronic information about individuals are Authorization/Confidentiality, Implementation/Security Engineering, Security & Privacy, and lastly Integrity. 

When having information about yourself or others stored in company and/or an organizations database, it is essential that only those authorized to the confidential information have access to it. Authorization should also not solely be based on access, but a combination of access and why that information is needed. Authorization comes in many forms such as multi-factor or singular factor. Due to the nature of confidential information needing to be private, it is essential that certain authentication measures are in place to ensure the overall security of the private data. Without proper assurance/authorization, confidential information is at risk of data leaks that could be detrimental to one’s privacy. We want to ensure that there is no question that the individual trying to access the confidential information is who they say they are.

Secondly Implementation and Security Engineering is another potential issue that can arise when storing electronic information. Without the successful implementation of security measures, individuals’ data is susceptible to hacking and/or theft. It is paramount to have proper security measures implemented to avoid potential leaks of private data.

The third issue I will discuss is Security/Privacy. Privacy is a big concern when individual information is stored because there is a line between what can and cannot be shared. For example, someone would not want their medical/health information shared to anyone who isn’t their doctor in the same way that they also would not want their credit card information leaked to an unauthorized user. The proper protection and disposal of private information is essential to avoid information being shared and/or leaked to unwanted individuals. 

Lastly Integrity; integrity is vital when storing individuals’ information digitally because it can affect one’s livelihood.  For example, imagine if your bank inaccurately logged your transactions that resulted in your account being overdraft, or your university having inaccurate grades for your assignments resulting in a lower GPA. Data integrity can be affected both intentionally and unintentionally. It is important to always verify data through data validation techniques to ensure that the information listed is precise and accurate.