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

Due to technological advancements, it is now easier for institutions and companies to store information about individuals. Whether it is a hospital or telephone company, easy-to-access records make many interactions easier, such as transactions, medical records, and the payment of bills. Though electronic databases greatly benefit many, they also create a plethora of ethical concerns. One of which would be the chance of a security breach occurring. If a security breach occurs in an institution that stores very sensitive information, such as a bank, many individuals are susceptible to having their information leaked. This could result in a loss of funds and instant distrust in the company that failed to protect the individual’s data. Another ethical issue would be private information being sold to ad companies to create an algorithm that ensures an individual buys products. When signing up for services, individuals don’t assume that their information is going to be sold to other companies, which questions the ethics of the practice. Another potential issue would be the mishandling of private information in a hospital setting. If an individual’s medical information is leaked, discussed, or handed off to someone without the individual’s knowledge, it could result in a HIPAA violation. HIPAA violations can be fines of up to 25,000 dollars, which could result in heavy financial burdens for the medical institution. A final yet often overlooked ethical issue would be the storage of incorrect data. Having the correct data on individuals is vital, and inaccuracy could result in several negative consequences. Having incorrect payment information, incorrect name spelling, and incorrect allergy information could all result in horrid consequences for an individual. Though physical modes of data entry may seem inadequate compared to technological modes, both are vulnerable to inaccuracies and mistakes. As technology advances and becomes even more prevalent in everyday life, it is important to ensure that privacy and ethics remain important in its advance.