According to the article “What is GDPR?” Danny Palmer, the author, discusses general data protection regulation. According to the article, the General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) is a regulation for the protection of citizens in the European Union that went into effect on May 25, 2018. GDPR is a new set of rules designed to give the European Union citizens greater privacy and security. The change was intended to reflect the world we live in today by introducing new laws and liabilities, including those concerning personal data, privacy, and consent. Data breaches are unavoidable; information will be lost, stolen, or otherwise made available to people who were not intended to see it. The GDPR requires organizations to not only ensure that personal data is collected legally and under strict conditions, but it also regulates who collect it. Under GDPR, those who collect and manage personal information must also protect it from misuse and exploitation, and also respect the rights of involved parties, or they will face penalties. In this Case Analysis I will argue that Consequentialism shows us that the United States should follow Europe’s lead because the new privacy law benefits the majority by protecting the citizen’s privacy and maintaining security in this computer dependent world.
The author of the article “Considering the ethics of big stat research,” Elizabeth Buchanan discusses the concept that there is a rise of data mining. The rising trend of mass data mining on social media and the internet has created ethical issues concerning privacy, rights and autonomy, and social justice issues such as discrimination. Specifically, data mining employs automated computer systems to sort through large amounts of information in order to identify patterns. It is frequently used to investigate people’s behavior based on previous purchases, where they frequently travel, or when political views change. All of this information assists businesses in targeting you as a potential customer while also making your data a target for unethical business or cybercrime. In the same article, the Iterative Vertex Clustering and
Classification model, also known as the IVCC model is another concept discussed. IVCC is a data search method discussed by Matthew Curan Benigni. This method improves the ability to recognize any individual or group using a social media network. The critical ethical issue with the IVCC model is that individuals are unaware that their data is being collected or used. They have no way to consent or refuse consent to the collection of their data or how it will be used. The fight to protect individual liberties appears to be becoming more difficult.
The rise in data mining justifies the need for GDPR laws because there are new and developing ways for American citizen’s digital information to be leaked. Once leaked there is no regulation for the citizens information, and it can be used in any way the hacker sees fit. It seems that while there might be very devious ways to use this information, as mentioned above corporations who sell products are the most to benefit from data mining. Without implementation of the GDPR, there is no regulations that the corporations have to adhere to. Yet with GDPR in place in the U.S., corporations or organizations must be pre-approved to handle this information, they must follow strict guidelines, and personal information is protected from misuse. Moreover, in discussing the new world that we live in, social networks are included in mostly every aspect of human life today. With the discussion of the IVCC model the dangers of the new socially developed world are seen. The GDPR is required in the U.S. because data is consistently being collected without consent from social media networks and this is what the GDPR was created to protect. It reflects the social media world we live in, by introducing the new privacy laws and security needed with programs similar to the IVCC model.
In the ethical lense of consequentialism, the theory explains that the consequences of an action determine whether an action is good or bad. It further explains that the consequence of an action is good if it increases the amount of good in the world and negative if it decreases. With that in mind, if the United States adopted the new European privacy law (GDPR) it would be good. This is because the consequence of adopting the law would enable privacy to be protected for various citizens in America. There would be regulation about who has access to citizen’s personal information and misuse and exploitation will be minimized. In turn people will feel safer, there will be less identity fraud, and people who go against the law will be punished. With all there benefits the amount of good in the United States will increase so this is a good action in the eyes of consequentialism. According to the concepts and the ethical tool the right thing for the U.S. to do is to adopt the GDPR because it provides maximum benefits to its citizens by protecting privacy and maintaining security.
According to the article “But the data is already public” the author Micheal Simmer discusses the concept of the improper use of personal information. This privacy violation might occur when information about individuals might be readily available. The information is available to persons not properly or specifically authorized to have access to that data. This concept is significant because none of the students information used in this research was not approved for use by them, which violates their human rights. Moreover, the research included detailed descriptions of the various elements including gender, race, ethnicity, home state, and political views and college majors without the knowledge of the students. Even though the researcher stated that “all data is cleaned so you cannot connect anyone to an identity “, they failed drastically because without proper protection of the data, this research could have resulted in their accounts being hacked, identity theft and reputational damages. This goes to show how vulnerable our information is in the hands of data miners. As a result, every piece of information given to researchers stand at great risk.
Simmer’s concept of the improper use of personal information is precisely the reason the Europeans developed their new privacy laws. The increased availability of personal information as shown by this research is the reason the GDPR is needed. Without it unconsented information can flow and be collected without regulations. But if the U.S. had adopted the GDPR, these researchers would first be required to obtain proper permission from the government to conduct this research. The students a part of the study would truly have their information protected because of the strict conditions and regulations the GDPR requires. Next, with consequentialism in mind the needs of the majority trump the needs of the minority because the greatest good comes from the greatest number of people who are happy. While organizations, corporations, research such as the ones from the case matter in how they want to manage personal information in the world. The needs for privacy of everyone in the U.S. is valued way higher because they control the majority. It is in the best interest of many American citizens to keep their private information private on the internet and the best way to do that is to adopt GDPR. This choice is in accordance with the ethical tool of consequentialism and is the right thing to do if the U.S. seeks to protect privacy and maintain security.
Finally, the GDPR is a legislation for the protection of European Union citizens that come into force on May 25, 2018. GDPR is a new set of laws aimed at providing European Union individuals with improved privacy and security. The update was designed to reflect today’s reality by incorporating new rules and liabilities, such as those pertaining to personal data, privacy, and consent. Breach of data is unavoidable. GDPR requires those who collect and administer personal information to safeguard it against misuse and exploitation, as well as to respect the rights of persons affected, or risk fines. In the case study, I argued that Consequentialism indicates that the United States should follow Europe’s lead since the new privacy legislation favors the majority by preserving citizens’ privacy and ensuring security in this computer-dependent society. We require this legislation in light of the growing trend of mass data mining on social media and the internet, as well as the inappropriate use of personal information. According to consequentialism’s ethical lens, the consequences of an action decide whether the activity is good or evil. It goes on to say that the outcome of an activity is positive if it enhances the amount of good in the world and negative if it diminishes it. With that in mind, it would be beneficial if the United States accepted the new European privacy regulation (GDPR). This is due to the fact that enacting the bill will allow numerous persons in America to have their privacy safeguarded. There would be restrictions on who gets access to citizens’ personal information, and misappropriation and exploitation would be limited. in accordance with the ethical tool of consequentialism and is the right thing to do if the U.S.
seeks to protect privacy and maintain security.
Finally, the GDPR is a legislation for the protection of European Union citizens that
come into force on May 25, 2018. GDPR is a new set of laws aimed at providing European
Union individuals with improved privacy and security. The update was designed to reflect
today’s reality by incorporating new rules and liabilities, such as those pertaining to personal
data, privacy, and consent. Breach of data is unavoidable. GDPR requires those who collect and
administer personal information to safeguard it against misuse and exploitation, as well as to
respect the rights of persons affected, or risk fines. In the case study, I argued that
Consequentialism indicates that the United States should follow Europe’s lead since the new
privacy legislation favors the majority by preserving citizens’ privacy and ensuring security in
this computer-dependent society. We require this legislation in light of the growing trend of mass
data mining on social media and the internet, as well as the inappropriate use of personal
information. According to consequentialism’s ethical lens, the consequences of an action decide
whether the activity is good or evil. It goes on to say that the outcome of an activity is positive if
it enhances the amount of good in the world and negative if it diminishes it. With that in mind, it
would be beneficial if the United States accepted the new European privacy regulation (GDPR).
This is due to the fact that enacting the bill will allow numerous persons in America to have their
privacy safeguarded. There would be restrictions on who gets access to citizens’ personal
information, and misappropriation and exploitation would be limited