Ethics Related to the Collection of Information
Ethics Related to the Collection of Information
Revised July 01, 2023
When designing information systems, it is crucial to address various ethical considerations that relate to the Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA) security concept. The following points provide an overview of these ethical concerns and their relevance to the CIA security triad:
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Benefit of Information Collection:
- Confidentiality: Determine who benefits from the information collected and ensure appropriate confidentiality measures are in place.
- Policies and Restrictions: Implement policies and restrictions that control how the collected information will be used and ensure compliance.
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Privacy and Confidentiality:
- Confidentiality: Protect users’ personal information and maintain its confidentiality.
- User Consent: Inform users about how their information will be used and obtain explicit consent.
- Transparency: Provide clear and accurate explanations of how collected information will be utilized to avoid misleading users.
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Accuracy of Information:
- Integrity: Ensure the accuracy and integrity of information by implementing data validation and verification mechanisms.
- User Responsibility: While users may input information, organizations still hold responsibility for maintaining accurate data, especially in critical domains like healthcare.
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Property and Ownership:
- Confidentiality and Integrity: Respect copyright and ownership rights associated with information.
- Permission and Use: Determine if alteration or use of copyrighted material is allowed and abide by the associated restrictions.
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Accessibility:
- Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability: Implement controls to restrict access to authorized users only.
- Data Amendments: Establish mechanisms to control data amendments and ensure data integrity.
- Availability: Ensure consistent and reliable access to information for authorized users.
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Purpose and Extensiveness of Information Use:
- Confidentiality: Define the intended purpose of information use and establish boundaries to prevent unauthorized utilization.
- Limitations: Avoid using information beyond its intended purpose without proper consent or legal authorization.
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System Availability:
- Availability: Ensure that information systems are consistently available, reliable, and accessible to authorized users.
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Categorization:
- Integrity: Categorize information to minimize variations within and between categories.
- Data Consistency: Establish consistent categorization standards to maintain data integrity.
By addressing these ethical considerations during information systems design, organizations can uphold ethical principles, protect user privacy, maintain data accuracy and integrity, and ensure the availability of information in a responsible and ethical manner.
References and Related Articles
Capozzoli, E. A., Windsor, R. D., & True, S. L. (2006). Reading 7: Integration and Ethical Perspectives for Information Systems Management. In M. Whitman & H. Mattford (Authors), Readings and Cases in the Management of Information Security. Mason, OH: Course Technology.
https://www.promptcloud.com/blog/importance-of-ethical-data-collection/
https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/accounting-information-systems/9781118162309/c13-26.html
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Note: This article has been drafted and improved with the assistance of AI, incorporating ChatGPT suggestions and revisions to enhance clarity and coherence. The original research, decision-making, and final content selection were performed by a human author.
