Business Ethics and Online Privacy
Robert Bodle
Recent ethics research on search engines and social networks
Informational Privacy
“the control over the flow of an individual’s personal information” - Herman T. Tavani (2010).
The collection and use of personal information by:
-government -private companies
Informational privacy concerns increased by Internet -
1) amount of data collected2) speed at which data can be obtained3) duration of time info can be retained4) kind of info acquired
Online privacy - Introduction
Look up your name on Google
How about doing an image search?
What about 123people.com?
Thesis
Statement: The ability of Internet companies to monitor and control our online data, has outflanked any privacy regulations of these industries.
Research Question: What should be done about it from an ethical standpoint?
Privacy Regulation: a comparative view
EU – stakeholder model US – stockholder model
statutory protections statutory protections, privacy policies
enforceable by law self-regulated, largely unenforceable
Responsibility placed on governments and industry
Responsibility placed on the user
The Privacy Act of 1974
Governs collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of “PII” by Federal agencies
Prohibits disclosure of info without written consent.
But what about private companies?
Privacy regulation of companies: a segmentated approach
Enforced by the US Federal Trade Commission
Kind of Information
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970)
Customer Credit Information
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA 1974)
Education Records
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA 1996)
Medical Records
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999)
Banking Records
The Children's Online Protection Act (COPPA 1998)
Personal info of children under 13
Privacy regulation online
What about privacy regulation for the rest of us?
Well, Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., plans on introducing a privacy bill next week to include a “do not track” provision for customers/users.
#weak
Google and Informational Privacy
Google and Informational Privacy
2007 Privacy Watchdogs declared Google worst search engine in protecting user privacy:
cookie life server logs targeted ads
What does Google Know?
Server logs – information about each search
123.45.67.89 – 25/Mar/2003 10:15:32 – http:google.com/search?q=cars – Firefox 1.07;
Windows NT 5.1 – 740674ce2123e969⇧ Internet Protocol address (unique ID, identifies the computer)
65.27.213.xxx (Google redacts the fourth octet after 9 months)
⇧ Date and time of query⇧ Requested page (including term searched)⇧ Browser and operating system used⇧ Persistent and unique cookie ID
Google also records . . .
Clickstream data - • Search results and ads clicked through
• Different kinds of data– Images– Videos– News stories– Book search
As well as . . .
Google also records . . .
Account data from - • over 45 products and services in the
cloud:
– Google Docs– Gmail– Calendar– Desktop– Mobile– Etc.
How does Google protect user privacy?
Privacy polices and user agreements• But this is just to protect Google
Consumer Education• Videos, blog• shifting responsibility of privacy
protection to the user and away from Google and Fed oversight
Consumer education videos
Consumer education videos
-manage anxieties-simplifies, obscures-no mention of otherservices
Is this meeting the challenge of privacy protection in the cloud?
Facebook's and privacy
Facebook makes constant changes to
privacy settings and introduces new
services without providing the ability for
people to opt out by default.
Facebook's response to privacy?
‘A -blow-forward pattern of disclose first, respond later’ (Hoofnagle & Zimmer) or ‘here now, privacy later’ (ACLU-NC)
Facebook and info privacy
NewsfeedBeaconThe App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Facebook and info privacy
Newsfeed (2006)Beacon The App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Facebook and info privacy
NewsfeedBeacon (2007) The App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Beacon was part of FB's ad platform, that tracked people's Web activities outside the SNS and reported back to FB on members' activities on third-party sites without users' permission
Facebook and info privacy
NewsfeedBeacon (2007) The App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Social games have access to players info as well as to one's friends’ profile information, making a player’s friends’ data vulnerable. The non transparent process of third-party access to member data has been called the “app gap” by privacy advocates (O'Connell 2009).
Facebook and info privacy
Unlike Beacon which broadcasted information about user's web purchases without permission, the “Like” button encourages people to volunteer their tastes and preferences.
NewsfeedBeacon (2007) The App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Facebook and info privacy
Facebook's real name policy deletes accounts that usepseudonyms, but it is dangerous for international activists to use their Real names on Facebook in countries like Egypt or Tunisia, for pro-democracyPurposes.
NewsfeedBeacon (2007) The App GapSocial plug-insFacebook's real name policy
Facebook's response to activists?
FB sticks by their real name policy even if it
makes activists vulnerable.
What kinds of PII do we share on Facebook?
Friends
News feed
Profile feed
Likes
Movies
Books
Notes
Photo Tags
Photo Albums
Video Tags
Video Uploads
Events
Groups
Check-ins
Real Names
Facebook's revenue modelFacebook is a free service that is supported by
advertising revenue (as well as other contracts with third parties).
Facebook's revenue modelThe more PII Facebook can
solicit, collect and share about us, the more $$ it can charge advertisers for targeted ad placements.
Facebook's response to user privacy?
Self-regulation . .
Or lack thereof.
Informational privacy and social implications
When we share our information online to companies like Google and Facebook we lose our informational self-determination or
-the ability to:• enjoy freedom from interference• make informed decisions• anticipate consequences*
Informational privacy and social implications
Consequences -
Tarnished reputationsLost jobsPersonal Safety (cyberbullying, stalking)Revoked VisasImprisonment
Discussion1) How do you think privacy should be regulated for social networks and search engines?
Self-Regulation? User Responsibility? Industry regulated and enforced by government? All three?
2) What ethical framework supports your view?
Utilitarian? categorical imperative? virtue ethics/professional ethics?
Business Ethics and Online Privacy
Robert Bodle
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