Reflection Note on Privacy at workplace : Ethical Issues and Guidelines
In todays globalized, digitized and tech-driven world, the right to individual privacy has lost
its essence and has become a major concern for each individual and governments world over.
Because of increased use of digital medium, corporations and businesses collect the data of
consumers, competitors and employees through various means to keep track of their
behavior. These unethical practice of collecting information about individual is a violation of
their right to privacy.
Privacy is of immense value because of the role it plays in developing and maintaining a
healthy sense of personal identity. Privacy enables us to remain confident, relax in public
setting, express emotions, which are all essential for our mental wellbeing. A lack of privacy
can result in mental stress and other emotional issues. Invading a person’s privacy violates
the principal respect for person and prevents a person from making a rational choice as an
autonomous being.
However, there are many instances, where businesses and corporations have justified the
collection of individual data in exchange of providing better quality and customized services
to customers and individuals. In case of Choice point, Mr. Smith justified the collection of
data of individuals by stating the argument that they are doing service to the nation by
collecting and organizing the data, which is used by their client organizations in providing
better services to customers. Their company’s motto was “Smarter decisions, Safer world”.
They argued that business transaction is quicker and safer when both parties know about
each other. Easy access to reliable information helps businesses in conducting businesses
with confidence, which is many a times detrimental to the privacy of the individual.
Corporations use various means to invade the privacy of their customers, competitors and
employees. They use surveillance systems and cameras to track the productivities of their
employees, use chip to track their movement, use data to predict their behavior. In case of
customers, corporations collect data to predict the spending behavior of customers. There
are various means through which businesses collect information about customers. Both
offline and online methods are used collect the information. For competitors, they use means
such long-distance photography, infrared monitoring devices etc.
All these measures are appropriate as long as they are used through ethical means and with
right intent. The information must be collected by the consent of the concerned individual.
It must not affect the individual, customer, employee and competitor in negative manner, by
compromising their privacy or by its misuse. For example, in case of competitors information
can be collected by other means such as visit to trade shows, reports from newspapers, or
the public domain medium.