Moral Responsiveness Despite Technological Advancement Essay

Introduction

Technology has to be the most fundamental invention ever placed in the hands of human beings. Indisputably, it can be described as the "key" to the modern era. Technology takes various forms such as smartphones, personal computers, the internet, cloud computing, digital assistants, and the worldwide web among other innovative creations on the come up. Moreover, technology has been incorporated into most revolutionizing businesses nowadays as its use has become proof of increased productivity - a universal concept in day to day living. Business ethics, on the other hand, helps in addressing the loyalty and trust of 'ethical' brands - companies tend to acknowledge their social responsiveness to its customers/clients. Despite the massive benefits gained from intensive research and innovative technological advancement, significant social and ethical concerns become raised as well. The essay seeks to manifest the impact of technology on good responsiveness to individuals, the society or community.

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There is lack of a completely rigorous, yet satisfying, philosophical definition of technology. However, it can primarily be described as the recording/collection, analyzing and synthesizing, articulation, and communication of information. Furthermore, Kernoman (2015) further argues how ethical concepts - sustainability, duty, utility - affect the overall performance of technology on moral stability leading to societal-related arguments and controversies. Technology, despite its dynamic impact, interrupts the regular routines and habits of society. Morality, on the contrary, consists of values and norms which depict how a person should carry out their duties/activities within a community. People may compare morality to an iceberg - very few criteria become preserved whereby, most values tend to be neglected and remain below the surface. Case example, people may report to work and if confronted on proper office conduct suggestions such as 'be honest and trustworthy,' 'avoid excessive use of mobile phones', etc. However, people neglect norms such as not coming to work naked as it may be assumed as a standard requirement or taken for granted. Technically, people only preserve rights which, regularly, tend to be violated.

As much as technology correlates with ethical theories, further argumentative contrasts may be some crucial factors demeaning its use. People may believe that technology tends to conflict with nature, human beings in general, and to the creator of humanity. Therefore, the belief that technology has adverse effects on the criteria as mentioned above has led to its opposition to demos pitched in around the world. However, such efforts seem worthless since the world has already evolved and accepted technology as part and parcel of day to day activities.

Infringement of Individual Rights

Technology, described as the innovation "game changer," has led to openness in the world regarding internationalization (flow of information through trans-borders) and communication worldwide. Despite unrelenting efforts to curb privacy-related cases, which happen to be on the rise nowadays, people remain optimistic on the benefits technology brings. Ideally, the society tends to overlook the negativities since, without any doubt, technology seems to be of more advantage. However, the issue of personal information and its infringement remains as a critical right violation - either by a corporation or an individual (Yuon, 2009). Social media companies, case example, Snapchat, seeks its customers, inclusive of its employees, to issue private information so that the respective individual can gain access. Additionally, such sites tend to demand a password which raises legal questions but affecting ethical values more.

Privacy, through research, has become one of the most abused social concerns of the technological era. Some organizations go to the extent of misusing the information as their resource to control their clientele or future business associates. Therefore, once these individuals get caught up in any form of misconduct, the risk of being exposed to the public arise. It is out rightly wrong for any company to impinge on personal data as it interferes with the trust an individual or society had, case example, Facebook and the privacy 'wars' facing it. However, companies should set up regulations, especially to departments that handle critical personal data, in a bid to safeguard an individual's privacy. Laws such as those that deny any other organization to access any personal information (either for an employee or client) at all times unless when required for security purposes. Unfortunately, each action an individual makes on the internet leaves trails of data that might be critical enough to incriminate someone. Therefore, a company should ensure absolute adherence to protection and respect of one's rights.

Ease of Broadcasting and Advertising

The impact of technology has been profoundly felt within the advertising industry - one described as a 'fishery' industry as it entices people despite their social/ethnical backgrounds. Therefore, its primary purpose should be described as a means garnering and auctioning human attention. The society seems to be drowning in the treacherous, yet devious methods used by companies to market their product. Some companies will go to the extent of exaggerating the impact of a particular product while indirectly comparing it to a similar competing product to target its clients as potential customers. From an ethical perspective, this may be argued as an issue of an organization infringing it's commercial trust leading to raised eyebrows once the public discovers the disadvantages of a 'hyped' product. Ironically, the same technology that aids a business to grow tends to be the same platform that leads to its demise. Therefore, a company should ensure they focus on sensitivity and take responsibility for their consequent reactions - the case where ads display objectionable content.

Furthermore, technology has been to create ads on matters that may not be suitable for any type of audience. Notable ones include; advertising of condoms, body lotions or accessories, lingerie/underwear among others. Therefore, a company, through use of models to advertise its brand may create an ad, either on the internet, TV, or magazines that might reach the wrong audience - in this case, children. From a moral or ethical perspective, such material might be damaging to the social development of a child, especially among his/her peers - preventing exploitation of a child's creativity (Pine, 2006). Therefore, the government should formulate policies that limit the level of nudity content, for example, that should be fit for advertisement, inclusive of regulatory measures that a company needs to adhere to in a bid to control its audience. Moreover, a company should not be given room to expand its profits if its market criteria discourage morality or preservation of social/ethical values and norms of a society.

Surveillance

Through technology, organizations have an easy time identifying how their employees and clients carry out themselves around the business environment. It can be argued that such a measure has its positive attributes as it keeps its employees on toes whenever and wherever they are at work. However, before such an undertaking becomes passed as a company's regulatory measure, a covenant has to be made between the company and its employees which clearly states the level of privacy they might need to access. Besides, further details will be issued on how the information will be used - for example, monitoring the overall performance of an individual. A company definitely has the right to control its employees if the motive is to safeguard the company from the unethical misconduct of an employee - such as fraud, money laundering or corruption/bribery.

Therefore, regulations should be set to prevent cases where a company exposes a person's personal information to the society without their consent. Furthermore, such laws should touch on the necessary punishment that may befall the organization once it fails to respect the privacy of its personnel. Despite monitoring being a company's way of ensuring they reap maximum effort from its employees, it should not be a tool used for infringing into their data, instead of releasing without the need (Kim, 2004). Innovative technologies, with the sole purpose of safeguarding privacy, should not be permitted to misuse such information whereby, such techniques should be liable to judicial questioning. A corporation should be advocates of moral relevance in a technological era by preserving its beliefs (norms and values).

Conclusion

In conclusion, technology has its significant advantages which tend to outweigh the negatives, inclusive to its rapid influence worldwide. However, its drawbacks also possess critical effects on the social and ethical well-being of the society. Therefore, the community - inclusive of its respective societal members, industries, and corporations - should ensure that technological advancement does not affect its binding norms and values. The society should be willing to accept that moral responsiveness can be a fundamental requirement for refining and controlling negative technological impacts. Companies should formulate policies touching on matters likely bring disagreements to both its clientele and other affected parties (whether directly or indirectly) inclusive of subsequent repercussions to those who fail to respect them. Furthermore, personal information must be protected at all times.

References

Kernohan, A. (2015). Business Ethics: An Interactive Introduction. Broadview Press.

Kim, M. C. (2004). Surveillance technology, privacy, and social control: with reference to the case of the electronic national identification card in South Korea. International Sociology, 19(2), 193-213.

Pine, K. J., Wilson, P., & Nash, A. S. (2007). The relationship between television advertising, children's viewing and their requests to Father Christmas. Journal of Development & Behavioral Pediatrics, 28(6), 456-461.

Yuon, S. (2009). Determinants on online privacy concern and its influence on privacy protection behaviors among young adolescents. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43(3), 389-418.