WGU Ethics In Technology (QCO1)

The OECD Privacy Guidelines establish principles for protecting personal data, and Individual Participation is the principle that grants individuals the right to: Access their personal data Challenge incorrect data Request corrections to inaccurate information.
This ensures transparency and gives individuals control over their own information.
B. Purpose Specification ?Requires data collection to have a clear, specific purpose, but does not grant
individuals the right to review their data.
C. Use Limitation ?Limits how collected data can be used but does not focus on individual rights.
D. Security Safeguard ?Ensures data protection measures but does not relate to individuals reviewing their
data.
Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the correct answer is A. Individual participation, as it upholds the right to access and correct personal information.
OECD Guidelines on the Protection of Privacy and Transborder Flows of Personal Data (1980, updated

2013).
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2018), Articles 15-16.
Solove,
D.
J. (2020). Understanding Privacy. Harvard University Press.

The intensive care specialist acts with good intent (saving the patient's life) but violates privacy laws in the process. Why is this ethical?
The doctor prioritizes the patient's life and well-being, which aligns with the ethical principle of beneficence (doing good).
The action follows utilitarian ethics, where breaking a rule is justified if it results in a greater moral good (saving a life). Why is this illegal?
Bypassing privacy protections (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR) violates legal and regulatory standards concerning patient data.
Medical institutions require proper authorization to access patient records, even in emergencies.
A. Unethical and Legal: The action is not unethical because the intention is to save a life.
B. Unethical and Illegal: The action is illegal but not unethical, as it prioritizes the patient's survival.
C. Ethical and Legal: While ethical, privacy laws are still broken, making it illegal.
Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the correct answer is D. Ethical and Illegal, as the doctor acts ethically but violates privacy laws in the process.
Beauchamp, T., & Childress, J. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Oxford University Press.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2018).
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (1996).
Tavani,
H.
T. (2016). Ethics and Technology: Controversies, Questions, and Strategies for Ethical Computing.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the ethical obligation of organizations to go beyond legal requirements in improving societal and employee well-being. In this scenario, the organization is voluntarily offering additional parental leave benefits, which demonstrates a commitment to the welfare of its employees beyond what is legally mandated. CSR involves initiatives that benefit various stakeholders, including employees, customers, communities, and the environment. By offering enhanced parental leave benefits, the organization acknowledges its responsibility to promote work-life balance, employee satisfaction, and overall social welfare, which are key principles of CSR.
Utilitarianism (Greatest Good Principle) ?Providing extended parental leave benefits leads to greater well-being for employees and their families, fostering a more positive and productive workforce.
Deontological Ethics (Duty-Based Ethics) ?The company recognizes its ethical duty to care for employees beyond legal obligations, emphasizing moral responsibility rather than mere compliance.
Virtue Ethics (Moral Character of the Organization) ?The decision reflects virtues such as empathy, fairness, and social responsibility, reinforcing an ethical corporate culture.
Corporate Social Responsibility Frameworks ?Organizations like the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and ISO 26000 emphasize the importance of CSR in areas such as labor practices, human rights, and community involvement. Relevant Ethical References in Technology:By integrating CSR principles into employee benefits, the organization fosters a more ethical and socially responsible business environment.

IT leaders can encourage ethical behavior by conducting social audits to evaluate the organization's ethical performance and then communicating clear goals for improvement.
A social audit is a structured evaluation of a company's ethical, social, and environmental impact , ensuring transparency and accountability. By sharing ethical goals , IT leaders create an organizational culture that values integrity and responsibility.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ?Ethical leadership requires accountability in areas like employee welfare, environmental impact, and digital ethics.
Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984) ?Ethical leadership involves transparency and engagement with employees, customers, and society.
IEEE and ACM Ethical Guidelines ?Highlight the importance of corporate ethics policies and performance reviews.
Ethical IT Governance (ITIL & ISO 26000) ?Emphasize corporate responsibility, ethical leadership, and transparency in IT decision-making.
Relevant Ethical References in Technology:Thus, conducting social audits and communicating ethical goals is the most effective way to promote an ethical culture.

The consultant was hired by the organization to test its cybersecurity and identify vulnerabilities. This is the role of a white hat hacker, also known as an ethical hacker. Why White Hat Hacker?
White hat hackers conduct security assessments legally and ethically to help organizations strengthen their cyber defenses.
The consultant demonstrated SQL injection attacks in a controlled manner to expose weaknesses without malicious intent.
Ethical hacking is a recognized practice under cybersecurity frameworks like NIST and ISO 27001.
A. Cybercriminal ?Engages in illegal hacking for personal or financial gain, whereas the consultant was
hired to help the organization.

C. Cyberterrorist ?Motivated by political or ideological goals, not cybersecurity testing.
D. Black Hat Hacker ?Malicious hackers who exploit vulnerabilities for personal benefit, unlike ethical
hackers.
Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the correct answer is B. White Hat Hacker, as the consultant was
conducting authorized penetration testing.
CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) Guidelines.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.
OWASP Top Ten Security Risks (2023).

A professional code of ethics provides a framework for ethical decision-making , guiding IT professionals in handling complex ethical dilemmas. By adopting an industry-standard ethical code, the company ensures that employees make principled decisions aligned with integrity, fairness, and responsibility.
ACM Code of Ethics & IEEE Code of Conduct ?Set guidelines for responsible and ethical IT practices.
Corporate Governance & Ethical Leadership ?Ethical guidelines help organizations avoid unethical behavior and reputational damage.
Deontological Ethics (Duty to Act Ethically) ?Professionals must uphold ethical standards regardless of financial incentives.
Utilitarian Ethics (Long-Term Trust & Stability) ?Ethical decision-making builds public confidence in IT companies.
Relevant Ethical References in Technology:Thus, the correct answer is A. Guidelines for principled decision-making , as a professional code of ethics helps IT professionals navigate ethical challenges.

The fair use doctrine allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright owner under specific conditions. Why Fair Use Applies in This Case?
The search engine indexes and displays short excerpts from copyrighted websites.
Courts have ruled that search engine indexing and snippet display is transformative and falls under fair use (Authors Guild v. Google, 2015).
The purpose is informational and beneficial to the public, which aligns with fair use principles.
A. Safe Harbor ?Protects online platforms from liability for user-uploaded content (not applicable to search
indexing).
B. First Sale ?Allows reselling legally purchased copyrighted material but does not apply to digital
reproduction.
C. Derivative Work ?Involves modifying copyrighted content into a new form (e.g., movie adaptation of a
book), which is not the case here. Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the correct answer is D. Fair use, as it permits limited reproduction for indexing and search purposes.
Authors Guild v. Google, Inc., 804 F.3d 202 (2d Cir. 2015).
U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. ?107 (Fair Use).
Lessig, L. (2004). Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity.

Employers have the right to reject candidates based on public social media content that suggests illegal activity or violates company policies. Why is drug use a valid reason for dismissal?
Illegal drug use may violate company policies and raise concerns about reliability, safety, and professionalism.
Many industries, especially cybersecurity and government-related jobs, require security clearances, which prohibit drug use.
U.S.employment laws allow employers to consider illegal drug use when making hiring decisions, provided they do not discriminate based on protected characteristics.
A.Posts indicating pregnancy ?Pregnancy is a protected characteristic under Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act (Pregnancy Discrimination Act) and cannot be used to reject a candidate.
B.Self-identified gender ?Gender identity is protected under anti-discrimination laws (e.g., U.S. EEOC guidelines).
C.Age discrepancy in photos ?Employers must avoid age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the correct answer is D. Photos depicting use of drugs, as it may legally justify disqualification based on company policies and workplace safety requirements.
U.S.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidelines.
U.S.Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964).
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) (1967).

The factory manager is applying consequentialism, an ethical theory that evaluates actions based on their outcomes or consequences. Why Consequentialism?
The manager is weighing all possible outcomes and choosing the action that produces the greatest good-- a fundamental characteristic of consequentialist ethics.
This aligns with utilitarianism, a form of consequentialism, which suggests that an action is ethical if it maximizes overall benefits (e.g., higher profits, safety, lower costs).
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill developed utilitarianism, emphasizing that ethical decisions should be based on maximizing happiness or well-being.
A. Deontology: Focuses on moral duties and rules rather than consequences. A deontologist might argue
that replacing workers with robots is wrong if it violates workers' rights, regardless of the positive outcomes.
B. Relativism: Suggests that morality is subjective and varies by culture. The factory manager's decision is
based on objective outcomes, not cultural or subjective ethical norms.
C. Virtue Ethics: Focuses on the moral character of the decision-maker rather than the outcomes of
actions. The manager is making a cost-benefit analysis, not prioritizing virtues like fairness or compassion.
Why Not the Other Theories?Thus, the correct ethical framework that describes the factory manager's decision is D. Consequentialism because it is based on maximizing benefits while accepting potential negative consequences.
Mill,
J.
S. (1863). Utilitarianism. London: Parker, Son, and Bourn.
Bentham, J. (1789). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Brey, P. (2000). "Disclosive Computer Ethics." ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, 30(4), 10-16.
IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (2019).

A Code of Ethics is a formal document that outlines an organization's values, principles, and expected ethical behaviors. It serves as the first point of reference for employees seeking guidance on ethical decision-making within a company. Why Code of Ethics?
The Code of Ethics establishes the foundational principles that guide an organization's decision-making, ensuring consistency in ethical practices.
It typically includes guidelines on conflicts of interest, integrity, fairness, and responsibility, helping
employees resolve ethical dilemmas.
The new IT employee can refer to this document to understand how the company resolves ethical issues and enforces its values.
A. Corporate Responsibility Matrix: This tool may help outline social and environmental responsibilities but
does not explicitly guide ethical decision-making.
B. Ethical Decision-Making Processes: While important, this is a procedural framework rather than a
reference document employees would check first.
D. Board of Directors: The Board oversees corporate governance but is not a direct source for employee
guidance on ethical matters. Why Not the Other Options?Thus, the best answer is C. Code of Ethics as it directly provides ethical standards employees should follow.
Moor, J. (1985). "What is Computer Ethics?" Metaphilosophy, 16(4), 266-275.
Floridi, L. (2010). Information: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Code of Ethics (2022).
IEEE Code of Ethics (2020).