Now That We Have Your Attention

In a traditional business model, companies provide a product or service to their customers. However, in today’s digital marketplace, users of a company’s app, website, or game are not the true customers. While users are able to access these apps for free, companies can then sell those users data and attention to advertisers and other interested parties. But in a world now dominated by surveillance capitalism, is the use of user data exploitation, or just good business? Tech companies must increase transparency of how they plan to collect and use data, and developers should refuse to use manipulative or addictive methods in order to capitalize on users.

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On the Use of Encrypted Data by Law Enforcement

Recent events have sparked a national debate about the government’s access to encrypted personal data from smartphones and the role technology companies have in solving crimes. This paper will discuss the ethical implications associated with a particular case from San Bernardino, California, and the reactions of the FBI and Apple Inc. An in-depth analysis of this case will provide the basis for arriving at a moral conclusion.

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The Future of Location-Based Services and the Implications of User Privacy

Location-based services (LBS) have seen a rise in popularity in recent years. These services employ the use of real time GPS data to help facilitate many of our everyday tasks such as identifying nearby points of interest, locating restaurants, and providing other travel-related information. Moreover, LBS are used in more serious situations like those of fraud prevention and emergency locating. However, as this technology continues to progress, concern has been raised over its ethical implications. In particular, many are worried about its threats to user privacy. This paper works to identify these potential threats and outlines ways in which security can be improved without compromising our privacy.

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Grateful Patient Programs: Doctors as Caregivers and Fundraisers

3/8/2019 Profiled article P. Galewitz, “Hospitals Are Asking Their Own Patients to Donate Money”, Jan. 28, 2019. [Online] The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/24/business/hospitals-asking-patients-donate-money.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEthics…

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