Aristotelian Virtue Ethical Character Education: Ethical Analysis Of Edward Snowmen’s NSA Leaks

Analysis of the situation using the Doing Ethics Technique

Discuss about the Aristotelian Virtue Ethical Character Education.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a mandatory requirement of every industry in the current times as there are certain ICT components that are involved in giving shape to the business activities and operations. With the increase in the usage of ICT, there are several ethical issues and dilemmas that have come up.

The report covers an ethical analysis of one such issue carried out by Edward Snowmen, an employee of defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton working with the National Security Agency (NSA) in the United States. It was reported in June 2013 that Snowden had leaked some confidential documents to The Guardian and The Washington Post. The leaked files and details included information on the data mining operations that were carried out by NSA on millions of US phones and internet traffic as part of their surveillance program. It was being carried out to identify the possible terrorist as part of the surveillance activity.

The act by Snowden is being viewed as a whistle blower by some entities to draw attention of the security experts towards the violation of Intellectual Properties by NSA. While, some believe Snowden as a traitor as he leaked the data and fled from the country. The issue is analysed from the ethical perspective using Doing Ethics Technique (DET) and Australian Computing Society (ACS) Code of Ethics.

Edward Snowmen, was an employee of defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton working with the National Security Agency (NSA) in the United States. It was reported in June 2013 that Snowden had leaked some confidential documents to The Guardian and The Washington Post. The leaked files and details included information on the data mining operations that were carried out by NSA on millions of US phones and internet traffic as part of their surveillance program. It was being carried out to identify the possible terrorist as part of the surveillance activity.

The United States and other countries lay emphasis on the adherence and protection of Intellectual Properties by developing the regulatory and legal policies in support of the same. Also, the employees of the business organizations are responsible for protection and securely handling the sensitive and confidential data sets. These legal and regulatory policies and laws have been violated in this act (Simpson, Nevile and Burmeister, 2003).

What are the issues?

The release of sensitive and confidential information associated with the surveillance programs being carried out by NSA to the media would lead to the exposure of the measures that the agency develops in order to control the malicious and terrorist activities. ICT is being utilized by the terrorists to give shape to the terrorist attacks on the basis of valuable information that is captured. The act by Snowden would provide the terrorists with the control measures being adopted by the Government and hence, it will strengthen their attempts.

Virtue Ethics

All the business organizations must adhere to the Intellectual Property (IP) and Copyright policies. The use of the confidential data sets of the users though their phones and Internet traffic by NSA may lead to the violation of such policies (Levy, 2011).

The following entities will be affected by the act:

Edward Snowden: Edward has violated the ethical, legal, and regulatory policies and will be terminated from the organization and will have to suffer from legal punishments and obligations:
Booz Allen Hamilton: The defence contractor’s reputation in the market will deteriorate because of the action performed by Snowden.
National Security Agency (NSA): The agency will be answerable to the customers as well as the other legal bodies. It may also have to go through the legal obligations on the violation of IP rights of the users.
End-Users/Data Owners: The owners of the confidential and sensitive information may suffer as the information sets may be misused by the terrorists to give shape to the attacks.

According to this ethical theory, an activity is termed as ethical only when the doer has positive virtues associated with the act. In case of the involvement of the negative virtues, an act is evaluated as unethical.

In the case study, there are two main actions involved as the leakage of information by Snowden and the usage of information by NSA. The virtue behind the usage of confidential information by NSA is to protect the users and the citizens of The United States from any of the terrorist activities. The virtues include enhancement of quality of life, public benefit and safety. However, the virtues associated with Snowden on giving shape to the security attacks include selfish interests, personal gains, and damage to others (Curren, 2016).

Therefore, on the basis of this ethical theory, the act performed by NSA is ethical whereas the act given shape by Snowden is unethical.

The ethical theory of Consequentialism evaluates an act as ethical or unethical on the basis of the consequences and outcomes that result from the same.

The outcomes from the usage of the private data of the users from their phones and Internet traffic would have led to the development of data mining algorithms that may have assisted in the surveillance and control of the terrorist activities. The other possible security risks and attacks would also be controlled by recognizing the patterns and trends associated with the data sets. Thus, the consequences are positive in nature (Heinze, 2005).

The act given shape by Snowden led to the social disturbances as the users could not understand the benefits of such an activity being performed by NSA. Also, it provided an edge to the terrorists as they could understand the countermeasures being performed by NSA to prevent and avoid the terrorist activities. The reputation of NSA as well as the defence contractor was also put at stake. This, the consequences are mostly negative in nature.

Therefore, on the basis of this ethical theory, the act performed by NSA is ethical whereas the act given shape by Snowden is unethical.

The ethical theory of Deontology Ethics states that an act is ethically valid only when it adheres to the regulating laws and policies. In case of violation of the regulatory norms, an act is termed as unethical on the basis of the principles of this ethical theory.

Theory of Consequentialism

The usage of private and confidential information sets of the users would have been considered as the violation of IP rights only when the information was being read through or misused. The sole purpose of using the data was to identify the data mining operations for the purpose of surveillance under protected environment (Baumane-Vitolina, Cals and Sumilo, 2016).

However, the act performed by Snowden violates the ethical and professional principles of the organization and also violates the IP rights and policies.

Therefore, on the basis of this ethical theory, the act performed by NSA is ethical whereas the act given shape by Snowden is unethical.

NSA must release a public statement explaining the users about the motive behind the usage of the data from their phones and Internet traffic. Also, it must list out the benefits that such an act will cause to the users and the protective measures that were used to handle the data sets. Snowden shall be immediately terminated from service and there shall be legal actions performed against him.

NSA must also find out alternate measures to put a check on the terrorist activities using user data and network information so that the terrorists do not succeed in taking advantage of the situation.

The following options may be utilized:

Denial of such an act by NSA and continuing with the regular services being carried out to develop the surveillance program.
Acceptance & explanation of the usage in public and adopting an alternate policy for surveillance along with tracking Snowden and putting legal obligations on him.
Stopping all the information exchanges and transactions until the issue is resolved.

Out of the options that are suggested above, the second option is the best. NSA must accept and explain the usage of confidential and private information to the public and adopt an alternate policy for surveillance. It shall also track Snowden and put legal obligations on him.

This option has been recommended as it will allow NSA to regain its lost user trust. The surveillance programs will also not be impacted as a result and the terrorist activities will be controlled and prevented.

Australian Computing Society (ACS) is a body that makes sure that the business organizations and its employees follow the ethical approach in all the business tasks and activities that they perform. There is an ACS Code of Ethics defined and designed by the body that is implemented in the Australian organizations to maintain ethical compliance. There are six codes or principles included from the ethical point of view as primacy of public interest, enhancement of quality of life, honesty, competence, professional development, and professionalism. The case study is now analysed using these six principles and the act performed by NSA and Snowden is then termed as ethical or unethical (Acs, 2014).

Deontology Ethics

The ACS code of ethics states that the employees of an organization must always put the public interest at the top priority followed by the interests of the organization and the team. The personal benefits and interests must be kept aside and at the least priority.

Snowden did not adhere to this principle as he put the personal gains and benefits on the top. NSA utilized the data sets from the phones of the users with the motive to protect them from the terrorist activities. Thus, it is evaluated that NSA maintained adherence to this code of ethics while Snowden violated the same.

The second code stated by ACS is the enhancement of quality of life which suggests that the employees must always carry out such activities that enhance the customer satisfaction levels and the quality of operations as well.

NSA was performing the same as surveillance programs would have led to timely detection and prevention of the terrorist activities. Snowden on the other hand hindered the progress by revealing the details to the media and provided an advantage to the terrorists.