Ethical Analysis of Online File Sharing
5 Steps of Ethical Analysis
1. identifying the facts
2. defining the conflict or dilemma and identifying the values involved
3. identifying the stakeholders
4. identifying options that can be taken
5. identifying potential consequences of actions
1. As technology becomes wider spread the misuse of it has become inevitable. Some technology users feel that if they have access to data, regardless if it is legal or illegal, they will use it without considering the consequences their actions have.
2. While the participants of illegal file sharing do not directly hurt another person, they cause loss of profits for companies. By downloading music, videos and illegal programs, the respective industries are losing profits. Although one user will not make a big difference, if all consumers started downloading illegal files, soon the industry could no longer function and the industry would collapse. Also, when companies realize a large majority of consumers are using illegal files, they lose their incentive to create and improve their products. Even though file sharing does not immediately hurt the user, in the long run not only the industry is affected by the illegal file sharing, but also those who use the illegal files, since the industry will stop improving and producing products.
3. The stakeholders in illegal file sharing are the file sharers (users), copyright holder (companies), information workers in general (example R& D, developers), and shareholders of the companies, and consumers who purchase the products (legally)
4. In order to fight illegal file sharing, the government can implement laws discouraging file sharing. While there are some in place, these are not enforced as much as they could be, therefore the first step would be to enforce the existing laws more stringently. Also more visible campaigns could be developed to enforce the consequences of illegal downloading. While there are some, these are often played at the movie theaters or are on
1. identifying the facts
2. defining the conflict or dilemma and identifying the values involved
3. identifying the stakeholders
4. identifying options that can be taken
5. identifying potential consequences of actions
1. As technology becomes wider spread the misuse of it has become inevitable. Some technology users feel that if they have access to data, regardless if it is legal or illegal, they will use it without considering the consequences their actions have.
2. While the participants of illegal file sharing do not directly hurt another person, they cause loss of profits for companies. By downloading music, videos and illegal programs, the respective industries are losing profits. Although one user will not make a big difference, if all consumers started downloading illegal files, soon the industry could no longer function and the industry would collapse. Also, when companies realize a large majority of consumers are using illegal files, they lose their incentive to create and improve their products. Even though file sharing does not immediately hurt the user, in the long run not only the industry is affected by the illegal file sharing, but also those who use the illegal files, since the industry will stop improving and producing products.
3. The stakeholders in illegal file sharing are the file sharers (users), copyright holder (companies), information workers in general (example R& D, developers), and shareholders of the companies, and consumers who purchase the products (legally)
4. In order to fight illegal file sharing, the government can implement laws discouraging file sharing. While there are some in place, these are not enforced as much as they could be, therefore the first step would be to enforce the existing laws more stringently. Also more visible campaigns could be developed to enforce the consequences of illegal downloading. While there are some, these are often played at the movie theaters or are on