Telemarketing and Consumer Protection Act
Information Technology Act Paper
Kate Cann
University of Phoenix
Paula Billups
BIS/220
DEC 3, 2012
Information Technology Act Paper
Introduction
Advances in information technology (IT) are intended to improve a variety of characteristics of life. Sadly, IT progresses are resulting in an increasing amount of ethical issues. The most important ethical problems connected with IT advancements are privacy, property, precision, and ease of access to susceptible information. Privacy can effortlessly be violated when information is stored in databases and shared over networks. Ethical problems due to advances in IT call for the creation of new acts to protect consumers. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991 and the Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003 are two perfect examples of Acts being created as direct results of IT advancements coupled with ethical issues.
What were the advances in information technology that resulted in new ethical issues necessitating the creation of each act?
The advances in information technology that resulted in new ethical problems demanded the creation of the TCPA of 1991 and the Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003 consisted of computer networks, mostly the Internet, permitting organizations to assemble, merge, store, and share enormous amounts of data on institutions, groups, even individuals (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). Access to detailed customer demographic information essentially became possible leads for telemarketing organizations. Once the leads were accessed, telemarketing businesses used call centers to push the products or services they sold. IT advances forced Congress’ hand to offer some appearance of defense for customers and control for telemarketing organizations against practices deemed distressing.
According to American Teleservices Association (2012), “In 1991, Congress passed
Kate Cann
University of Phoenix
Paula Billups
BIS/220
DEC 3, 2012
Information Technology Act Paper
Introduction
Advances in information technology (IT) are intended to improve a variety of characteristics of life. Sadly, IT progresses are resulting in an increasing amount of ethical issues. The most important ethical problems connected with IT advancements are privacy, property, precision, and ease of access to susceptible information. Privacy can effortlessly be violated when information is stored in databases and shared over networks. Ethical problems due to advances in IT call for the creation of new acts to protect consumers. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991 and the Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003 are two perfect examples of Acts being created as direct results of IT advancements coupled with ethical issues.
What were the advances in information technology that resulted in new ethical issues necessitating the creation of each act?
The advances in information technology that resulted in new ethical problems demanded the creation of the TCPA of 1991 and the Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003 consisted of computer networks, mostly the Internet, permitting organizations to assemble, merge, store, and share enormous amounts of data on institutions, groups, even individuals (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). Access to detailed customer demographic information essentially became possible leads for telemarketing organizations. Once the leads were accessed, telemarketing businesses used call centers to push the products or services they sold. IT advances forced Congress’ hand to offer some appearance of defense for customers and control for telemarketing organizations against practices deemed distressing.
According to American Teleservices Association (2012), “In 1991, Congress passed
References: American Teleservices Association. (2012). Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Retrieved from http://www.ataconnect.org/public/consumers/teleconsumerprotection.php Rainer, R. K. & Cegielski, C. G. (2011). Introduction to information systems: Supporting and transforming business (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Reputation. (2011). The Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003. Retrieved from http://www.reputation.com