Discussion Analysis

Google, a technological giant, has had many issues regarding privacy connected to its data sharing practices. Google has been at odds with multiple countries, as well as the United States in regard to its data sharing practices and what constitutes as legal data sharing (Ferrell, Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2018). Data privacy rights has been an issue found within modern society, especially with cloud based applications, which is why it creates an ethical dilemma for cyber security personnel. Securing one's data is the premise of these professionals, as well as abiding my ethical standards and legal and regulatory policies. As data is seemingly migrated from one's private data storage to the cloud, privacy concerns start to blur between data ownership and security implementation. As the organization continues to migrate data from its own server farms to a third party, such as Google, the organization runs into the problem of losing their personal data and rights to it, as the data is not within their positive control. 

With this frame of mind, one can see that data privacy rights extend not only from the third party, i.e. Google, who is a company developed for free information sharing and believes in providing its services to all via organizational assistance or by allowing browsers to use their services and creating revenue from adware. This means that this organization is not only innovative but is funded via the use of personal data. Ethically speaking as a cyber security professional, as long as the organization provides a policy or privacy rights document to its users, the company is allowed to sell or use whatever information is required to create revenue, as long as personally identifiable information is secured at all times. Where Google has run into privacy concerns stems from illegal practices, such as wardriving (which is term used in cyber security to dictate that an illegitimate source is acquiring wireless networking information from private sources not owned by the source) or from collecting user data via tracking. 

Tracking information can occur from simply browsing the internet, just to using one's Android device (Simon, 2018). What is important to note is that Android phones are consistently sending data to Google, even while they are not being actively used. This means that Google is receiving user information, which in turn could be used to tailor ads to the user, and create additional revenue for the organization. As Google is mainly funded via advertising, it is important to know how to secure one's information whilst browsing the internet, using IoT devices, or simply by just using one's smartphone. 

Being a cybersecurity professional has shaped my view of thinking based upon data security and the ethicacy of using and tracking user data. Professionally speaking, as long as users are provided with documentation telling them their rights and the uses of their data, Google is practicing ethical cyber security practices. Personally, I believe that data should not be tracked, as once that data is aggregated, one can determine how to utilize Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and steal someone's identity. 

 

(chart belongs to: Cyberscout authored by Matt Colina)

When viewing the chart above, it must be mentioned that all it takes is 3 of the listed sources of PII to steal one's identity. With this in mind, it can be easily seen as to why cyber security professionals, and data giants such as Google, continuously battle between what is considered ethical practices and what is right for those that the professionals are attempting to help. So is Google conducting ethical business? This question can only be answered via one's own morals and values, as it can be swayed either way. 

 

Cullina, M. (2012, March 2). Recipe for a safer identity is as easy as pii. Cyberscout.  https://cyberscout.com/en/blog/recipe-for-a-safer-identity-is-as-easy-as-pii

Ferrell, L, Ferrell, O.C., & Fraedrich, J. (2018). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases (12th ed.). Cengage.

Simon, M. (2018). Google Privacy Checkup FAQ: How to limit tracking and still use the apps you love. PCWorld, 36(10), 87–93.