Written assignment

The first ethical concern that arises is the privacy of the users. The Fitbit device collects data on a person, but the challenge comes in when one is talking about the application. How can one use the Fitbit data to tell someone that they need a health checkup without interfering with their privacy? There is a typical case where a husband got information that the wife was pregnant based on the data collected by the Fitbit data Collected ("Ethics and Technology," n.d.). A user should have control over where their data goes and how they can control it. The companies which collect all the data on the number of steps one takes, the calories burned, the blood pressure, the hours of sleep that one has also share the details with marketers who use the clients mobile phone provider to reach them. A Fitbit can use geolocation to see where you are and give you particular updates. For example, one can be on a weight loss path, and they enter a supermarket and ads on various providers pop up("Wearable Computers and Wearable Technology," 2015). Even though this might seem to be something useful, it is still an invasion because someone did not have an intention of buying such things and their privacy has been invaded.

When we look at the Fitbit and other monitoring devices, it is important to look at it using the utilitarian approach. The fact that we are being monitored voluntarily and involuntarily is here with us, but is the ethical construct leading to the maximum utility outcomes? The decisions to use these devices should lead to the greatest good of everyone ("Ethics and Technology," n.d.). The major question however is whether one is only feeding data to marketers and insurance companies or there are profits realized as a result of the use of these devices.

Social Media Influence

Social media today influences many of the retail decisions that consumers make. The discussions around a device are present in social media sites, and reviews affect how fast people are willing to adopt them. The wider adoption of technology such as Fitbit has been affected greatly by discussions on sites like Twitter and Facebook. When the Google Project Glass was being introduced, it faces various complaints and challenges and people were openly disputing its usefulness in the society that we live it(Owens & Cribb, 2017). The establishment of social norms is a process that is very slow, and developers need a lot of patience before the product becomes mainstream. The uproar on social media usually arises from aspects such as real life application as well as the costs of the devices. Consumers today are generally in charge on what can be used and what they do not want in the market. The Google Project Glass as an example was rejected by the people and received criticism on social media because of uses in activities such as driving("Wearable Computers and Wearable Technology," 2015). The few people who made these posts on the device ultimately affected how other users view it. The Fitbit, however, is widely accepted because of the associated benefits to one’s health and the ability to monitor fitness which is a key concern of many people today. People proudly wear their Fitbit everywhere and their pictures on social media. People often share with others various aspects like the number of steps one has taken in a day. Friends nowadays also have social media based challenges on aspects like the total number of miles traveled in a day. These challenges end up making the Fitbit popular among the people even though much still needs to be done(Owens & Cribb, 2017).

People are also sharing the improvements that they need to see on the devices on social media, and this is something that developers are keeping a keen eye on. For the Fitbit, individuals have for example shared concerns on why the devices cannot be more useful and offer tips on sleeping habits compared to only telling someone how long they slept. Social Media is therefore looked at by developers for tips and by consumers for recommendations.

Short or Long-Term Medical Concerns

A Fitbit is used for monitoring personal activity. It will transmit various measurements like how many steps one has walked, the quality of their sleep as well as various personal metrics. The Fitbit is worn everywhere from the shower to swimming, and there are applications on phones which help the users to track things like water intake, food taken as well as weight. The Fitbit, therefore, appears like a handy device in the world today but various medical concerns have been raised("Wearable Computers and Wearable Technology," 2015). The first concern that has been raised is that exercise is all about relaxing and reducing stress. Physical activity is supposed to be freeing to the mind and helping an individual relax. The Fitbit, on the other hand, seems to be piling more pressure on an individual because of targets set and it removes the relaxing part from the exercise. A person might achieve physical fitness, but mentally they will still be exhausted because some people feel the pressure to get better and forget why they wanted to monitor their activity in the first place. Some people also relax once they have done their set number of steps even though they still have more potential(Patel, Asch, & Volpp, 2015).

Calculations such as the number of calories that one takes are useful, but various professionals have argued that the mere burning of calories may lead to weight loss but not necessarily make one healthier. The Fitbit has been said to be two dimensional because it does not guide an individual on all aspects of health but only focuses on weight loss and number of calories. The other concern that has come up is that the Fitbit exposes one to unnecessary EMF radiation. The radiation is something that we cannot run away from especially in the office and other public places. Some people argue that exercise should provide an opportunity for one to be away from the radiation from the wireless devices for a given period(Patel, Asch, & Volpp, 2015). Though unproven, some people have argued that the worst time to have the Fitbit on is when one is asleep. There is no data available on the safety of the Fitbit when the user is asleep even though the manufacturers claim that they have complied with FCC radiation exposure limits. More research needs to be done on the devices to assure current and future users of their safety.

References

Owens, J., & Cribb, A. (2017). ‘My Fitbit Thinks I Can Do Better!’ Do Health Promoting Wearable Technologies Support Personal Autonomy? Philosophy & Technology. doi:10.1007/s13347-017-0266-2

Ethics and Technology. (n.d.). The Ethics of Cultural Studies. doi:10.5040/9781472545909.ch-007

Wearable Computers and Wearable Technology. (2015). Fundamentals of Wearable Computers and Augmented Reality, Second Edition, 549-550. doi:10.1201/b18703-25

Patel, M. S., Asch, D. A., & Volpp, K. G. (2015). Wearable Devices as Facilitators, Not Drivers, of Health Behavior Change. JAMA, 313(5), 459. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.14781