ETHICAL USE OF AN AUDIENCE

Walter V. Jofre Jr

Com-20091

Ethical Use of an Audience

April 5, 2021

There are many ways to gather information about an audience. Qualitative information is gathered by:

1. Conducting surveys- surveys are questionnaires made up of predetermined questions. The most effective type of survey in gathering qualitative information is a multiple-choice survey (Lumen, n.d.).

1. Conducting Field research- when observing a group in their own environment it can provide allot of information. The problem is that it can be difficult to organize the qualitative data gathered (Lumen, n.d.).

1. Conducting experiments- there’s two types of experiments. lab-based experiments and natural or field experiments. Research in a lab setting is more controlled. More data is collected in a certain amount of time. Field-based experimentation is not controlled but the information gathered might be considered more accurate because it is collected without interference or intervention by the researcher (Lumen, n.d.).

1. Secondary Data Analysis- is when researchers analyze the data that is collected by somebody else. This method has pros and cons. Some of the pros are when you use available information it saves time and money. It is also non-reactive research. There is no contact with subjects and it will not alter or influence people’s behaviors. One of the cons can be accessing public records. Not always can public records be accessed. In some instances, there is no way to verify the validity of that existing data. Another con is that the data is not always available in the exact form needed by the researcher (Lumen, n.d.)

When gathering information by using audience research techniques one must be fair-minded in their work, especially as it relates to human (Lumen, n.d.). Obtaining a signed consent from participants is very extremely important. You shall always provide a full disclosure of any risk and responsibilities to any participant before they agree participate. Participants safety is crucial. If any safety issues of any kind the work shall immediately stop. It is also important for you to insure the privacy of any participant.

Managing Audience Information-

Any entity that handles personal identifying information must abide by the laws that protect a person’s identity. The law that is known the most is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA establishes rules and guidelines for the use and disclosure of any Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI is any information held by a covered entity related to health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual (Hutchens, 2011).

Dower Grove, III.-based Advocate Health Care agreed to pay $5.55 million to HHS’ Office for Civil Rights to settle claims that it violated HIPAA. The allegations against Advocate, the largest system in Illinois, involve electronic protected health information. In 2013, the OCR launched an investigation after Advocate submitted three different data breach reports on behalf of its subsidiary, Advocate Medical Group. In total, the breaches comprised the ePHI of 4 million individuals and included their names, demographic information, addresses, credit card numbers, dates of birth, clinical information, and health insurance information (Becker’s Health IT, n.d.).

Companies that use vital PHI to conduct their business have an ethical responsibility to ensure that all PHI is safeguarded from being obtained by anybody outside of their organization. Indianapolis-based WellPoint agreed to pay a $1.7 million settlement to HHS to resolve alleged HIPAA violations. The settlement resolves allegations that WellPoint did not adequately implement policies to authorize access to its online application database or implement technical safeguards to verify the person seeking access to electronic protected health information in the database (Gamble, 2013).

One well known publicized ethics violation by a CEO was that of Kenneth Lay, Enron. The imprisonment of several members of its leadership group, was one of the most shocking and widely reported ethics violation of all time. It not only bankrupted the company but also destroyed Arthur Andersen, one of the largest audit firms in the world. The charges related to knowingly manipulating accounting rules and masking the enormous losses and liabilities of the company. Lay and Skilling were tried together on 46 counts, including money laundering, bank fraud, insider trading and conspiracy. Skilling was convicted on 19 counts and sentenced to over 24 years in prison. Lay was convicted on six counts of fraud but died before being sentenced to 45 years in prison.

Using Audience Information to Plan Communications-

When you gather information from an audience via surveys and interviews, the information obtained becomes a crucial tool to communicate with them. When you identify who your target audience is by doing market research it will help you reach your intended audience for your product. This information can be used when it comes time to decide what and how you will communicate with your audience. Feedback surveys will show your intended audience that you value their opinion. Neglecting to consider the safety and ethical use of the client information can cause hefty fines and penalties. In August of 2015, Adobe agreed to pay a $1.1 million in legal fees and an undisclosed amount to users to settle claims of violating the customer Records Act and unfair business practices. In November 2016, the amount paid to customers was reported at $1 million (Swinhoe, 2020).

References

Becker’s Health IT, (n.d.)

Retrieved from: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-informationtechnology/

advocate-to-pay-largest-hipaa-settlement-to-date.html

Gamble, Molly, Becker’s Hospital Review, (12, July 2013)

Retrieved from: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/wellpoint-topay-1-7m-over-alleged-hipaa-violations.html

Hutchens, Jennifer, The Privacy Report, (28, June 2011)

Retrieved from: https://theprivacyreport.com/2011/06/28/dont-forget-about-state-lawmichigan-

decision-reminds-health-care-providers-of-hipaa-preemption-issue/

Lumen, Research Methods, (n.d.)

Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sociology/chapter/research-methods/

Lumen, Ethical Concerns, (n.d.)

Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sociology/chapter/ethical-concerns/

Swinhoe, Dan, The 15 biggest data breaches of the 21st century, (17, April 2020)

Retrieved from: https://www.csoonline.com/article/2130877/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-the-

21st-century.html