Data collection are concerned that this practice violates the privacy of individuals - Essay Example

It is therefore due to this fact that this study is aimed at analyzing whether it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles . According to Solove (2011), data and statistics have become integral part of organizational growth. Due to increased market competition across the world, companies and business organizations are ever carrying research and collecting data on how they should improve quality of products or services which they offer.

However, the process of data collection is currently becoming very expensive. As a result, people are looking for cheap alternative means through which they can obtain data so that they can improve quality of their goods or services. There are many rules and regulations that govern data collection. Means of data or information collection are supposed to be ethical and acceptable by all parties involved. Depending on the means, and terms and conditions used to collect information, data collection companies are allowed to sell information or data which they have acquired legally with permission of all parties involved (Jinbonet 2013). . According to rules and regulations governing research and data collection, all participants or people being studied are supposed to be aware of the aim of the study, transfer of information collected and the maximum number or people or groups who will see.

This will enable them to accept or decline, and even to choose the type of information they should offer or not. However, when an individual is creating a profile on social media, he/she limits people who can view and read the information provided. It is therefore, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional for data collecting companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles without their awareness. Regardless of whether information collected from social media profiles will have positive or negative impacts on the companies which buy it, it is morally unacceptable for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles.

This is not only because it affects their privacy but also because it is equally to stealing just like in the case of NASSCOM (A Big Brother 2013). With modern technological advancements, companies which buy data from data collection companies can use this information to fraud people whose information was collected it (Jinbonet 2013). There have been many cases where people have lost millions of money and properties through online fraud. This is because the information collected from profiles can be used to borrow loans or other issues that will leave many people with losses.

A Big Brother (2013) asserts that however, it is morally permissible for data companies to collect and sell information from people’s public social media profiles provided that they have consulted