Analysing an ethical issue in a data scenario

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A fitness app sells users' location data to advertisers without telling them. Which is the best first step when analysing this ethical issue?

A Name the issue (misuse of personal data and lack of transparency)

B Recommend deleting the whole app straight away

2. A school collects student health records. Who are the stakeholders affected if the records are leaked?

A Students, parents and the school

B Only the person who found the leak

3. Which statement describes the harm in an ethical issue analysis?

A The data was stored in a spreadsheet file

B Students could face identity theft or embarrassment after a data breach

4. A company keeps customer emails for years after they close their accounts. Which APP does this issue link to most closely?

A APP 11: security and destruction of personal information

B APP 2: anonymity and pseudonymity

5. A survey collects names for a sports club but the data is later used for marketing. Which APP is most relevant?

A APP 11: security of personal information

B APP 6: use or disclosure of personal information

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Issue: lack of transparency		AAPP 6: data used for a different purpose without consent
2Stakeholders: customers, staff, company		BNames the ethical issue: people are not told how their data is collected, used or shared
3Link the issue to an Australian Privacy Principle that has been breached		CThis does not describe the harm. It only repeats that the issue is bad instead of saying what damage happens to the stakeholders, such as identity theft or loss of trust.
4Recommend an action that fixes the issue and prevents the harm		DThis is not a recommendation. It does not give an action to fix the issue, such as encrypting the data or telling users how their data is used.
5Harm: the issue is unethical		ERecommendation: delete unneeded data and ask for consent
6Recommendation: the issue is a problem		FIdentifies the people or groups who are affected by the issue or who have an interest in it

Definitions

Ethical issue analysis

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Issue: data shared without consent ____________: customers, the business

Issue: wrong marks stored for students ____: students get an unfair result

Issue: data kept when no longer needed Link: APP __ (security of information)

Issue: data used for a new purpose Link: APP _ (use and disclosure)

Issue: identifiable data is being shared Recommend: _________ the data first

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Issue: Shared without consent

B Who: App users

C Harm: Strangers see location

D APP: APP 2 (anonymity)

E Fix: Require opt-in consent

Question 2

A Issue: Student data was leaked

B Who: Students and parents

C Harm: Lower server costs

D APP: APP 11 (security)

E Fix: Encrypt stored records

Question 3

A Issue: Data encrypted twice

B Who: Customers

C Harm: Parcels sent astray

D APP: APP 10 (data quality)

E Fix: Check and update records

Question 4

A Issue: Hidden AI decisions

B Who: Bank's cleaning staff

C Harm: Cannot challenge outcome

D APP: APP 1 (transparency)

E Fix: Explain how AI decides

Question 5

A Issue: Company controls data

B APP: APP 7 (direct marketing)

C Who: Wearable users

D Harm: Cannot view own data

E Fix: Let users download data

Answer Key

Analysing an ethical issue in a data scenario

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Name the issue (misuse of personal data and lack of transparency)

A — Students, parents and the school

B — Students could face identity theft or embarrassment after a data breach

A — APP 11: security and destruction of personal information

B — APP 6: use or disclosure of personal information

Section B: Match the Pairs

Issue: lack of transparency → Names the ethical issue: people are not told how their data is collected, used or shared

Stakeholders: customers, staff, company → Identifies the people or groups who are affected by the issue or who have an interest in it

Link the issue to an Australian Privacy Principle that has been breached → APP 6: data used for a different purpose without consent

Recommend an action that fixes the issue and prevents the harm → Recommendation: delete unneeded data and ask for consent

Harm: the issue is unethical → This does not describe the harm. It only repeats that the issue is bad instead of saying what damage happens to the stakeholders, such as identity theft or loss of trust.

Recommendation: the issue is a problem → This is not a recommendation. It does not give an action to fix the issue, such as encrypting the data or telling users how their data is used.

Section C: Definitions

Ethical issue analysis — Name the issue, identify the stakeholders affected and the harm done, link it to an APP, then recommend an action to fix it.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Issue: data shared without consent
Stakeholders: customers, the business

Issue: wrong marks stored for students
Harm: students get an unfair result

Issue: data kept when no longer needed
Link: APP 11 (security of information)

Issue: data used for a new purpose
Link: APP 6 (use and disclosure)

Issue: identifiable data is being shared
Recommend: anonymise the data first

Section E: Spot the Error

D — Sharing personal information without consent breaches APP 6 (use and disclosure), not APP 2 (anonymity and pseudonymity). The line should be APP: APP 6 (disclosure).

C — Lower server costs is not a harm to the people affected by a leak. The harm should describe what happens to students and parents, such as identity theft risk.

A — The issue named does not match the harm and fix. Parcels going astray come from outdated or inaccurate data, so the issue should be Outdated address data.

B — The stakeholders must be the people actually affected by the hidden AI decisions. The cleaning staff are not affected, so the line should name the loan applicants.

B — The problem is that users cannot access their own data, which links to APP 12 (access). APP 7 is about direct marketing, so the line should be APP: APP 12 (access).