Question

An Internet company has a chance to expand its business in a developing country. This chance would make money for its shareholders, because it would be the first Internet company allowed in the country. However, the conditions demanded by the country is that the Internet company must turn over to the government the history of Internet sites visited by its citizens. Additionally, the company must censor Internet sites requested through the search engine. In the United States and other countries, the Internet company would not monitor, censor, or turn over a history of Internet sites to any government. What should the Internet company do? Use ethical theories and ethical decision-making models to back up your decision.

Answer 1

PROBLEM: The Company is faced with the decision of whether to treat citizens in one country differently than citizens in other countries. This is a worrying issue since it is relevant to the right to privacy of the citizens. The company is also faced with whether their primary requirement is to make profits for shareholders per Milton Friedman or per another ethical theory. In looking at the different ethical theories, rights approach would say if one country's citizens are entitled to privacy, then another country's would also. Deontology would also say that the necessary thing in the whole world would require citizens of all countries to be treated the same. Utilitarianism would say that the end justifies the mean so that the company would have to decide if the end was profits or treating all citizens of the world the same without any discrimination.