Information and Communication Technology Apple Versus FBI

Question: Discuss about the Information and Communication Technology for Apple Versus FBI. Answer: Introduction: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a vast area that has its application in a number of different sectors. Due to the involvement of multiple components in ICT, there are a number of ethical issues and challenges that are encountered in the field. Ethics is a concept and study that evaluates the correctness of the act on the basis of the ethical grounds. There are a number of ethical theories that are designed to perform the evaluation (Britz, 2016, p. 1). The document evaluates the recent case of Apple versus FBI on ethical grounds on the basis of two different ethical theories viz. theory of Deontology and Virtue ethics. Background of the Case The case that has been evaluated on the basis of ethical theories is the tussle between Apple and FBI that took place over the access of iPhone by an attacker in the San Bernardino attacks that took life of 14 people. A federal judge asked the IT giant to assist FBI by helping them unlock the phone of the attacker to provide them with the vital information as the phone would get locked after 10 unsuccessful attempts. Apple, however, declined to provide the assistance arguing that the same would enable FBI to unlock the iPhone of other users as well and would cause a potential threat the data privacy. FBI then took the assistance form a third party and got access to the information present in the phone (Kharpal, 2016). Evaluation on the basis of the ethical theory of Deontology The ethical theory of Deontology says that the ethical correctness of an activity can be determined by its level of adherence to the rules and duties that are associated with the same. The correctness and adherence level are directly proportional to each other that is higher the adherence to the rules, higher is the ethical correctness of an act and vice versa (Gaus, 2016, p. 6). In the case that is being evaluated on the ethical grounds, the rules say that a company must abide by the orders that are issued by the legal bodies and the federal judge. However, Apple refrained from the act and went against the orders by denying the assistance to FBI. The activity is thus considered to be morally and ethically wrong as per the theory of Deontology. As far as the assistance acquired by FBI from the third party is considered, the rules and duties say that FBI must make every attempt to solve a particular case and must make full use of all the evidences that have been gathered. The activity performed by FBI is thus considered to be ethically correct (Nill, 2016, p. 1). Evaluation on the basis of Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics is the theory of ethics that judges the ethical correctness of the act on the basis of the character of the person or body that is involved with the same. The theory says that the basic aim of any person in life is to achieve happiness. An act that aids in the fulfillment of the goal is considered to be ethically correct. Also, there is an element of ethics of care in which the significance of solidarity, community and relationships lies way above the universal standards and impartialities (Bowden, 2016, p. 7). In the case that is being evaluated on the basis of ethical theories, there are primarily two different activities that are performed by two parties. The first activity is performed by Apple which includes denial of assistance to FBI for unlocking the iPhone. The character of Apple behind the act includes the happiness and care for its users as it did not agree to compromise with the privacy of the data of its users. Thus, the act of Apple is evaluated as ethically correct on the basis of Virtue ethics. The second activity is performed by FBI in which the government takes the aid of the third party for unlocking the iPhone of the shooter and acquires vital information from the same. The character of the government behind the act is to protect the national security by avoiding such incidents in the future and thus ensure the happiness and maintain the care for the people of its country. The act that is performed by FBI is also evaluated to be ethically correct on the basis of the Virt ue ethics (Hursthouse, 2016). Conclusion The case of Apple versus FBI has been evaluated on the basis of ethics with the aid of two ethical theories viz. the theory of Deontology and Virtue ethics. The activity that is performed by FBI is evaluated to be ethically correct on the basis of the principles and guidelines of both of these theories. On the other hand, the activity that has been performed by Apple during the course of the case is evaluated to be incorrect as per the theory of Deontology but has been considered as ethically correct as per Virtue ethics. However, the character of Apple was clean and pure and ensured the happiness and care for its users, the same led to a potential threat to their lives by compromising on the national security. It has thus been concluded that the act of Apple was ethically incorrect by denying the assistance to FBI. There could have been other measures used by Apple to protect the data privacy of the users and assist FBI as well. The unlocking activity could have been performed by the technical expert under the legal terms and conditions that the government will not violate the same in future. The act that a third party was able to unlock the device also strengthens the fact that there were loopholes in the security and the same needed to be improved. Thus, Apple could have provided the assistance to FBI and should have gone ahead with the implementation of new and improved security mechanisms associated with the data privacy and security. References Bowden, P. (2016). Virtue ethics, Aristotle and organisational behaviour. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://www.unisa.edu.au/Documents/EASS/HRI/GIG/bowden-virtue.pdf Britz, J. (2016). TECHNOLOGY as A Threat to Privacy: Ethical Challenges. Web.simmons.edu. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://web.simmons.edu/~chen/nit/NIT'96/96-025-Britz.html Gaus, G. (2016). What is Deontology?, Part One: Orthodox Views. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://www.gaus.biz/deontology1.pdf Hursthouse, R. (2016). Virtue Ethics and Human Nature. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://www.humesociety.org/hs/issues/v25n1-2/hursthouse/hursthouse-v25n1-2.pdf Kharpal, A. (2016). Apple vs FBI: All you need to know. CNBC. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/29/apple-vs-fbi-all-you-need-to-know.html Nill, M. (2016). Deontology. Retrieved 29 August 2016, from https://cw.routledge.com/ref/ethics/entries/deontology.pdf.