How to prevail when technology fails - Flipbook - Page 18
18 | How to prevail when technology fails
Data privacy is businesses’
biggest ethical concern
Businesses that use and sell technology increasingly
encounter complex ethical issues. Managed
badly, these can cause immense reputational and
financial damage.
Which issues cause most concern? When they are
asked which ethical issues they consider to be most
important in the development and deployment of
technology, survey respondents most frequently
mention privacy concerns. This no doubt reflects
many jurisdictions’ tightening data privacy
regulations in recent years, consumers’ increased
focus on their privacy rights, and the significant
reputational and financial consequences that can
result from failure to comply with applicable laws
(see “Prepare now for a surge in cyber and data
breach litigation”).
It also highlights concerns about consumer trust –
that it will be eroded if businesses use their data in
ways that are not anticipated by or beneficial to the
consumer, even if they comply with data regulations.
“The way we use data is not just determined by the
law, but also by ethical considerations,” confirms
Matthew Owens, Global Head of Legal, Digital,
at Novartis.
Fig 11 Privacy and bias are businesses’ top ethics considerations
50%
Privacy concerns
40%
Bias in data/programming
35%
Liability issues (e.g. connected cars)
27%
Technology addiction/overreliance
Impact on unemployment
15%
Loss of control of machines
14%
Lack of traceability (e.g. relating to bitcoin, encrypted messages)
13%
Spread of misinformation (e.g. fake news)
9%
Q. Which of the following ethical issues do you consider most important when developing and deploying technology?