WGU D842 TASK 2: PRIVACY ISSUES IN SMART DEVICES
Technology and Ethics: Privacy Issues in Smart Devices
Task 2
D842 – Ethics in Technology
Western Governors University
A. Overview of Privacy Issues in Smart Devices
The rapid proliferation of smart devices—including smartphones, smart home
assistants, wearables, smart televisions, and Internet of Things (IoT) appliances—
has fundamentally transformed modern life. These devices offer unprecedented
convenience, connectivity, and efficiency; however, they simultaneously introduce
profound ethical and privacy challenges. Smart devices continuously collect,
transmit, and store vast amounts of personal data, often without users' full awareness
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, WGU D842 TASK 2: PRIVACY ISSUES IN SMART DEVICES
or meaningful consent. This creates significant risks related to unauthorized
surveillance, data exploitation, identity theft, and erosion of personal autonomy.
Privacy, as a fundamental human right, is defined as the individual's ability to control
information about themselves and to determine when, how, and to what extent that
information is shared with others (Warren & Brandeis, 1890). Smart devices
challenge this right on multiple fronts. From always-on microphones in voice
assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home to health-tracking sensors in
wearable devices, the scope of data collection has expanded to intimate dimensions
of daily life. The ethical implications of this data collection demand careful analysis
through the lenses of stakeholder theory, normative ethics, and emerging
technological governance frameworks.
This task examines the privacy issues inherent in smart devices, identifies affected
stakeholders, analyzes the ethical dimensions of data collection practices, discusses
applicable laws and regulations, evaluates solutions, and proposes recommendations
for ethical technology development and usage. The analysis draws on established
ethical theories—including utilitarian, deontological, and virtue ethics
frameworks—to evaluate competing interests and responsibilities.
B. Identification of Stakeholders
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, WGU D842 TASK 2: PRIVACY ISSUES IN SMART DEVICES
Stakeholder theory, developed by Edward Freeman (1984), posits that organizations
are responsible not only to shareholders but to all parties affected by their actions.
In the context of smart device privacy, several distinct stakeholder groups are
identifiable:
1. End Users / Consumers
Consumers are the primary stakeholders, directly affected by smart device privacy
practices. They provide personal data—including location, health metrics,
purchasing behavior, communications, and biometric identifiers—in exchange for
device functionality. Consumers have legitimate expectations of privacy and
informed consent. Vulnerable populations, including children, elderly individuals,
and those with limited digital literacy, face heightened risks of exploitation. The
asymmetric information dynamic between technology companies and consumers
often prevents users from fully understanding the extent of data collection and its
potential consequences.
2. Technology Companies and Device Manufacturers
Companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and Fitbit design,
manufacture, and profit from smart devices. These entities have both an economic
interest in maximizing data collection for product improvement and targeted
advertising, and an ethical responsibility to protect user privacy. Their data
governance practices—including data minimization, encryption, retention policies,
Page 3
Technology and Ethics: Privacy Issues in Smart Devices
Task 2
D842 – Ethics in Technology
Western Governors University
A. Overview of Privacy Issues in Smart Devices
The rapid proliferation of smart devices—including smartphones, smart home
assistants, wearables, smart televisions, and Internet of Things (IoT) appliances—
has fundamentally transformed modern life. These devices offer unprecedented
convenience, connectivity, and efficiency; however, they simultaneously introduce
profound ethical and privacy challenges. Smart devices continuously collect,
transmit, and store vast amounts of personal data, often without users' full awareness
Page 1
, WGU D842 TASK 2: PRIVACY ISSUES IN SMART DEVICES
or meaningful consent. This creates significant risks related to unauthorized
surveillance, data exploitation, identity theft, and erosion of personal autonomy.
Privacy, as a fundamental human right, is defined as the individual's ability to control
information about themselves and to determine when, how, and to what extent that
information is shared with others (Warren & Brandeis, 1890). Smart devices
challenge this right on multiple fronts. From always-on microphones in voice
assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home to health-tracking sensors in
wearable devices, the scope of data collection has expanded to intimate dimensions
of daily life. The ethical implications of this data collection demand careful analysis
through the lenses of stakeholder theory, normative ethics, and emerging
technological governance frameworks.
This task examines the privacy issues inherent in smart devices, identifies affected
stakeholders, analyzes the ethical dimensions of data collection practices, discusses
applicable laws and regulations, evaluates solutions, and proposes recommendations
for ethical technology development and usage. The analysis draws on established
ethical theories—including utilitarian, deontological, and virtue ethics
frameworks—to evaluate competing interests and responsibilities.
B. Identification of Stakeholders
Page 2
, WGU D842 TASK 2: PRIVACY ISSUES IN SMART DEVICES
Stakeholder theory, developed by Edward Freeman (1984), posits that organizations
are responsible not only to shareholders but to all parties affected by their actions.
In the context of smart device privacy, several distinct stakeholder groups are
identifiable:
1. End Users / Consumers
Consumers are the primary stakeholders, directly affected by smart device privacy
practices. They provide personal data—including location, health metrics,
purchasing behavior, communications, and biometric identifiers—in exchange for
device functionality. Consumers have legitimate expectations of privacy and
informed consent. Vulnerable populations, including children, elderly individuals,
and those with limited digital literacy, face heightened risks of exploitation. The
asymmetric information dynamic between technology companies and consumers
often prevents users from fully understanding the extent of data collection and its
potential consequences.
2. Technology Companies and Device Manufacturers
Companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and Fitbit design,
manufacture, and profit from smart devices. These entities have both an economic
interest in maximizing data collection for product improvement and targeted
advertising, and an ethical responsibility to protect user privacy. Their data
governance practices—including data minimization, encryption, retention policies,
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