Individual’s Privacy
Case Study: “Individual’s Privacy”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is interested in using computers to identify suspected of money laundering operations within the United States. It would like to mine databases containing information about purchases and travel to detect patterns that may identify individuals who are engaged in, or at least planning, money laundering activity. It asks a panel of information security professionals to determine the feasibility of this project. Panel members say the most difficult problem will be determining what patterns of transactions to look for.
As a panel member, you suggest that it might be possible to construct a computer program that uses artificial intelligence to mimic money laundering activity. The program would determine the transactions needed to execute the money laundering act. Once these transactions were determined, it would be possible to search databases resources to find evidence of these transactions.
However, the major drawback is that there would be no way to narrow the scope of the investigation to a few potential money laundering individuals and in fact, a large population of individuals would need to be searched potentially violating many individuals’ privacy.
Assignment Instructions:
1. As an information security professional assigned to this project,
A) What would be the ethical and moral issues, from your perspective, of developing a computer program capable of violating a large population of individuals’ privacy in order to identify and potentially catch a few suspected individuals of money laundering?
B) How does this play into what we learned in this course about the issues related to violating an individual’s privacy?
C) What about the greater good for society by catching these money laundering individuals?
2. At a minimum of 10 References must be listed and cited in APA format.
3. The final paper may be subjected to checking against plagiarism (turnitin.com)
ANSWER
Individual’s Privacy
Introduction
Money laundering activities have been on the rise in the modern setting. With the numerous issues of crime, terror, and other related outcomes expanding progressively, financial and political stakeholders have accelerated their fight against these activities. This has prompted a program targeting to expose money laundering activities. It has generated vital moral and ethical issues in the global domain. These include lack of privacy, confidentiality, and the use of private information for the wrong reasons. However, the program helps build a safe community free from crimes, and terrorism, and improves financial and political institutions. Overall, even though exposure to money laundering activities hurts privacy and confidentiality, it can help societies avoid crime and terror attacks and build quality institutions primarily committed to transforming lives.
Ethical and Moral Issues
Using a program that targets and obtains data focusing on money laundering activities expose individuals to ethical and moral issues. The major element of focus is its ability to hamper people’s privacy. Integrating such a program generates issues such as lack of confidentiality, privacy, and using isolated data for the wrong purposes. These ethical and moral issues diminish social welfare as they leave populations prone to various social ills and injustices.
Lack of Confidentiality
Accessing money laundering data translates to information exposure to third parties. This is a high set of private and confidential information that should only be accessed by the parties involved. However, when unauthorized persons tap into this information, they affect privacy and confidentiality. In line with lack of confidentiality lies the risk of data inaccuracy, as third parties can alter the information obtained for their benefit. As Sun (2019) reveals, there is a higher likelihood that figures and words can be omitted from the basic information. This makes existing data irrelevant because it fails to align with the ideal situation. Thus, accessing money laundering activity data affects confidentiality and data accuracy.
The Use of Data for Wrong Purposes
Money laundering activities entail concealing sources of money in the financial system. Parties translate and leave zero traces in their transaction histories. However, technical programs can obtain this highly private and confidential data. Accessing this information translates to the wrong usage of data as the affected person is left handling adverse consequences. For example, a person competing in blockchain technology can expose a fellow competitor to money laundering activities to stand out in the market. Also, exposure to money laundering activities can support theft, terrorism, and other negative outcomes.
Social Moral Evils
Moral issues are aspects that are likely to help or harm someone. When it comes to violating individuals’ privacy, the money laundering issue focuses on negative effects resulting from social injustices. When the individuals’ privacy is violated, people will experience theft, corruption, and bribery from people who may never be subjected to the rule of law (Zeng & Huang, 2022). For example, a person linked to money laundering after exposure to the public domain will likely bribe a legal practitioner to walk away with their crime. The lack of justice motivates other persons to engage in a similar vice.
Issues related to violating an Individual’s Privacy
Lack of Confidentiality
When individual privacy is violated, it becomes difficult for that person to preserve information. Third parties access private information and use it for personal and malicious benefits. Stojanov and Halberstadt (2020) note that privacy violation is a significant barrier to controlling personal and confidential information on the online platform. This means that minimal confidentiality can leave parties unable to transact on a similar platform. According to Mendelson (2019), lack of confidentiality has been of the vital issues emerging with the mention of data mining via social media and other online platforms. For example, people are afraid to carry out their legit business online due to fear. The fear and anxiety surrounding access to private data make them avoid engaging in related processes and activities.
Lack of Good Reputation
Money laundering activities involve moving sums of money used in drug trafficking and terror funding tactics. Some of the information from an individual’s platforms is very sensitive and can ruin a good reputation. Therefore such information should be intensely private to maintain social boundaries between the individuals (Kim, Park & Choi, 2019). This will eliminate threats such as theft. It also establishes healthy relationships, careers, and security in society. Overall, the absence of confidentiality and good reputation are adverse outcomes connected with the privacy approach targeting exposure of money launders.
Benefits of Ending Money Laundering Activities
Reduced Terror Attacks
Terrorism has been one of the main effects of money laundering. According to the research done over recent years, terrorism has increased due to the availability of financial support (Unger et al., 2006). Money laundering is used to fund terrorists’ activities attributed to selling and buying narcotic drugs. This matter can only be solved by ending money laundering activities. Catching money launderers will effectively ensure that society’s peace and harmony among people are maintained. Terrorists’ attacks significantly threaten people’s security, preventing them from engaging in money-generating activities. Thus, ending money laundering leads to minimal terror activities.
Reduced Crimes
Money laundering facilitates criminal groups with funds to conduct their ongoing activities. This will develop a negative relationship between society and people committing crimes. Research has shown that vices such as corruption and bribery in society can only be reduced by exterminating money laundering around the globe (Lal, 2011). These crimes have a great impact on day-to-day activities in the community. Catching money launderers will significantly help reduce bribes and corruption in different societies. Application of anti-laundering policies, one of them being taking money launderers to the rule of law (Rose-Ackerman &Palifka, 2018). It is significant that money laundering is an offense and should be treated as any other criminal activity. Money launders should face the rule of law for their crimes (Muller, Kalin & Goldsworthy, 2007). This advances equity in the general public and subsequently advances the monetary sector.
Reinforcing Monetary and Political Institutions
Financial and political institutions are essential in any given country. They are primarily affected by money laundering activities. If impacted by these activities, society will experience low savings and investments and a decline in employment opportunities, leading to low living standards (Unger & Busoic, 2007). Political institutions will become strong because launderers will not get a chance to form political cartels. When launderers lack the political power to control the government, society experiences political freedom. Thus, ending money laundering paves the way for improved financial and political institutions.
Conclusion
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to launch an artificially intelligent program exposing money laundering activities lies in improving people’s lives and well-being. These activities have been connected with increased crimes such as terror attacks, bribery, and related forms of corruption. This has hampered societal progressive growth and development. However, the program’s inception is expected to diminish these evils and accelerate community growth. Overall, DHS should launch the program to create a safe and secure setting for everyone.
References
Kim, S., Park, H., & Choi, M. J. (2019). Negative impact of social network services based on stressor-stress-outcome: The role of experience of privacy violations. Future Internet, 11(6), 137.
Lal, B. (2011). Controlling Corruption Through Electoral Reforms and Anti-Money Laundering Measures. Indian Journal of Public Administration, 57(3), 504-519.
Mendelson, A. (2019). Security and privacy in the age of big data and machine learning. Computer, 52(12), 65-70.
Muller, W. H., Kalin, C. H., & Goldsworth, J. G. (Eds.). (2007). Anti-Money Laundering: international law and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
Rose-Ackerman, S., & Palifka, B. J. (2018). Corruption, organized crime, and money laundering. In Institutions, governance and the control of corruption (pp. 75-111). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Stojanov, A., & Halberstadt, J. (2020). Does lack of control lead to conspiracy beliefs? A meta‐analysis. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(5), 955-968.
Sun, P. J. (2019). Privacy protection and data security in cloud computing: a survey, challenges, and solutions. IEEE Access, 7, 147420-147452.
Unger, B., & Busuioc, E. M. (2007). The scale and impacts of money laundering. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Unger, B., Siegel, M., Ferwerda, J., de Kruijf, W., Busuioic, M., Wokke, K., & Rawlings, G. (2006). The amounts and the effects of money laundering. Report for the Ministry of Finance, 16(2020.08), 22.
ZENG, J. P., & HUANG, Y. S. (2022). The Moral Governance of Information Technology Issues. Journal of East China Normal University (Philosophy and Social Science)
