Spring 2018
Name:_____________________________________________
Part I. Two Opening Vignettes
1.) WhatsApp, an instant messaging app for smartphones, allows users to send textmessages, documents, images, videos, user location data, and other data over the internet to other WhatsAppusers, using standard cellular mobile numbers. In the past, WhatsApp has been a strong defender of its users’ privacy, employing end-to-end encryption for all messages sent through its service and regularlyresisting requests from authoritiesfordata access. As a result, WhatsApp has been the instant messaging app of choice for users who wish to keep their conversations private, including individuals working to expose corruption within organizations and those reporting on the activities of totalitarian governments.
Facebook purchased WhatsAppfor $22 billion in 2014. After the sale to Facebook was announced, WhatsApp CEO and cofounder Jan Koumdeclared that nothing would change with the company’s privacypractices. Indeed, Koum posted that ‘If partnering with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldn’thave done it.’ This statement has come back to haunt him.
In the fall of 2016, WhatsApp announced atht it would begin providing user data—including phone numbers, usage data, and information on devices and operating systems being used—to Facebook and the ‘Facebook family of companies.’ According to the company, thisinformation allows Facebook to make better friendsuggestions and display more relevant ads to users while also allowing businesses to send messages to users, including appointment reminders, delivery and shipping notifications, and marketing pitches. The policy shift is intended to help WhatsApp generate more revenue and makes economic sense; however, the change has raised concerns over the privacy of users’ conversations and identities and has upset users drawn to the app by the company’s previousstrong stance on privacy.
Is this policy shift by WhatsApp morally justified? Answer yes or no and explain your answer:
Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.
You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.
Read moreEach paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.
Read moreThanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.
Read moreYour email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.
Read moreBy sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.
Read more