Problem
The reliance on digital communication in the business world surely has created ethical dilemmas involving information access and privacy. You could find yourself in a situation of needing to get information from a coworker's computer when that person was out of the office. You know you're not supposed to access others' computers, but this coworker is a friend of yours and she has shared her password with you in the past. When you log in, you discover that your coworker has been saving customers' credit card data on the computer, which is a violation of company policy.
A. Saving customer credit card data is a violation of customer privacy and company policy. You suspect the information may be being used for identity theft or credit card fraud.
B. Your company's code of ethics specifies that employees are responsible for reporting violations of the policy to management.
C. Your company's information technology specifies that employees should not share their passwords or log in to accounts or equipment used by other employees.
D. If you turn in your coworker, you could also get in trouble since you only gained the information through violating a company policy.
E. If you don't turn in your coworker, the people whose credit card information she saved could be victimized by fraud or theft.
F. Should you risk your job by telling management what you saw on your coworker's computer? Do you owe loyalty to your coworker, the company or the customers?