ACC5502 – How Instagram Failed to Comply with Ethical Theories

Deontological Theories

Deontologists are not denying that morality can be very demanding. We may be required to make very essential sacrifices – even of our lives – rather than breach a severe constraint or betray a friend. Though, we are not constantly obliged to promote the general good (Melden, 2011). This aspect makes Instagram to acknowledge some of the critical aspects of moral elements in the way they conduct their business. The sacrifices here would mean that Instagram, though having been acquired by Facebook, it could have kept a system of privacy policy and terms of use that are considerably fair and users resilient in order to maintain a good rapport in terms to how they keep their users privacy.

Moreover, the tenets of the ethical theory of deontology hold on the critical elements of special obligations or the duties of special relationship. That is, a good ofpeople believe that we are not only permitted to do more for those individuals close to us, but we are usually required to consider their interests first. We owe things to those with whom we have special relationships – such as, family members, colleagues and our friends –that we do not owe to those we regard as strangers. For instance, our own children have a claim on our resources and attention which other people’s children do not. It is therefore noble that it would never be right to neglect our own children, even if we could thereby do slightly more good for other children. This opens a discussion on Instagram sense of doing a little more good to its children who are its users(Melden, 2011). Instagram should ensure that whatever regulation on the aspects of privacy policy should be a well-framed network of consultation from key stakeholders and its end users. When Instagram formulates privacy policy that stipulates that any entity would pay it to display the users’ photos and other details with no form of  compensation to the users then it negates the ethical aspect advocated by the deontologist on not neglecting its own children (users) even though doing a little more good to others (those who want to pay for the Instagram content).

Among the varieties of deontology theories, Kant’s moral theory rejects the entire consequentialist approach moral theory. He rejects the point that the value of its consequences is relevant tot eh rightness of an act, and claims that some kinds of actions like lying, which are usually wrong.

Utilitarianism

The failure of Instagram to uphold the business standards of ethics from the frontier of utilitarianism theory are depicted in a number of ways. First, the utilitarianism ethical theory leans on the argument that production of happiness and eliminating unhappiness should be the benchmark by which the judgment of which action is right or wrong is done (Sen, 2009). Moreover, this is the standard that which effectively evaluate public policies, social institutions, and rules of morality.An action is regarded to be right or wrong according to utilitarianism, when it tells the truth or lies; and the moral rule against lying is not in itself correct. Generally, utilitarianism considers lying as wrong only because it has bad consequences.

Instagram should have held the Mill’s argument of upholding a business ethical standard of formulating policies which are geared towards utility, morals or the Greatest Happiness Principle, which advocates that such policies are right in proportion since they are promoting happiness among the users of the social media services (Goodin, 2015).

 

Utilitarianism hinders specific acts because they fail to uphold the critical aspect of creating well-being among the parties concerned. When new policies are formulated by the Instagram management and the social media users object their action of using their details and photos for their commercial reasons without any form of compensation to the users, then Instagram are giving a blind eye to the aspect of ensuring the utilitarianism principle of ensuring well-being among the service users (Sen, 2009). Moreover, most kinds of utilitarianism embrace a particular form of desire-satisfaction, hedonistic, or objective list theory of well-being.Utilitarianism theory consistently deny all  of these while holding an alternative account of well-being, provided it maintains the commitment on welfarist with regards to badness or goodness of the consequences, or the state of affairs, with respect the entire scope of facts about well-being. 

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