In recent decades, the use of the internet has become a crucial and irreplaceable part of society. With the integration of various smart technologies into infrastructure, the creation of commodities using the web, as well as the prevalence of social media, almost every adult individual engages with the online sphere in a meaningful way daily. The interactions with cyberspace often require individuals to submit various kinds of personal information about themselves. The phenomenon can be seen in the form of a social media profile, a government program application, or even payment information in an online storefront.
When a person gives away their personal data, they willingly place trust and certain expectations upon the receiving party. In most cases, these expectations include the fulfillment of a certain deal or service, in addition to the safeguarding of submitted personal data by the receiver. However, it should be noted that the safety and security of data can be compromised by the actions of certain parties or individuals. In the process identified as a “cyber-attack,” individuals can gain access to restricted or personal data safeguarded by other entities, including businesses, governments, and private individuals. Cyber-attacks can occur when breaches in web security exist or when certain parties devise new ways of bypassing existing protections. By far, cases of cyber-attacks on government entities and organizations can be considered to be most dangerous, as they contain all kinds of valuable and critical information. Storing data on the citizenry, important assets of a country, or data that might be politically sensitive, government data leakage can impact society severely. Therefore, it is important to discuss the role of the government in cyber-attack response and prevention.
As a rule, the state has to possess certain safety and security measures to protect both itself and the people from cyber-attacks. Generally, the government acts to protect its people and the entities within it from harm while also providing them with the security and regulation necessary to lead prosperous daily lives. Taking most democratic nations as an example, the freedoms and rights of individual people are taken into account and protected, with matters such as privacy being taken extremely seriously. This means that when a threat towards the security, privacy, or freedom of individuals is detected, the government has a social and political responsibility to act. Cyber-attacks, then, can be classified as such a danger. Aimed at getting access to or stealing oftentimes personal data, cyber-crime exists in opposition to the government and the people it protects.
Government organizations must have a hard stance against cyber-crime, in addition to an arrangement of strong tools to protect their own data from getting stolen. In addition to the need to protect the citizenry, government organizations also need to protect themselves. Securing data storage using various methods or encryption and user identification is a requirement for every state entity, including potential healthcare organizations, banks, or social services. To protect the sensitive data from being leaked and to safeguard the nation’s people, government agencies are required to take a hard stance against cyber-attacks and work within their capacity to prevent their occurrences. The use of various counter-measures, as well as the continued development of cyber protection, is a necessary step for the state to fulfill its functions in a democratic society.
Ethical considerations are an important part of many occupations. Ethics, in general, occupy a central place in society, acting as a moral and practical limitation upon the actions of people. While it is theoretically possible to disregard ethics in certain discussions, their existence and promotion in the majority of fields are some of the defining features of society. The codification of moral practices and their generalization as rules helps organizations and large entities to act within the best interests of the many while being managed by a few. Many businesses and organizations that work in the public sector have their own codes of ethics designed to help promote and encourage best practices from the workers in that field. Usually, such codes can differ depending on the goals and methods of particular organizations, but their general aim towards upholding human prosperity, equality, and wellness remain.
ASPA, or The American Society for Public Administration, has its own set of ethical regulations. The code of this organization exists to bind certain types of organizations and public entities, including law enforcement, lawyers, teachers, accountants, and other workers in the public sphere, promoting accountability (Code of ethics). The ASPA code of ethics has been recently revised and exists as a tool to help the association’s members better accomplish their goals. As a set of written guidelines, it was improved over the years to better meet the standard of the modern age and work within the constraints of today’s society. The code of ethics presented by the ASPA should be both hortatory and enforced for its members.
Public agents such as lawyers and teachers have a moral and professional responsibility to promote the wellness and prosperity of their subjects, being equal in their judgment, empowering individuals, and helping them be more informed. The use of ethical ASPA guidelines, therefore, can help such professions more accurately achieve their goals. For structures such as law enforcement, the promotion of ethics and the advancement of public interest are also important. Dealing with cases where law and criminality intersect, it is the duty of law enforcement to act within their best ethical capacity during their work. Following the code of ethics can help organizations most accurately fulfill their stated purpose while also making an effort towards a more just and equal society.
However, there are also some limitations present in the current ASPA code, ones that will require each organization to remedy on their own terms. In particular, the code of ethics is constructed for a large variety of organizations and occupations, each of which has its own structure, management, and flow of operation. This means that certain entities may have trouble upholding the ethical standards placed upon them. For example, it would be difficult for law enforcement to promote democratic participation, as the intersection between that process and the operation of the police is considerably small. Similarly, other jobs such as lawyers or teachers might face trouble when attempting to advocate for a particular social action or bringing more equity to the public. The standardized code presented by the ASPA means that there is a lack of flexibility that might be needed to adequately approach matters of ethics. Overall, however, each public entity can work on adapting the interpretation of the ASPA ethics code to their operation and further focus on the points they are able to fulfill.
References
Code of ethics. ASPA. (n.d.). Web.