By: Linkedin
February 14, 2019
What prompted Rep. Adam Schiff to send these letters was the spread of anti-vaccination propaganda on Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Schiff’s concern is not an idle one: by April 2019 the incidence of measles in the United States was at its second highest since the disease was thought to be eliminated in 2000. The information targeting the communities of users connected to these platforms was putting them in harm’s way.
Although it’s generally accepted that business leaders should always take into account the organization’s responsibilities to its customers, employees, shareholders, partners, and to the communities in which it operates, the potential for digitally enabled businesses to harm these stakeholders, has been greatly increased. The potential damage is amplified by the enormous reach and personalization possible with digital networks, which raises issues that test the limits of traditional ethical frameworks and guidelines.