Cybersecurity Ethics has taught me a lot this past semester. It taught me to think even more critically than I had to before taking this class. There were many topics that I have engaged with for the duration of the course. The most engaging topics for me were the topics of Privacy, Data Ethics, and finally Whistle-blowing. These ones either had me focus on topics that I resonated with the most, or the ones that saw me struggling to pick a side on the most. The ones that I was able to relate with were the topics of Privacy and Data Ethics, while Whistle-blowing required me to think about how to approach it and what position to take on the matter.

            I feel that many of my peers were able to relate to the topics of Privacy and Data Ethics in terms of how our data may be misused. In our privacy module, I believe I used the ethical tool concerning Confucianism when writing the case analysis. I used it to show how Google was attempting to protect user data. Before writing that paper, I held the belief that companies will continue to misuse our data. Though I attempt to defend Google’s use of Google Maps and how they attempt to protect our data, I still held the notion that our data is repeatedly misused. If anything, I doubled down on the idea that companies will continue to misuse our data. In that same case analysis, I provided many examples in which Google either misused user data or neglected to protect it. My stance on this matter of privacy has not changed. I did not express this sentiment in my paper, nor am I sure if it would have been the appropriate thing to do in this case. However, seeing as this is an ethics class and a reflective paper, I believe I should have at the time. I feel that it would have further solidified my position on the matter and left no room for confusion, thought it may have sounded like it would conflict with my stance on Google in the assignment.

            Moving forward to the topic of Data Ethics, I attempted to use the ethical tool of the Ethics of Care when writing about the topic. I used it to argue whether the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) put forth by the European Union exhibited qualities that stood in line with an Ethics of Care standpoint. To go with my previous statements, I hold a firm belief that many companies will continue to misuse our data, so it was glad to know that the EU has attempted to establish regulations regarding personal data. I have a feeling that my peers or anyone who has a presence on the internet would hold these same feelings regarding the GDPR. Looking back, I think I would probably also say that I did not clearly state my position on the matter, if at all, probably because I felt that it would not be appropriate in the paper, but I feel that I should of since it is an Ethics class, and I believe the writer’s stance is an important aspect in an analysis.

            The topic that gave me the most trouble was probably my stance on Whistle-blowing, especially in the case provided in the module. Chelsea Manning’s case was hard to take a position on. Looking back, I had to decide if I were to side with the United States or Manning. It was a hard decision because I was stuck deciding whether Manning went through the proper avenues to whistle blow, or if she put her allies and the State in danger. Eventually I sided with Manning, and still do. However, thinking back I cannot agree with going to specifically Wiki Leaks as I has ties to 4chan and Q-Anon, some of the more destructive and unsavory parts of the internet in my opinion.

            To wrap up, throughout the course my positions have been rather rigid throughout the course, bar a few examples shown in this reflection. The course has been very eye-opening in terms of how to take a position and the various factors that can make it hard to do so. I feel thinking critically is not taught effectively in secondary school, so taking classes in ODU, especially this one, have been refreshing as they have challenged me to think more critically about the topics and positions, I take to either attack or defend a certain topic. The greatest takeaway from this class is probably the way of incorporating ethics into Cybersecurity and relating majors. Ethics is important, as we have learned in Module 4. Ethics, especially this course, helped to give me the foresight that anything I may do, if I continue a Cybersecurity path, that someday my actions may have a direct impact on society, so I need to make sure that my methods as well as my positions on critical subject matters are ethically sound.