Free WGU (QCO1) Ethics In Technology Exam Dumps July 2026

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government or entities acting in ways that violate privacy rights. When a social media platform collects microphone data without explicit consent, it potentially infringes on users' reasonable expectation of privacy, raising Fourth Amendment concerns.

While the Fourth Amendment traditionally applies to government actions, legal debates have emerged over whether private companies collecting excessive personal data should be subject to similar scrutiny under privacy laws and regulations such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Stored Communications Act (SCA).

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Fourth Amendment & Digital Privacy (Carpenter v. United States, 2018) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that warrantless collection of personal digital data can violate the Fourth Amendment.

Ethical Data Collection & Consent (GDPR, CCPA) -- Using microphone data without user consent is ethically and legally questionable.

Big Tech & Surveillance Ethics -- Ethical concerns arise when tech companies engage in excessive data collection without transparency.

Deontological Ethics (Duty to Respect Privacy) -- Data collection should prioritize user rights over profit-driven surveillance.

Thus, the correct answer is B. Fourth Amendment, as the company's actions raise concerns about unlawful data collection and digital privacy violations.

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that determines the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences rather than intrinsic moral duties or virtues. In this case, the CFO's decision is driven by anticipated business benefits---expanding the subscriber base, reducing customer churn, and increasing profits---while acknowledging the negative consequence of job losses.

This decision aligns with utilitarian consequentialism, which weighs overall benefits against harm and justifies actions that lead to the greatest good for the greatest number. While the workforce reduction is a significant ethical concern, the CFO believes that the positive business impact outweighs the negative effects.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Utilitarian Ethics (John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham) -- Prioritizing company growth and customer convenience over job losses reflects a utilitarian cost-benefit analysis.

Automation and AI Ethics -- The ethical implications of replacing human jobs with AI are widely debated in the context of digital ethics and corporate responsibility.

Corporate Stakeholder Ethics -- Ethical business practices should balance the needs of employees, customers, and shareholders rather than focusing solely on financial outcomes.

Future of Work Ethics -- Ethical discussions in AI-driven automation stress responsible innovation, retraining displaced workers, and ensuring economic fairness.

Since the CFO is primarily weighing outcomes, this decision-making process reflects consequentialist ethics rather than deontology (duty-based), virtue (moral character), or care ethics (relationship-driven concerns).

A professional code of ethics provides a framework for ethical decision-making, guiding IT professionals in handling complex ethical dilemmas. By adopting an industry-standard ethical code, the company ensures that employees make principled decisions aligned with integrity, fairness, and responsibility.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

ACM Code of Ethics & IEEE Code of Conduct -- Set guidelines for responsible and ethical IT practices.

Corporate Governance & Ethical Leadership -- Ethical guidelines help organizations avoid unethical behavior and reputational damage.

Deontological Ethics (Duty to Act Ethically) -- Professionals must uphold ethical standards regardless of financial incentives.

Utilitarian Ethics (Long-Term Trust & Stability) -- Ethical decision-making builds public confidence in IT companies.

Thus, the correct answer is A. Guidelines for principled decision-making, as a professional code of ethics helps IT professionals navigate ethical challenges.

Confidentiality ensures that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information.

Why Confidentiality Was Violated?

Payroll information is sensitive and should be accessible only to authorized employees.

The erroneous access granted to new hires means private financial information is at risk.

Confidentiality is a fundamental principle in cybersecurity, ensuring that data is accessed only by those who need it.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . Availability -- Ensures systems remain operational, but this case concerns unauthorized access, not system downtime.

B . Accessibility -- Relates to making data usable for authorized individuals, but this case involves an unauthorized access issue.

C . Integrity -- Ensures data remains accurate and unaltered, but the issue here is privacy, not data accuracy.

Thus, the correct answer is D. Confidentiality, as it ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.

ISO/IEC 27001: Information Security Management Systems.

Doxing (or doxxing) refers to maliciously gathering and publishing personal information online without consent, often to harass, threaten, or retaliate against someone. In this scenario, the hacker stole an employee's health records and posted them online as revenge, which clearly constitutes doxing.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Privacy Rights & Data Protection (HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA) -- Unauthorized disclosure of health records violates legal and ethical privacy standards.

Cyber Ethics & Harassment (ACM & IEEE Codes of Ethics) -- Doxing is considered a cybercrime and an unethical digital practice.

Cybersecurity & Retaliatory Attacks -- Ethical hacking principles condemn doxing as a form of online harassment.

Deontological & Virtue Ethics -- Publishing private information violates personal dignity and trust, making it ethically unacceptable.

Thus, the correct answer is B. Doxing, as the hacker exposed private health records online for revenge.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is a U.S. federal law that governs the privacy and security of consumer financial information. It contains three key rules:

Financial Privacy Rule -- Regulates how financial institutions collect and disclose personal financial information.

Safeguards Rule -- Requires financial institutions to implement security programs to protect consumer data.

Pretexting Protection Rule -- Prohibits deceptive attempts to obtain personal financial information.

In this case, the Financial Privacy Rule is relevant because it provides consumers with a way to control how their financial data is shared. This rule:

Requires financial institutions to provide privacy notices detailing how they collect, use, and share customer information.

Gives customers the right to opt-out of sharing certain types of financial information with third parties.

Since the customer is concerned about their mortgage details being shared, they can use the Financial Privacy Rule to control such disclosures.

Why Not the Other Options?

B . Pretexting -- Involves identity theft or fraudulent attempts to access financial data, which is not relevant here.

C . Consumer Protection -- A broad concept that does not specifically address financial data privacy.

D . Safeguards -- Focuses on securing customer data from breaches, not on controlling data sharing.

Thus, the correct answer is A. Financial privacy as it directly addresses the customer's concern.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999), 15 U.S.C. 6801-6809.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guide to the GLBA Financial Privacy Rule.

Solove, D. J. (2020). The Privacy Law Fundamentals. IAPP.