response

In response to M-blog  "the case of Jonh Smith"

Questions: Should John smith sell the names? (Be sure to answer the poll to the left of this post.) Also, Does the AMA Statement of Ethics address this issue? Go to the AMA website (American Marketing Association) and look at their Statement of Ethics. What in the Statement relates to John Smith's dilemma?

It is my opinion that John Smith is in his ethical and professional rights to sell these names to anyone whom would wish to purchase them. It is common knowledge that any personal information given in today’s media like surveys, online forms, and prize giveaways without the agreement from the primary party to not sell the information they collect is free game to be given to other companies or parties. Ethics according to the AMA (American Marketing Association) is derived mainly from the collective norm of the population. If the agreed upon norm for giving away personal information is that it is not okay to do so when the information is protected with a terms of agreement stating that the primary party will not sell your information; then when no agreement is associated with the form that you put your information on it becomes public information and is fair game to sell.

            The only unethical issue I see associated with Smith selling the information from his survey is the honesty value of ethics. Honesty is important and John Smith should have contacted these people asking them if he could use their information for something other than the survey. This would have been the best way to handle the situation however he should not be accused of being unethical for selling information that had never been protected in the first place. People are in constant jeopardy of their information being used for such purposes which is why people need to take the proper steps by not putting their information on such forms without an agreement to not use their information for anything else.

            If John Smith is being unethical then why can certain websites gather information about your searching the internet to build profiles on who you are and what interests you: google.com, netflix.com, facebook.com?