Care ethics and the responsible management of power and privacy in digitally enhanced disaster response
Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society
ISSN: 1477-996X
Article publication date: 16 January 2020
Issue publication date: 3 March 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to argue that traditional ethical theories used in disaster response may be inadequate and particularly strained by the emergence of new technologies and social media, particularly with regard to privacy. The paper suggests incorporation of care ethics into the disaster ethics nexus to better include the perspectives of disaster affected communities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a theoretical examination of privacy and care ethics in the context of social media/digitally enhanced disaster response.
Findings
The paper proposes an ethics of care can fruitfully by used by public and private agents in disaster management. Its relational ontology restores the priority of fostering good relationships between stakeholders, thus giving central importance to values such as transparency and trust and the situated knowledge of disaster-affected communities.
Research limitations/implications
This paper presents theoretical research and is limited by the availability of empirical data. There is opportunity for future research to evaluate the impact of a conscious adoption of an ethics of care by disaster management agents.
Practical implications
An ethos of care ethics needs to be mainstreamed into disaster management organisations and digital initiatives.
Social implications
This paper argues that power asymmetry in disaster response renders the public vulnerable to abuse, and that the adoption of care ethics can support disaster management agents in recognising this power imbalance and wielding power responsibly.
Originality/value
This paper examines the applicability of an alternative ethical framework to novel circumstances.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research leading to these results was initially supported from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. 607691 (SLANDAIL; 2014-2017).
Continued support was provided by the Start Impulse Program of the Dutch National Science Agenda (NWA), under The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, VW Data P4 (#400.17.605).
Citation
Hayes, P. and Jackson, D. (2020), "Care ethics and the responsible management of power and privacy in digitally enhanced disaster response", Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 157-174. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-02-2019-0020
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited