Free WGU Ethics In Technology Ethics-In-Technology Exam Questions

Since the U.S. military contract explicitly requires new parts, using refurbished parts violates the contract and potentially U.S. federal regulations. The engineer ethically and legally must report this violation because it could:

Compromise national security

Violate contract law

Lead to safety risks in military operations

Reporting to a government agency (such as the Department of Defense or an inspector general) ensures that the issue is properly investigated and addressed.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Whistleblower Protection Act (1989) -- Protects employees who report unethical or illegal activities.

Defense Contracting & Ethics (False Claims Act) -- Companies must comply with military contract specifications.

Deontological Ethics (Moral Obligation to Report Violations) -- Engineers have a duty to act responsibly when ethical violations occur.

ACM & IEEE Engineering Ethics -- Require professionals to prioritize honesty, safety, and compliance with regulations.

Thus, the correct answer is A. Report the activities to the government, as the engineer must expose contract violations involving military equipment.

Proxy discrimination occurs when a seemingly neutral variable (e.g., zip code) serves as a proxy for a protected characteristic, such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status. In this case, the AI uses zip codes to determine learning support for racial segments, introducing unintentional racial bias because zip codes often reflect historical segregation and economic disparities.

Since historical housing policies (e.g., redlining) led to racial and economic segregation, using zip codes as a decision factor unfairly correlates race with access to educational resources---a classic example of proxy discrimination.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Algorithmic Bias & Fairness (FAT/ML Guidelines) -- AI systems must avoid using proxies that reinforce systemic discrimination.

Civil Rights Laws (Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act) -- Policies that disproportionately harm racial groups violate anti-discrimination laws.

ACM & IEEE Ethics in AI -- Developers must mitigate biases in AI models that result in unfair treatment.

Deontological Ethics & Fairness -- AI systems should not perpetuate historical biases through indirect discrimination.

Thus, the correct answer is C. Proxy discrimination, as zip codes indirectly introduce racial bias into the AI system.

IT leaders can encourage ethical behavior by conducting social audits to evaluate the organization's ethical performance and then communicating clear goals for improvement.

A social audit is a structured evaluation of a company's ethical, social, and environmental impact, ensuring transparency and accountability. By sharing ethical goals, IT leaders create an organizational culture that values integrity and responsibility.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) -- Ethical leadership requires accountability in areas like employee welfare, environmental impact, and digital ethics.

Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984) -- Ethical leadership involves transparency and engagement with employees, customers, and society.

IEEE and ACM Ethical Guidelines -- Highlight the importance of corporate ethics policies and performance reviews.

Ethical IT Governance (ITIL & ISO 26000) -- Emphasize corporate responsibility, ethical leadership, and transparency in IT decision-making.

Thus, conducting social audits and communicating ethical goals is the most effective way to promote an ethical culture.

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.

The consultant was hired by the organization to test its cybersecurity and identify vulnerabilities. This is the role of a white hat hacker, also known as an ethical hacker.

Why White Hat Hacker?

White hat hackers conduct security assessments legally and ethically to help organizations strengthen their cyber defenses.

The consultant demonstrated SQL injection attacks in a controlled manner to expose weaknesses without malicious intent.

Ethical hacking is a recognized practice under cybersecurity frameworks like NIST and ISO 27001.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . Cybercriminal -- Engages in illegal hacking for personal or financial gain, whereas the consultant was hired to help the organization.

C . Cyberterrorist -- Motivated by political or ideological goals, not cybersecurity testing.

D . Black Hat Hacker -- Malicious hackers who exploit vulnerabilities for personal benefit, unlike ethical hackers.

Thus, the correct answer is B. White Hat Hacker, as the consultant was conducting authorized penetration testing.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) Guidelines.

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

OWASP Top Ten Security Risks (2023).

A social audit is the process of evaluating a company's ethical, social, and corporate responsibility performance. The executive team reviewed past ethical and social responsibility efforts, set new goals, and shared the results with employees and the board, which aligns directly with a social audit.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Business Ethics and Corporate Accountability -- Companies must evaluate their social and ethical impact to maintain ethical leadership.

Ethical IT Management (ISO 26000 & CSR Frameworks) -- Businesses should regularly assess their ethical and social impact.

Transparency and Ethical Leadership -- Sharing findings with employees and stakeholders promotes a culture of accountability.

IT and Digital Ethics -- Ethical technology use involves regular review and reassessment of ethical commitments.

Since the company reviewed its ethical and social responsibility goals and communicated them, it completed a social audit (D is the correct answer).

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is responsible for licensing engineers, including software developers who implement safety-critical and health-related software in the United States.

Why NCEES?

NCEES administers the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, which is required for licensed professional engineers.

Certain software developers working in regulated industries (e.g., medical, aerospace, and infrastructure software) must hold a Professional Engineer (PE) license.

The PE license ensures engineers adhere to safety, ethics, and public welfare regulations.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE): Promotes engineering ethics but does not license engineers.

B . Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET): Accredits engineering programs but does not issue licenses.

C . American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE): Focuses on engineering education, not professional licensing.

Thus, the correct answer is D. National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) as it licenses engineers, including software engineers working on safety-critical systems.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) PE Exam Guide.

IEEE Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK).

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals when qualified local candidates are unavailable. Since the company needs a specialized, long-term engineering role that requires on-site work and prioritizes local economic empowerment, expanding the search to include H-1B visa workers is the best option.

Unlike offshore workers (who work remotely) or freelance/gig workers (who typically work on short-term projects), an H-1B worker can relocate, work full-time, and use company-provided resources securely.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Workforce Ethics & Economic Empowerment -- Ethical hiring ensures fair job opportunities while addressing labor shortages.

H-1B Program Regulations (U.S. Immigration Laws) -- Allows companies to fill specialized roles with foreign workers when local talent is unavailable.

Deontological Ethics (Fair Hiring Practices) -- Companies have an ethical obligation to recruit based on skills and business needs.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Diversity Hiring -- Welcoming international talent fosters inclusivity and economic growth.

Thus, the correct answer is A. H-1B, as it allows the company to hire specialized foreign workers when local candidates are unavailable.

The data scientist's approach raises two key ethical concerns:

Proxy Discrimination (C) -- Using demographic data from limited zip codes may create biased AI models that discriminate against certain racial, economic, or social groups. Zip codes often reflect historical segregation, leading to unfair predictions.

Small Sample Size (D) -- Training an AI model on a limited set of familiar zip codes introduces selection bias, reducing the model's ability to generalize across diverse populations. This affects fairness and accuracy.

Relevant Ethical Reference in Technology:

Algorithmic Fairness & Bias (FAT/ML Guidelines) -- AI models must avoid using biased proxies and ensure diverse training data.

Privacy & Ethical AI (GDPR, CCPA) -- AI decisions must not indirectly discriminate based on location, race, or socioeconomic status.

Utilitarian Ethics (Maximizing Fairness & Inclusivity) -- AI should benefit all groups equally, not just selected demographics.

IEEE & ACM AI Ethics Standards -- Encourage transparent, unbiased data selection to prevent discrimination.

Thus, the correct answers are C. Proxy discrimination and D. Small sample size, as both contribute to bias in AI models.

The missing records in the device database indicate that the store needs to improve the accuracy of its data management processes.

Why Accuracy?

Data accuracy ensures that all records are correctly entered, complete, and reliable.

Manual data entry is prone to errors, including missing or incorrect records.

Implementing automated data entry or validation checks can reduce human error and ensure the integrity of the database.

Why Not the Other Options?

A . Encryption -- Protects data from unauthorized access but does not ensure correct data entry.

B . Collection -- Refers to gathering data, but the issue here is with missing or incorrect entries.

C . Availability -- Ensures data can be accessed but does not guarantee its accuracy.

Thus, the correct answer is D. Accuracy, as it directly addresses the issue of missing records.

Reference in Ethics in Technology:

Redman, T. C. (1998). The Impact of Poor Data Quality on the Typical Enterprise.

Tavani, H. T. (2016). Ethics and Technology: Controversies, Questions, and Strategies for Ethical Computing.

Data Management Body of Knowledge (DMBOK) (2020).