Reference no: EM132919793

CONSIDER ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY He Sees You While You're Sleeping: Consumer Tracking Technology

Fitness trackers that function as pedometers, sleep trackers, and heart rate monitors have surfaced as popular gadgets for mainstream consumers. Dozens of smartwatch models are surging into the market, offering consumers a variety of wearable technology that can track their every motion. While many welcome the idea of using fitness trackers to improve health, others are concerned about the privacy implications. Many companies use tracking as a marketing research tool. Companies can use data uploaded from fitness trackers and smartwatches to understand consumer preferences and behaviors better. While these could result in useful recommendations for consumers, there is the fear that tracking may be used in situations such as retail stores without the user's consent.

Describe some ways that fitness tracking manufacturers can use the information they gather to develop better marketing strategies.

Assuming consent is granted, is it ethical for fitness tracking manufacturers to mine user data to influence their future behaviors?

What steps should companies like Jawbone take to secure the information of its users?