WGU D842 TASK 1: ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY | ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
Ethical Dilemmas
Sonia Daly
Western Governors University
D842 Ethics and Technology
Professor Lisa Horne
February 08, 2026
, The ethical dilemma I have chosen: #1
You are a public relations manager who is approached by a client with a complex issue.
The client posted offensive comments using racial and gendered slurs on social media
when they were younger. Now, as adults with a high-profile position, they have deleted
the posts from their account. However, some other users who worked with the client
saved several posts and shared them with the public. You consider the ethics of taking
on this client.
1. Emerging Technology: Digital Archiving and Social Media Metadata
The emerging technology responsible for this dilemma is Digital Archiving, specifically
the ability of social media platforms and third-party tools to create permanent,
searchable records of user activity. This includes technologies like "Wayback
Machines," automated screenshot tools, and the persistent nature of metadata that
allows deleted content to be rediscovered or verified years after its removal
Identify and describe ethical dilemmas in the selected scenario by doing the
following:
1. Identify one ethical dilemma in the selected scenario, including two opposing
options.
2. Describe how the ethical dilemma identified in A1 affects the individuals or
organizations specific to the selected scenario.
A1. Identification of Dilemma
The ethical dilemma in this situation is whether to help the client or not. Two opposing
options would be to help the clients’ reputation so that they look favorable in the public
eye or to not help the client with their public image and let people on social media
Ethical Dilemmas
Sonia Daly
Western Governors University
D842 Ethics and Technology
Professor Lisa Horne
February 08, 2026
, The ethical dilemma I have chosen: #1
You are a public relations manager who is approached by a client with a complex issue.
The client posted offensive comments using racial and gendered slurs on social media
when they were younger. Now, as adults with a high-profile position, they have deleted
the posts from their account. However, some other users who worked with the client
saved several posts and shared them with the public. You consider the ethics of taking
on this client.
1. Emerging Technology: Digital Archiving and Social Media Metadata
The emerging technology responsible for this dilemma is Digital Archiving, specifically
the ability of social media platforms and third-party tools to create permanent,
searchable records of user activity. This includes technologies like "Wayback
Machines," automated screenshot tools, and the persistent nature of metadata that
allows deleted content to be rediscovered or verified years after its removal
Identify and describe ethical dilemmas in the selected scenario by doing the
following:
1. Identify one ethical dilemma in the selected scenario, including two opposing
options.
2. Describe how the ethical dilemma identified in A1 affects the individuals or
organizations specific to the selected scenario.
A1. Identification of Dilemma
The ethical dilemma in this situation is whether to help the client or not. Two opposing
options would be to help the clients’ reputation so that they look favorable in the public
eye or to not help the client with their public image and let people on social media
