Ethical Dilemma Questions

1. "Your company develops a new AI tool that can significantly improve campaign targeting or reputation analysis, but it requires collecting a much larger and more intrusive set of user data than currently standard. How do you weigh the benefits of enhanced performance against the privacy concerns of users, and what steps would you advocate for?"

   • SWE Angle: Focus on data architecture, anonymization techniques, consent mechanisms, and potential for algorithmic bias.
   • Marketer Angle: Focus on consumer trust, regulatory compliance (GDPR, CCPA), transparency in communication, and potential brand backlash.

2. "A competitor is using highly unethical (but not strictly illegal) 'dark patterns' in their digital marketing to trick users into subscriptions or data sharing. Your sales team suggests adopting similar tactics to keep pace. What's your stance, and how would you argue for or against it?"

   • SWE Angle: Focus on implementing or resisting manipulative UI/UX patterns, potential for technical obfuscation.
   • Marketer Angle: Focus on long-term brand reputation, consumer trust, ethical marketing principles, and competitive strategy.

3. "Your firm discovers a vulnerability in a widely used third-party tool that your competitors also use, which could allow access to sensitive client data. Reporting it might temporarily disrupt your services but protect many users. What do you do, and why?"

   • SWE Angle: Focus on responsible disclosure, security best practices, and the technical implications of the vulnerability.
   • Marketer Angle: Focus on crisis communication, protecting client reputation, and the ethical obligation to the broader industry/user base.

4. "You're working on a feature that could be beneficial for a client's reputation, but it subtly leverages psychological triggers to influence user behavior in a way that some might consider manipulative. How do you evaluate this feature, and what would you recommend?"

   • SWE Angle: Focus on the implementation of such triggers, whether the code itself is inherently manipulative, and potential for unintended consequences.
   • Marketer Angle: Focus on the ethical boundaries of persuasion vs. manipulation, long-term user experience, and the brand's public image.

5. "A potential client approaches your firm for online reputation management, but their past actions suggest they may be trying to suppress legitimate negative information rather than genuinely address issues. Do you take on this client? Why or why not?"

   • SWE Angle: Focus on the technical implications of suppressing or promoting content, ethical use of algorithms, and avoiding contributing to misinformation.
   • Marketer Angle: Focus on the firm's values, the ethics of reputation manipulation, and the risk to the firm's own reputation by association.