Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
Ethical IT use in the workplace requires that employees understand what is allowed, what is prohibited, and how technology must be used to protect the organization and its stakeholders. Providing clear guidelines on technology use is a fundamental ethical and professional practice because it:
Establishes expectations for responsible use of devices, networks, and data.
Reduces misuse of systems by clarifying what constitutes inappropriate or risky behavior.
Supports compliance with security policies, privacy requirements, and legal regulations.
Ensures employees are treated fairly, because rules are known in advance and applied consistently.
These guidelines are typically defined in:
Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs)
Security and data protection policies
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies
Monitoring and privacy notices
Why the other options are incorrect:
A. Allowing personal devices without security controlsThis violates basic IT security and ethical principles. Unsecured personal devices introduce risks such as data leakage, malware, and unauthorized access.
B. Monitoring employee activity prior to explaining policiesMonitoring without first informing employees and providing clear policy terms is ethically questionable and can violate expectations of privacy and fairness. Ethical practice requires notice and transparency before monitoring.
D. Giving open access to company data for collaborationWhile collaboration is valuable, open access to company data can violate the principles of least privilege and data protection, increasing the risk of breaches and misuse.
Therefore, Option C is correct because providing clear guidelines on technology use is a direct, ethical support for responsible IT behavior in the workplace.
[Reference:Information Technology Management Study Guide – Professionalism, Ethics, and Acceptable Use Policies in Organizational IT (WGU ITM Curriculum)., , , ]
