The application of digital ethics practices to mitigate digital fraud in a Mobile Network Operator in South Africa

Abstract

The internet has allowed for the existence of digital advancements like social media, online shopping, online banking, and online learning, among other conveniences. Equally, the internet has brought about phishing, malware, identity fraud, application fraud, and other cybercrimes. Due to the affordance created by the internet, society cannot simply walk away from it. The focus of the study was that the lack of adoption of digital ethics practices leads to possible digital fraud because the risks of digital technologies are not mitigated. The theory adopted was the stakeholder theory, which places an ethical duty on the organisation not to harm stakeholders. The organisation’s failure to maintain a balance between the positive and negative of digital technologies might cause harm of digital fraud. Thus, the adoption of digital ethics practices ensures success in the market and the introduction of control measures to mitigate digital fraud. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, data was collected through semi- structured interviews with 12 management level employees of Company X, who are involved in the management and implementation of digital technologies, products or solutions, digital fraud, and digital ethics. Several challenges were highlighted in the study relative to the research questions. The study found that Company X's digital ethics framework and governance were not implemented. Some of the Company X digital ethics practices are aligned with the requirements of the literature, and some require varying improvements. However, the absence of a framework and governance was negating some of the digital ethics practices. Thus, the practices are not intentional, matured, structured, or uniformed. The study concluded that the non-implementation of the digital ethics framework and the lack of governance of digital ethics might amplify the creation of digital fraud to customers and members of the public. Since digital ethics practices are not guided, this may compromise the delivery of the digital initiatives including the digital strategy. To address the said challenges, four recommendations were made, namely, the enhancement of the organisational culture, the implementation of the digital ethics framework, the implementation of the governance of digital ethics, and the enhancement of the risk and fraud risk management processes.