Google or Not to Google

Google or Not to Google

  • Submitted By: breezi07
  • Date Submitted: 11/11/2013 3:50 PM
  • Category: Psychology
  • Words: 669
  • Page: 3
  • Views: 135

In the ongoing evolution of internet search and social networking websites therapist can now access plenty of information about clients. This raises very controversial issues such as client privacy and informed consent. In my opinion, I feel as if it is up to the client to let the therapist know certain things about themselves. In the article a national survey of 854 psychology doctoral students reported that 97.8% of survey participants searched at least one time for client information online. (Dilillo & Gale, 2011) The study results basically show that using the internet is very tempting and pervasive in this evolution of internet search and social networking websites. Now days everyone has a social network account, the most popular one is Facebook. Out of personal experience I have actually used social networking to determine if I should befriend a person I had just met, by obtaining personal information about them from Facebook.
It used to be very difficult to find out personal information about others back in the day. Search engines and social networks now allow anyone with internet connection to learn personal information about others. Especially social networking websites they make information available so easily with just a simple click of a button. You can now sit in front of your computer and search for all types of data such as ones political and religious affiliations, property values, criminal records, credit scores, photographs, videos, and personal information. (Dilillo & Gale, 2011) Therapists know that they are obligated to protect client confidentiality, that means that they cannot share client’s information whatsoever. I feel that if a client voluntarily put personal information on social networking websites and have their profile public then it is ok for therapist to obtain information off of their profile.

I believe that therapist should have the client sign an informed consent giving the therapist permission to research them...

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