The Ethical Dilemma Series is a number of complex discussion topics for high level ELICOS students
The Website
David is a student in a university where his mother is on the university board. Recently, three of his classmates posted a web site that openly attacks some of the teachers and students, using explicit and offensive language. It even goes as far as predicting which gay students will be the first to die of AIDS. Remarks about several professors are scathing, suggesting that one fantasizes about having sex with young girls and that two others are drug users. The site includes disgusting graphics.
Several weeks ago David learned the identities of the three students who created the website when one of them accidentally said something to him in a conversation. The other two quickly corralled David and pressured him not to reveal their names. He agreed, not thinking much about it at the time. David used to be close to one of the three students, but that friendship has faded.
Now, the university has obtained a program that allows it to identify each person who has visited the website. It is asking students to come forward with the names of the creators of the site, and if no one does, he is going to question each student who visited the site. David is one of those who did visit the site. He realizes he may be the only student who knows the names of those who created the site. He can lie and say he doesn’t know, or he can break his promise not to tell.
David has always thought of himself as an ethical person with a pretty clear sense of right and wrong. Right now, however, he feels that either choice will end in disaster. What should David do?