dustry especially after its recent merge with the Time Warner Company. With in American Online there are many divisions. Being a leading Internet company, there is a great deal of ethical responsibility placed on them. The Internet market is growing at a pace few are able to come up with. Not only has the internet become a number one source of information, purchasing, communication etc. it has become a highway where thoughts, emotions and especially political views can be expressed. Having this responsibility on their shoulders, AOL must run their company justly. The gain a great deal of money from affiliates and investors that pride themselves on connecting their company with the AOL reputation.In order to be the success that they are, they have drawn up a number of policies that they go by. The main one I found to be of ethical importance is as follows:“Public policies should be market driven and industry led. Policies should be developed collaboratively, with input from industry leaders, government officials, and perhaps most importantly, consumers and other stakeholders. Public or private gatekeepers should not be allowed to prevent new entry, deny business opportunities or limit the free flow of information in the Internet.” AOL has been called one of the most popular companies in the Internet market. Everything they are communicating over their Internet waves must be of value. AOL must communicate all ethical business matters in order to be regarded and trusted by other companies. Those businesses that refuse to look after their own self-interests will not be in business long enough to have any impact. At the same time, however, there can certainly be regard for a larger purpose. For some businesses, commitment to a larger purpose would be simply learning the difference between right and wrong, while others take a more responsible view of the role they play in the lives of their employees, their customers, and ultimat...
