Ethical dilemma and practical direction of digitalization of social work services from the perspective of empowerment
With the rapid development of the Internet,digital technologies,and artificial intelligence,social work services are increasingly incorporating these digital and in-telligent technologies.While this brings significant convenience to social work,it also introduces a range of ethical dilemmas.This study uses a G institution in the Pearl River Delta region as a case study,conducting in-depth interviews with 46 par-ticipants,including frontline social workers,institution managers,service recipients,supervisors,as well as relevant government officials and social work association members.A theoretical framework based on empowerment theory is constructed to analyze the ethical challenges encountered in the digitalization of social work ser-vices in real-world contexts and proposes practical solutions for addressing these ethical issues.The research identifies several key ethical dilemmas arising from the digitiza-tion of social work services:Firstly,the virtual,anonymous,and time-and geo-graphically distant nature of digital services leads to challenges such as insufficient emotional engagement and blurred service boundaries.Secondly,the ease,replicabil-ity,and widespread use of digital services give rise to ethical issues such as data sharing concerns and conflicts of interest when collaborating with colleagues and peers.Lastly,the emergence of artificial intelligence,which can replace human so-cial workers in dialogue and reflection,introduces the risk of social workers being displaced by technology,exacerbating digital inequality,particularly for vulnerable groups.To address these ethical challenges,the study suggests specific practical strate-gies at individual,group,and environmental levels to empower social workers and help them overcome feelings of powerlessness and confusion when dealing with digital service-related ethical issues.At the individual level,social workers can en-hance their skills and actively engage in the service process,adhering to professional values,maintaining social identities,innovating digital service forms,and strengthen-ing their autonomy in digital services.At the group level,social workers should strive to standardize data sharing practices,improve the precision and intelligence of social work services,coordinate the interests and demands of various stakeholders,and foster collective action.At the environmental level,social workers can promote a just society by advocating for policy improvements and industry norms,ensuring equal access to resources for all members of society,and establishing clear industry guidelines for digital service practices.The findings contribute to standardizing the digital practice of social work ser-vices and offer a clear ethical decision-making framework to safeguard the interests of service recipients during the digital service process.
万方数据
维普
