Chapter 7

Impact of Information Technology

Agenda

• Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information era

• Ethics Issues

• Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Other Impacts

Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information Age

• Ben Shneiderman– Univ. Maryland (College Park)– Computer Science– Human Factors Institute– System Philosopher

Plagues

• Anxiety– “Computer shock”– “Terminal terror”– “Network neurosis”

• Alienation– Less connected to other people– “Whose voice is that, anyway”

Plagues

• Impotence of individual– Everyone treated the same– No special treatment for exceptions

• Bewildering complexity and speed– Windows 2002?– Pentium

Plagues

• Organizational fragility

• Invasion of privacy– Retail database

• Unemployment and displacement– Clerks/typesetters– VP - mortgage loan decision replaced by

Expert System (ES)

Plagues

• Lack of responsibility– “Sorry, the computer won’t let me ________.”

• Deteriorating image of people– “Intelligent terminals”– “Expert systems”– “Maybe they’ll keep us as pets.”

Agenda

• Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information era

• Ethics Issues

• Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Other Impacts

Ethics Issues

• IT increases, particularly in processing and storage, have led to increases in:– Numbers of mistakes– Computer crime– Invasion of privacy– Unethical behavior

Computer Crime

• Add / delete / modify inputs

• Modify / develop programs that commit a crime

• Alter / modify data files

• Operate IT in a way to commit a crime

• Divert / misuse valid output

• Role of auditor

Security / Privacy

• Security is protection of data which, if wrongly disseminated, may damage organizational goals (e.g., profit)

• Privacy is protection of data which, if wrongly disseminated, may damage individuals.

• Natural motivation to protect security

• Must have laws to protect privacy

Mason’s PAPA Model

• Privacy

• Accuracy

• Property

• Access

Privacy

• What information about individuals should be revealed?

• What safeguards are in place to protect a person’s privacy?

• What information can a person keep private and confidential, and not be forced to reveal to others?

Accuracy

• Who is responsible for data accuracy?

• Who is accountable / liable for inaccurate data?

• What safeguards have been established to ensure accuracy?

• What can individuals do to ensure that data stored on them is accurate?

Property

• Who owns the information?

• Who has the right to buy or acquire the information?

• How should access to intellectual property be regulated?

• Who places a value on intellectual property?

Intellectual Property Rights

• Trade secrets– Software, if not in public domain

• Copyright– 1980 Computer Software Copyright Act

• Patent– 1981 Supreme Court decision allowed

software to be patented

Access

• What information does a person have a right to access?

• What safeguards exist for information access?

• How do we guarantee equal access across social and economic groups?

Agenda

• Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information era

• Ethics Issues

• Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Other Impacts

Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Laudon and Laudon, 1996

• Issues that must be addressed– Information rights / obligations– Property rights / obligations– Accountability and control– System quality– Quality of life

Info Rights / Obligations

• Employee e-mail privacy

• Workplace monitoring

• Treatment of corporate information

• Policies on customer information

Property Rights

• Software licenses

• Ownership firm data / facilities

• Ownership employee software created on firm’s hardware

• Software copyrights

Accountability / Control

• Single person responsible for all IT

• Reporting persons responsible for:– Individual rights– Property rights– System quality– Quality of life

• Potential liabilities of system / corporation officers

System Quality

• Errors that can be tolerated– System warranties

• Measurement methodology– Collection– Reporting

Quality of Life

• IT purpose to improve quality of life for customers and employees

• Achieve high levels of:– Product quality– Customer service– Employee satisfaction– Human dignity

Agenda

• Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information era

• Ethics Issues

• Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Other Impacts

Organizations

• Structure (E-commerce)– Multination & culture– Flatter organizational hierarchies

• Management – Telecommuting– Authority, power, & status (expert systems)

Individual

• Telecommuting– Satisfaction– Dehumanization & psychological

• Health – Ergonomics

Points to Remember

• Shneiderman’s Plagues of the Information era

• Ethics Issues

• Corporate Code of IT Ethics

• Other Impacts

Discussion Questions

• What are your suggestions to regulate the usage (privacy issues) of customer data by a business?

• Who will be responsible for the information error produced by an organization?

• What policy does your organization have in terms of privacy and security issue?

Assignment

• Review technology guides 1,2,4 & chapters 1- 7

• Read chapter 8

• Exam 1: 10/16/01

• Group assignment 2 due date: 10/16/01

• Research paper