Download - © 2009 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 11. 2 Technology in Action Technology in Focus: Information Technology Ethics Information Technology Ethics


Technology in ActionTechnology in Action

Technology in Focus:Technology in Focus:

Information Technology EthicsInformation Technology Ethics


Ethics DefinedEthics Defined

• Study of morals and moral choicesStudy of morals and moral choices

• Match established ideas of right and wrongMatch established ideas of right and wrong

• FairnessFairness

• EquityEquity

• Guidelines for decision making Guidelines for decision making



• Systems of ethical conductSystems of ethical conduct– Moral relativismMoral relativism– Situational ethicsSituational ethics– Religious traditionsReligious traditions



• Unethical behaviorUnethical behavior– Not conforming to a set of approved standardsNot conforming to a set of approved standards– Social or professionalSocial or professional


Personal EthicsPersonal Ethics

• Checklist of personal decisions Checklist of personal decisions

• May be well-definedMay be well-defined

• May be applied inconsistentlyMay be applied inconsistently



• How do they develop?How do they develop?– Family and cultural biasFamily and cultural bias– Religious affiliationReligious affiliation– Life experiencesLife experiences


Define Your Personal EthicsDefine Your Personal Ethics

• Describe yourselfDescribe yourself

• List your beliefsList your beliefs

• Identify external influencesIdentify external influences

• Consider “why”Consider “why”

• Prepare a statement of valuesPrepare a statement of values



• Benefits of ethical livingBenefits of ethical living– Obeying lawsObeying laws– Less stress and angerLess stress and anger– Increased happinessIncreased happiness


Personal Ethics in the Personal Ethics in the World ViewWorld View

• Do your ethics match the workplace?Do your ethics match the workplace?

• Are you ethics away from work a concern Are you ethics away from work a concern for your employer?for your employer?


Technology and EthicsTechnology and Ethics

• Technology is all around usTechnology is all around us

• Technology moves quicklyTechnology moves quickly

• Rules governing technology move more Rules governing technology move more slowlyslowly

• Use of technology left to personal ethicsUse of technology left to personal ethics

6 areas of ethical concern6 areas of ethical concern

• Social Justice Social Justice – – Can technology be used to benefit Can technology be used to benefit everyone?everyone?

• Intellectual Property Intellectual Property - - What is fair about ffair use?What is fair about ffair use?

• PrivacyPrivacy - - Is personal privacy a casualty of the modern age?Is personal privacy a casualty of the modern age?

• CommerceCommerce - - Is online gambling a problem?Is online gambling a problem?

• CommunicationCommunication - - When does big business limit free When does big business limit free speech?speech?

• Computer Abuse Computer Abuse - - Does restricting online information Does restricting online information protect children?protect children?



Social Justice: Can TechnologySocial Justice: Can TechnologyBe Used to Benefit Everyone?Be Used to Benefit Everyone?

• Can we use technology to achieve social Can we use technology to achieve social justice?justice?

• Can we apply these technologies to poor Can we apply these technologies to poor areas?areas?– Solar energySolar energy– Genetic engineeringGenetic engineering– Internet accessInternet access



• Point: Technology Provides Economic Point: Technology Provides Economic Opportunity for AllOpportunity for All– Could be used to eliminate povertyCould be used to eliminate poverty– Could improve quality of life in poor countriesCould improve quality of life in poor countries– Could be an ethical forceCould be an ethical force



• Counterpoint: Technology Doesn’t Provide Counterpoint: Technology Doesn’t Provide Economic Opportunity for AllEconomic Opportunity for All

• No one can solve the problem of povertyNo one can solve the problem of poverty– Should not be addressed by technologistsShould not be addressed by technologists

• Potential risks of new technologiesPotential risks of new technologies• Threats to existing world economiesThreats to existing world economies


Intellectual Property: What IsIntellectual Property: What IsFair About Fair Use?Fair About Fair Use?

• Copyright laws protect intellectual propertyCopyright laws protect intellectual property• Fair useFair use

– Allows for exceptions to copyright lawsAllows for exceptions to copyright laws

• Fair use criteriaFair use criteria– What is the purpose of the work?What is the purpose of the work?– What is the nature of the proposed work?What is the nature of the proposed work?– How much copyrighted material is being How much copyrighted material is being

used?used?– What is the effect on the original material?What is the effect on the original material?



• Point: Liberal Fair Use Standards Are Point: Liberal Fair Use Standards Are BeneficialBeneficial– Encourages wide dissemination of informationEncourages wide dissemination of information– Allows the most democratic, free societyAllows the most democratic, free society– Existing laws not up-to-date with technologyExisting laws not up-to-date with technology



• Counterpoint: Strict Fair Use Standards Are Counterpoint: Strict Fair Use Standards Are BeneficialBeneficial– Existing laws should not be changed because Existing laws should not be changed because

technology has changedtechnology has changed– Copyright holders should control their own workCopyright holders should control their own work


Privacy: Is Personal PrivacyPrivacy: Is Personal Privacya Casualty of the Modern Age?a Casualty of the Modern Age?

• Privacy is a basic human rightPrivacy is a basic human right

• Many of our transactions are recordedMany of our transactions are recorded– Debit cardsDebit cards– Loyalty cardsLoyalty cards– Electronic toll passesElectronic toll passes



• Point: Protect Personal PrivacyPoint: Protect Personal Privacy– No reason to watch meNo reason to watch me– Government misuse of dataGovernment misuse of data– Government control of population Government control of population – National ID cards remind people of NazisNational ID cards remind people of Nazis– Privacy controls are expensivePrivacy controls are expensive



• Counterpoint: Reduced Privacy Is a Counterpoint: Reduced Privacy Is a Fact of Modern LifeFact of Modern Life– Should have nothing to hideShould have nothing to hide– Help enhance the detection of terroristsHelp enhance the detection of terrorists– Protect citizens from being abusedProtect citizens from being abused– National ID card worth the costNational ID card worth the cost


Commerce: Should Online Gambling Commerce: Should Online Gambling Be Banned or Regulated?Be Banned or Regulated?

• Multi-billion dollar industryMulti-billion dollar industry

• Already illegal in U.S.Already illegal in U.S.

• Facilitates addictive gamblingFacilitates addictive gambling



• Point: Ban Online GamblingPoint: Ban Online Gambling– Easy access for minors and compulsive Easy access for minors and compulsive

gamblersgamblers– Could support criminal activitiesCould support criminal activities– No regulation: who keeps the house honest?No regulation: who keeps the house honest?– Allows gamblers to hide their addictionAllows gamblers to hide their addiction



• Counterpoint: Legalize Online GamblingCounterpoint: Legalize Online Gambling– Protect consumers Protect consumers – Allow for scrutiny of all transactionsAllow for scrutiny of all transactions– Standardize the industry Standardize the industry – Generate tax revenuesGenerate tax revenues– Regulated in other countriesRegulated in other countries– Easier to regulate than prohibitEasier to regulate than prohibit


Communication: When Does Communication: When Does Big Business Limit Free Speech?Big Business Limit Free Speech?

• Google concedes to demands from Google concedes to demands from Beijing to self-censor its search engineBeijing to self-censor its search engine– Helps suppress dissent in return for Helps suppress dissent in return for

access to the Chinese marketaccess to the Chinese market– Cost of doing business in Chinese marketCost of doing business in Chinese market– Potential Chinese market is hugePotential Chinese market is huge



• Point: Google Acted UnethicallyPoint: Google Acted Unethically– Sacrificed free speech for businessSacrificed free speech for business– Violated human rightsViolated human rights– No incentive for China to changeNo incentive for China to change– Other rights hang in the balanceOther rights hang in the balance– How far is too far?How far is too far?



• Counterpoint: Google’s Actions Were Counterpoint: Google’s Actions Were JustifiedJustified– Companies should pursue profitsCompanies should pursue profits– Withdrawing from China would further Withdrawing from China would further

restrict free speechrestrict free speech– Advances the slow progress toward Advances the slow progress toward

democracydemocracy


Computer Abuse: Does Computer Abuse: Does Restricting Online Information Restricting Online Information

Protect Children?Protect Children?

• Internet allows Internet allows – Sexual predators to contact potential victimsSexual predators to contact potential victims– Distribution of pornographyDistribution of pornography– CyberbullyingCyberbullying– PhishingPhishing– Dissemination of hate speechDissemination of hate speech



Protect Children?Protect Children?• Children are especially vulnerableChildren are especially vulnerable

– Use technology more than adultsUse technology more than adults

– More trusting than some adultsMore trusting than some adults

– May not recognize malicious intent May not recognize malicious intent




• Point: Monitoring Software Protects Point: Monitoring Software Protects Children Children – Laws have proved ineffectiveLaws have proved ineffective– Make sure libraries and schools are safeMake sure libraries and schools are safe– Uphold moral standards of the publicUphold moral standards of the public– Logical extension of the library screening Logical extension of the library screening

processprocess




• Counterpoint: Monitoring Software Counterpoint: Monitoring Software Restricts Access to InformationRestricts Access to Information– Blocks informational contentBlocks informational content– Amounts to censorshipAmounts to censorship– Is not 100% reliableIs not 100% reliable– Widens the “digital divide”Widens the “digital divide”– Education is a better alternativeEducation is a better alternative

The minute paperThe minute paper

What is the most important thing you What is the most important thing you learned in today’s class?learned in today’s class?



Using Computers to Support Using Computers to Support Ethical ConductEthical Conduct

• Charitable organizations use the Internet Charitable organizations use the Internet for fund raisingfor fund raising

• Companies must provide mechanisms to Companies must provide mechanisms to report unethical behavior anonymouslyreport unethical behavior anonymously

• Intranets and e-mail are used to inform Intranets and e-mail are used to inform employees of ethics policiesemployees of ethics policies

• Your personal ethics must guide your Your personal ethics must guide your decisions concerning technologydecisions concerning technology

Download - © 2009 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 11. 2 Technology in Action Technology in Focus: Information Technology Ethics Information Technology Ethics

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