Ethical Issues 1

Ethics

Ethical Issues 2

Modern Problems

• Change in cost of duplication of information– before xerox & computer disks vs. after

• Change in cost of data collection & data analysis– manual techniques vs. automatic

ResultsEthical questions arise that could not have been a problem before.

Ethical Issues 3

Privacy Issues

Since information is the essence of the modern Industrial Revolution, privacy is an easy victim.

• Social Security Number

• Driver License

• Medical Records

• Arrest (& Conviction) Records

Ethical Issues 4

Privacy & the Soc. Sec. Nmbr.

• The Social Security Number was originally set up as a part of a national retirement system, it is now extensively used as a “human identification” number.

• It can be (and has been) used in “identity theft” by creating records that allow a criminal to purchase items against the credit of another person.

Ethical Issues 5

Privacy & the Driver License

• Designed to control access to the “permission to drive”.

• Since it is required that a driver keep the address current, and since its existence is a public record, the tape of these records has been easily available for sale from many states.

• This rule is changing as we watch.

Ethical Issues 6

Privacy & Medical Records

• Nearly universally linked via the Social Security Number, these records can and have been used to deny employment to people who have difficult-to-treat illnesses.

Ethical Issues 7

Privacy & Videotape Rentals

• The Bork Law is an example of one way to solve the problem of Privacy in the Information Age.

• When Judge Bork was being considered for the US Supreme Court, his videotape rental data was introduced as evidence. Congress was so incensed at this that a special law was passed .… enough said about that.

Ethical Issues 8

What is Ethics

Ethics is usually considered a personal thing.

• Professional Groups often set up codes of ethics.

• These codes are, perhaps, half way between personal ethics and legal requirement.