Professional Context of ICTINFO3020

Social & Cultural Aspects

Social & cultural impacts

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns

Nature of work in Cyberspace

Nature of business in Cyberspace

Conclusion

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns What is happening to the character and

quality of our lives as a result of our widespread use of computers? Are they

Making our lives better? Enhancing or eroding our values? Impeding or facilitating democracy? Increasing safety or increasing risk? Enhancing or eroding autonomy?

Individuals

Many jobs are directly involved in the collection, processing, and evaluation of data.

Performance of many workers is monitored by computers.

As consumers, virtually our entire lives are recorded and analysed

Governments maintain massive files on all public aspects of our lives.

Dehumanisation

Many people find technology to be dehumanising

Many people feel that they should be recognised by their name, and not have to rely on a number for identification.

Companies can minimise problems by using numbers only for internal identification and rely on a combination of name and address or phone number when they deal with customers.

Loss of Jobs

During the last 100 years, technology has increased the number of jobs and raised the standard of living of most workers.

Since the introduction of computers in the 1950s, the world’s economies have grown and incomes have increased

Individual worker can lose jobs in the short run. In the long run, lower-skilled workers

experience greater difficulty in finding new jobs.

Loss of Jobs

Demand for specialists changes constantly. Jobs that are well defined and require little

innovation or thought can usually be performed easily by computers.

What managers can do toward this problem?

Technology offers many possibilities to provide jobs for workers with physical disabilities.

Most windows-based software contains features to facilitate usage by people with various physical challenges.

Websites still present accessibility problems, particularly for those with visual impairments.

Loss of Jobs

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns The Intelligent home (elderly & handicapped)

Help technologies – door openers, curtain movers, taped messages (the light is on, etc)

Alarms Communication technologies – handling files,

mail system, etc for home-nurses

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Problems

Data protection Intelligent homes store large amounts of personal

information Potential for surveillance and social control Fear the human care and contact will be reduced and

that technological solutions will take the place of human helpers

Conflict between provision of a safe environment for the person and respect for that person’s integrity

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Intelligent Agents

users able to delegate tasks issues of privacy and responsibility a software agent carries a great deal of

information on the user for whom it is acting security mechanisms should prevent a hostile

host “hi-jacking” a software agent or from gathering data from visiting agents.

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Ubiquitous Computing & Privacy of Location

proposes implantation of fixed infrastructures in buildings that allow mobile systems to communicate, whatever their location inside the building or whatever building they are in

raises issues of privacy - a person’s location can be identified easily without them even realising this

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Electronic badges and tags

Things can no longer be lost Independence of the “thing” has been eroded The “thing” has now become a “thing under

surveillance” Embedded Sensors (to gather state

information) and Actuators (to change the state)

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Embedded sensors

Example – trees – character of autonomous living significantly curtailed

Once the identity, location and state information has been disseminated through the Web the anonymity of the tree has been liquidated

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Tele-environments

Mapping an environment into a computational surrogate – video + sound + sensor information

Leads to creation of integrated functional views of any environment tele-manipulation through actuators

Separateness and uniqueness have been eroded

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Ubiquitous computing needs to become

invisible in order to achieve maximal ubiquity without interfering with the performance of activities

Consequence – we take for granted that things are under surveillance

Identity Cards

Useful way of preventing crime and reducing fear of crime

“Probable cause for arrest” if not carried for identification purposes

Constraints on individuals Ultimate icon of the citizen in society Without it a citizen would be unable to live,

work and seek help

Identity Cards

Problems Dangers in terms of privacy violations,

restriction in and surveillance of movement Issuing and updating processes difficult to

secure Difficult to control and monitor access to

information

Identity Cards

Concern among disadvantaged people - Slum landlords, corrupt employers demanding access

to the cards and PIN numbes as a condition of tenancy or employment

Technically and economically prudent to introduce a multi-function card

Social cost too great Voluntary/compulsory – irrelevant – citizens would be

expected to produce the card

Nature of work in Cyberspace

Computer-enabled working practices teleworking or telecommuting hot-desking hotelling virtual teams

Teleworking

Work that suits undertaken by individuals rather than teams requires minimal supervision be easily measurable not depend upon expensive or bulky

equipment

Teleworking

Activities professional and management specialists professional support workers field workers information technology specialists clerical support workers

Teleworking

Potential benefits gains in productivity might be achieved reductions in overhead costs might occur staff retention might improve the sources of available labour could increase service to customers might improve

Teleworking

Issues concerning employees job satisfaction commuting regulations the social structure of the organisation contribution made by remote workers

Teleworking

Some ethical issues teleworkers from economically poor areas teleworkers in remote locations permanency of jobs computer-enabled communication workplace electronic monitoring

Education and Training

The internet is increasingly being pushed as a means to expand the reach of higher education.

Some view the Internet as a relative panacea for our educational ills, while others see it as tool that will isolate and separate humanity, eventually tearing apart our links to past and future.

Education and Training

Stoll, in his book titled Slicon Snake Oil (1996), argued that "schools, libraries, and even businesses are being sold down the river, wasting money on ineffective and counterproductive computing systems." He stated that "the heavily promoted information infrastructure addresses few social needs or business concerns. At the same time, it directly threatens precious parts of our society, including schools, libraries, and social institutions

Education and Training

Crawford Killian (author of "On Surfing and Steering the Net") offered a contrastingly positive view on the Internet and description of teachers' use of it. "Rather than operating as individual pioneers, people are forming very tight-knit and responsive groups that can make life easier for everybody else (p. 14)."

Government

Government can be slow to adopt new technologies.

Government agencies have limited budgets, long procurement cycles, and requirements for special allocations to acquire new technology

Government tend to have smaller IS staffs, who receive less pay than their counterparts in private business

Government

Governments are affected by changes in technology.

Technology used by politicians campaigning for office.

Electronic voting systems to provide faster tallies of votes

Nature of business in cyberspace

Issues for the employer: Productivity

30/40% access from within the corporate workplace is not business related.

50% of people found time to visit adult sites from work 92% online traders trade from work 84% search for new jobs 54% visit chat rooms. Internet main cause of divorce in America today Psychiatric units are being set up for addicts

Nature of business in cyberspace

Investment protection Outlay = $100,000

30/40% non business-related usage 70% of people downloading MP3 music files

do so from work Legal exposure

Provides employees with quick and easy access to illegal activities

Legal e-pitfalls

Illegal material – pornography, etc Illegal software Harassment issues

Legal action can be taken by an employee against their employer if they are subject to exposure to objectionable material

Hacking tools Liability – who’s liable? Companies are liable for

employee’s actions, even if they are unaware of a breach.

Nature of business in Cyberspace

Electronic commerce increasing growth technological, commercial and political pull ethically charged application boomerang experience!

To trade virtually becomes essential

E-Banking

Advantages Services available regardless of space and

time Consistent representation of a bank Low cost form of advertisement worldwide Allows small banks to expand their business

geographically and broaden customer base Less need for establishing new branches

E. Banking

Disadvantages Reduction in bank staff – increased

unemployment Erosion of personal relationships between

banks and their customers Security threats and risks

E.banking

Security – should be addressed at 2 levels First level – ensuring the integrity and security of

messages exchanged – e.g. use of digital signatures and encryption

Second level – protection of the system itself against technical malfunction, computer misuse, inadequate design, improper implementation, etc

Measures to overcome security risks mainly grouped into 3 categories: Prevention measures Detection measures Containment measures

Ethical Issues in Internet Banking

Banking – traditionally based on high levels of bank secrecy and financial privacy for customers

E.banking raises issues regarding Risks to Privacy Potential for electronic surveillance Opportunities for profiling Anonymity – this can lead to:

Money laundering Tax evasion Financial fraud

Impacts of Internet banking

Changes in the global financial marketplace New companies now offering financial

services – e.g. Tesco’s, etc. These pose serious challenges to Central

banks’ largely monopolistic position Central banks now need to re-think monetary

policies in order to safeguard financial stability Need for new legal frameworks for consumer

protection

A View of the Future?

Forster depicts “an underground utopia where all needs and desires are fulfilled at the touch of a button. Each individual remains isolated in his cell, physically inactive, engaging only in intellectual activities. An elaborate global communications network using voice and picture permits remote communication with anyone in the world. No direct experience or communication is necessary or even desirable. Every event is tightly scheduled, controlled, predictable, efficiently accomplished”. E.M. Forster “The Machine Breaks Down”

Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Internet Ethics

The Internet will change society. We must be aware of the potential benefits and dangers and be prepared to challenge any antisocial activity.

Internet ethics are not optional, they must become a way of virtual life at work and in the home.

4 major ethical challenges

Privacy - Personal intimacy and private life Accuracy, veracity and objectivity of

information Intellectual property rights Regulation of and limitations to access