1.6 Social and Ethical Issues Flashcards
What are social and ethical issues?
Issues that have positive and negative ethical and social impacts
Why are social and ethical issues difficult to deal with?
Because it is difficult to identify the person who is to be held responsible
Areas that are significant in social and ethical issues (14)
(1) reliability
(2) integrity
(3) inconsistency
(4) security
(5) privacy
(6) anonymity
(7) intellectual property
(8) the digital divide and equality of access
(9) surveillance
(10) globalisation, and cultural diversity
(11) IT policies
(12) standards and protocols
(13) people and machines
(14) digital citizenship
What is reliability?
How well an IT system functions
Why is reliability important?
Because the reliability of IT systems determines confidence in their value
What is integrity?
Protecting the completeness and accuracy of data
When does data not have integrity?
When it is…
1. Incomplete
2. Out of data
When does inconsistency happen?
When information is duplicated, and only one copy is updated
Area where inconsistency is common
Databases
How do you reduce inconsistency?
Reduce duplicants in the system
What is security?
The protection of hardware software, peripherals and computer networks from an authorised access
Examples of common security systems
- biometrics
- Passwords
- Locks
- Proprietary tokens
- firewalls
What are proprietary tokens?
Proprietary keys/tokens used to gain access to systems
What does proprietary mean?
Being under a protected and registered name/off-the-shelf systems
What is privacy?
The ability to control how, and to what extent data is used and disseminated to others
Fundamental concepts of privacy
(1) how long data is stored
(2) who has access to the data
(3) how the data is used
When does privacy become anonymity?
When an individual uses, an IT system to conceal their identity
Examples of reasons for anonymity
- Cyber bullying
- Hack computers
- Commit illegal, actions and crimes
- Commit terrorism
How is intellectual property protected?
Copyright laws
What are copyright laws?
Laws designed to protect intellectual property from unauthorised and illegal reproduction
Examples of intellectual property
- Ideas
- discoveries
- Scientific endeavours
- Film
- Artwork
What is the digital divide and equality of access
Where the growth in the use of IT systems have not developed at the same rate for everybody in all parts of the world
Main factors that sustain the digital (5)
(1) economic costs
(2) lack of literacy
(3) lack of basic resources (e.g. electricity)
(4) financial costs
(5) lack of language skills
What is surveillance?
Using IT systems to monitor individuals or groups of people, either with or without their knowledge or permission
Possible issue with surveillance
Privacy issues
What is globalisation and cultural diversity?
Where IT helps to diminish the importance of geographical, political, economic and cultural boundaries
Possible effect of globalisation and cultural diversity
Traditional cultures and values may diminish gradually overtime
What are IT policies?
Enforceable procedures and measures to promote appropriate use of computers
Effect of fast pace IT progression
Policies are often quickly made obsolete
What are standards and protocols?
Predefined technical rules and conventions that developers of hardware and software should follow
What do Standards and particles do
Allow for compatibility
Why are standards and protocols needed?
Need to ensure different systems are compatible with each other
What are people and machines?
Analysing all aspects of the interaction between IT and humans
Examples of people and machines
- Internet addiction
- The use of AI in military or law-enforcement situations
What is digital citizenship?
Evaluates appropriate behaviour in the digital world
what do social impacts consider? (4)
(1) stakeholders
(2) alternative solutions
(3) pros/cons
(4) feasible solutions
What do ethical issues consider? (6)
(1) responsibility
(2) rules
(3) accountability
(4) decisions
(5) policies
(6) consequences
Different computer, science scenarios (5)
(1) constant exposure to communication technology
(2) Internet
(3) use of smart phones
(4) gaming
(5) mobile phones
Positive effect of: constant exposure to communication technology
Citizens are better informed about the world
Positive effect of: Internet
The creation of email and the World Wide Web
Positive effect of: use of smart phones
(1) easier communication in emergencies
(2) use of useful applications (e.g. GPS)
Positive effect of: gaming
Better hand eye coordination
Positive effect of: mobile phones
(1) easier communication with family
(2) easier communication in emergencies
Negative effects of: constant exposure to communication technology
(1) psychological impacts: stress, poor concentration, and attention span
(2) obstacle to personal relationships
Negative effects of: Internet
(1) addiction
(2) neglect real life
(3) social media obsession
Negative effects of: use of smart phones
(1) anxiety
(2) increasing the expense of hardware
Negative effects of: gaming
(1) addiction
(2) lower levels of concentration, due to lack of sleep
(3) social desensitisation
(4) neglected education and personal development
Negative effects of: mobile phones
(1) possible health consequences
(2) possible car accidents
