CHAPTER 4 ETHICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS Flashcards
WHAT ETHICAL, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL ISSUES ARE RAISED BY INFORMATION SYSTEMS?
Information technology is introducing changes for which laws and rules of acceptable conduct have not yet been developed. Increasing computing power, storage, and networking capabilities–including the Internet–expand the reach individual and organizational actions and magnify their impacts. The ease and anonymity with which information is now communicated, copied, and manipulated in online environments pose new challenges to the protection of privacy and intellectual property. The main ethical, social, and political issue raised by information systems center around information rights and obligations, property rights and obligations, accountability and control, system quality, and quality of life.
WHAT SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES FOR CONDUCT CAN BE USED TO GUIDE ETHICAL DECISIONS?
Six ethical principles for judging conduct include the Golden Rule, Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative, Descates’ rule or change, the Utilitarian Principle, the Risk Aversion Principle, and the ethical “no free lunch” rule. These principles should be used in conjunction with an ethical analysis.
WHY DO CONTEMPORARY INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET POSE CHALLENGES TO THE PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?
Contemporary data storage and data analysis technology enables companies to easily gather personal data about individuals from many different sources and analyze these data to create detailed electronic profile about individuals and their behaviors. Data flowing over the Internet can be monitored at many points. Cookies and other Web monitoring tools closely track the activities of Web site visitors. Not all Web sites have strong privacy protection policies, and they do not always allow for informed consent regarding the use of personal information. Traditional copyright laws are insufficient to protect against software privacy because digital material can be copied so easily and transmitted to many different locations simultaneously over the Internet.
HOW MANY INFORMATION SYSTEMS AFFECTED EVERYDAY LIFE?
Although computer systems have been source of efficiency and wealth, they have some negative impacts. Computer errors can cause serious harm to individuals and organizations. Poor data quality is also responsible for disruptions and losses for business. Jobs can be lost when computers replace workers or tasks become unnecessary in reengineered business process. The ability to own and use a computer may be exacerbating socioeconomic disparities among different racial groups and social classes. Widespread use of computers increases opportunities for computer crime and computer abuse. Computers can also create health problems, such as RSI, computer vision syndrome, and technostress.
Principles of right and wrong that individuals, acting as free moral agents, use to make choices to guide their behaviors.
Ethics
Five moral dimension of information age
1.) Information rights and obligations
2.) Property rights and obligations
3.) Accountability and control
4.) System quality
5.) Quality of life
Information systems raise new ethical questions because they create opportunities for:
1.) Intense social change, threatening existing distributions of power, money, rights, and obligations
2.) New kinds of crime
Combining data from multiple sources to create dossiers of detailed information on individuals.
Profiling
Combining data from multiple sources to find obscure hidden connections that might help identify criminals or terrorists.
Nonobvious relationship awareness (NORA)
Ethics analysis: A five-step process
1.) Identify and clearly describe the facts.
2.) Define the conflict or dilemma and identify the higher-order values involved.
3.) Identify the stakeholders.
4.) Identify the options that you can reasonably take.
5.) Identify the potential consequences of your options
Accepting the potential costs, duties, and obligations for decisions.
Responsibility
Mechanisms for identifying responsible parties.
Accountability
If an action is not right for everyone to take, it is not right for anyone.
Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative
Laws are well known and understood, with an ability to appeal to higher authorities.
Due process
Permits individuals (and firms) to recover damages done to them.
Liability
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Golden Rule
If an action cannot be taken repeatedly, it is not right to take.
Descartes’ Rule of Change
Take the action that achieves the higher or greater value.
Utilitarian Principle
Take the action that produces the least harm or potential cost.
Risk Aversion Principle
Assume that virtually all tangible and intangible objects are owned by someone unless there is a specific declaration otherwise.
Ethical “No Free Lunch” Rule
Claim of individuals to be left alone, free from surveillance or interference from other individuals, organizations, or state. Claim to be able to control information about yourself.
Privacy
