Ethical issues

Question 1

Whistle-blowing

Answer 1

This is a person working within an organisation who reports that organisations misconduct. The person may be either a current or past employee. As well, the misconduct can be a past act, current or in the planning stages.

Question 2

Impacts of whistle-blowing

- stress

Answer 2

several whistle-blowers remain employed in their workplace after coming forward since it’s illegal to fire someone for it. But, those people tend to have symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and headaches. In these sorts of situations, there are occasionally retaliatory acts against the whistleblowers causing them increased stress and discomfort in their job.

Question 3

Impacts of whistle-blowing

- termination

Answer 3

a few people have been terminated for whistleblowing although it is illegal. People that are terminated need to prove a whistleblowing violation.

Question 4

Impacts of whistle-blowing

- mistrust

Answer 4

a lack of trust within a company can cause its employees to become suspicious of the policies and actions of the employer. This can lead to employees quitting the company.

Question 5

what is bias?

Answer 5

information that is written from a particular perspective or point of view.

Question 6

Information that contains bias may be:

Answer 6

– introduce bias

• a statement that has no factual basis
• prejudiced in favour of or against a person, product, situation or idea

Question 7

Why is it important to watch for bias?

Answer 7

Biased information also loses its value. Information of little value may:
• mislead us
• misinform us
• cause us to make an incorrect deduction
• cause us to make a poor decision

Question 8

Factors to consider
- Biased information is influenced by a point of view. When analysing information for bias, there are certain factors to look for:

Answer 8

• Source – who has produced the information?
• Opinion or fact – does the website state facts or opinions?
• Statements without facts – does the website contain statements that cannot be backed up by facts?
• Date of publication – when was the website was last updated?

Question 9

We use the term bias to refer to computer systems that…

Answer 9

systematically and unfairly discriminate against certain individuals or groups of individuals in favour of others.

Question 10

when does a system discriminate unfairly?

Answer 10

if it denies an opportunity or a good or if it assigns an undesirable outcome to an individual or group of individuals on grounds that are unreasonable or inappropriate