INFS1000 Lec 6 Ethics Flashcards
What is ETHICS?
Branch of philosophy concerned with making judgments about whether behaviour is proper / improper.
Normative theory - how things ought to be.
How does ethics relate to the LAW?
Not everything that is legal is ethical - some laws contrary to ppl’s ethical standards.
e.g. Cambridge Analytics supposedly lawful, but was it ethical?
What are the 4 factors affecting ethical behaviour (MODERATORS)?
- Individual characteristics (age, family, culture).
- Issue intensity (how many affected, magnitude, how it affects yourself).
- Organizational culture
- Structural variables (code of ethics, corporate governance).
What is the PAPA Framework?
- Info PRIVACY
- Info ACCURACY
- Info PROPERTY
- Info ACCESSIBILITY
What is info PRIVACY? and what are some issues arising out it?
- Responsibility of organisations to collect only necessary data. Providing individuals the right to be left alone.
- To what degree can an employer monitor its employees?
- What information about individuals should be kept in databases? for how long? how secure should the information be?
What is info ACCURACY? and what are some issues arising out it?
*Responsibility to ensure that data are accurate. Protect individuals from errors and manipulation of data.
Who is responsible for errors in information and how is an injured party compensated?
How can we ensure that errors are accidental and not intentional?
What safegaurds are in place to identify potential errors / manipulation of data?
What is info PROPERTY? and what are some issues arising out it?
*Organisations are not always the ultimate owners of data collected on individuals.
Who has the ownership rights to the information?
What are the just and fair prices for its exchange?
Can corporate computers and information stored on them be used for private purposes?
What is info ACCESSIBILITY? and what are some issues arising out it?
*Responsibility to ensure proper controls on information authorisation and authentication.
What information does a person or an organisation have a right to obtain? under what conditions? and with what safeguards?
Why are neither courses of action fully acceptable / justified? (3)
- Codes of conduct may be non-specific or irrelevant.
- Right and wrong is not governed by laws.
- There are sound arguments for and against each course of action (conflicting values).
What are the 5 steps to the Laudon ethical reasoning model?
- State ethical dilemma, 2+ courses of action, pros / cons of each.
- State underlying PAPA framework issues affected and why.
- List stakeholers
- State proposed action
- Justify using the 6 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES and 6 ACS CODE OF ETHICS. Consider if the outcome of the proposed action is likely to be fair and just for
all STAKEHOLDERS.
What are the 6 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES?
- Golden rule: don’t do to others what you don’t want to be done to you.
- Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative: if action not right for everyone, not right for anyone. (e.g. littering).
- Descarte’s Rule of Change: if action cannot be taken repeatedly, then should not be taken at all.
- Utilitarian Principle: adopt action with highest value. (e.g. Trolley problem).
- Risk Aversion Principle: adopt action with least risk.
- “No Free Lunch” Rule: everything (tangible / intangible) belongs to someone (i.e. don’t take things for free).
What are the 6 elements of the ACS code of ethics for BIS professionals?
- PRIORITIES: must place community above personal interests.
- COMPETENCE: must work competently and diligently for clients.
- HONESTY: in representation of skills, knowledge, services and products.
- SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: must strive to enhance the quality of life of those affected by my work.
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: must enhance my own professional development and that of my colleagues / employees / students.
- ICT PROFESSION: must enhance the integrity of the ICT Profession and the respect of its members for each other.
Lost USB example
STEP 1: POTENTIAL COURSES OF ACTION
Option 1: I could return the USB drive
• Pros: Returning it would benefit the owner and the university
• Cons: To identify the owner you may have to breach their privacy
Option 2: I could give the USB drive to the Lost and Found office
• Pros: No breach of privacy
• Cons: Greater probability of losing important information for the owner and theuniversity
STEP 2: PAPA FRAMEWORK
• Privacy – invading the owner privacy by checking the data on the drive without permission
• Property – the drive may contain other confidential information that is owned by the university (e.g., exam paper content, student grades before official release)
STEP 3: STAKEHOLDERS • The owner • The university • Other students • You
STEP 4: OUTCOME
* Lost and found office
STEP 5: JUSTIFICATION
Invading privacy
• It is fair to invade owner’s privacy if you assume the owner has no clue when and where it has been lost – PRIORITIES (ACS Code of Ethics)
• Regaining the data will benefit the owner and the university, especially if there are no back-ups, despite the invasion of privacy – PRIORITIES (ACS Code of Ethics)
Not invading (taking it to lost property office) • Integrity of information may be compromised if you find important documents that can be used for your own advantage (e.g. exam paper) - HONESTY (ACS Code of Ethics)
What TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS are creating BIS ethics issues? (5)
- RAPID DECLINE IN DATA STORAGE COSTS so individual data pertaining to every aspect of life can be stored (e.g. WeChat).
- ADVANCES IN DATA ANALYSIS means individual profiles of behaviour can be created (e.g. Gmail targeted ads based on email content).
- GROWING USE IN MOBILE PLATFORMS means individuals location and everyday activities become transparent.
- WEB2.0 AND SOCIAL NETWORKING means issues of privacy abuse.
- DIGITISATION OF PRODUCTS means issues of ownership.
