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Information and Computer Ethics
Information and Computer Ethics
An information system is software that helps you organize and analyse data.
Computer ethics is the analysis of nature and social impact of computer technology and the
corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of technology.
Ethics is a dynamic and complex field of study, which cover both social as well as personal
policies for ethical use of technology. The commonly faced problem while dealing with
computer ethics is the policy vacuum which means how computer technology should be used.
Ethics refers to standards of conduct, standards that indicate how one should behave based on
moral duties and virtues, which themselves are derived from principles of right and wrong.
As a practical matter, ethics is about how we meet the challenge of doing the right thing when
that will cost more than we want to pay.
Computer Ethics
Computer ethics defined as the application of classical ethical principles to the use of
computer technology
Ethical problems related to computers are not unique but they tend to occur on a much
larger scale and scope
i) Scope: communications networks bring the world together
ii) Anonymity: beneficial but creates problems of integrity
iii) Reproducibility
Aspects of computer ethics:
i) Analysis of the nature of problems related to the social impact of computers
ii) Formulation and justification of policies needed to manage computer technology
1) Categories of Computer Ethics Issues:=
Privacy
i) Computers create a false sense of security
ii) People do not realize how vulnerable information stored on computers are
Property
i) Physical property
ii) Intellectual property (in both copyright and patent)
iii) Data as property
Access
i) Access to computing technology
ii) Access to data
Accuracy
i) Accuracy of information stored
1) Moral and Ethical Problems:=
Hacking, cracking and virus creation
i) Serious crimes that cannot be justified
ii) Attempts at justifying such actions
a) Electrons are free- they do not belong to anybody
b) Companies have weak protection
c) Point out flaws and vulnerabilities in information systems
d) Hacking or virus creation is right in a particular country or culture
Software piracy
i) Unauthorized copying of software is stealing
ii) It is morally wrong as it constitutes a violation of someone else’s rights
1) Problems with Codes of Ethics:=
A legal system is not a complete and correct guide to moral behavior
Codes of ethics are mostly voluntary
May encounter situations for which the code makes no explicit recommendations
Goodness cannot be defined through a list of Dos and Don'ts
You must use your internal sense of ethics
1) Computer Ethics Awareness and Educational Issues:=
How to raise the moral consciousness and ethical level
Possibilities of developing global computer ethics codes
Computer ethics education should include:
i) Explanation of disruptive potential of even a single user
ii) Understanding of importance of ethics and lack of laws in
Computer/information technology