Social Ethical Changes Caused By Information Technology

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The problem to be investigated is the connection between ethical foundations and the challenges presented by information technology in today’s high intensity electronic environment. The discussion centers on the topics of societal ethical changes caused by information technology, the ethical usage of information the technology, and the development of a code of ethics surrounding these ethical issues. These topics are reviewed using Brooks (2010, October) article titled, The development of a code of ethics: An outline classroom approach to making connections between ethical foundations and the challenges presented by information technology.

Societal Ethical Changes Caused by Information Technology

Information technology has greatly increased the ease of access to information to most of society on a largely unmonitored basis resulting in the need for heightened awareness of security, privacy, and the protection of intellectual property. (Brooks, p. 2) Though it may seem that this topic has gained greater attention in the past few years, the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility was founded in 1983 to deal with just these issues. (Brooks, p. 2) Crimes of moral character including stealing, lying, and cheating are as prevalent in today’s world of information technology as they are in real terms. (Brooks, p. 4)

A 2008 on-line survey conducted by the Josephson Institute found that one-third of boys and one-fourth of girls surveyed admitted to stealing in the past year. (Brooks, p. 4) This translates all too well to rampant downloading of proprietary or copy written material from web sites. The illegal uploading and downloading of music became so prevalent that there was almost a feeling that if you did no...

... middle of paper ...

...g electronic information: An ethics perspective.

Information Management & Computer Security, 16(1), 20. Retrieved from

http:search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/212329448?accountid=28180

BPI. (2011) Commercial music piracy

Retrieved from http://www.bpi.co.uk/our-work/protecting-uk-music/article/commercial-music-piracy.aspx.

Brooks, R. (2010). The development of a code of Ethics: An online classroom approach to

making connections between ethical foundations and the challenges presented by

information technology. American Journal of Business Education, 3(10), 1.

Payne, D., & Landry, B. (2005). Similarities in business and IT professional ethics: The need for

and development of a comprehensive code of ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 62(10),

73. Retrieved from

http:search.proquest.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/docview/198033129?accountid=28180

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