Ethics for the Information Age Chapter 1

Introduction to the Information Age

• Characterized by unprecedented access to information due to low-cost computers and high-speed communication networks.
• Emerging technologies include smartphones, video streaming, voice-activated assistants, drones, and self-driving cars.
• Example: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus integrates phone, text, email, web, camera, and navigation features.

Evolution of Computing

• 1950: Very few electronic digital computers existed; the internet was non-existent.
• Today: Networked devices filled with embedded microprocessors; heavy usage in daily life.
• People create and adopt technology, which then alters social structures and individual behavior.

Social-Technological Cycle

• New information technologies emerge from social conditions and vice versa.
• Adoption of technology can lead to social changes, such as increased mobility due to automobiles or job outsourcing due to global communications.

Milestones in Computing

• Aids to Manual Calculating: Early tools like clay tablets, abaci, and mathematical tables that laid the groundwork for digitized calculations.
• Mechanical Calculators: Innovations by Pascal, Leibniz, and de Colmar transitioned calculations from manual methods to machine assistance, influencing bookkeeping.
• Cash Registers: Emerged in department stores to manage sales accurately and prevent embezzlement.
• Punched Card Tabulation: Allowed sorting and computation of vast data; utilized by organizations like the U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Historical Impact of IBM and Computing

• IBM's ENIAC was the first commercial computer, later becoming a dominant force in the mainframe market with its System/360.
• Programming advancements: Assembly language, FORTRAN, and COBOL defined early programming standards.

Networking Innovations

• Early telecommunication developments include the telegraph and telephone, which transformed communication and social structures.
• ARPANET, developed by the Department of Defense, marked the beginning of the modern internet era with its decentralized design and packet-switching technology.
• Email emerged as a significant communication technology with software created by Tomlinson and Roberts, leading to its widespread use.

Advancements in Cloud Computing

• Enabled by high-speed networks and virtualization, cloud computing offers remote resource utilization with services like SaaS and IaaS.
• Provides advantages such as economies of scale, flexibility, and simplified access to computing resources.

Information Storage and Retrieval Milestones

• Greek alphabet innovation allowed effective transformation of spoken language into written form, shifting cultures from oral to written.
• Gutenberg’s printing press revolutionized mass communication, facilitating the spread of ideas during the Reformation.
• Hypertext and the World Wide Web emerged as new forms of information organization and retrieval.
• Search engines like Google index and retrieve information from billions of web pages, using algorithms like PageRank to ensure relevance.

Current Information Technology Issues

• Increasing use of IT devices due to falling costs and rising capabilities.
• Intellectual property concerns arise from digitization enabling easy copying and distribution leading to piracy.
• Cloud storage raises questions about data security and ownership of personal information.
• The convenience of credit cards increases the risk of identity theft and poses questions regarding information ownership in transactions.### Loan Applications
• Determined primarily by credit history rather than personal interviews, streamlining the process.
• Offers lower interest rates but with reduced flexibility for borrowers.

Computers in Embedded Devices

• Raises questions of liability when system failures result in harm to individuals, highlighting ethical and legal implications.

Telecommuting

• Provides significant time savings and promotes flexible working hours.
• Potential concern regarding career advancement, as teleworkers may be overlooked for promotions compared to in-office employees.

Improved Global Communication Network

• Enables companies to reach a global market, expanding their potential customer base.
• Facilitates job relocation from the U.S. to other regions, which may lead to ethical concerns about working conditions in factories in developing countries.

Social Media

• Functions as a platform for promoting democratic ideas, enhancing public discourse.
• At the same time, can be exploited as a tool by totalitarian governments to control and manipulate public opinion.

Information Age Overview

• The modern era is identified as the Information Age, yet information technology has evolved through a rich history.
• Current technological advancements are the result of centuries of gradual innovations.
• Societal conditions influence the emergence and adoption of new technologies.
• The adoption of these technologies has the potential to significantly alter social structures and norms.
• Computing professionals are urged to consider their responsibility in shaping technology's impact on the future.

Explore the first chapter of 'Ethics for the Information Age' which discusses catalysts for change and milestones in computing, networking, and information storage. Understand the issues surrounding information technology that have emerged in the modern era.