Ethics in Information Systems

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Questions and Answers

Which category of issues is primarily concerned with the laws and responsibilities regarding ownership of information and creative works?

Information rights

Property rights (correct)

Governance

Public safety and welfare

What do the terms responsibility, accountability, and liability primarily describe in the context of ethical issues?

The evolution of public safety laws

The technological advancements impacting society

The guidelines for data storage and management

The framework for understanding moral obligations and consequences (correct)

What is the primary purpose of Nonobvious Relationship Awareness (NORA) in data analysis?

To assess the quality of life issues for individuals

To simplify data storage processes

To protect personal information rights

To unearth hidden connections that may be useful for law enforcement (correct)

In the ethical analysis process, what is the first step to undertake?

Identify and clearly describe the facts Signup and view all the answers

What key trend in technology is highlighted as raising ethical issues related to data?

The rapid decline of data storage costs Signup and view all the answers

Which dimension of the information age focuses on the societal implications of quality in systems and products?

System quality Signup and view all the answers

Which element in the five-step ethical analysis process comes after identifying the stakeholders?

Identify the options available Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of governance in the context of ethical, social, and political issues?

Developing laws to manage new ethical dilemmas Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of business ethics?

Studying situations where issues of right and wrong are addressed Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a new ethical challenge posed by information systems?

Increased opportunities for crime and new kinds of crimes Signup and view all the answers

What does ethics primarily concern itself with?

The study of morality and application of reason Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant outcome of the ethical challenges presented by contemporary information systems?

Unrestricted access to personal information Signup and view all the answers

Why might business ethics be considered an oxymoron?

Ethical principles contradict profit-making strategies Signup and view all the answers

Which major recent event highlighted issues related to ethical judgement in business?

Cambridge Analytica data scandal Signup and view all the answers

What are ethical theories primarily concerned with?

Codifying rules and principles for determining right and wrong Signup and view all the answers

What challenge do information systems present regarding individual privacy?

They create confusion about privacy laws and rights Signup and view all the answers

What does the Golden Rule advocate for in ethical decision-making?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Signup and view all the answers

Which principle states that actions should achieve the highest overall value?

Utilitarian Principle Signup and view all the answers

Under which ethical guideline should an action not be repeated if it cannot be taken consistently?

Slippery Slope Rule Signup and view all the answers

What is a fundamental aspect of the Social Contract Rule?

Individuals consent to authority for protection of rights. Signup and view all the answers

Which principle asserts that individuals own their personal information unless otherwise declared?

Ethical 'No Free Lunch' Rule Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the essential protections of privacy in the United States?

First Amendment Signup and view all the answers

What does the New York Times test evaluate regarding information?

The credibility and relevance of potential news stories. Signup and view all the answers

Which principle is most concerned with minimizing harm in decision-making?

Risk Aversion Principle Signup and view all the answers

What is considered the most common source of business system failure?

Poor input data quality Signup and view all the answers

How is software liability viewed differently when comparing it to traditional literature?

Software is perceived as a service, similar to telephone systems. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a negative social consequence of systems related to Big Tech?

Increased concentration of economic and political power. Signup and view all the answers

What health risk is associated with prolonged computer usage?

Repetitive stress injury (RSI) Signup and view all the answers

Which legislation aims to address issues related to unsolicited commercial emails?

CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following practices are considered top concerns in online privacy for consumers?

Digital assistant privacy Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of behavioral targeting in marketing?

To increase advertising effectiveness Signup and view all the answers

Which principle emphasizes the importance of consumer consent in data collection?

Fair Information Practice Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

It implements penalties for circumventing copyright protection technology. Signup and view all the answers

What is required for an invention to be granted a patent?

It must be new, non-obvious, and novel. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a method to enhance consumer privacy online?

Public key encryption Signup and view all the answers

What is one implication of trademark laws for consumers?

They ensure consumers receive expected goods. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for something to qualify as a trade secret?

It must be patented. Signup and view all the answers

What issue does the Fair Use doctrine address?

Permitting limited use of copyrighted material without permission. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'profiling' in marketing refer to?

Creating data images of consumer behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Information Systems raise new ethical questions by creating opportunities for intense social change, threatening existing power distributions, and increasing opportunities for crime.
Four major categories of ethical issues related to Information Systems include information rights, property rights, governance, and public safety and welfare.
The relationship between ethical, social, and political issues in an information society is complex and interconnected.
Five moral dimensions of the information age:
- Information rights and obligations
- Property rights and obligations
- Accountability and control
- System quality
- Quality of life

Key Technology Trends Raising Ethical Issues

Computing power doubles every 18 months.
Data storage costs are rapidly declining.
Data analysis techniques are advancing.
Networking is becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Growth in mobile devices has significant impacts.

Data Analysis Techniques and Privacy Concerns

Profiling: Combining data from various sources to create detailed individual profiles.
Nonobvious Relationship Awareness (NORA): Combining data to identify obscure connections, potentially used for crime detection or national security purposes.

Concepts of Responsibility, Accountability, and Liability

Responsibility: Accepting the potential consequences, duties, and obligations of decisions.
Accountability: Mechanisms to identify those responsible for actions.
Liability: Legal framework for individuals and firms to seek compensation for damages.
Due Process: Laws are clearly stated and understood, with avenues for appeals.

Ethical Analysis: A Five-Step Process

Identify and describe the facts clearly.
Define the conflict or dilemma, identifying relevant values.
Identify all stakeholders involved.
Identify reasonable options for action.
Analyze the potential consequences of each option.

Candidate Ethical Principles

Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Categorical Imperative (Kant): If an action is not right for everyone, it is not right for anyone.
Slippery Slope Rule: Actions that cannot be repeated ethically are not right to take at all.
Utilitarian Principle: Choose the action that yields the greatest overall good.
Risk Aversion Principle: Minimize potential harm or cost.
Ethical "No Free Lunch" Rule: Assume all tangible and intangible objects are owned unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The New York Times Test: Credibility and newsworthiness for publication in a reputable outlet like The New York Times.
The Social Contract Rule: Individuals consent to surrender some freedoms for protection and social order.

Professional Codes of Conduct

Professional organizations like the American Medical Association, American Bar Association, and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) establish ethical standards for their members.
Codes of conduct aim to regulate professions in the broader societal interest.

Real-World Ethical Dilemmas

Examples: Employee internet usage monitoring, Facebook’s user data collection and monetization practices.

Information Rights: Privacy and Freedom

Privacy: The right to be left alone, free from intrusion, and to control personal information.
Privacy Protections in the US: First Amendment (speech and association), Fourth Amendment (unreasonable search and seizure), and the Privacy Act of 1974.
Fair Information Practices (FIP): Principles guiding the collection and use of information.

Key Issues in Online Consumer Privacy

Top concerns: Profiling and advertising targeting, social network privacy, information sharing by marketers, mobile phone privacy, and digital assistant privacy.

Marketing: Profiling, Behavioural Targeting, and Retargeting

Profiling: Building data images that characterize online behavior.
Advertising Networks: Tracking browsing behavior to dynamically adjust user experience and build consumer profiles.

Consumer Privacy Regulation: The FTC

Fair Information Practice Principles: Informed consent, opt-in/opt-out options, harm-based approach.
"Do Not Track" Mechanism: Gives users control over tracking.
Recent focus on providing consumer control over collected personal information.

Technical Solutions for Privacy Protection

Intelligent Tracking Protection (ITP).
Differential privacy software.
Privacy-preserving machine learning (PPML).
Privacy-default browsers.
Message encryption, spyware blockers, pop-up and ad blockers.
Secure email, anonymous remailers, and cookie managers.
Public key encryption.

Property Rights: Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property: Tangible or intangible products of the mind.
Protected by:
- Copyright: Protects original forms of expression.
- Patents: Grants exclusive rights to an invention.
- Trademarks: Distinguish goods and indicate their source.
- Trade Secrets: Business procedures, formulas, or methods.

Challenges to Intellectual Property Rights

Digital Media: Ease of replication, transmission, alteration, and challenges in establishing uniqueness.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA): Designed to adapt copyright laws to the internet.

Copyright

Protects original forms of expression from unauthorized copying.
Fair Use Doctrine: Allows limited exceptions to copyright protection.
Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998: Implemented WIPO treaty, making circumvention of copyright protection illegal.

Patents

Grant a 20-year monopoly on an invention.
Requirements: New, non-obvious, and novel.
Encourage invention and promote dissemination of new techniques through licensing.
Can stifle competition by creating barriers to entry.

Trademarks

Identify and distinguish goods and indicate their source.
Protect consumers from fraudulent products.
Prevent piracy and misappropriation.
Infringement and Dilution.

Trade Secrets

Business procedures, formulas, or methods that are not necessarily unique or novel.
Must be secret, have commercial value, and be protected by the business.
2016 Defend Trade Secrets Act provides legal protection.

Who is responsible for software failure and potential harms caused?
Legal perspectives consider software as part of a machine, a book, or a service.

System Quality: Data Quality and System Errors

Achieving flawless software is economically unfeasible.
Sources of Poor System Performance: Software bugs, hardware failures, and poor input data quality (most common source of failure).

Quality of Life: Equity, Access, Boundaries

Negative Social Consequences of Information Systems: Concentration of power in Big Tech, rapid change and reduced response time for businesses, blurring boundaries between work, family, and leisure, dependence and vulnerability, computer crimes, and abuse.
Employment: "Trickle-down technology" and job losses due to reengineering.
Equity and Access: The digital divide.
Health Risks: Repetitive stress injury (RSI), carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), computer vision syndrome (CVS), and technostress.

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Description

This quiz explores the ethical, social, and political issues arising from the rapid advancement of information systems. It covers key categories of ethical dilemmas and examines how technology trends are reshaping these concerns. Test your knowledge on the five moral dimensions of the information age and their implications on society.