INFS1301_Week01_Lec2.pptx

INFS1301 Computing Ethics & Society Learning Objectives Explore the foundation of Information Ethics (IE) What is Ethics? Ethics is a code of behavior that is defined by an individual or a group. It is the study of what is right or wrong in human conduct The discipline of de...

INFS1301 Computing Ethics & Society Learning Objectives Explore the foundation of Information Ethics (IE) What is Ethics? Ethics is a code of behavior that is defined by an individual or a group. It is the study of what is right or wrong in human conduct The discipline of dealing with what is good and bad, with moral duty and obligation A set of moral principles What is morality? Morality refers to the set of standards that enable people to live cooperatively in groups It is a system or set of ideas about right vs. wrong and good vs. evil behavior Ethics vs Morality What is the difference between ethics and morality? Ethics comes from Greek “ethos” meaning “character” Morals comes from Latin “mos” meaning “customs” Morality is your internal view of what is right and wrong. It may be influenced by religion, education, or personal philosophy Morality is internal, so it can be argued that morality is subjective Ethics are rules that are recognized by a certain institution. The institution may be a group, culture, society, profession, or religion Ethics are external and socially constructed Someone doesn’t need to be moral to be ethical Someone without a moral compass may follow ethical codes to be in good standing with society On the other hand, someone can violate ethics all the Ethics vs Morality (cont) Examples: A lawyer who strongly believes stealing is wrong but must defend a client accused of shoplifting The law? Where did law come from? Law is stricter than ethics because the law has been established by published rules, and if they are disregarded, that person can be punished. Ethics, on the other hand, are based primarily on a person’s morals and what they believe is the right thing to do  Information Ethics Information ethics has been defined as "the branch of ethics that focuses on the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination, and use of information, and the ethical standards and moral codes governing human conduct in society". It examines the morality that comes from information as a resource, a product, or as a target.* It provides a critical framework for considering moral issues concerning informational privacy, moral agency (e.g. whether artificial agents may be moral), new environmental issues (especially how agents should behave in the infosphere), problems arising from the life-cycle (creation, collection, recording, distribution, processing, etc.) of information (especially ownership and copyright, digital divide, and digital rights). Definitions Ethics: A code of behavior defined by the group to which an individual belongs Morals: Personal principles upon which an individual bases his or her decisions about what is right and what is wrong Virtue: A habit that inclines people to do what is acceptable Vice: A habit of unacceptable behavior Information Ethics: focuses on the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination, and use of information, and the ethical standards and moral codes governing human conduct in society Ethics vs Morality (cont) Ethics vs Morality vs Law Law is a system of rules that tells us what we can and cannot do. Laws are enforced by a set of institutions (the police, courts, law-making bodies). Violation of a law can result in fines, and/or imprisonment. Legal acts are acts that conform to the law. Moral acts conform to what an individual believes to be the right thing to do. Just because an activity is defined as legal does not mean that it is ethical (see Figure 1-2). As a result, practitioners in many professions subscribe to a code of ethics that states the principles and core values that are essential to their work and, therefore, govern their behavior. The code can become a reference point for helping an individual determine what is legal and what is ethical; however, an individual will also be guided by his or her set of morals. Ethics vs Morality vs Law (cont) Integrity Acting in accordance with a personal code of principles Extending the same respect and consideration that one expects to receive from others Applying the same moral codes in all situations Consistency can be difficult to achieve in situations that conflict with one’s moral standards Inconsistency also occurs if one applies moral standards differently depending on the situation or people involved E.g.: Treating wounded enemy combatants by doctors during a war Trends Affecting Ethics What trends have increased the likelihood of unethical behavior? More complex work environments spanning diverse cultures make it more difficult to apply principles and codes of ethics consistently. Today’s challenging economic climate has increased the pressure on organizations to maintain revenue and profits. What is corporate social responsibility (CSR), and why is fostering good business ethics important? Taking responsibility for the impact of the organization’s actions on: Shareholders Consumers Employees Community Environment Reasons to Foster CSR Gain the goodwill of the community Create an organization that operates consistently Foster good business practices Protect the organization and its employees from legal action Avoid unfavorable publicity  Trends Affecting Ethics (cont) How can you include ethical considerations in your decision making? Use a five-step model for decision making: 1. Define the problem 2. Identify alternatives 3. Choose an alternative 4. Implement the decision 5. Monitor the results What trends have increased the risk that information technology will be used in an unethical manner? Surveillance of citizens by governments Email and Internet access monitoring at work Music and movies downloaded in violation of copyright laws Unsolicited email and text messages Plagiarism by students Cookies and spyware used to track users’ online purchases and attributed to either Nelson Mandela or to an unknown lecturer in a South African university Thank you +974 4495 2222 [email protected] Questions? Location University of Doha for Science & Technology 68 Al Tarfa, Duhail North P.O. Box 24449 Doha, Qatar