Question

Identify the ICT related ethical issue(s) involved in the following scenario. Prepare an essay presenting an analysis of the identified issue(s). Apply at least two ethical theories to support your analysis.

Joe is working on a project for his computer science course. The instructor has allotted a fixed amount of computer time for this project. Joe has run out of time, but has not yet finished the project. The instructor cannot be reached. Last year Joe worked as a student programmer for the campus computer centre and is quite familiar with procedures to increase time allocations to accounts. Using what he learned last year, he is able to access the master account. Then he gives himself additional time and finishes his project.

Source: Australian Computer Society (2014). ACS Code of Ethics Case Studies & Related Clauses to the Code of Conduct

Instructions:

You must:

• present an introduction (or background) to your topic and your essay (1 mark);
• present a comprehensive analysis of the identified ICT related ethical issue(s) applying at least two ethical theories ;
• present a conclusion that briefly outlines your point of view ; and
• ensure that your essay is well written and structured .

You are not required to include any references in your essay, but where applicable you should cite relevant researchers to support your arguments. State any assumptions before you start writing your essay.

Answer 1

An ICT policy is a set of guidelines that defines how an organization should use information technology and information systems responsibly. ICT policies usually include guidelines on:

• Purchase and usage of hardware equipment and how to safely dispose of them
• Use of licensed software only and ensuring that all software is up to date with the latest patches for security reasons
• Rules on how to create passwords (complexity enforcement), changing passwords, etc.
• Acceptable use of information technology and information systems
• Training of all users involved in using ICT and MIS.

The given scenario was of

Unauthorized access – the standard convention is to use a combination of a username and a password. Hackers have learned how to circumvent these controls if the user does not follow security best practices. Most organizations have added the use of mobile devices such as phones to provide an extra layer of security.

Two of the major ethical issues faced by Information Technology (IT) are:

1. Personal Privacy:
   It is an important aspect of ethical issues in information technology. IT facilitates the users having their own hardware, operating system, and software tools to access the servers that are connected to each other and to the users by a network. Due to the distribution of the network on a large scale, data or information transfer in a big amount takes place which leads to the hidden chances of disclosing information and violating the privacy of any individuals or a group. It is a major challenge for IT society and organizations to maintain the privacy and integrity of data. Accidental disclosure to inappropriate individuals and provisions to protect the accuracy of data also comes in the privacy issue.
2. Access Right:
   The second aspect of ethical issues in information technology is access rights. Access right becomes a high priority issue for IT and cyberspace with the great advancement in technology. E-commerce and Electronic payment systems evolution on the internet heightened this issue for various corporate organizations and government agencies. Network on the internet cannot be made secure from unauthorized access. Generally, the intrusion detection system is used to determine whether the user is an intruder or an appropriate user.

The new world of the information society with global networks and cyberspace will inevitably generate a wide variety of social, political, and ethical problems. Many problems related to human relationships and the community become apparent when most human activities are carried on in cyberspace. Some basic ethical issues on the use of IT on global networks consist of personal privacy, data access rights, and harmful actions on the Internet. These basic issues have been solved partially using technological approaches, such as encryption techniques, authentication, authorization SSL, digital IDs, and computer firewalls. Besides these protection technologies, legal laws are also needed in cyberspace to address hundreds of countries, which are incorporated into one global network. Guidelines and strategies should be implemented so that global information can be exploited in a socially and ethically sensitive way for our future benefit and applications. These and many more ethical issues urgently need the attention of governments, businesses, educational institutions, public and private individuals worldwide.

Conclusion:

With great power comes great responsibility. Information systems bring new opportunities and advantages to how we do business but they also introduce issues that can negatively affect society (cybercrime). An organization needs to address these issues and come up with a framework (MIS security, ICT policy, etc.) that addresses them.