This document discusses the ethical and social impacts of information systems. It covers several topics, including privacy and intellectual property issues, system quality concerns, and effects on quality of life. The goals are to analyze ethical problems raised by technology, identify moral aspects of the information society, and examine principles for conducting systems work ethically. Specific issues addressed include accountability, rapid social change, and various types of internet crime and computer abuse.

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c h a p t e r
15
ETHICAL & SOCIALETHICAL & SOCIAL
IMPACT OFIMPACT OF
INFORMATIONINFORMATION
SYSTEMSSYSTEMS

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LEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVES
• ANALYZE ETHICAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL ISSUESANALYZE ETHICAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL ISSUES
RAISED BY INFORMATION SYSTEMSRAISED BY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
• IDENTIFY, APPLY MORAL DIMENSIONS OFIDENTIFY, APPLY MORAL DIMENSIONS OF
INFORMATION SOCIETYINFORMATION SOCIETY

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LEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING OBJECTIVES
• APPLY ETHICAL ANALYSISAPPLY ETHICAL ANALYSIS
• EXAMINE ETHICAL PRINCIPLESEXAMINE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
FOR CONDUCTFOR CONDUCT
• DESIGN CORPORATE POLICIESDESIGN CORPORATE POLICIES
FOR ETHICAL CONDUCTFOR ETHICAL CONDUCT

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MANAGEMENT CHALLENGESMANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
• UNDERSTAND ETHICAL & SOCIALUNDERSTAND ETHICAL & SOCIAL
ISSUES RELATED TO SYSTEMSISSUES RELATED TO SYSTEMS
• ETHICS IN AN INFORMATIONETHICS IN AN INFORMATION
SOCIETYSOCIETY
• MORAL DIMENSION OFMORAL DIMENSION OF
INFORMATION SYSTEMSINFORMATION SYSTEMS
**

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ETHICSETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONGPRINCIPLES OF RIGHT AND WRONG
USED BY INDIVIDUALSUSED BY INDIVIDUALS
AS FREE MORAL AGENTSAS FREE MORAL AGENTS
TO GUIDE BEHAVIORTO GUIDE BEHAVIOR
**

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INDIVIDUAL
SOCIETY
POLITY
ETHICAL ISSUES
SOCIAL ISSUES
POLITICAL ISSUES
QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE
INFORMATIONINFORMATION
RIGHTS &RIGHTS &
OBLIGATIONSOBLIGATIONS
PROPERTYPROPERTY
RIGHTS &RIGHTS &
OBLIGATIONSOBLIGATIONS
ACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITY
& CONTROL& CONTROL
SYSTEMSYSTEM
QUALITYQUALITY
ETHICAL, SOCIAL & POLITICAL ISSUESETHICAL, SOCIAL & POLITICAL ISSUES
INFORMATIONINFORMATION
&&
TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

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• INFORMATION RIGHTS & OBLIGATIONSINFORMATION RIGHTS & OBLIGATIONS
• PROPERTY RIGHTSPROPERTY RIGHTS
• ACCOUNTABILITY & CONTROLACCOUNTABILITY & CONTROL
• SYSTEM QUALITYSYSTEM QUALITY
• QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE
**
MORAL DIMENSIONS OF THEMORAL DIMENSIONS OF THE
INFORMATION AGEINFORMATION AGE

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TECHNOLOGY TRENDS & ETHICALTECHNOLOGY TRENDS & ETHICAL
ISSUESISSUES
• COMPUTING POWER DOUBLES EVERY 18COMPUTING POWER DOUBLES EVERY 18
MONTHSMONTHS
• DECLINING COSTS OF DATA STORAGEDECLINING COSTS OF DATA STORAGE
• DATA MINING ADVANCESDATA MINING ADVANCES
• NETWORKING ADVANCES & INTERNETNETWORKING ADVANCES & INTERNET
**

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ETHICS IN AN INFORMATIONETHICS IN AN INFORMATION
SOCIETYSOCIETY
• RESPONSIBILITY:RESPONSIBILITY: Accepting costs,Accepting costs,
duties, obligations for decisionsduties, obligations for decisions
• ACCOUNTABILITY:ACCOUNTABILITY: AssessingAssessing
responsibilities for decisions & actionsresponsibilities for decisions & actions
• LIABILITY:LIABILITY: Must pay for legal damagesMust pay for legal damages
• DUE PROCESS:DUE PROCESS: Insures laws are appliedInsures laws are applied
properlyproperly
**

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ETHICS IN AN INFORMATIONETHICS IN AN INFORMATION
SOCIETYSOCIETY
ETHICAL ANALYSIS:ETHICAL ANALYSIS:
• IDENTIFY, DESCRIBE FACTSIDENTIFY, DESCRIBE FACTS
• DEFINE CONFLICT, IDENTIFY VALUESDEFINE CONFLICT, IDENTIFY VALUES
• IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERSIDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS
• IDENTIFY OPTIONSIDENTIFY OPTIONS
• IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCESIDENTIFY POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
**

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ETHICAL PRINCIPLES:ETHICAL PRINCIPLES:
• TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATEDTREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED
• IF ACTION NOT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE, NOTIF ACTION NOT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE, NOT
RIGHT FOR ANYONE (KANT)RIGHT FOR ANYONE (KANT)
• IF ACTION NOT REPEATABLE, NOT RIGHT ATIF ACTION NOT REPEATABLE, NOT RIGHT AT
ANY TIME (DESCARTES)ANY TIME (DESCARTES)
• PUT VALUE ON OUTCOMES, UNDERSTANDPUT VALUE ON OUTCOMES, UNDERSTAND
CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES
• INCUR LEAST HARM OR COSTINCUR LEAST HARM OR COST
• NO FREE LUNCHNO FREE LUNCH
**
ETHICS IN AN INFORMATIONETHICS IN AN INFORMATION
SOCIETYSOCIETY

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INFORMATION RIGHTSINFORMATION RIGHTS
PRIVACY:PRIVACY: Right to be left aloneRight to be left alone
FAIR INFORMATION PRACTICESFAIR INFORMATION PRACTICES (FIP)(FIP)::
• NO SECRET PERSONAL RECORDSNO SECRET PERSONAL RECORDS
• INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS, AMENDINDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS, AMEND
INFORMATION ABOUT THEMINFORMATION ABOUT THEM
• USE INFO ONLY WITH PRIOR CONSENTUSE INFO ONLY WITH PRIOR CONSENT
• MANAGERS ACCOUNTABLE FORMANAGERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR
DAMAGE DONE BY SYSTEMSDAMAGE DONE BY SYSTEMS
• GOVERNMENTS CAN INTERVENEGOVERNMENTS CAN INTERVENE
**

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U.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWSU.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWS
GENERAL FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWS:GENERAL FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWS:
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, 1968FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, 1968
PRIVACY ACT OF 1974PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OFELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OF
19861986
COMPUTER MATCHING AND PRIVACYCOMPUTER MATCHING AND PRIVACY
PROTECTION ACT OF 1988PROTECTION ACT OF 1988
COMPUTER SECURITY ACT OF 1987COMPUTER SECURITY ACT OF 1987
FEDERAL MANAGERS FINANCIAL INTEGRITY ACTFEDERAL MANAGERS FINANCIAL INTEGRITY ACT
OF 1982OF 1982
**

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PRIVACY LAWS AFFECTING PRIVATEPRIVACY LAWS AFFECTING PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS:INSTITUTIONS:
FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT, 1970FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT, 1970
FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS & PRIVACY ACT OFFAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS & PRIVACY ACT OF
19781978
RIGHT TO FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978RIGHT TO FINANCIAL PRIVACY ACT OF 1978
PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 1980PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 1980
CABLE COMMUNICATIONS POLICY ACT OF 1984CABLE COMMUNICATIONS POLICY ACT OF 1984
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OFELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT OF
19971997
**
U.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWSU.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWS

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MORE PRIVACY LAWS AFFECTING PRIVATEMORE PRIVACY LAWS AFFECTING PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS:INSTITUTIONS:
VIDEO PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 1988VIDEO PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 1988
CONSUMER INTERNET PRIVACY PROTECTIONCONSUMER INTERNET PRIVACY PROTECTION
ACT OF 1997ACT OF 1997
COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY & CONSUMERCOMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY & CONSUMER
EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 1997EMPOWERMENT ACT OF 1997
DATA PRIVACY ACT OF 1997DATA PRIVACY ACT OF 1997
CONSUMER INTERNET PRIVACY PROTECTIONCONSUMER INTERNET PRIVACY PROTECTION
ACT OF 1999ACT OF 1999
**
U.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWSU.S. FEDERAL PRIVACY LAWS

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ETHICAL ISSUES:ETHICAL ISSUES: Who is morallyWho is morally
responsible for consequences ofresponsible for consequences of
use?use?
SOCIAL ISSUES:SOCIAL ISSUES: What should societyWhat should society
expect and allow?expect and allow?
POLITICAL ISSUES:POLITICAL ISSUES: To what extentTo what extent
should government intervene,should government intervene,
protect?protect?
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ACCOUNTABILITY, LIABILITY &ACCOUNTABILITY, LIABILITY &
CONTROLCONTROL

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: IntangibleIntangible
creations protected by lawcreations protected by law
TRADE SECRET:TRADE SECRET: Intellectual work orIntellectual work or
product belonging to business, not inproduct belonging to business, not in
public domainpublic domain
COPYRIGHT:COPYRIGHT: Statutory grant protectingStatutory grant protecting
intellectual property from copying byintellectual property from copying by
others for 28 yearsothers for 28 years
**

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYINTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
TRADE MARK:TRADE MARK: Legally registered mark,Legally registered mark,
device, or name to distinguish one’sdevice, or name to distinguish one’s
goodsgoods
PATENT:PATENT: Legal document granting ownerLegal document granting owner
exclusive monopoly on an invention for 17exclusive monopoly on an invention for 17
yearsyears
**

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ETHICAL ISSUES:ETHICAL ISSUES: When is software orWhen is software or
service ready for release?service ready for release?
SOCIAL ISSUES:SOCIAL ISSUES: Can people trust quality ofCan people trust quality of
software, services, data?software, services, data?
POLITICAL ISSUES:POLITICAL ISSUES: Should congress orShould congress or
industry develop standards for software,industry develop standards for software,
hardware, data quality?hardware, data quality?
**
SYSTEM QUALITY:SYSTEM QUALITY:
DATA QUALITY &DATA QUALITY &
SYSTEM ERRORSSYSTEM ERRORS

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QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE
CENTRALIZATION VS. DECENTRALIZATIONCENTRALIZATION VS. DECENTRALIZATION
RAPID CHANGE:RAPID CHANGE: Reduced response time toReduced response time to
competitioncompetition
MAINTAINING BOUNDARIES:MAINTAINING BOUNDARIES: Family, work,Family, work,
leisureleisure
DEPENDENCE AND VULNERABILITYDEPENDENCE AND VULNERABILITY
COMPUTER CRIME & ABUSECOMPUTER CRIME & ABUSE
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QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE
EMPLOYMENT:EMPLOYMENT: Trickle-downTrickle-down
technology; reengineering job losstechnology; reengineering job loss
EQUITY & ACCESS:EQUITY & ACCESS: Increasing racialIncreasing racial
& social class cleavages& social class cleavages
HEALTH RISKSHEALTH RISKS
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QUALITY OF LIFEQUALITY OF LIFE
HEALTH RISKS:HEALTH RISKS:
• REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY (RSI)REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY (RSI)
• CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME (CTS)CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME (CTS)
• COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME (CVS)COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME (CVS)
• TECHNOSTRESS: Irritation, hostility,TECHNOSTRESS: Irritation, hostility,
impatience, enervation, fearimpatience, enervation, fear
• VDT RADIATIONVDT RADIATION
**

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INTERNET CRIME & ABUSEINTERNET CRIME & ABUSE
• HACKING:HACKING: Access to proprietary dataAccess to proprietary data
• JAMMING:JAMMING: Tie up host computerTie up host computer
• MALICIOUS SOFTWARE:MALICIOUS SOFTWARE: Viruses disableViruses disable
computercomputer
• SNIFFING:SNIFFING: Intercept data passing throughIntercept data passing through
system, e.g. credit card datasystem, e.g. credit card data
• SPOOFING:SPOOFING: Fraudulent misrepresentationFraudulent misrepresentation
**