ASSIGNMENT

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

Subject: Management Information system

Submitted to: Mam Saadia Gohar

Submitted by: Amna Ameen Farooqui
Roll no: 703 BBA Morning (A)
 Ethical Implications of Information Technology

INTRODUCTION:
According to dictionary, "Ethics are rules or standards governing the conduct of a
person or members of a profession (medical ethics, IT ethics, and health ethics
etc)".The conduct of a person implies integrity, which plays an essential role in the
ethical behaviour. A person with ethics act with personal code of principles, apply
moral standards and respect and consideration in every situation.

Information technology is the processing of data via computer, it is the use of

hardware and software technology to process and distribute information in digital and
other forms.Ethics in information technology refers to the code of conduct or
guidelines for people working in the IT industry or using IT infrastructure.

IT has modernized the living standards of mankind. In IT, professionalism plays a

major role in bringing the changes to an organization and to the humanity.
Technology can be used as a benefit or for destruction. Ethics play a major role in
determining the right use of technology. Nowadays, due to the rapid advancement in
technology there has been a widespread misuse of technology. With the rise of
Internet there has been unethical and unprofessional behaviour which have led to
severe problems such as computer viruses, Spamming and hacking.
In IT education, ethics should be taught and allowed to be practiced in all schools
and institutions. Students must be made aware of the consequences which result
due to unethical behaviour. It is in the early stage that these values should be
inculcated within them which will lead a long way later in life. There has been an
increase in cyber crimes due to the misuse of Internet. Many a time, students are
unaware of ethics and professional behaviour. Professionalism must be strictly
followed in schools and institutions and should be practised at an earlier stage. In
universities, plagiarism is unethical. Copying others ideas and work, without proper
acknowledgement to the original author it is unfair and severe action is observed and
implemented.
Similarly, Firms have an obligation to establish an ethical culture for their employees
to follow that is supported by a corporate credo and ethics programs. Computer
ethics are important because society has certain perceptions, and fears, related to
computer use.
ROLE OF ETHICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
In the era of the Information Technology, IT has become one the life changing matter
in medicine, transportation, banking sector, government sector, security, research
sector and so on. Similarly it has affected both direction in right and wrong in aspect
of community life, education, freedom, relationship, age, law and so on.
As a part of IT, Internet has made big impact in revolution of global communication.
Internet has opened the door for people to share lots of things such as find and
share views in internet, find much information in web. It has given the facility for
online shopping, online grocery where everything can be found, all we have to do is
add in basket and pay after finishing shopping. Now a day's most of the bank has
given online facilities so that one can manage their daily transaction by sitting in a
room. Due to this reason it has gone so far that it has created conflict in different
cultural. From last couples of year's e-dating has emerged so drastically in western
country, people with fake name and address are dating online. So many of the
Muslim country has banded the e-dating side. Pornography in the western and some
of the eastern country has become the business means but some the eastern
country still don't allow any pornography websites in their country. So in Western
country there is no violation done by the e-dating and pornography as long as it in
law but in the Eastern country it is unacceptable and unethical.
ETHICS AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY:
As a responsibility of the social network, it is our duty to act ethical towards the
workplace and everyone knows that what right from wrong. There may be many
people (users) to act unethically and there is no one to stop these acts from them.
There are many companies who kept track the employees report, personal mail or
work mail, or the uses of internet as its policy or to secure any important files that
may not be leak outside or to stop doing and side job or personal business using
company computer system. This is done by the company to shirk any employees
from any legal charge that may not be legal of their company, though there may be
big issue against the privacy. So to overcome such issue all company have their own
law and policies against the unethical behaviour in the workplace. So each company
having any electronic tracing have to formed staff so that there may be balance in
company ethical and privacy issue.
As on the privacy, some people collect some private information such as the name of
person address, contact address, email address, card details and so on sell this
information to other company or some people. As increasing use of social
networking such as facebook, hi5, twitter this personal information have become
handy to anyone. So the identity theft and credit card theft have been happening
using these social networking. So to overcome such things this company are giving
the some option to increases the privacy.
Business persons in general and information specialists in particular, have definite
responsibilities in terms of performing within ethical, moral and legal constraints.
COMPUTER ETHICS:
The computer and the Internet is probably the greatest tool that people rely on in the
modern world today. However, they are the most unrestricted form of technology.
Identity theft, stealing, fraud, and plagiarizing can now be done electronically and
anonymously. There are people in the world that intend to hurt others through the
computer. As such, it is important to understand a code of ethics to prevent harming
yourself and others, but to also develop methods to protect yourself.

CODE OF ETHICS
Many firms have devised their own corporate code of ethics that may be
adaptations of codes for a particular industry or profession. It is always important that
when operating a computer that one does not harm other people. Unethical
decisions in the use of the computer are as varying and harmful as acts committed
directly against other people. The internet is very vast, and it does contain
information and data, but it also provides dangers. There are as many dangerous
activities through the internet as outside the computer and then some. Viruses,
hacking, committing fraud, plagiarizing can all be done through a computer.
Therefore, a code of honor should be established for anyone wishing to use the
computer.
STEPS TO ACHIEVE AN ETHICAL COMPUTER OPERATION:
1. Formulate a code of conduct.
2. Establish rules of procedure relating to such issues as personal use of
computer services and proprietary rights to computer programs and data.
3. Make clear the sanctions that will be taken against offenders-such as
reprimands, termination, and civil action.
4. Recognize ethical behavior.
5. Focus attention on ethics by means of such programs as training sessions
and required reading.
6. Promote computer crime laws by keeping employees informed.
7. Keep a formal record that establishes accountability of each information
specialist for her or his actions, and also minimizes the temptations for
violations by means of such programs as ethics audits.
8. Encourage the use of rehabilitation programs that treat ethics violators in the
same way that corporations show concern for the recovery of alcoholics or
drug offenders.
9. Encourage participation in professional societies.
10. Set an example.

IMPORTANCE:
Computer ethics are increasingly becoming important because of the rising number
of cyber crime issues, including software piracy, unauthorized access, pornography,
spamming, target marketing, and hacking. The widespread popularity and use of the
Internet has given rise to a number of cybercrime issues and concerns about user
privacy. Various computing applications are tampered with to invade into other’s
privacy. Computer ethics consists of two main activities:
– the analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology; and
– formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such technology.

Responsibilities of CIO:
1. be alert to the effects that the computer is having on society; and
2. Formulate policies to ensure that the technology is used throughout the firm in the
right way.

Ethical Dilemma in the Use of Information Technology:

The use and spread of information technologies has been revolutionized and aided
with the emergence and development of computer technologies. Electronic networks
have allowed exchange of information but it has also come with new challenges.
Rights and responsibilities in the way available information is used have given rise to
some ethical dilemmas. Ethical dilemmas greatly affect businesses and especially
small businesses that may not have big capital outlays and expertise to deal with
ethical dilemmas in the utilization of technologies.
Computer Crime
Computer crimes are illegal activities performed using a computer and they include
theft, financial fraud, embezzlement, online harassment, virus infection and
sabotage. Computer crimes affect all businesses that rely on the Internet to operate.
A research report in 2000 by the FBI showed that out of all the business
respondents, 85 percent had been victims of computer crime Small businesses
suffer more crimes because they cannot afford to implement security measures to
stop the crimes, unlike the big companies. Small businesses are also reluctant to put
in security measures because they believe that hackers will mainly target big
companies.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is the creation of a business and includes the name, designs,
inventions, images and symbols that a company uses. The success of a business
largely depends on its assets. Information technology has enabled other businesses
or companies to imitate or copy ideas from others and use it as their own. Some of
these innovations are from the small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), but their
efforts may not be fully utilized and they don't gain any financial benefits. This is
because their inventions are unprotected and are normally taken by big companies
who can afford to quickly commercialize the service or product. To avoid this, the
SMEs should patent their innovations, thus, preventing competitors from imitating or
copying their products.
Software Piracy
Piracy is the illegal copying of software, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Software
piracy violates copyright agreements. There may be arguments that individual piracy
may not be unethical as it leads to computer literacy and may even lead to future
purchase of the software. However, the dilemma may come in when piracy is done
on a large scale, as this will lead to serious losses for software manufacturers,
especially those who are small-scale producers. Big companies like Microsoft can
hardly feel the loss as they have a way to protect their software but small-scale
businesses would greatly be affected as they are likely to incur big losses, which
might eventually lead to the closure of the business. Small business firms' incentive
to continue creating new software is also reduced as they fear their works would be
pirated.
Job Displacement
The use of information technology might require less deployment of man power and
this has created ethical dilemmas by forcing some companies to reduce their
workforce. Other companies give their employees more roles than required, thus,
increasing work pressure. Forcing employees out of their jobs or giving them more
work without added benefits is unethical. Those who have lost their jobs should be
compensated, but this is difficult for most small-scale businesses because they lack
sufficient resources and funds to do so.

ACHIEVING ETHICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Ethics in IT aims at the construction of tools that can be applied in systems
development and use for the consideration of significant ethical aspects. The
application of suitable ethical tools is a prerequisite to consider significant aspects in
all phases of computer systems development, implementation and use. Ethical tools
are necessary not only to construct a system that avoids conflicts with significant
moral principles but mainly to build a successful system that will play a 
significant role in satisfying the most important values of users and stakeholders.
• Companies can get assistance in the form of ethics codes and ethics educational programs
to provide the foundation for their culture.
• The ethics codes can be used as is or tailored to the firm.
• Educational programs can assist in developing a corporate credo and in putting ethics
programs in place.

CONCLUSION
Information Technology is one of the diverse field than imagine and is related to the
ethics in various ways. Most of the people are unknown how they have abuse of
Ethical benchmark in information technology. So rather than taking about the ethics,
people should get aware to do something ethical. There are many concerns for the
use of the computers. There are many harms that are created by others and there
are harms created by the operator. Fortunately, there are methods developing to
defend against harmful viruses, internet theft, and plagiarizing. The key for the
prosperity of the computer is that each owner of the computer exhibits proper
behavior, and anyone can turn to the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics as a
guide. The code of ethics provide guidance by establishing a set of rules and
standards for the use of IT and for the behaviour to adopt when working in the IT
environment or when using IT infrastructure. There are different from the law but
there are made in accordance with the law. Hence, we can conclude that the ethical
standards can improve among MIS professionals when top management makes it
clear that ethical behaviour will be rewarded and unethical behavior will be punished.
If top management does not support ethical conduct, it becomes less likely that
subordinates will behave ethically. 

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