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INFO135: Management Information SystemsINFO135: Management Information Systems
Chapter 5:Chapter 5:
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE
INFORMATION AGE INFORMATION AGE
Part 2Part 2
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Moral Dimensions of IS: 1. Moral Dimensions of IS: 1. Information RightsInformation Rights
PRIVACY: The claim of individuals to be left alone, free from PRIVACY: The claim of individuals to be left alone, free from surveillance or interference from other individuals, surveillance or interference from other individuals, organizations, or government.organizations, or government.
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Internet Challenges to PrivacyInternet Challenges to Privacy
Data TransmissionData Transmission Data passes through many servers – might be interceptedData passes through many servers – might be intercepted
CookiesCookies A file on a user’s hard drive that identifies user’s browser A file on a user’s hard drive that identifies user’s browser
and sites visitedand sites visited
SpammingSpamming Sending unsolicited e-mailSending unsolicited e-mail
PopupsPopups Similar to spammingSimilar to spamming
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1. Information Rights (continued)1. Information Rights (continued)
Fair information practices (FIP):Fair information practices (FIP):1.1. No secret personal recordsNo secret personal records2.2. Individuals can access, amend information about themIndividuals can access, amend information about them3.3. No use of personal information for other uses without No use of personal information for other uses without
prior consentprior consent4.4. Managers accountable & liable for damage done by Managers accountable & liable for damage done by
systemssystems5.5. Governments can interveneGovernments can intervene
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Moral Dimensions of IS: Moral Dimensions of IS: 2. Intellectual Property Rights2. Intellectual Property Rights
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: intangible INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: intangible property created by individuals or property created by individuals or organizations, protected under trade organizations, protected under trade secret, copyright and patent lawsecret, copyright and patent law
IdeasIdeas MusicMusic MoviesMovies
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2. Intellectual Property (IP) (continued)2. Intellectual Property (IP) (continued)
TRADE SECRET: TRADE SECRET: Intellectual work or product used for a Intellectual work or product used for a
business purpose, not based on information in business purpose, not based on information in public domainpublic domain
Employees asked to sign nondisclosure Employees asked to sign nondisclosure agreementsagreements
May include software with unique elements May include software with unique elements (continued . . .)(continued . . .)
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2. Intellectual Property (IP) 2. Intellectual Property (IP) (continued)(continued)
COPYRIGHT: COPYRIGHT: Statutory grant that protects creators of intellectual Statutory grant that protects creators of intellectual
property against copying by others for at least 50 yearsproperty against copying by others for at least 50 years Copyright Office registers and enforces lawCopyright Office registers and enforces law Protects books, periodicals, lectures, dramas, musical Protects books, periodicals, lectures, dramas, musical
compositions, maps, drawings, artwork, motion compositions, maps, drawings, artwork, motion picturespictures
Protects software as a “literary work”Protects software as a “literary work”
(continued . . .)(continued . . .)
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2. Intellectual Property (IP) (continued)2. Intellectual Property (IP) (continued)
PATENTS: PATENTS: A legal document that grants the owner an A legal document that grants the owner an
exclusive monopoly on ideas behind an invention exclusive monopoly on ideas behind an invention for 17-20 yearsfor 17-20 years
Ensure inventors of new machines, devices and Ensure inventors of new machines, devices and methods receive financial and other rewardsmethods receive financial and other rewards
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Challenges to IP RightsChallenges to IP Rights
Easy to:Easy to: ReplicateReplicate TransmitTransmit AlterAlter StealSteal
And difficult to:And difficult to: TraceTrace Establish Establish
uniquenessuniqueness
DIGITAL MEDIA IS
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Moral Dimensions of IS: Moral Dimensions of IS: 3. Accountability, Liability & Control3. Accountability, Liability & Control
ETHICAL ISSUES: ETHICAL ISSUES: Who is morally responsible for consequences of the use of Who is morally responsible for consequences of the use of
Information Technologies?Information Technologies? What liability should be assumed by user? Provider? What liability should be assumed by user? Provider?
SOCIAL ISSUES: SOCIAL ISSUES: What should society expect and allow?What should society expect and allow?
POLITICAL ISSUES: POLITICAL ISSUES: To what extent should government intervene, protect?To what extent should government intervene, protect?
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Moral Dimensions of IS: Moral Dimensions of IS: 4. System Quality4. System Quality
ETHICAL ISSUES: When is software or service ready for ETHICAL ISSUES: When is software or service ready for release?release?
SOCIAL ISSUES: Can people trust quality of software, services, SOCIAL ISSUES: Can people trust quality of software, services, data?data?
POLITICAL ISSUES: Should industry associations develop POLITICAL ISSUES: Should industry associations develop standards for software, hardware, data quality? standards for software, hardware, data quality?
What is an acceptable, technologically feasible level of system quality?
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Moral Dimensions of IS: Moral Dimensions of IS: 5. Quality of Life5. Quality of Life
Balancing Power Centre vs. PeripheryBalancing Power Centre vs. Periphery Rapidity of ChangeRapidity of Change Maintaining Boundaries :Family, work, and leisureMaintaining Boundaries :Family, work, and leisure Dependence and vulnerabilityDependence and vulnerability Computer crime & abuse Computer crime & abuse
Social Consequences of Information Systems
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Computer Crime & AbuseComputer Crime & Abuse
Computer Crime & AbuseComputer Crime & Abuse Crime : Illegal acts through use of computer system or Crime : Illegal acts through use of computer system or
against a computer systemagainst a computer system Abuse: Acts involving a computer that may not be illegal, Abuse: Acts involving a computer that may not be illegal,
but are unethicalbut are unethical Hackers/crackersHackers/crackers Jamming, sniffing, spoofingJamming, sniffing, spoofing Malicious softwareMalicious software
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Challenges to Quality of LifeChallenges to Quality of Life
Employment Employment Trickle-down technology & re-engineering job lossTrickle-down technology & re-engineering job loss
Equity and AccessEquity and Access Increasing racial and social class cleavagesIncreasing racial and social class cleavages
Health RisksHealth Risks RSI, CVS, and TechnostressRSI, CVS, and Technostress
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Management Action: A Corporate Code Management Action: A Corporate Code of Ethicsof Ethics
An IS-specific set of ethical standards for each of the five An IS-specific set of ethical standards for each of the five moral dimensionsmoral dimensions
Information rights (e.g. workplace monitoring, email privacy, Information rights (e.g. workplace monitoring, email privacy, customer info policy)customer info policy)
Property Rights (e.g. software licenses)Property Rights (e.g. software licenses) Accountability & Control (e.g. specify individual who is Accountability & Control (e.g. specify individual who is
responsible for aspects of i.s.)responsible for aspects of i.s.) Systems quality (e.g. levels of data and system quality allowed)Systems quality (e.g. levels of data and system quality allowed) Quality of life (e.g. specify that systems should improve quality Quality of life (e.g. specify that systems should improve quality
of life of stakeholders)of life of stakeholders)