Cyberethics (Information System Ethics)

In order to examine ethical issues, it is first necessaryfirestorms of controversy in cyberspace is the simple
to define ethics. Today, we regard ethics as afact that so many people have access to the Web
"rational process founded on certain principles."sites. Simply put, if no one had access to online
However, I believe a definition that is more applicablepornography no one would care. With this another
to this project is the ethical theory that existed inissue "Censorship" comes which should be deal in
ancient Greece. There, ethics was the study of whatefficient way as it is not easy to implement. Ethical
was good for both the individual and society. We willissues can also be religious, moral or any other.These
look at some online issues and how they may betype of issues are not easy to deal with.Similarly, let
good and/or bad for society. Cyberethics is quiteus take China into consideration on the issue of
simply the study of ethics on the Internet."Censorship". China has implemented the methods of
"Ethics begins when elements within a moral systemcensoring the internet that are somewhat harder to
conflict."bypass for people generally unfamiliar with the way
Cyberethics is often called as Information Systeminternet works. There is ,for example internet
Ethics. Information System ethics can be defined ascensorship as implemented in China-using a list of
"The study of moral, legal, ethical issues involving thebanned words that are censored on the fly. As users
use of information and communication technologies"in china request a webpage , the incoming page is
There are many unique challenges we face in thisfirst inspected by government servers n blocked if a
age of information. They stem from the nature ofbanned term such as "Democracy" is present. Human
information itself. Information is the means throughcensors are also actively looking at what people
which the mind expands and increases its capacity tobrowse on the internet, and block websites as they
achieve its goals, often as the result of an input fromsee fit.Crimes on internet are also increasing in a
another mind. Thus, information forms the intellectualcontinuous manner.Computer crime is a general term
capital from which human beings craft their lives andthat embraces such crimes as phishing, credit card
secure dignity.However, the building of intellectualfrauds, bank robbery, Industrial espionage, child porn,
capital is vulnerable in many ways. For example,kidnapping children via chat rooms, scams, cyber
people's intellectual capital is impaired whenever theyterrorism, viruses, spam and so on. All such crimes
lose their personal information without beingare computer related and facilitated crimes. Many
compensated for it, when they are precluded accessrecent cases seen like Microsoft's website was
to information which is of value to them, when theybrought down for a little time resulting in a huge loss
have revealed information they hold intimate, orto Microsoft. Similarly, NUST, one of the best
when they find out that the information upon whichconsidered university in Pakistan got Hacked and
their living depends is in error. The social contractredirected to another domain. Credit card fraud have
among people in the information age must deal withgrown in an increasingly manner. Leakage of Military
these threats to human dignity. The ethical issuesinformation from internet is another internet crime.
involved are many and varied in Information SystemSoftware known as google earth, which shows
Ethics.Ethics is required in information Systems toinformation about different places including military
overcome the following ethical issues.Privacy: Whatland or can lead to robbery planning, is becoming an
information about one's self or one's associationsethical issue around the world. Many people protest
must a person reveal to others, under whatagainst this leakage of information but still one can't
conditions and with what safeguards? What thingsdeny that it is one of the major enhancements in
can people keep to themselves and not be forced toInformation Technology.The question about how to
reveal to others?Accuracy: Who is responsible for thepolice these crimes has already been constructed, but
authenticity, fidelity and accuracy of information?this task is turning out to be an uphill battle. Since the
Similarly, who is to be held accountable for errors infirst computer crime law, the Counterfeit Access
information and how is the injured party to be madeDevice and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984,
whole?Property: Who owns information? What arethe governments have been trying to track down
the just and fair prices for its exchange? Who ownsand stop online criminals. The FBI of different
the channels, especially the airways, through whichcountries have tried many programs and
information is transmitted? How should access to thisinvestigations in order to deter Internet crime, like
scarce resource be allocated?Accessibility: Whatcreating an online crime registry for employers .The
information does a person or an organization have areality is that Internet criminals are rarely caught. One
right or a privilege to obtain, under what conditionsreason is that hackers will use one computer in one
and with what safeguards?Information System ethicscountry to hack another computer in another
explores and evaluates:country. And that criminal isn't working alone. Loosely
- the development of moral values in the informationorganized groups--which security experts call "Web
field,gangs"--conduct much of the illegal activity online. The
- the creation of new power structures in thestructure of Web gangs may be patterned on that
information field, information myths,of traditional organized crime, in which the members
- hidden contradictions and intentionality's inof the group may never come into contact with one
information theories and practices,another and may never be aware of who they are
- the development of ethical conflicts in theworking for.Conclusion:
information field. etcNow let us take a look at privacyWe live in an exciting time in history. The
by the following examples. A few years ago, Floridawidespread availability of computers and Internet
lawmakers gave the go ahead to have monitorsconnections provides unprecedented opportunities to
stationed in bathrooms at Tallahassee Communitycommunicate and learn. Unfortunately, although most
College to determine if the facilities were beingpeople use the Internet as a powerful and beneficial
underutilized. Students and faculty vehementlytool for communication and education, some
protested that the monitors violated their privacy.individuals exploit the power of the Internet for
State officials said that the value of the informationcriminal or terrorist purposes.We can minimize the
gained through the study was more important thanharm that such individuals do by learning ourselves,
the threat to privacy. Other issues like collection ofand teaching young people, how to use the Internet
private data of the users using internet by monitoringsafely and responsibly. The term "cyberethics" refers
the traffic is strongly related to one's policy as thatto a code of safe and responsible behavior for the
information can be further used for illegal purposes.Internet community. Practicing good cyberethics
These types of privacy issues are needed to beinvolves understanding the risks of harmful and illegal
addressed properly so that they should not exploitbehavior online and learning how to protect ourselves,
one's freedom. One issue that I kept thinking aboutand other Internet users, from such behavior. It also
when I was constructing my Web page wasinvolves teaching young people, who may not realize
whether it was ethical to lift an image fromthe potential for harm to themselves and others,
someone's home page and use it on my Web pagehow to use the Internet safely and
without crediting the source. Such ethical issues comeresponsibly.Muhammad Bilal Azmat,
under property.One reason that topics such as onlineOperations Manager,
gambling and pornography have become suchKoolmobile.