Information Technology Ethics - Term Paper Example

? Information Technology Ethics Information Technology Ethics Information technology presents a plethora of opportunities and challenges. The world today is reaping the benefits of information technology, specifically that of internet technology. These benefits though are not without the caveats that go with it. With the onset of cyberspace comes the emergence of a new wave of crime, better known as “cyber crimes”. There are a multitude of types of cyber crimes, some of which will be discussed in this report. Cyber crimes are here to stay. As Price stated, “As the number of computer owners connected to the internet increases, so too does the opportunity for cyber crime” (Price, 2010). Chantler in his review of the book, “The Reality of the Threat” by Nigel Phair (2007) cited Phair’s description of the different cyber crimes (Chantler, 2007). Phair noted (as cited by Chantler 2007) that cyber crimes can be broadly divided into seven groups namely: 1) unwanted software; 2) identity crime; 3) phishing; 4) critical infrastructure protection; 5) intellectual property; 6) communications; and 7) terrorism (Chantler, 2007). Hacking activities, spyware, adware, cookies, Trojans, spams and viruses fall under unwanted software. Unwanted software may be found either outside or within the organization. The second and third types of cyber crime, identity crime and phishing, deal with proof of identity, authentication of internet users and the tools used to get information. Chantler goes on further to cite Phair’s description of the other divisions of cyber crimes (2007). Critical infrastructure protection crimes are the crimes which involve the destruction of the information structures such as telecommunications and computer networks. On the other hand, crimes on intellectual property are concerned with software piracy. Cyber crime on communications is another form of cyber crime which gets much attention from organizations. These type of crimes include risks and threats on “wireless devices, VoIP (voice-over-internet protocol) - such as Skype and Google-talk, third generation phone systems, issues with caller ID, clipping, v-bombing, sim boxing, internet dumping, PABX hacking, phoneline scanning, voicemail, cloning, Bluetooth, RFID” and issues on privacy (Chantler, 2007). Like any other group of society, terrorists have also resorted to digital technology in carrying out their activities. They use cyber space to commit crimes such as information warfare and distributed denial of service attacks (ddos) (Chantler, 2007). One of the most common crimes which Chantler failed to mention is cyber bullying. Over the years, there has been a proliferation of cyber bullying crimes worldwide. Cyber bullying is “bullying through email, instant messaging (IMing), chat room exchanges, Web site posts, or digital messages or images send to a cellular phone or personal digital assistant (PDA)” (Hazelden Foundation, n.d.). Cyber bullying involves online harassment which has become more severe through the years sometimes even the cause of some suicides among teenagers. Electronic Monitoring of Employees One of the offshoots of the advancement in information technology is the growth in the extent of workplace monitoring in several companies. Software such as Websense, SurfControl, SmartFilter and Xora have sprung up as corporations saw the need to monitor employees in the workplace. These software make it easy for management to monitor the computer, internet or email use of the employees. A software like Xora can even go as far as monitoring an employee’s whereabouts through GPS technology on their company’s mobile phones (Dell & Cullen, 2006). According to sellers of Web and email monitoring software, employee productivity, corporate liability and bandwidth limitations are the major reasons why workplace monitoring is implemented by corporations (Lemos, 2001). In a study by the American Management Association and the ePolicy Institute, it was revealed that 76% of employers monitor their employees while they surf the net while 36% track content, keystrokes and time spent at the keyboard and another 38% of employers hire staff to look through emails of their employees (Dell & Cullen, 2006). Employers do not stop at monitoring; they use the information from these software as evidence for firing employees. A study by The Forrester Research and Proofpoint disclosed that there have been workers who were fired for divulging information through emails “that posed legal, financial, regulatory or p.r. risks” (Dell & Cullen, 2006). What is more alarming for an employee is the fact that workplace monitoring is rapidly growing. Andrew Schulman, the Chief Researcher for the Privacy Foundation’s Workplace Surveillance Project stated that the number of employees being monitored have grown by almost 50 percent annually during the past years (Kirby, 2001). The question that confronts every organization now is how far it should go on employee monitoring. What is legal and ethical with regards to workplace monitoring? This is a dilemma that most companies are confronted at present. From an employer’s standpoint, it is crucia to monitor the employee because it could cut down on wasted time at work; thus, reducing lost productivity (Kirby, 2001). This rationale is valid provided that the employees are informed and a legitimate reason for monitoring is given by management. Some of the compelling reasons that may be cited by management include customer and employee safety, to safeguard trade secrets and confidential data and for protection against workplace liability. What is essential is to be able to balance the company’s need for protection with the employee’s desire for privacy (Thomas, 2005). On the employees’ viewpoint, employee monitoring is an invasion to their privacy. Employees claim that they have the right to personally-addressed mail, right to telephone conversations and email/voice mails and the right to take a break from their workloads by surfing the Web. De Marco stated monitoring employees is based on the wrong notion of management that productivity is measured by the number of hours worked rather than based on the resulting output and quality of the product (The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC, 2002). Employee monitoring is not good or bad per se. What management must do is to weigh the pros and cons of the monitoring method which they want to implement. The company must ensure that the employees’ right to privacy will not be violated and that the monitoring is within the bounds of the law. Ethical and legal considerations are guidelines that must be taken into account. To sum up, a quote from Mujtaba about employee monitoring states, “As with most ethical issues, the governing concern should be mutual respect and mutual accountability” (Mujtaba, n.d.). As information technology becomes part of everyone’s life, the more organizations and institutions should be concerned with the ethical issues that surround it. While some corporations tend to bask in the convenience that information technology brings, it is essential that they be made aware of the implications it has on several ethical considerations. It is vital that companies lay down the groundwork of the guiding principles on issues involving information technology ethics, which should be tantamount to whatever benefits gained from the use of the technology. References Chantler, N. (2007). Book review of cybercrime – "The reeality of the threat". International Journal of Cyber Criminology , 1 (2), 249-251. Dell, K., & Cullen, L. T. (2006, September 3). Snooping bosses. Time Magazine . Hazelden Foundation. (n.d.). What is cyber bullying? . Retrieved January 18, 2012, from olweus.org Web site: http://www.olweus.org/public/cyber_bullying.page Kirby, C. (2001, July 9). The boss may be spying - Net use easy to monitor. San Francisco Chronicle , pp. D-1. Lemos, R. (2001, July 10). Costs, caution spur monitoring of workers. Retrieved January 18, 2012, from cnet.com Web site: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-269679.html Mujtaba, B. G. (n.d.). Ethical implications of employee monitoring: What leaders should consider. Retrieved January 18, 2012, from huizenga.nova.edu: http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/jame/employeemonitoring.htm Price, C. (2010). Book Review of "Cybercrime: An Introduction To An Emerging Phenomenon". International Journal of Cyber Criminology , 4 (1 & 2), 713-714. The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC. (2002, September 29). Is the boss watching? Newsweek Magazine . Thomas, R. (2005, March 18). Issues to consider when implementing an employee monitoring program. Retrieved January 18, 2012, from techrepublic.com Web site: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/issues-to-consider-when-implementing-an- employee-monitoring-program/5615878 Read More