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