11 Ethical and Social Issues in Information Systems Flashcards
What is the meaning of Responsibility?
Accepting the potential costs, duties and obligations for the decisions we make.
What is the meaning of Accountability?
Systems and social institutions in place to determine who took responsible action and who is responsible.
What is the meaning of Liability?
A body of laws to permit individuals to recover the damages done to them by other actors, systems or organisations.
What is the meaning of Due Process?
Process in which laws are known and understood, and there is an ability to appeal to higher authorities to ensure that laws are applied correctly.
What is the meaning of Trade Secrets?
Any intellectual work product—a formula, device, pattern, or
compilation of data—used for a business purpose.
What is the meaning of Patents?
Grants the owner an exclusive monopoly on the ideas behind an
invention for 20 years.
What is the meaning of Copyright?
A statutory grant that protects creators of intellectual property (e.g. idea, artistic work) from having their work copied by others for any purpose during the life of the author plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death (U.S.).
If software fails, who is responsible?
• If seen as part of a machine that injures or harms, software producer and operator may be liable
• If seen as similar to book, difficult to hold author/publisher responsible
• If seen as a service, would this be similar to telephone systems not
being liable for transmitted messages?
What are three principal sources of poor system performance?
- Software bugs, errors
- Hardware or facility failures
- Poor input data quality (most common source of business system failure)
What is an acceptable, technologically feasible level of system quality?
• Flawless software is economically unfeasible.
What are ethics?
The set of principles and standards that we use to make choices that
guide our behaviour.
What are some ethical issues affected by technology advances?
- Intellectual property
- Copyright
- Fair use doctrine
- Pirated software
- Counterfeit software
What is intellectual property?
Set of rights that protect creativity.
What is Copyright?
The right to do, or omit to do, certain acts with intangible property
What is Fair use doctrine?
Defines when is legal to use copyrighted material.
What is Pirated software?
Unauthorised use, duplication, distribution or sale of copyrighted software
What is Counterfeit software?
Fake software – similar to original product.
What are the steps in an ethical analysis?
- Identify and describe the facts clearly
- Define the conflict or dilemma and identify the higher order values involved
- Identify the stakeholders
- Identify the options that you can reasonably take
- Identify the potential consequences of your options
What is the “Golden Rule” ethical principle?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
E.g. Committing revenge porn (-).
What is “Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative” ethical principle?
If an action is not right for everyone to take, it is not right for anyone
What are some ethical principles?
- Golden Rule
- Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative
- Descartes’ rule of change
- Utilitarian principle
- Risk aversion principle
- “No Free Lunch” rule.
What is “Descartes’ rule of change” ethical principle?
If an action cannot be taken repeatedly, it is not right to take at all.
E.g. Monitoring online activities of employees (-)
What is the “Utilitarian” ethical principle?
Take the action that achieves the higher or greater value.
E.g. Accessing private email to investigate a homicide (+)
What is the “Risk aversion” ethical principle?
Take the action that produces the least harm or the least potential cost.
E.g. Giving employees access to the Internet (+)
