Posted: February 9th, 2023

ETHICS IN IT

ETHICS IN IT
Some of the takeaways from learning ethics of information technologies are; just because you have the ability to do something, it doesn’t mean you should do it. For example if a friend lends you their computer to use it, you should not go through their files just because you can access them and because no one is watching you. If you do it, you are being unethical. Also, just because a piece of information is available to you, it does not mean that you should use it for instance, when you find someone’s work on the internet, you should not copy paste it and present it as your own work. That would be violation of the owner’s rights.
After learning ethics, this is my understanding of ethical issues; that ethical issues can arise at any time and to anybody, even those people with a mindset that is integrity-rich. What matters is how you handle the situation, how you make an ethical decision. Virtues and principles are important normative considerations when making an ethical decision. Making an ethical decision requires an understanding of what is right and what is wrong. The consequences that may arise from making an unethical decision might not obviously occur to the person making those decisions. Ethical decisions often go beyond minor work infractions and reflect an individual’s virtues and principles.
After understanding the ethics of information technology, there are things that I will do differently. For example, I will not use my siblings’ computers without their consent just because I know their passcodes. If I have an assignment that needs research, I will cite the original writers in my work because it is not my original work. I will not download books and songs online illegally just because they are readily available on the internet because by so doing, I will be infringing their rights. This is how learning of ethics has influenced my career; as an expert in computer sciences and information technology, I will have the capabilities and expertise to do anything but it is up to me to decide which is ethical, and what is unethical. For example in my job I could have access to all the employees’ and even employer’s emails but I should net read them if I am ethical. Another thing is if I learnt trade secrets of a company I work with, it would be unethical to share the secrets with the company that I work with next.
There are many ethical issues associated with information technology. A lot of them are assumed and not viewed like they are problematic at all. Examples of ethical issues related to IT include; security, with internet, hackers can easily get into a system illegally as long as it is connected with the internet. Another issue is privacy, everyone can access anyone’s data on social media platforms. Copyright infringement is another ethical issue, a lot of original work such as books, and songs are being downloaded illegally through the internet. The least obvious IT ethical issue is the amount of pressure being put on IT experts by organizations. Some are being overworked because an issue with an operation may occur at any time of the day, which is why IT teams are needed 24/7. Studying ethics of information technology has helped and broadened my understanding of what is ethically right and what is wrong.