Chapter: Ethical Considerations for the Information Professions

Quote:

Information ethics, much like the technologies that continue to contribute to its complexity, will thrive and present new challenges of all of us. Ethics will continue to be put through new tests as technologies race ahead of many social and cultural conventions and norms.

What I expect to learn:

To be aware of those mentioned considerations

Review:                    

Having information systems or information technology as a profession is not easy because technology grows and becomes more and more advanced every single day which makes it often times tough to follow.

Just yesterday I stopped at this restaurant and bought something for dinner and as I was waiting for my take out, I realized that I was buying food in the same place for the last five years but still, it is the same. Same set of food, same interior design, same chairs and tables, same menu. Nothing changed. But then, I started noticing the people within the restaurant. MY attention got first pulled to this rich old guy who I know a solid fan of this restaurant as well because I’ve been seeing him here since last year and he changed, not much, but he did. Back then, he just wore shorts and polo shirt with a baseball cap – very casual – and waits for his order patiently near the door but now, he always have his iPhone with him since the dreaded iPhone launch in Hong Kong and he never did stop his fingers from pressing the screen every time he waits. I always noticed him being rich and all but I never saw him that attached to a gadget before and plus, he is a friend of my dad so I do know him outside the restaurant. My dad often tells me that technology changes people’s lives and I always nod and say, “it will continue to do so” because one thing I am sure of is that technology grows so fast and it continues to change how we live.

What I learned:

·         Philosophical foundations

·         Major issues

o    Flagrant quantitative imbalance

o    Inequality in information resources

o    De facto hegemony

o    Lack of information in developing countries

o    Survival of the colonial era

o    An alienating influence in the economic, social and cultural shpres

·         Code of ethics

o    Issue definition and evaluation

o    Action/Inaction Evaluation and implementation

Integrative Questions:            

1.    What are the ethical considerations for the information profession?

2.    Explain the flagrant quantitative imbalance.

3.    Explain the De facto hegemony.

4.    Explain the survival of the colonial era as an issue.

5.    What are the two phases in code of ethics? Explain each.