Page 294 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

eobf_E 7/5/06 3:01 PM Page 271

Ethics in Information Processing

Questions have arisen concerning computer graphics. material by consenting adults? In all the confusion one
For example, should graphical re-creations of incidents point should be made: Pornography degrades human
such as automobile accidents be allowed to be used in beings.
courtrooms? Is it right for an individual to electronically Feminists consider pornography to be demeaning to
reproduce and then alter an artistic image originally cre- women, contributing to their being seen as objects of
ated by someone else. It is apparent that there should be desire and control for men. Some religious leaders main-
clear rules and regulations concerning cyberspace (John- tain that pornography ought to be banned because it is
son, 2001). morally wrong. Meanwhile pornography continues to be
a huge force in the social and personal context (Albee,
INFORMATION-PROCESSING 1999).
ETHICS AND ETIQUETTE
Courtesy in information processing is often referred to as CODES OF ETHICS IN
Netiquette—or etiquette on the Internet. E-mail and chat INFORMATION PROCESSING
room etiquette is central to courtesy in cyberspace. In The following guidelines should be considered when
both situations people should follow the Golden Rule: developing codes of ethics for schools and businesses:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Regarding e-mail, one should respond promptly to e- 1. Identify prevailing social values before addressing
current issues in the school or workplace. Examples
mail messages; think twice before sending personal infor-
of ethical values important to society might include
mation and private letters on business systems; not send
trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, empathy,
flame mail (mail written in anger); not send duplicate
fairness, and citizenship.
copies of private e-mail without letting the recipient know
who else is getting it; and not send unsolicited mail, such 2. In composing the code of ethics, give examples of
as pyramid schemes, chain letters, and junk mail. behaviors that reflect each value.
Schools and employers should establish e-mail poli- 3. Have key members of the organization review the
cies, present them in writing, and have training sessions code and provide input.
for all involved. Lack of an e-mail policy creates legal risks.
4. Review any rules or values incorporated into the
Often, the company is responsible for the e-mail of its
code to assure that they adhere to relevant laws and
employees. Additionally, e-mail is not a secure medium. regulations; this ensures that the school or organiza-
Many company policy statements say that e-mail is owned tion is not breaking any of them.
or co-owned by the company and that the company has a
right to inspect it. The federal Electronic Communication 5. Indicate that all employees are expected to conform
Privacy Act of 1986 prohibits the interception of any wire, to the values stated in the code of ethics.
oral, or electronic communication, but there is a business 6. Announce and distribute the new code of ethics to
exception to the law that allows employers to intercept all involved.
such communications that are deemed work-related.
7. Update the code at least once a year.
Chat room etiquette involves communicating with
others over the Internet. The same etiquette used in per- Examples of topics typically addressed in codes of
sonal conversation should be observed here. Anonymity ethics include: dressing appropriately; avoiding illegal
does not excuse bad behavior. drugs; following the instructions of superiors; being
reliable and prompt; maintaining confidentiality; not
accepting personal gifts from stakeholders; avoiding dis-
INFORMATION-PROCESSING
crimination based on race, gender, age or sexual orienta-
ETHICS AND PORNOGRAPHY
tion; avoiding conflicts of interest; complying with laws
Computer pornography means depiction of actual sexual
and regulations; not using the organization’s property for
contact (hard-core) and depiction of nudity or lewd exhi-
personal use; and reporting illegal or questionable activity
bition (soft-core). The courts and numerous U.S. statutes
(McNamara, 1998).
concur with the distinction between hard-core and soft-
core pornography. Not all pornography meets the legal
test for obscenity, however, nor are all depictions of sexual TEACHING INFORMATION
activity deemed pornographic (Albee, 1999). Pornogra- PROCESSING ETHICS
phy and obscenity certainly raise a few moral questions: In direct and indirect ways people begin to learn ethical
Are pornographic materials morally objectionable or not? values from birth. While the family and religious institu-
Is it right for the state to regulate access to pornographic tions are assigned the primary responsibility for ethical

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION 271