Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Computer and Web Ethics
The term "computer ethics," as coined by Walter Maner in the 1970s, refers to a field of study that examines "ethical problems aggravated, transformed, or created by computer technology" (Maner, 1980). Maner suggested that persons engaged in computer-related actions should apply traditional ethical frameworks, such as Kantianism and Utilitarianism, to govern their decision-making. While Immanuel Kant's virtue ethics are rooted in respect for all people and an inherent respect for virtuous character traits -- such as kindness, honesty, patience and humility -- Utilitarianism judges the morality of an action according to "the greatest good for the greatest number" rule (Stanford Encyclopedia, 2011).
Similar to Maner's definition, Deborah Johnson, author of Computer Ethics (1985), defined computer ethics as a study of how computers "pose new versions of standard moral problems and moral dilemmas, exacerbating the old problems, and forcing us to apply ordinary moral norms to uncharted realms" (Johnson, 1985). At around this same time, James H. Moor, in his highly esteemed article entitled "What is Computer Ethics?" defined it as "the analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology and the corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such technology," (Moor, 1985). Said Moor on the key conundrum...
Computers provide us with new capabilities and these in turn give us new choices for action. Often, either no policies for conduct in these situations exist or existing policies seem inadequate. A central task of computer ethics is to determine what we should do in such cases, that is, formulate policies to guide our actions. (Moor, 1985)
Citing the computer as the closest thing we have to a universal tool, the only limits of which are the limits our imagination and our ability to create, Moor suggested that the vast implications of computer ethics evolved as computer technology evolved from mere "introduction" to cultural "permeation" (Moor, 1985). While the introduction stage of computer technology began in the 1940s and continued through the late 1980s, the permeation stage began in the 1990s with the personal computer (PC), now a staple in nearly every home and place of business in the United States and the profitably countries of Europe and Asia.
Responding to Moor's assertion of the need for clearly defined policies and codes of conduct for computer-related actions, Donald Gotterbarn co-authored the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct in 1992, and later co-developed the ACM/IEEE Software…
References
Bynum, T. (2006). "Flourishing Ethics," Ethics and Information Technology, 8(4), 157-173.
Gotterbarn, D. (2001). "Informatics and Professional Responsibility," Science and Engineering Ethics, 7(2), 221-30.
Johnson, D. (1985). Computer Ethics, First Edition, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall; Second Edition, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1994; Third Edition Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2001.
Maner, W. (1980). Starter Kit in Computer Ethics, Hyde Park, NY: Helvetia Press and the National Information and Resource Center for Teaching Philosophy.
Immanuel Kant. (2010). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 21, 2011 from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/
The History of Utilitarianism. (2009). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 21, 2011 from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/utilitarianism-history/
Ethics of Mobile Applications The modern mobile phone has taken a great leap in a very short span of time from its earliest versions, commonly termed then as cellular phones, which functioned only to make calls, send text messages and save contacts on the mobile device. Today, a mobile phone can be used for numerous purposes such as making calls or video calls, text or picture messaging, surfing the internet, acquiring
Ethics and the Internet As the computer has evolved in the modern world, so the potential for communication has also increased. The computer, and the development of the Internet, has meant that human society has become more connected than ever before and the barriers between nations and people around the globe have been broken down. While this is a positive development in many ways, the growth of the Internet has also
The public-key cryptography approach also creates a more efficient means of cryptographic security by ensuring RSA-compliant encryption and decryption throughout the secured network (Sarkar, Maitra, 2010). As a result the use of public-key cryptography hardens and makes more secure each connection and node on a network (Chevalier, Rusinowitch, 2010). C3. What will help you trust a public-key that belongs to an unfamiliar person or Web site, and why does it
Ethics in Cyberspace Summary of the Book- the Ethics of Cyberspace by Cees Hamelink Cees Hamelink is not new in the field of study of the principles relating to the communicating world and their association with civil liberties of mankind. Hamelink has accumulated his skills and views on all fields of communication and authored a book on the ways that most of the democratic society need to be resorted to in order
Computer Crime As computers and the Internet continue to grow in popularity and the world turns toward globalization, computer crime has quickly become a major concern for businesses, government agencies and individuals. Computer crimes affect millions of people and cost millions of dollars every day (Wasik, 1990). The victims of computer crimes range from individuals and schools to corporate businesses and government agencies. In this day and age, it seems as though
Ethics and Promoting Your Site Ethical Research Search Engine Optimization -- SEO techniques is the methodology of making a website and its content more relevant for search engines and eventually for the user community who search them through 'keywords' and 'phrases' for getting appropriate results. The entire process includes making strategies to enhance web pages so that they are able to gain a higher ranking in actual search engine results. The ideal