Post on 21-Dec-2015
Professional Context of ICTINFO3020
Social & Cultural Aspects
Social & cultural impacts
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns
Nature of work in Cyberspace
Nature of business in Cyberspace
Conclusion
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns What is happening to the character and
quality of our lives as a result of our widespread use of computers? Are they
Making our lives better? Enhancing or eroding our values? Impeding or facilitating democracy? Increasing safety or increasing risk? Enhancing or eroding autonomy?
Individuals
Many jobs are directly involved in the collection, processing, and evaluation of data.
Performance of many workers is monitored by computers.
As consumers, virtually our entire lives are recorded and analysed
Governments maintain massive files on all public aspects of our lives.
Dehumanisation
Many people find technology to be dehumanising
Many people feel that they should be recognised by their name, and not have to rely on a number for identification.
Companies can minimise problems by using numbers only for internal identification and rely on a combination of name and address or phone number when they deal with customers.
Loss of Jobs
During the last 100 years, technology has increased the number of jobs and raised the standard of living of most workers.
Since the introduction of computers in the 1950s, the world’s economies have grown and incomes have increased
Individual worker can lose jobs in the short run. In the long run, lower-skilled workers
experience greater difficulty in finding new jobs.
Loss of Jobs
Demand for specialists changes constantly. Jobs that are well defined and require little
innovation or thought can usually be performed easily by computers.
What managers can do toward this problem?
Technology offers many possibilities to provide jobs for workers with physical disabilities.
Most windows-based software contains features to facilitate usage by people with various physical challenges.
Websites still present accessibility problems, particularly for those with visual impairments.
Loss of Jobs
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns The Intelligent home (elderly & handicapped)
Help technologies – door openers, curtain movers, taped messages (the light is on, etc)
Alarms Communication technologies – handling files,
mail system, etc for home-nurses
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Problems
Data protection Intelligent homes store large amounts of personal
information Potential for surveillance and social control Fear the human care and contact will be reduced and
that technological solutions will take the place of human helpers
Conflict between provision of a safe environment for the person and respect for that person’s integrity
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Intelligent Agents
users able to delegate tasks issues of privacy and responsibility a software agent carries a great deal of
information on the user for whom it is acting security mechanisms should prevent a hostile
host “hi-jacking” a software agent or from gathering data from visiting agents.
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Ubiquitous Computing & Privacy of Location
proposes implantation of fixed infrastructures in buildings that allow mobile systems to communicate, whatever their location inside the building or whatever building they are in
raises issues of privacy - a person’s location can be identified easily without them even realising this
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Electronic badges and tags
Things can no longer be lost Independence of the “thing” has been eroded The “thing” has now become a “thing under
surveillance” Embedded Sensors (to gather state
information) and Actuators (to change the state)
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Embedded sensors
Example – trees – character of autonomous living significantly curtailed
Once the identity, location and state information has been disseminated through the Web the anonymity of the tree has been liquidated
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Tele-environments
Mapping an environment into a computational surrogate – video + sound + sensor information
Leads to creation of integrated functional views of any environment tele-manipulation through actuators
Separateness and uniqueness have been eroded
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Ubiquitous computing needs to become
invisible in order to achieve maximal ubiquity without interfering with the performance of activities
Consequence – we take for granted that things are under surveillance
Identity Cards
Useful way of preventing crime and reducing fear of crime
“Probable cause for arrest” if not carried for identification purposes
Constraints on individuals Ultimate icon of the citizen in society Without it a citizen would be unable to live,
work and seek help
Identity Cards
Problems Dangers in terms of privacy violations,
restriction in and surveillance of movement Issuing and updating processes difficult to
secure Difficult to control and monitor access to
information
Identity Cards
Concern among disadvantaged people - Slum landlords, corrupt employers demanding access
to the cards and PIN numbes as a condition of tenancy or employment
Technically and economically prudent to introduce a multi-function card
Social cost too great Voluntary/compulsory – irrelevant – citizens would be
expected to produce the card
Nature of work in Cyberspace
Computer-enabled working practices teleworking or telecommuting hot-desking hotelling virtual teams
Teleworking
Work that suits undertaken by individuals rather than teams requires minimal supervision be easily measurable not depend upon expensive or bulky
equipment
Teleworking
Activities professional and management specialists professional support workers field workers information technology specialists clerical support workers
Teleworking
Potential benefits gains in productivity might be achieved reductions in overhead costs might occur staff retention might improve the sources of available labour could increase service to customers might improve
Teleworking
Issues concerning employees job satisfaction commuting regulations the social structure of the organisation contribution made by remote workers
Teleworking
Some ethical issues teleworkers from economically poor areas teleworkers in remote locations permanency of jobs computer-enabled communication workplace electronic monitoring
Education and Training
The internet is increasingly being pushed as a means to expand the reach of higher education.
Some view the Internet as a relative panacea for our educational ills, while others see it as tool that will isolate and separate humanity, eventually tearing apart our links to past and future.
Education and Training
Stoll, in his book titled Slicon Snake Oil (1996), argued that "schools, libraries, and even businesses are being sold down the river, wasting money on ineffective and counterproductive computing systems." He stated that "the heavily promoted information infrastructure addresses few social needs or business concerns. At the same time, it directly threatens precious parts of our society, including schools, libraries, and social institutions
Education and Training
Crawford Killian (author of "On Surfing and Steering the Net") offered a contrastingly positive view on the Internet and description of teachers' use of it. "Rather than operating as individual pioneers, people are forming very tight-knit and responsive groups that can make life easier for everybody else (p. 14)."
Government
Government can be slow to adopt new technologies.
Government agencies have limited budgets, long procurement cycles, and requirements for special allocations to acquire new technology
Government tend to have smaller IS staffs, who receive less pay than their counterparts in private business
Government
Governments are affected by changes in technology.
Technology used by politicians campaigning for office.
Electronic voting systems to provide faster tallies of votes
Nature of business in cyberspace
Issues for the employer: Productivity
30/40% access from within the corporate workplace is not business related.
50% of people found time to visit adult sites from work 92% online traders trade from work 84% search for new jobs 54% visit chat rooms. Internet main cause of divorce in America today Psychiatric units are being set up for addicts
Nature of business in cyberspace
Investment protection Outlay = $100,000
30/40% non business-related usage 70% of people downloading MP3 music files
do so from work Legal exposure
Provides employees with quick and easy access to illegal activities
Legal e-pitfalls
Illegal material – pornography, etc Illegal software Harassment issues
Legal action can be taken by an employee against their employer if they are subject to exposure to objectionable material
Hacking tools Liability – who’s liable? Companies are liable for
employee’s actions, even if they are unaware of a breach.
Nature of business in Cyberspace
Electronic commerce increasing growth technological, commercial and political pull ethically charged application boomerang experience!
To trade virtually becomes essential
E-Banking
Advantages Services available regardless of space and
time Consistent representation of a bank Low cost form of advertisement worldwide Allows small banks to expand their business
geographically and broaden customer base Less need for establishing new branches
E. Banking
Disadvantages Reduction in bank staff – increased
unemployment Erosion of personal relationships between
banks and their customers Security threats and risks
E.banking
Security – should be addressed at 2 levels First level – ensuring the integrity and security of
messages exchanged – e.g. use of digital signatures and encryption
Second level – protection of the system itself against technical malfunction, computer misuse, inadequate design, improper implementation, etc
Measures to overcome security risks mainly grouped into 3 categories: Prevention measures Detection measures Containment measures
Ethical Issues in Internet Banking
Banking – traditionally based on high levels of bank secrecy and financial privacy for customers
E.banking raises issues regarding Risks to Privacy Potential for electronic surveillance Opportunities for profiling Anonymity – this can lead to:
Money laundering Tax evasion Financial fraud
Impacts of Internet banking
Changes in the global financial marketplace New companies now offering financial
services – e.g. Tesco’s, etc. These pose serious challenges to Central
banks’ largely monopolistic position Central banks now need to re-think monetary
policies in order to safeguard financial stability Need for new legal frameworks for consumer
protection
A View of the Future?
Forster depicts “an underground utopia where all needs and desires are fulfilled at the touch of a button. Each individual remains isolated in his cell, physically inactive, engaging only in intellectual activities. An elaborate global communications network using voice and picture permits remote communication with anyone in the world. No direct experience or communication is necessary or even desirable. Every event is tightly scheduled, controlled, predictable, efficiently accomplished”. E.M. Forster “The Machine Breaks Down”
Future Environments and Ethical Concerns Internet Ethics
The Internet will change society. We must be aware of the potential benefits and dangers and be prepared to challenge any antisocial activity.
Internet ethics are not optional, they must become a way of virtual life at work and in the home.
4 major ethical challenges
Privacy - Personal intimacy and private life Accuracy, veracity and objectivity of
information Intellectual property rights Regulation of and limitations to access