Ethics In the Computer Age by: Nell Luter Floyd

A Matter of DegreeSurvey of Office Workers

Bad

• Sabotage systems/data of current employees

• Access private computer files without permission

• Use office equipment to shop on the Internet for personal reasons

A Matter of Degree Survey Continued

Not so Bad

• Play computer games during work hours

• Use office equipment to help your children/spouse do school work

• Use company e-mail for personal reasons

• Use office equipment for personal reasons

Company Policy

• Companies have different ways of looking at computer and Internet use

• Some Companies have no written policy and allow employees to police it.

• While others monitor all e-mail transmissions and Internet usage.

Serious Infractions can be grounds for firing.

• Unauthorized use of long distance telephone and facsimile transmissions.

• The downloading of any type of pornography

Survey Revisited • 726 workers where surveyed

• 45% committed an act which they considered unethical or in a hazy area

• 5% listened to a private cellphone conversation

• 6% accessed private computer files without permission

• 13% copied company files for personal use

• 11% looked in the Internet for a new job

Down time

• One Company President says he is not surprised by the surveys findings

• He believes that many companies are paying employees for 40 hours of work but are not getting the 40 hours of production

• Many employees who do not have computers at home feel that because they can not afford them that using them at work is fine as long as it doesn't hurt anyone

The Problems with Visiting the Internet

• In addition to lack of productivity the other problems include----

• Viewing Pornography can lead to sexual harassment lawsuits

• Playing Games and sending e-mails can unnecessarily tie up the system

• Downloading games and music can introduce a virus to the system

E-mails at work • Many employees don’t

realize that the Company has the right to scan every E-mail that comes through their system.

• If someone inadvertently sends you a personal e-mail tell them you’ll respond later from home and don’t send here again.

In Conclusion-Privacy vs. Productivity

• Many Companies are now flagging the websites their employees are going to.

• Many people view this as an invasion of privacy .

• Companies are focusing on productivity, giving employees a quota of time they may visit certain websites

• Employers feel they have a say what the employees activities are when they are working