Ethical Use of Information Technology

Ethical Use of Information Technology

Introduction

Computers have taken over from humans and are now virtually in every aspect of life. The world is reaping the benefits of such giant strides being taken by mankind. The internet has altered the very fabric of our society. Everything has been simplified and people can access the world at the press of a button and a few clicks of the mouse. This has led to the coining of the term 'global village' to signify the manner in which boundaries have been nearly eliminated. Organizations, institutions and individuals have been accepting and implementing extensive use of technology in an attempt to ease the hassles and pressures of an otherwise tiresome world.

Like every other advancement taking place in the world, the advent of computers has given birth to an array of ethical issues. With the passage of time, there have been incidents that have given rise to suspicions which have been reinforced following the negative use of information technology. The world has done well to recognize the perils and risks associated with the unethical use of information technology (Schultz, 2006).

Identity Theft

There have been countless such incidents where an individual has been involved in identity or data theft. These have been one of the most common crimes committed through the use of computers and continue to occur. Identity theft cases have seen offenders extract information from online users by scamming or providing false information. Credit card theft is another serious offense being regularly committed on the internet.

Online users often conceal or provide misleading information regarding their name, location, personality and/or occupation in order to achieve certain gains. This is prevalent on websites that require a visitor to fulfill pre-defined criteria to gain access. The problem with today's technological environment is the ease of access and openness that is advocated around the world. This has in turn resulted in people making use of the technology in a manner that is unacceptable to say the least.

Data Theft

Data theft is another major cause of concern when discussing the appropriate use of information technology. Data theft is most common among students. For students, data theft occurs in the form of using another person's work or research under their name without prior permission or authorization. This is referred to as plagiarism and is considered to be an unethical practice. Prior to the development of softwares used to detect and identify such theft, students had been copying information from the internet and other sources and used the data under their names. Institutions, universities and schools have now begun to make use of the softwares available to prevent students from data theft. The reason why this practice is regarded unethical is that it promotes a culture of lethargy and prevents the students from utilizing their potential. In other words, such practices inhibit the students from working and striving for success. The point that must be understood is that such theft of data also undermines the efforts of the ...