Ethical Issues in Information Technology By: Ronald F. White, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy College of Mount St. Joseph

Introduction Do Computers pose new threats or do they complicate old threats? Harm to Persons Physical harm Economic Harm Fraud theft Slander Harm to Property sabotage New Technologies always offer New Opportunities and Pose New Moral Issues U.S. Mail Printing Press Photographic Technology Radio Technology Recording Technology Telephone Television

Issues Computer Technology and Harm Privacy Copyright Infringement Computer Viruses Child predators Hucksters (fraud) International Lotteries Bank Fraud E-Bay Journalism Blogs Privacy Computerized Data Bases (mailing lists) Spam Copyright Infringement Software Networks Pictures Music Video Role of Government Stockholder Theory Stakeholder Theory

Computer Technology and Harm Harm to Computers Harm to Children Viruses Hacking Harm to Children Predators Economic Harm Hucksterism

Privacy Issues Privacy Computerized Data Bases Spam Surveillance Selling personal information without consent Spam E-mail Free Speech vs. Privacy Surveillance By employers By Parents and Spouses By Government

Intellectual Property Issues Persons and Property Principle of Self Ownership Property (things) Patent law Intellectual Property (ideas) Copyright law- Issues Ownership of Ideas Duration of copyright Public Domain Copyright=life of the author plus 70 years What constitutes infringement- Fair use Direct Infringement-deliberate Indirect Infringement-not deliberate End-User Issues-e.g.guns Circumvention Technologies Economic Consequences Social Consequences