Chapter 4 ETHICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Q1: Draw and explain the relationship between ethical, social and political issues in an
information society..
Ethical, social, and political issues are closely related. When new information technology and
systems are introduced into society, it can disrupt the existing rules and norms. This can create
ethical dilemmas for managers of information systems who may need to act in a legal gray area.
It takes time for social and political institutions to adapt to these changes and develop new rules
and laws. This model helps to understand the connections between ethical, social, and political
issues and identify moral dimensions of the information society.

These issues have five moral dimensions: information rights and obligations, property rights and
obligations, system quality, quality of life, and accountability and control
Information rights and obligations. What information rights do individuals and organizations
possess with respect to themselves? What can they protect?
• Property rights and obligations. How will traditional intellectual property rights be protected
in a digital society in which tracing and accounting for ownership are difficult and ignoring such
property rights is so easy?
• Accountability and control. Who can and will be held accountable and liable for the harm
done to individual and collective information and property rights?
• System quality. What standards of data and system quality should we demand to protect
individual rights and the safety of society?
• Quality of life. What values should be preserved in an information- and knowledge-based
society? Which institutions should we protect from violation? Which cultural values and
practices are supported by the new information technology?

Q2) : Explain the steps involved in ethical analysis process.

When confronted with a situation that seems to present ethical issue, there are five-step ethical
analysis for identify the sensitivity of the situation:
1. Identify and clearly describe the facts.
2. Define the conflict or dilemma and identify the higher-order values involved.
3. Identify the stakeholders.
4. Identify the options that you can reasonably take.
5. Identify the potential consequences of your options.

1) Identify and describe the facts clearly.

Find out who did what to whom, and where, when, and how. In many instances, you will be
surprised at the errors in the initially reported facts, and often you will find that simply
getting the facts straight helps define the solution. It also helps to get the opposing parties
involved in an ethical dilemma to agree on the facts.
eg : A software company is developing a new product that requires the use of personal data
from its users.

2. Define the conflict or dilemma and identify the higher-order values involved. Ethical,
social, and political issues always reference higher values. The parties to a dispute all claim
to be pursuing higher values (e.g., freedom, privacy, protection of property, and the free
enterprise system). Typically, an ethical issue involves a dilemma: two diametrically opposed
courses of action that support worthwhile values. Eg The company needs to balance the
benefits of the new product with the privacy concerns of its users. The values involved are
innovation and privacy

3. Identify the stakeholders. Every ethical, social, and political issue has stakeholders:
players in the game who have an interest in the outcome, who have invested in the situation,
and usually who have vocal opinions. Find out the identity of these groups and what they
want. This will be useful later when designing a solution.
eg The company, its users, and regulatory authorities are stakeholders in this situation.

4. Identify the options that you can reasonably take. You may find that none of the
options satisfy all the interests involved, but that some options do a better job than others.
Sometimes arriving at a good or ethical solution may not always be a balancing of
consequences to stakeholders.
eg The company can develop the product with user privacy in mind, provide users with
control over their data, or not collect personal data at all.

5. Identify the potential consequences of your options. Some options may be ethically
correct but disastrous from other points of view. Other options may work in one instance but
not in other similar instances. Always ask yourself, “What if I choose this option consistently
over time?”
eg: Each option has potential consequences. Developing the product with privacy in mind
could result in a successful product and increased user trust, but could also limit the product's
functionality. Providing users with control over their data could result in increased user trust,
but could also result in decreased product functionality. Not collecting personal data at all
could limit the product's functionality and value.

Q3: Explain the technological trends that raise ethical issues.

1. Doubling of computer power: As computer power doubles every couple of years,

organizations can process more data at a faster pace. This can lead to ethical concerns if the
organizations use this power to collect and process personal data without proper consent or
use it for discriminatory purposes.
eg An organization uses its powerful computers to collect personal data from social media
profiles without proper consent or uses it for discriminatory purposes.
2. Declining data storage costs: With the cost of data storage declining rapidly, organizations
can maintain large databases on individuals. This can be a potential threat to privacy if the data is
used without proper consent or security measures.
eg A healthcare provider maintains a large database on patients without proper security measures,
which results in a data breach, exposing sensitive personal information.

3. Networking advances and the Internet: With the rise of networking advances and the
internet, it has become easier to copy data from one location to another and access personal data
from remote locations. This can lead to security concerns and potential breaches of personal data.
Eg : A hacker gains unauthorized access to a company's database through the internet and steals
personal data, including credit card information.
4. Advances in data analysis techniques: With the advancement of data analysis techniques,
organizations can create dossiers of detailed information on individuals by combining data from
multiple sources. This can lead to concerns around privacy and profiling.eg A retailer creates a
detailed profile of a customer's shopping behavior by combining data from their online
purchases, credit card transactions, and social media activity, without the customer's consent.
5. Mobile device growth: With the growth of mobile devices, tracking individual cell phones
has become easier. This can raise concerns around personal privacy and tracking without
consent.eg : An individual's cell phone is tracked by a company's mobile app without their
consent, which raises concerns around personal privacy and tracking.

Q4: Describe some of the ethical dilemmas that are presented by ISs and new developments
in technology?
Information systems have created ethical dilemmas, such as using technology to reduce
workforce or monitoring employees' online activities. These dilemmas arise from conflicting
values and interests, with different groups having different arguments. For example, companies
may prioritize productivity and cost reduction, while employees may prioritize job security and
privacy. A careful analysis of the facts and application of ethical principles can help find a
compromised solution that considers both sides.