New technologies create new situations that have never had to be confronted before. One issue is how to handle the new capabilities that these devices provide to users. What new laws are going to be needed for protection from misuse of new technologies. This chapter begins with a discussion of the impact of information systems has on user behavior or ethics. This will be followed with the new legal structures being put in place with a focus on intellectual property and privacy. Information Systems Ethics The term ethics means “a set of moral principles” or “the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.” 1 Since the dawn of civilization, the study of ethics and their impact has fascinated mankind. But what do ethics have to do with information systems? The introduction of new technology can have a profound effect on human behavior. New technologies give us capabilities that we did not have before, which in turn create environments and situations that have not been specifically addressed in an ethical context. Those who master new technologies gain new power while those who cannot or do not master them may lose power. In 1913 Henry Ford implemented the first moving assembly line to create his Model T cars. While this was a great step forward technologically and economically, the assembly line reduced the value of human beings in the production process. The development of the atomic bomb concentrated unimaginable power in the hands of one government, who then had to wrestle with the decision to use it. Today’s digital technologies have created new categories of ethical dilemmas.
Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) pg. 251
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker