6. Other ethical issues

There are many situations where you have to consider the 'rights and wrongs' of ICT.

On a personal level, what do you think of these

  • Copying and pasting other people's work as your own
  • Downloading copyrighted music and films
  • Cyber-bullying on social networks
  • Taking mobile video or pictures to embarrass or humiliate someone
  • Using someone else's password
  • Spreading malicious gossip about someone

Technology is perfectly fine, but *how" you use it depends on your sense of right and wrong.

From a wider viewpoint, are the following things ethical?

  • Governments blocking or shutting down the internet
  • Governments blocking search engine queries on certain topics
  • People using social networks to organise demonstrations
  • Using a wiki to leak sensitive information
  • Whistleblowing on your company or colleagues

These are issues to do with 'freedom of speech' and government behaviour and often there are no clear black and white answers.

 

Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you

Click on this link: ethical issues of ICT