Values and Ethics Fourth edition

Values and Ethics Freedom of Expression

What is information privacy?

Information privacy is the privacy of personal information and usually relates to personal data stored on computer systems.

The need to maintain information privacy is applicable to collected personal information, such as medical records, financial data, criminal records, political records, business related information or website data.

Information privacy is also known as data privacy.

Techopedia explains Information Privacy

Information privacy is considered an important aspect of information sharing. With the advancement of the digital age, personal information vulnerabilities have increased. 

Information privacy may be applied in numerous ways, including encryption, authentication and data masking - each attempting to ensure that information is available only to those with authorized access. These protective measures are geared toward preventing data mining and the unauthorized use of personal information, which are illegal in many parts of the world.

Information privacy relates to different data types, including:

• Internet privacy (online privacy): All personal data shared over the Internet is subject to privacy issues. Most websites publish a privacy policy that details the website's intended use of collected online and/or offline collected data.
• Financial privacy: Financial information is particularly sensitive, as it may easily used to commit online and/or offline fraud.
• Medical privacy: All medical records are subject to stringent laws that address user access privileges. By law, security and authentication systems are often required for individuals that process and store medical records.

First Amendment Rights

•Right to freedom of expression

–Important right for free people everywhere

–Guaranteed by the First Amendment

•Definition of free speech includes:

–Nonverbal, visual, and symbolic forms of expression

–Right to speak anonymously

•Not protected by the First Amendment

–Perjury

–Fraud

–Defamation

–Obscene speech

–Incitement of panic

–Incitement to crime

–“Fighting words”

–Sedition

• Children's Internet protection Act (CIPA)

For those schools that have applied (or will apply) for discounted telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections services (Priority 1) under the E-rate program, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a new order that pertains to the certification of compliance with CIPA requirements on August 10, 2011. The Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act revises section 54.520(c)(l)(i) of the Commission’s rules to include the new certification that a school’s “Internet safety policy must also include monitoring the online activities of minors and must provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.”

We encourage schools to update their Internet safety policies as soon as practicable but before July 1, 2012. This requirement is effective for the 2012 funding year, which begins July 1, 2012. In Arizona, schools need to issue a public notice (newsletter or webpage) about the update to their Internet safety policies in accordance with the new Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act requirements. Schools do not need to hold a hearing or meeting for this amendment.  Also, you do not need to amend the FCC Forms 486 and 479 because the existing language already incorporates a certification of compliance with all of the statutory requirements. However, a public notice and a public hearing or meeting is required for any newly adopted Internet safety policies.

Internet Safety Policy issues that must be addressed:

• Access by minors to inappropriate material
• Safety/security of minors when using email, chat rooms, other direct electronic communications
• Unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other unlawful activities by minors online
• Unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors
• Measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors

Technology Protection Measure (filter)

• Specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access
• Must protect against access by adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors
• Can be disabled for adults engaged in bona fide research or other lawful purposes

Anonymity on the Internet

Anonymous Expression/John Doe Lawsuit

ANONYMITY ON THE INTERNET

Anonymity means that the real author of a message is not shown. Anonymity can be implemented to make it impossible or very difficult to find out the real author of a message.

Good purpose of anonymity:
Anonymity can in may cases be desirable for one person and not desirable for another person. A company may, for example, not like an employee to divulge information about improper practices within the company, but society as a whole may find it important that such improper practices are publicly exposed. People dependent on an organization, or afraid of revenge, may divulge serious misuse, which should be revealed. Anonymous tips can be used as an information source by newspapers, as well as by police departments, soliciting tips aimed at catching criminals. Everyone will not regard such anonymous communication as good. Police use of anonymity is a complex issue, since the police often will want to know the identity of the tipper in order to get more information, evaluate the reliability or get the tipper as a witness.

People are more equal in anonymous discussions, factors like status, gender, etc., will not influence the evaluation of what they say.

Anonymity on the Internet is almost never 100 %, there is always a possibility to find the perpetrator, especially if the same person uses the same way to gain anonymity multiple times.
In the simplest case, a person sends an e-mail or writes a Usenet news article using a falsified name. Most mail and news software allows the users to specify whichever name they prefer, and makes no check of the correct identity. Using web-based mail systemslike Hotmail, it is even possible to receive replies and conduct discussions using a pseudonym.

Anonymous expression is a expression by the peoples opinion who do not reveal their identity. Everyone have freedom to express an opinion without fear of reprisal much more in democracy society. There are laws of anonymous political expression. And someone who is guilty of breaking this laws will have a punishment from whippings to hangings. In 1735, named John Zenger, who was prosecuted for libel because he did not want to reveal the names of the writers of his writings he publish. The governor of British refuse to convict John. The other is Thomas Paine who is a influential writer, statesman of the revolutionary war era and a philosopher. He published pamphlet called “Common Sense” which he criticized the British Monarchy. He also urged the Colonist to become independent by their own pamphlets sold more than 500,000 copies and have been less than 4,000,000. In 1958 case of national association for the advancement of colored people for the first rollings of the bill of rights. Another case of anonymity in US Navy because of information obtained from America online (AOL). In year 1998, a navy investigator asked the AOL to post the information the personal file that suggested if he might be gay. But AOL violated company by providing information. A federal judge ruled that the navy had overstepped its authority and the Electronics Communicators Privacy Act. Maintaining anonymity on the Internet is important to some computer users. Other users would like to ban web anonymity because they think its use increase the risks of deformation, fraud, libel and the exploitation of children.

JOHN DOE LAWSUIT

John Doe Lawsuit when a party suing (plaintiff) is not sure if he/she knows if there are unknown persons involved in the incident or the business being sued, there are named fictitious persons, usually designated Doe I, Doe II, and so forth, or “Green and Red Company,” with an allegation in the complaint that if and when the true names are discovered they will be inserted in the complaint by amendment. Naming fictitious defendants stops the statute of limitations (the time in which a party has to file alawsuit) from running out even though the true name is not yet known. Sometimes during the investigation or discovery (taking depositions or asking written questions under oath) new information about a potential defendant is found and the real name substituted. Then that person is served with a summons and complaint. If no substitution of a real name for a Doe has been made by the time of trial, usually the fictitious defendants are then dismissed from the case since they never existed in the first place, and the case continues against the named defendants. Fictitious defendants are not permitted in federal cases.

A John Doe Lawsuit can be filed when a defendant whose identity is temporarily unknown because he/she is communicating anonymously. Once it is filed the plaintiff can request couert permission to issue subpoena’s to command a person to appear under penalty. America Online, Earth Link, NEtzep, Verizon Online and other ISP’s receive more that a thousand subpoena’s per year directing them to reveal the identity of John Does.John Doe cases are based on serious allegations of wrong doing such as libel or disclosure of confidential information proponents of John Doe lawsuits argue that perpetrators should not be able to hide behing anonymity to avoid responsibility for their actions. The California state court in prepaid legal V. sturtz set another legal precedent that refined the criteria that the court apply when deciding whether or not to approve subpoenas requesting the identity of anonymous web posters. The electronic tronies foundation represents two of the John Does whose identities were subpoenaed. EFF attorneys argued that the message board postings cited by PPLS revealed no company secrets but were merely disparaging the company and its treatment of sales associates.

Summary

•First Amendment protects the right to:

–Freedom of religion and expression

•Does not protect obscene speech, defamation

•Key issues

–Controlling access to Internet information, especially for children

–Anonymous communication

–Spread of defamation and hate speech

–Access to pornography

–CAN-SPAM Act limitations on email messages

Ethics Professionals

 

Ethics for IT Professionals and IT Users

Information technology professionals

Many workers in the IT industry are considered to be professionals. A partial lists includes:

v  Programmers
v  Software engineers
v  Database administrators
v  Networks administrators
v  Computers operators
v  Computers sales persons
v  Computers scientist
v  Computers technician
v  Technical writers
v  Graphic designers /illustrator
v  Web developer
v  Consultant
v  Computer trainer/educator
v  Computer security specialist
v  Computer  forensic specialist



 

Professional & Ethical Behavior in the Workplace

by Arnold Anderson, Demand Media

According to Arnold Anderson Professionalism and ethical behavior in the workplace can benefit your career and improve your working environment. Understanding examples of professional and ethical behavior can help you to develop your own effective work habits. Be conscious of how you treat co-workers and your workplace attitude and you can improve your productivity and effectiveness.

Meetings

Business meetings are regular occurrences in the corporate world, and by following meeting etiquette you can improve your professional image. Be prepared to contribute to the meeting by reviewing the agenda in advance and arrive on time. Recognize each speaker that has the floor and do not try to talk over someone else. Be respectful of the meeting chairperson and follow the format of the meeting, which would include using the proper times to ask questions.

Communication

Ethical treatment of your co-workers and managers means being respectful of the need for efficient and accurate communication. Follow the instructions on company memos and ask questions only after you have thoroughly read the information. Asking questions about information that is clearly marked on company correspondence is unprofessional and presents the image of someone who does not follow instructions. Refrain from repeating office gossip, as helping to spread false or demeaning information regarding a co-worker is considered unethical.

 

What is the purpose of a professional code of ethics?

• Professional code of ethics focuses on the protection of the patient and his or her right to appropriate, competent, and humane treatment, etiquette that are considered good manners.

What are the common ethical issues that face IT users?

Many of the ethical issues that face IT professionals involve privacy. For example:

• Should you read the private e-mail of your network users just because you can? Is it OK to read employees' e-mail as a security measure to ensure that sensitive company information isn't being disclosed? Is it OK to read employees' e-mail to ensure that company rules (for instance, against personal use of the e-mail system) aren't being violated? If you do read employees' e-mail, should you disclose that policy to them? Before or after the fact?
• Is it OK to monitor the Web sites visited by your network users? Should you routinely keep logs of visited sites? Is it negligent to not monitor such Internet usage, to prevent the possibility of pornography in the workplace that could create a hostile work environment?


• Is it OK to place key loggers on machines on the network to capture everything the user types? What about screen capture programs so you can see everything that's displayed? Should users be informed that they're being watched in this way?


• Is it OK to read the documents and look at the graphics files that are stored on users' computers or in their directories on the file server?

 

Professional ethics- encompass the personal, organizational and corporate standards of behavior expected of professionals.

Professionals, and those working in acknowledged professions, exercise specialist knowledge and skill. How the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public can be considered a moral issue and is termed professional ethics.

Professionals are capable of making judgements, applying their skills and reaching informed decisions in situations that the general public cannot, because they have not received the relevant training. One of the earliest examples of professional ethics is probably the Hippocratic oath to which medical doctors still adhere to this day.

Some professional organisations define their ethical approach in terms of a number of discrete components. Typically these include:

·Honesty

·Integrity

·Transparency

·Accountability

·Confidentiality

·Objectivity

·Respectfulness

·Obedience to the law

·Loyalty

•  Most professions have internally enforced codes of practice that members of the profession must follow to prevent exploitation of the client and to preserve the integrity of the profession. This is not only for the benefit of the client but also for the benefit of those belonging to the profession. Disciplinary codes allow the profession to define a standard of conduct and ensure that individual practitioners meet this standard, by disciplining them from the professional body if they do not practice accordingly. This allows those professionals who act with conscience to practice in the knowledge that they will not be undermined commercially by those who have fewer ethical qualms. It also maintains the public’s trust in the profession, encouraging the public to continue seeking their services.

 IT Professional
 Reduce costs, connect systems, empower people, and deliver business results  

·         Reduce costs, connect systems, empower people, and deliver business results

IT teams are responsible for the computers, networks, and software applications that manage a company’s operations, track financial transactions, and enable people to communicate and collaborate throughout the company. Without a smooth flow of information through a company’s IT systems, operations would not be efficient or even possible in some cases. IT managers need to monitor the day-to-day health of complex systems while simultaneously tracking innovations in technology that might create competitive advantages

 IT Professionals
 

•Profession is a calling that requires

–Specialized knowledge Long and intensive academic preparation


 Professional Relationships That Must Be Managed
  IT professionals have many different relationships with:

• Employers 

• Clients 

• Suppliers

• Other professionals 

• IT users

• Society at large

 Relationships Between IT Professionals and Employers

• IT professionals must set an example and enforce policies regarding the ethical use of IT

• Software piracy is the act of illegally making copies of software or enabling others to access software to which they are not entitled
• Software piracy is an area in which IT professionals can be tempted to violate laws and policies.

• The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is a trade group that represents the world’s largest software and hardware manufacturers

–Its mission is to stop the unauthorized copying of software produced by its members

 Supporting the Ethical Practices of IT Users

•Policies that protect against abuses:

–Establish boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior

–Enable management to punish violators

•Policy components include:

–Defining and limiting the appropriate use of IT resources

–Establishing guidelines for use of company software

–Structuring information systems to protect data and information

–Installing and maintaining a corporate firewall