In the recent age of computers and advanced form of communication technology, computers and the use of internet have penetrated within every sphere of the human life. The use of ethics within the various aspects of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has helped in the major improvement within the sectors. Ethics is able to define the quality of what would be good for an individual including the society. The wide field of ethics has a broad degree of applicability within the field of ICT (Von Solms and Van Niekerk 2013).
Ethical theories would be able to define the ways in which the individuals would be able to behave within the industry of information and communications. There are various emerging form of technologies that are mainly linked within the idea of the life cycle of some form of technology. There are several form of ethical based theories, which are needed to be discovered and thus should be applied within the field of ICT. The various theories based within the ethical scenarios have a higher degree of correlation between the various Code of Ethics that should be efficiently followed within the field of ICT. This article mainly focuses on the emerging form of technologies within the ICTs. These innovations within the sector of ICT has also raised various forms of challenges that would be able to solve with the help of the various ethical theories. The process of the identification of the emerging technologies within the context of ICTs has become a complex process. This has led to possible technologies, applications and artefacts.
The use of ethical theories would be able to define the actions performed by individuals that would be defined as what would be right or what would be bad in every kinds of workplace environment.
Virtue Ethics – This could be defined as the theory of ethics that would be able to define a form of some kind of activity. The theory of virtue based ethics would help in defining whether the particular activity is ethically correct based on the character of the individual and the implications. The ethics based on virtue would fit within the field of ICT. There are several activities that should be taken into consideration when the activities of the individuals would be considered. The virtue ethics would term itself to be ethically correct based on the justification as it would lead to the happiness of an individual. Some of the main elements within the ethics of virtue are based on ethics of care, theories based on agents and eudemonism. One of the example of virtue based ethics is the download of music files or movie clips, which is primarily considered as a form of common practice that would be carried out by every users (Spector et al. 2014). Hence, it is mainly considered as ethically incorrect based on the theories of Consequentialism
Rights Ethics – This is the second ethical based theory that would apply within the sector of ICT. The focus on the rights based ethical theories based on an individual would be set first and foremost within the aspect of Legal Rights. The theory of rights would apply within the industry of ICT. This theory is able to evaluate a certain form of act and thus be able to measure the same based on the various rights that would be granted to an individual. This defines the aspect that the performed acts by an individual for the welfare of others should be given a major form of importance. The specific form of laws within a certain country would be able to restrict individuals from performing some activities that would violate their rights.
Theory of Objectivism – This theory is based on the basic form of values that includes purpose, reason and self. The value of purpose would dictate the path to be followed by an individual in their personal life. The value of reason would form the varied meaning of gaining knowledge based on different sources. The value based on self would include the factors of motivation and self-esteem of an individual. The entire theory of objectivism is based on all the three discussed values. The ethics based on virtue would fit within the field of ICT. There are several activities that should be taken into consideration when the activities of the individuals would be considered.
The theory based on objectivism would be able to suggest any form of activity within the field of ICT. This would define the actions to be ethically correct and whether they would be adhering to the certain laws that have been circulated within the set laws. There are also some form of additional laws and regulations based on this act. The violation of these kind of laws would lead to severe form of punishments (Lowyck 2014). The major consequences, which would result for the performing of the act are solely responsible for causing any form of damage within the related parties and thus it would be termed to be ethically and morally incorrect.
Theory of Relativism – This is one of the theory of ethics that would help in forming decisions based on the facts of morality that would be in relation with the customs, norms and practices based on the culture and society of an individual. There might some kind of events, which could be termed to be ethically correct. The theory of relativism would be apt within the field of ICT (Misuraca, Codagnone and Rossel 2013).
Theory of Consequentialism – This theory of ethics is able to define that a certain act would be morally precise only if the penalties would not harm any individual. There are two major forms of basic principles that would be majorly involved within the theory of ethics. The results based on the act would be able to determine whether the act would be correct or incorrect within the nature. The higher number of positive form of consequences based on a certain act would be able to determine whether the act would be correct within its form (Britz 2013).
This theory is further subdivided into another form of theory, which is termed as Utilitarianism. This defines the aspect that the performed acts by an individual for the welfare of others should be given a major form of importance. Another form of theory, which is termed as Hedonism defines the fact that the pleasure of humans should be given the topmost priority.
The main theory of Consequentialism is mainly applicable within the ICT world and the various accompanying activities. These acts would generally take place within the ICT field based on the several ethical theories. The theory of consequentialism would be able to term an act to be morally correct based on the deeds of the owners of the certain act. There are also some forms of legal based responsibilities based within the context of the user and the providers of the content of information. The major consequences, which would result for the performing of the act are solely responsible for causing any form of damage within the related parties and thus it would be termed to be ethically and morally incorrect.
Theory of Deontology – The ethical based theory on deontology would be able to determine the morality of any kind of activities based on the adherence level of a particular role or duty. The theory of deontology is not based or it does not consider any form of consequences of the act, the outcomes or the virtues of the certain act.
This theory is also applicable within the ICT field. There are certain kinds of rules and guidelines that are primarily associated with the sector. This theory is able to evaluate a certain form of act and thus be able to measure the same based on the various rights that would be granted to an individual. One of the form of examples includes the number of methodologies based within the context of project management (Paquette, Sommerfeldt and Kent 2015). The Waterfall methodology would involve the customer during the initiation and closing of the project. The Agile methodology would say that the customer would be involved within the project. Based on these two methodologies, it could be said that if some form of project is administered by the agile based methodology and if the purchaser would not be involved within the particular activity, then the concerned act would be termed as to be morally incorrect according to the norms of the deontology theory.
The comparison of the theories would take certain factors into consideration. Some of the factors that would to be needed to take into consideration are:
|
Factors |
Ethics of Virtue |
Ethics of Rights |
Objectivism |
Relativism |
Consequentialism |
Deontology |
|
Association Principles and Forms |
Ethics of Care and Theories based on Agent |
Only one form of Rights is included |
One form of principle is included |
One form of principle is included |
Hedonism and Utilitarianism |
One form of principle is included |
|
Decision |
The goals are happiness and character |
Includes natural rights |
Adhering to the laws |
Based within the norms of the society |
Implications based on consequences |
Adherence to the duty and rules |
|
Applications |
Widely applied and used |
Applied moderately |
Applied on a large basis |
Applied on a large basis |
Used widely and applied |
Ranges from moderate to wide applications |
The concerned professional code of ethics is based on the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Code of Ethics. This concerned ethical code is primarily established on the various values of society that would be able to prioritize the interests of the public above their personal interest, competency, honesty and development of professionalism. There are some form of ethical theories that would conform to the ACS Code of Ethics that would include the theory of Objectivism and Consequentialism. The Theory based on the Virtue of Ethics would not adhere to the primary principle of the ACS Code of Ethics. This certain code of ethics depicts the fact that the personal interest of the public should be considered to be secondary (Arnold and Boggs 2015). With respect to the Virtue Ethics, it would be important to place the personal interest of the public in the primary position, which would be above the interest within the community or the society.
The report focusses on the various ethical theories and a certain code of ethics that would adhere to the set of principles and would be able to support the best form of practices. This would be helpful for encouraging the spirit within the team within the particular ICT industry. There are some form of theories, which would include the theory of virtue that would be able to put the interests of the individual above the interest of the public. These might vary based on the principles of the IEEE and ACM computing norms (Brillouin 2013).
Conclusion
Based on the discussion from the above report, it could be concluded that the importance of ethics within the Information and Communication Technology is a very important aspect. There are several form of ethical based theories, which are needed to be discovered and thus should be applied within the field of ICT. The various theories based within the ethical scenarios have a higher degree of correlation between the various Code of Ethics that should be efficiently followed within the field of ICT. The ethical based theories are mainly based on various kinds of values and principles. These are a bit different in some cases but in some cases they might differ by a huge margin. Based on the report, it could also be discussed that the Deontology Theory is mainly based on the fact of adhering to the certain form of laws within a similar parameter. On the contrary, it could be said that the judgement based on Virtue Ethics should be focussed on the basis of well-being and happiness on the completion of an act. The theory based on the consequences would also be able to judge the similar form of consequences that would be judged on the basis of negative and positive form of implications based on the acts.
References
Arnold, E.C. and Boggs, K.U., 2015. Interpersonal Relationships-E-Book: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Brillouin, L., 2013. Science and information theory. Courier Corporation.
Britz, J. (2013). Understanding Information Ethics,‹. Information Ethics in Africa: Crosscutting Themes, 7, 1-6.
Lowyck, J., 2014. Bridging learning theories and technology-enhanced environments: A critical appraisal of its history. In Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 3-20). Springer, New York, NY.
Misuraca, G., Codagnone, C. and Rossel, P., 2013. From practice to theory and back to practice: Reflexivity in measurement and evaluation for evidence-based policy making in the information society. Government Information Quarterly, 30, pp.S68-S82.
Paquette, M., Sommerfeldt, E.J. and Kent, M.L., 2015. Do the ends justify the means? Dialogue, development communication, and deontological ethics. Public Relations Review, 41(1), pp.30-39.
Spector, J.M., Merrill, M.D., Elen, J. and Bishop, M.J. eds., 2014. Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 413-424). New York, NY: Springer.
Von Solms, R. and Van Niekerk, J., 2013. From information security to cyber security. computers & security, 38, pp.97-102.
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