| In order to examine ethical issues, it is first necessary | | | | become such firestorms of controversy in cyberspace |
| to define ethics. Today, we regard ethics as a "rational | | | | is the simple fact that so many people have access to |
| process founded on certain principles." However, I | | | | the Web sites. Simply put, if no one had access to |
| believe a definition that is more applicable to this | | | | online pornography no one would care. With this |
| project is the ethical theory that existed in ancient | | | | another issue "Censorship" comes which should be |
| Greece. There, ethics was the study of what was | | | | deal in efficient way as it is not easy to implement. |
| good for both the individual and society. We will look at | | | | Ethical issues can also be religious, moral or any |
| some online issues and how they may be good and/or | | | | other.These type of issues are not easy to deal |
| bad for society. Cyberethics is quite simply the study | | | | with.Similarly, let us take China into consideration on the |
| of ethics on the Internet. | | | | issue of "Censorship". China has implemented the |
| "Ethics begins when elements within a moral system | | | | methods of censoring the internet that are somewhat |
| conflict." | | | | harder to bypass for people generally unfamiliar with |
| Cyberethics is often called as Information System | | | | the way internet works. There is ,for example internet |
| Ethics. Information System ethics can be defined as | | | | censorship as implemented in China-using a list of |
| "The study of moral, legal, ethical issues involving the | | | | banned words that are censored on the fly. As users |
| use of information and communication technologies" | | | | in china request a webpage , the incoming page is first |
| There are many unique challenges we face in this | | | | inspected by government servers n blocked if a |
| age of information. They stem from the nature of | | | | banned term such as "Democracy" is present. Human |
| information itself. Information is the means through | | | | censors are also actively looking at what people |
| which the mind expands and increases its capacity to | | | | browse on the internet, and block websites as they |
| achieve its goals, often as the result of an input from | | | | see fit.Crimes on internet are also increasing in a |
| another mind. Thus, information forms the intellectual | | | | continuous manner.Computer crime is a general term |
| capital from which human beings craft their lives and | | | | that embraces such crimes as phishing, credit card |
| secure dignity.However, the building of intellectual | | | | frauds, bank robbery, Industrial espionage, child porn, |
| capital is vulnerable in many ways. For example, | | | | kidnapping children via chat rooms, scams, cyber |
| people's intellectual capital is impaired whenever they | | | | terrorism, viruses, spam and so on. All such crimes are |
| lose their personal information without being | | | | computer related and facilitated crimes. Many recent |
| compensated for it, when they are precluded access | | | | cases seen like Microsoft's website was brought |
| to information which is of value to them, when they | | | | down for a little time resulting in a huge loss to |
| have revealed information they hold intimate, or when | | | | Microsoft. Similarly, NUST, one of the best considered |
| they find out that the information upon which their living | | | | university in Pakistan got Hacked and redirected to |
| depends is in error. The social contract among people | | | | another domain. Credit card fraud have grown in an |
| in the information age must deal with these threats to | | | | increasingly manner. Leakage of Military information |
| human dignity. The ethical issues involved are many | | | | from internet is another internet crime. Software |
| and varied in Information System Ethics.Ethics is | | | | known as google earth, which shows information |
| required in information Systems to overcome the | | | | about different places including military land or can lead |
| following ethical issues.Privacy: What information about | | | | to robbery planning, is becoming an ethical issue around |
| one's self or one's associations must a person reveal | | | | the world. Many people protest against this leakage of |
| to others, under what conditions and with what | | | | information but still one can't deny that it is one of the |
| safeguards? What things can people keep to | | | | major enhancements in Information Technology.The |
| themselves and not be forced to reveal to | | | | question about how to police these crimes has already |
| others?Accuracy: Who is responsible for the | | | | been constructed, but this task is turning out to be an |
| authenticity, fidelity and accuracy of information? | | | | uphill battle. Since the first computer crime law, the |
| Similarly, who is to be held accountable for errors in | | | | Counterfeit Access Device and Computer Fraud and |
| information and how is the injured party to be made | | | | Abuse Act of 1984, the governments have been trying |
| whole?Property: Who owns information? What are | | | | to track down and stop online criminals. The FBI of |
| the just and fair prices for its exchange? Who owns | | | | different countries have tried many programs and |
| the channels, especially the airways, through which | | | | investigations in order to deter Internet crime, like |
| information is transmitted? How should access to this | | | | creating an online crime registry for employers .The |
| scarce resource be allocated?Accessibility: What | | | | reality is that Internet criminals are rarely caught. One |
| information does a person or an organization have a | | | | reason is that hackers will use one computer in one |
| right or a privilege to obtain, under what conditions and | | | | country to hack another computer in another country. |
| with what safeguards?Information System ethics | | | | And that criminal isn't working alone. Loosely organized |
| explores and evaluates: | | | | groups--which security experts call "Web |
| - the development of moral values in the information | | | | gangs"--conduct much of the illegal activity online. The |
| field, | | | | structure of Web gangs may be patterned on that of |
| - the creation of new power structures in the | | | | traditional organized crime, in which the members of |
| information field, information myths, | | | | the group may never come into contact with one |
| - hidden contradictions and intentionality's in information | | | | another and may never be aware of who they are |
| theories and practices, | | | | working for.Conclusion: |
| - the development of ethical conflicts in the information | | | | We live in an exciting time in history. The widespread |
| field. etcNow let us take a look at privacy by the | | | | availability of computers and Internet connections |
| following examples. A few years ago, Florida | | | | provides unprecedented opportunities to communicate |
| lawmakers gave the go ahead to have monitors | | | | and learn. Unfortunately, although most people use the |
| stationed in bathrooms at Tallahassee Community | | | | Internet as a powerful and beneficial tool for |
| College to determine if the facilities were being | | | | communication and education, some individuals exploit |
| underutilized. Students and faculty vehemently | | | | the power of the Internet for criminal or terrorist |
| protested that the monitors violated their privacy. State | | | | purposes.We can minimize the harm that such |
| officials said that the value of the information gained | | | | individuals do by learning ourselves, and teaching young |
| through the study was more important than the threat | | | | people, how to use the Internet safely and responsibly. |
| to privacy. Other issues like collection of private data | | | | The term "cyberethics" refers to a code of safe and |
| of the users using internet by monitoring the traffic is | | | | responsible behavior for the Internet community. |
| strongly related to one's policy as that information can | | | | Practicing good cyberethics involves understanding the |
| be further used for illegal purposes. These types of | | | | risks of harmful and illegal behavior online and learning |
| privacy issues are needed to be addressed properly | | | | how to protect ourselves, and other Internet users, |
| so that they should not exploit one's freedom. One | | | | from such behavior. It also involves teaching young |
| issue that I kept thinking about when I was constructing | | | | people, who may not realize the potential for harm to |
| my Web page was whether it was ethical to lift an | | | | themselves and others, how to use the Internet safely |
| image from someone's home page and use it on my | | | | and responsibly.Muhammad Bilal Azmat, |
| Web page without crediting the source. Such ethical | | | | Operations Manager, |
| issues come under property.One reason that topics | | | | Koolmobile. |
| such as online gambling and pornography have | | | | |