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Computer Ethics

Computer ethics involves analyzing the social impact of computers, establishing policies for their ethical use, and addressing issues like privacy, intellectual property, and harm. Key issues include computers being used for unethical acts like breaking privacy or fraud, computers themselves being hacked or used to spread viruses, and risks from their autonomous nature like security breaches, accidental attacks causing loss of life, and health and safety concerns in the workplace.

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Dr.K.Baranidharan
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107 views

Computer Ethics

Computer ethics involves analyzing the social impact of computers, establishing policies for their ethical use, and addressing issues like privacy, intellectual property, and harm. Key issues include computers being used for unethical acts like breaking privacy or fraud, computers themselves being hacked or used to spread viruses, and risks from their autonomous nature like security breaches, accidental attacks causing loss of life, and health and safety concerns in the workplace.

Uploaded by

Dr.K.Baranidharan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER ETHICS Computer ethics is defined as (a) study and analysis of nature and social impact of computer technology,

(b) formulation and justification of policies, for ethical use of computers. This subject has become relevant to the professionals such as designers of computers, programmers, system analysts, system managers, and operators. The use of computers have raised a host of moral concerns such as free speech, privacy, intellectual property right, and physical as well as mental harm. There appears to be no conceptual framework available on ethics, to study and understand and resolve the problems in computer technology. Types of Issues Different types of problems are found in computer ethics. 1. Computer as the Instrument of Unethical Acts (a) The usage of computer replaces the job positions. This has been overcome to a large extent by readjusting work assignments, and training everyone on computer applications such as word processing, editing, and graphics. (b) Breaking privacy. Information or data of the individuals accessed or erased or the ownership changed. (c) Defraud a bank or a client, by accessing and withdrawing money from others bank account. 2. Computer as the Object of Unethical Act The data are accessed and deleted or changed. (a) Hacking: The software is stolen or information is accessed from other computers. This may cause financial loss to the business or violation of privacy rights of the individuals or business. In case of defense information being hacked, this may endanger the security of the nation. (b) Spreading virus: Through mail or otherwise, other computers are accessed and the files are erased or contents changed altogether. Trojan horses are implanted to distort the messages and files beyond recovery. This again causes financial loss or mental torture to the individuals. Some hackers feel that they have justified their right of free information or they do it for fun. However, these acts are certainly unethical. (c) Health hazard: The computers pose threat during their use as well as during disposal. 3. Problems Related to the Autonomous Nature of Computer

(a) Security risk: Recently the Tokyo Stock Exchange faced a major embarrassment. A seemingly casual mistake by a junior trader of a large security house led to huge losses including that of reputation. The order through the exchanges trading system was to sell one share for 600,000 Yen. Instead the trader keyed in a sale order for 600,000 shares at the rate of one Yen each. Naturally the shares on offer at the ridiculously low price were lapped up. And only a few buyers agreed to reverse the deal! The loss to the securities firm was said to be huge, running into several hundred thousands. More important to note, such an obvious mistake could not be corrected by some of the advanced technology available. For advanced countries like Japan who have imbibed the latest technology, this would be a new kind of learning experience. (b) Loss of human lives: Risk and loss of human lives lost by computer, in the operational control of military weapons. There is a dangerous instability in automated defense system. An unexpected error in the software or hardware or a conflict during interfacing between the two, may trigger a serious attack and cause irreparable human loss before the error is traced. The Chinese embassy was bombed by U.S. military in Iraq a few years back, but enquiries revealed that the building was shown in a previous map as the building where insurgents stayed. (c) In flexible manufacturing systems, the autonomous computer is beneficial in obtaining continuous monitoring and automatic control. Various issues related to computer ethics are discussed as follows: Computers In Workplace The ethical problems initiated by computers in the workplace are: 1. Elimination of routine and manual jobs. This leads to unemployment, but the creation of skilled and IT-enabled service jobs are more advantageous for the people. Initially this mayrequire some upgradation of their skills and knowledge, but a formal training will set this problem right. For example, in place of a typist, we have a programmer or an accountant. 2. Health and safety: The ill-effects due to electromagnetic radiation, especially on women and pregnant employees, mental stress, wrist problem known as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, and back pain due to poor ergonomic seating designs, and eye strain due to poor lighting and flickers in the display and long exposure, have been reported worldwide. Over a period of long exposure, these are expected to affect the health and safety of the people. The computer designers should take care of these aspects and management should monitor the health and safety of the computer personnel. 3. Computer failure: Failure in computers may be due to errors in the hardware or software. Hardware errors are rare and they can be solved easily and quickly. But software errors are very serious as they can stop the entire network.

Testing and quality systems for software have gained relevance and importance in the recent past, to avoid or minimize these errors.

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