Disclosive ethics and information technology: disclosing facial recognition systems

This paper is an attempt to present disclosive ethics as a framework for computer and information ethics � in line with the suggestions by Brey, but also in quite a different manner. The potential of such an approach is demonstrated through a disclosive analysis of facial recognition systems. The paper argues that the politics of information technology is a particularly powerful politics since information technology is an opaque technology � i.e. relatively closed to scrutiny. It presents the design of technology as a process of closure in which design and use decisions become black-boxed and progressively enclosed in increasingly complex sociotechnical networks. It further argues for a disclosive ethics that aims to disclose the nondisclosure of politics by claiming a place for ethics in every actual operation of power � as manifested in actual design and use decisions and practices. It also proposes that disclosive ethics would aim to trace and disclose the intentional and emerging enclosure of politics from the very minute technical detail through to social practices and complex social-technical networks. The paper then proceeds to do a disclosive analysis of facial recognition systems. This analysis discloses that seemingly trivial biases in recognition rates of FRSs can emerge as very significant political acts when these systems become used in practice

Teaching Digital Ethics in Information Systems

This paper reviews and discusses the little-explored topic of digital ethics education in Information Systems and related fields. The importance of teaching digital ethics to students studying information and communication technologies (ICT) is increasingly recognised. However, it is unclear how ethics should best be taught to these future ICT practitioners. Using a narrative literature review methodology to explore existing scholarly work, this paper identifies five pedagogical theories related to digital ethics education. Additionally, the paper outlines approaches that deploy standalone ethics units, integrated ethics teaching, and hybrid teaching approaches, and identifies the employment of and emphasis given to various moral theories in digital ethics education. The paper then discusses how these three sets of findings—namely, different pedagogical approaches, degree of integration of ethics teaching, and use of moral theories—are related to each other. It provides educators with information and reflections to consider when designing digital ethics teaching

Teaching Ethics in the Information Systems Curriculum

This dissertation evaluates the importance of teaching ethics in the Information Systems curriculum. It begins with a review of the expectations and recommendations of three distinct academic and professional organizations (AACSB, IS2002 Model Curriculum, and ABET) specifically related to ethics teaching. This case study is centered on a set of ethics instruction that was used to teach ethics to senior level Information Systems students, which included a discussion of professional codes of ethics, mini-case studies, contemporary news events, a historical novel called IBM and the Holocaust (Black, 2001a), a Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) ethics grid created by the instructor, and online discussions in WebCT. The students were surveyed at the end of the semester as to the effectiveness of the ethics instruction, and the quantitative results along with a qualitative data analysis of their online discussions and SDLC-Ethics grid is presented. An analysis of the data leads the researcher to believe that overall the students found the curriculum useful, with the reading of the IBM book and the SDLC-Ethics grid providing the most benefit

Addressing organisational and societal concerns : an application of critical systems thinking to information systems planning in Colombia

Most current information system s (IS) planning methodologies are focused on achieving ‘successful’ plans, i.e. plans that provide competitive advantage, can be implemented in a given period of time, and that solve the problems of information needs by taking advantage of the latest technologies available. Concerns are technology and business driven, and focus on how to get the maximum profit for organisations from investing in information systems. However, this relatively narrow focus can be problematic, especially in developing countries where the social contexts of IS implementation may require a different primary focus. This chapter presents a methodology for IS planning based on critical systems thinking – an approach that encourages the critical analysis of stake holder understandings of social contexts prior to the selection and/ or design of planning methods. The methodology presented in this chapter uses a combination of the systems theories of autopoiesis and boundary critiques, which deepen our understanding of what it means to reflect on participation, values and social concerns during IS planning. In the course of applying the methodology in a project in Colombia, an issue arose of the ethics of the practitioner. To address this issue, following completion of the project, we sought to enhance critical systems thinking with Foucault ’s notions of power and ethics, which offer interesting alternatives for practitioner self-reflection. Implications for IS planning are derived from this perspective on ethics and power

The Influence of System User Ethics in Increasing the Effectiveness of Accounting Information Systems

System User Ethics is the most important part in increasing the effectiveness of accounting information systems. Where ethics as a moral agent in making choices to guide his behavior, and when the system is applied ethics is an important part in increasing the effectiveness of accounting information systems. The purpose of this study was to determine how much influence the ethics of system users have on the effectiveness of accounting information systems. The research method uses descriptive verification, data collection techniques use questionnaires, and the data is tested for validity and reliability. The population is Islamic banking employees, with a sample of 59 Islamic Commercial Bank employees who are directly related to the research. The test tool used is simple linear regression. The results showed that the ethics of system users had a significant effect on the effectiveness of the Islamic banking accounting information system. Keywords: Ethics user system, the effectiveness of the accounting information system, Islamic banking DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-20-03 Publication date:October 31st 202

Blockchain Ethics in Information Systems: A Literature Review

Blockchain is an open distributed ledger likely to influence future data transactions and human interactions. As blockchain adoption becomes a reality in many industries, an ethical perspective is crucial to guide researchers and stakeholders on this technology\u27s responsible use and implementation. However, current research on blockchain ethics is still at an early stage and is highly fragmented among different disciplines. This timely literature review investigates the current state of blockchain ethics research in the Information Systems (IS) and Information Management (IM) domains and presents a thematic classification as a basis for a critical assessment of blockchain ethics. This study also provides a theoretical grounding for the development of blockchain ethics as a standalone subject and identifies areas within blockchain ethics that would benefit from further development. Overall, results showed that most studies on blockchain ethics are context-specific and perceive this technology as a solution to ethical issues within a specific field. We found that there is a need for a broader conceptualization of blockchain ethics as the implicit and explicit consequences of adopting this technology have not yet been developed

Professional Ethics in Information Systems: A Personal Perspective

In the Information Systems discipline, increasing attention is being paid to the issue of professional ethics. In this article, a personal perspective on the topic is offered. The academic philosophies of ethical theory are introduced, followed by detailed treatment of four fundamental issues: codes of ethics, intellectual property rights, professional accountability and data protection. The intention of the article is to arouse the interest of IS professionals and to stimulate debate. Through a discussion, future developments in the professionalism of information systems are explored, and questions are raised concerning the way in which information systems is regulated, and the role it may play in the future

Ethics in Information Systems: A Framework for Evaluation

Ethical considerations in the use of Information Technology (IT) have become a focus point for many practitioners and educators because of the rapid proliferation of this technology. Many Issues, however, remain unresolved. There Is no widely accepted code of conduct regarding the use of IT. Information Systems (IS) curricula often fall to include a discussion of ethical considerations, and even when they do, fall to reach the relevant audience. Studies have shown remarkably lax ethical standards among IS faculty and students. This paper outlines a framework that evaluates the IS ethics environment, including the reasons for concern, the issues within IS ethics, the existIng codes of conduct, and the methods and scope of an ethically correct IS curriculum