2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Information technology (IT) is the use of any computers or physical devices for storage and
networking.
It involves infrastructure and processes to create, process, store, secure and exchange all forms of
electronic data.
Typically, IT is used in the context of business operations.
3. ISSUES OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The technology revolution of the twentieth century—starting with the widespread use of the Internet and
home computers—has spawned a new set of ethical and social concerns that people a hundred years ago
couldn’t have imagined.
New advances particularly in the field of information technology have brought new technological gains to
humans but it should be noted that the entry of new scientific and technological fields will always have
social and ethical issues.
5. SOCIAL ISSUES
1. Privacy:
Whilst high profile cases of online identity theft and fraud should have caused people to become more
careful about how they use their personal information, issues of privacy and a lack of appreciation for the
risks are still widespread.
2. Identity Theft:
Fraud is another spurious activity that has been able to evolve in the wake of easily accessible computers
and the internet.
6. SOCIAL ISSUES
3. Cyber Bullying:
As with the defamation of public figures, the internet and computers have also made it easier for spiteful
people to attack people they know personally as well as perfect strangers via the anonymous platforms that
are available to them.
4. Defamation of Character:
The only means of getting in touch with major corporations or famous people in the public eye prior to the
advent of digital communication was via a stiffly written letter. This was, of course, accessible only to the
intended recipient and thus a very private way for the disgruntled to vent their spleen.
7. SOCIAL ISSUES
5. Gaming Addiction:
Whilst computers and the internet have made it easier for gambling addicts to get their fix, a new type of
addiction has also arisen, in the form of addiction to video games. This is something that can impact people
of all ages and leads inevitably to a number of problems, from the social to the financial.
6. Health & Fitness:
We are living increasingly sedentary lifestyles, because computers are removing the need for us to physically
carry out many tasks, as well as keeping us rooted to one spot throughout our working days and during our
leisure time.
8. SOCIAL ISSUES
7. Education:
The educational properties of computers are well known and universally lauded, but having all the
information in existence on tap has its own issues.
8. Sexuality:
This is a less clear cut topic, but there are fears that unmitigated access to pornography for adolescents is
shaping the sexual proclivities and expectations of young people in problematic ways.
9. SOCIAL ISSUES
9. Communication Breakdown:
Socialising within a family unit has always been important, as it strengthens the bonds between us and
ensures cohesion within the group. But with more and more households owning several computers and
numerous portable devices granting access to information and entertainment, some argue that this is
leading to a lack of family communication.
10. Terrorism & Crime:
Computers have been a positive force in allowing for the creation of global movements and righteous
activism in a number of forms. However, the other side of the coin is that terrorists and organised criminals
also exploit the web for their own nefarious purposes.
11. ETHICAL ISSUES
1. Personal Privacy:
It is an important aspect of ethical issues in information technology. IT facilitates the users having their own
hardware, operating system and software tools to access the servers that are connected to each other and
to the users by a network.
2. Access Right:
The second aspect of ethical issues in information technology is access right. Access right becomes a high
priority issue for the IT and cyberspace with the great advancement in technology.
12. ETHICAL ISSUES
3. Harmful Actions:
Harmful actions in the computer ethics refers to the damage or negative consequences to the IT such as
loss of important information, loss of property, loss of ownership, destruction of property and undesirable
substantial impacts.
4. Patents:
It is more difficult to deal with these types of ethical issues. A patent can preserve the unique and secret
aspect of an idea. Obtaining a patent is very difficult as compared with obtaining a copyright.
13. ETHICAL ISSUES
5. Copyright:
The information security specialists are to be familiar with necessary concept of the copyright law. Copyright
law works as a very powerful legal tool in protecting computer software, both before a security breach and
surely after a security breach.
6. Trade Secrets:
Trade secrets is also a significant ethical issue in information technology. A trade secret secures something of
value and usefulness. This law protects the private aspects of ideas which is known only to the discover or
his confidants.
14. ETHICAL ISSUES
7. Liability:
One should be aware of the liability issue in making ethical decisions. Software developer makes promises
and assertions to the user about the nature and quality of the product that can be restricted as an express
warranty.
8. Piracy:
Piracy is an activity in which the creation of illegal copy of the software is made. It is entirely up to the owner
of the software as to whether or not users can make backup copies of their software.
15. ETHICAL ISSUES
9. AI Bias:
Artificial intelligence offers incredible opportunities to automate and augment how we work, but we must
be clear-sighted in the way we implement these technologies. Bad data and bad algorithms will be the
undoing of AI unless they’re tackled directly and early.
10. Worker Displacement:
With artificial intelligence and machine learning resulting in the automation of more and more tasks, the
employment opportunities of the future are going to be significantly different from what we have today.
16. CONCLUSION
Businesses today rely heavily on IT strategies. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t place enough focus on
IT problems that could be affecting their business processes and security.
Taking some basic measures can solve a variety of issues and help prevent risks, downtime, and
troubleshooting.
The majority of technology problems have easy solutions and complex IT challenges can be mitigated with
strong IT strategies.
One of the easiest ways to overcome problems with IT is outsourcing.
