Chapter 4: Ethical and Social Issues in Information Systems

Doubling of Computer Power, Rapidly Declining Data Storage Costs, Networking Advances and the Internet, Mobile Device Growth, and Advances in Data Analysis Techniques

Key Technology Trends

Doubling of Computer Power

More organizations depend on computer systems for critical operations

Rapidly Declining Data Storage Costs

Organizations can easily maintain detailed databases on individuals

Networking Advances and the Internet

Copying data from remote locations are much easier

Mobile Device Growth

Tracking of individual cell phones

Advances in Data Analysis Techniques

Profiling and NORA

Profiling

Combining from multiple sources to create dossiers of detailed information on individuals

Nonobvious Relationship Awareness (NORA)

Combining data from multiple sources to find obscure hidden connections that might help identify criminals or terrorists

Nonobvious Relationship Awareness (NORA) Tools

“Watch” Lists, Incident and Arrest Systems, Customer Transaction Systems, Telephone Records, and Human Resources Systems

Information Rights and Obligations, Property Rights and Obligations, Accountability and Control, System Quality, Quality of Life

Five Moral Dimensions of the Information Age

Information Rights and Obligations

About ourselves and organizations

Property Rights and Obligations

Protection of intellectual property rights

Accountability and Control

Who will be held accountable if harm is done

System Quality

Standards of data and system quality

Quality of Life

Preservation of values

What websites can track

Searches conducted, websites/pages visited, online content accessed, and items inspected or purchased over the web

How Cookies Identify Web Visitors

The web server reads the user’s web browser, and determines the operating system, browser name, version number, Internet address, etc. The server transmits this information in a tiny text file to the user’s browser, which is stored on the user’s computer’s hard drive. When the user returns to the web site, the server requests the contents of this file deposited in the computer, and the web server receives the information on the customer.

US Opt-Out Model

Default that consent is given

European Opt-In Model

Default that consent is not given

Three Main Ways Intellectual Property is Protected

Trade Secret, Copyright, and Patents

Trade Secret

Intellectual work or product belonging to business, not in the public domain

Copyright

Statutory grant protecting intellectual property from being copied for the life of the author, plus 70 years

Patent

A grant to the creator of an invention, granting the owner an exclusive monopoly on the ideas behind an invention for 20 years

Data Breach Notification Laws (State-Level)

Require individuals or entities affected by a data breach to notify their customers and other parties about the breach, as well as the take specific steps to remedy the situation based on state legislature