Ethical issues in information systems

Ethical issues in information systems

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Ethical issues in information systems

Information systems have enabled people to share and retrieve information easily and conveniently better than they would in the past. This has been made possible through the interconnection of networks and big computer systems that are linked together to provide the information that is required to the user or seeker of the information. According to (Ackermann, 2013), Information systems have found many applications both at personal and corporate level and has grown to be a very important part of human day to day life in modern word.

Due to this growth, there are several ethical issues that have arisen over the past few years and for this reason it is very important to be addressed well and on time as it should be. The underlying reason arising from this is security. Private messages like emails or even text messages can be accessed and read by anyone who has access to the owner’s devices since nowadays they have a through pass when they have logged in. They don’t require verification with the assumption that the user is the owner. This has led to a lot of security bridges and is just of the examples of ethical issues. Irresponsible Database administrators have also contributed a lot since they have the data that they can use to cause harm either directly or indirectly as asserted by (Partida & Andina, 2010). CCTVS are causing havoc on users a lot since they record in private places and irresponsible Administrators users can use them in the wrong way.

To mitigate these ethical and security issues, various steps need to be implemented so that at least to a certain level, they are trusted. In the issue of email accounts being accessed on personal computers, they could automatically log out users after some minutes so that other people using these devices might not be in a position to access them (Clarke & Knake, 2010).. Password storage by browsers should be avoided my Browser companies. It is better to reset a password rather than storing it where other unauthorized users. For cellphones and other text messages, the best way is to use biometric authentication. This could include fingerprint scanners or even face recognition technology though they cannot be used in dark places.

When it comes to database Administrators who are ill willed, companies that offer these services should hire people who are reputable in doing their jobs. The other best way to solve this is by encrypting the users’ data such that no one else has access to the data or anything by the user unless they have the log in details. Encryption is putting the information in a form that is difficult to decipher by users who are no authorized unless they have the decryption keys (Romney & Steinbart, 2006).

There are several problems related to management of information systems but all water down to security and privacy. Lately, there are many companies that deal in data mining and collect a lot a lot of information form the user more than they are supposed to (Partida & Andina, 2010). They then use this information to deliver targeted advertising that might compromise the user. These companies use user’s data without the knowledge of the user thus causing privacy concerns. There are other companies that also collect a lot of information from the user and don’t offer the right security to them. They thus compromise the user a large if this information gets to the hands of criminals and other ill willed individuals. Another issue that may arise is the use of these information by governments to crack down on their political opponents. This has been witnessed in many countries in the word.

The main solution to address data mining by companies is to introduce policies and limit the information that they can have. As it stands now, they have a virtually unlimited access to information. In conclusion, information systems have assisted people a lot in their day to day lives and securing them is the key to their day to day usage.

References

Ackermann, T. (2013). IT security risk management perceived IT security risks in the context of cloud computing. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler.

Clarke, R., & Knake, R. (2010). Cyber war: The next threat to national security and what to do about it. New York: Ecco.

Partida, A., & Andina, D. (2010). IT security management. Dordrecht: Springer.

Romney, M., & Steinbart, P. (2006). Accounting information systems (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.