THE ETHICAL ISSUES OF THE INFORMATION AGE

The information age as defined by generation of today is growing up surrounded with intellectual capital that is formed through the use of information. Information means increasing the capacity of the mind to achieve its goals, resulting of an input from another mind”. (Mason, 2012) The construction of high importance of intellectual capital is also very important because of all the different ethical issues. These issues are defined as certain values relating to the conduct of human with respect to what’s right or wrong. The four main ethical issues are, property accuracy accessibility and privacy these are what we need to be more aware of.
In disputing the aspect of privacy, it’s important that we pay close attention to two important issues: the growth and value we place on informational technology in our decision making. We should asked ourselves what type of information should a person reveal to others, or what type of conditions or type of things should we keep to ourselves without being forced to reveal them to others (Mason, 2012). The four different categories of private information can be divided into; private communication, and privacy of the body, personal information, and information about one’s possessions (Britz, 2012). For instance privacy can be violated with misuse of communication, the merging of documents, the retrieval of document, as well as alteration of information along with the failed attempt of storing that information.
Accuracy when disputing its aspect, we must consider how dangerous misinformation is and try to avoid gathering inaccurate information. Who do we hold responsible for the inaccuracy of information? Who should be accountable for errors in information and how to make the injured party a whole?” (Mason, 2012) Peter Brown was a great example of inaccurate information that changed the life of a crewmember. Peter Brown was someone who relied on the National Weather Services’ forecast to determine his path, but instead ended up in a “hurricane-storm”, and lost his crewmember Gary Brown who was washed overboard. Peter Brown sues the National Weather Service for not properly predicting the severity of the storm. While disputing the aspect of property, one must keep in mind the special attributes of information and the way it is spread. Information of, today’s technology makes it easier to duplicate and harder to protect, Even where there are several associations attempted to guard the right of intellectual property there are always people who are smarter in finding ways around encryption, and oaths of confidentiality. There are people smart enough who find ways around covering information or people who don’t have any morals regarding honesty. When dealing with intellectual property rights one should ask themselves, “information is own by whom? What are the just and fair prices for its exchange? Who owns the channels, especially the airways, through which information is transmitted? How should access to this resource be allocated?”. (Mason, 2012) Being able to answer these questions should be able to help prevent the misuse of property.
It is important to keep in mind the following questions in disputing the aspect of accessibility, “What information or a privilege to does a person or an organization has a right to obtain?” (Mason, 2012) If you are able to answer those questions it will help you to gain proper information. Literacy is an important factor of accessibility which can opens many doors in gaining the right information. Like reading and writing, understanding how to access information at the libraries, or books, etc. As ethical people we must assure information technology and the information that is used for rights of mankind. Information should have privacy by protecting our intellectual rights to better help our society by being more accessible for us to us.

Refferences: Mason, Richard O. "Four Ethical Issues of the Information Age)." Four Ethical Issues of the Information Age). Management Information Systems Research Center, University of Minnesota, 09 May 2012. Web. 06 Sept. 2012. <http://www.gdrc.org/info-design/4-ethics.html>.

Britz, J. J. "TECHNOLOGY AS A THREAT TO PRIVACY: Ethical Challenges." TECHNOLOGY AS A THREAT TO PRIVACY: Ethical Challenges. Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2012. <http://web.simmons.edu/~chen/nit/NIT'96/96-025-Britz.html>.