Transcript IT Ethics - The University of Tulsa

IT Ethics
MIS 2003
Introduction to MIS
Definitions
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Moral
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Ethic
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Social conventions about right/wrong
Vary by age, cultural group, etc.
Beliefs regarding right/wrong
Influenced by family, religion, education, etc.
Law
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Legislated by governing body
Rights to Information – Mason
1986
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Privacy
Accuracy
Property
Access
Privacy
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“concerned with what information an
individual should have to reveal to others
through the course of employment or
through other transactions such as online
shopping”
Accuracy
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“concerned with the authenticity and
fidelity of information, as well as
identifying who is responsible for
informational errors that harm people”
Property
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“focuses on who owns information about
individuals and how information can be
sold and exchanged”
Access
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“focuses on defining what information a
person or organization has the right to
obtain about others and how this
information can be accessed and used”
Scenario 1
A programmer at a bank realized that he had accidentally overdrawn
his checking account. He made a small adjustment in the bank’s
accounting system so that his account would not have an additional
service charge assessed. As soon as he made a deposit that made his
balance positive again, he corrected the bank’s accounting system.
The programmer’s modification of the accounting system was
acceptable or unacceptable?
If you were the programmer, what is the probability that you would
have modified the accounting system? (highly probable, probable,
improbable, highly improbable)
Scenario 2
A computer programmer enjoyed building small computer applications
to give his friends. He would frequently go to his office on Saturday
when no one was working and use his employer’s computer to develop
computer applications. He did not hide the fact that he was going into
the building; he had to sign a register at a security desk each time he
entered. The employment policy states that all knowledge created
using company computers belongs to the company.
The programmer’s use of the company’s computer to create
applications for friends was acceptable or unacceptable?
If you were the programmer, what is the probability that you would
have used the company’s computer on your own time to develop
programs for your friends? (highly probable, probable, improbable,
highly improbable)
Scenario 3
Students in Professor Ziegler’s business class are required to complete
a group project as one of their assignments. Professor Ziegler
announces to the class that it is important that each member of the
group work on the project, as the group will receive only one grade.
Group One consists of four members, Alyssa, Brian, Carole, and Dan.
The night before the project is due, the members decide to meet
electronically in a chat room to discuss and complete their project.
This is their first and only meeting to work on the project. Alyssa
never logs into the chat room. The other members work for over two
hours and send her repeated messages, but she never responds. The
next day, the group turns in the assignment with all four names on the
cover page.
The group turning in the assignment will all four names was acceptable
or unacceptable?
If you were a member of the group, what is the probability that you
would have turned in the assignment with all four names? (highly
probable, probable, improbable, highly improbable)
Scenario 4
George needed help desperately. He owed the university library $150 in
fines. He was in this mess because he had been under such severe
stress from his course he had forgotten to renew his books. Coupled
with this he was worried about his ill mother. The bills were mounting
up; he needed to buy a plane ticket to visit his ill mother. He couldn’t
ignore the problem any longer. George knew that his friend Tony had
already broken into the library system to change his own account
several times. George asked Tony to break into the library computer
system and delete the fine on his record making it look as though he
had paid the fine. Tony complied.
Tony’s modification
unacceptable?
of
the
library
system
was
acceptable
or
If you were Tony, what is the probability that you would have modified
the library system? (highly probable, probable, improbable, highly
improbable)
Scenario 5
Victoria is registered for Introduction to Business Statistics for the next
semester. The textbook is available at the university bookstore or as an
e-book from the publisher’s website. Instead of purchasing the
textbook or paying the e-book fee, Victoria’s friend, Susan, sends
Victoria her login and password for the e-book in an instant message
so that Victoria can download it prior to the first day of class. Victoria
logs into the system using Susan’s login and password; then she prints
the e-book for the first day of class.
Victoria using Susan’s login to download the e-book was acceptable or
unacceptable?
If you were Victoria, what is the probability that you would have used
Susan’s login to download the e-book? (highly probable, probable,
improbable, highly improbable)
Scenario 6
Luke is shopping online for some textbooks. He orders one textbook
from a website. When he receives his order, he notices that he has
received two textbooks, one of which he did not order. However, his
invoice statement indicates that he has only been charged for one
textbook. Luke decides to keep both textbooks.
Luke keeping both textbooks was acceptable or unacceptable?
If you were Luke, what is the probability that you would have kept
both textbooks? (highly probable, probable, improbable, highly
improbable)
Scenario A
Sara is a senior at ABC University. She has earned very good grades and participates in
a number of extracurricular activities. She is beginning the job search process to seek a
full time position after graduation. She joins two online job placement websites. These
sites allow her to post her resume, search through job openings, and they also send her
weekly updates of new jobs that match her interests. The job placement websites also
have message boards and chat rooms for fellow job hunters to share advice and
encouragement. Sara notices several advertisements on these websites that offer
services to job seekers. Since some of her job applications require a written essay, she is
especially interested in one website that offers an essay-editing service for a fee. Sara
posts a question on the discussion board to find out if anyone else has used this service.
After receiving several good reviews, Sara writes her essay and then uploads it to the
service and pays her fee. A week later, the revised essay is e-mailed to Sara. The essay
had been changed substantially. Sara’s original idea was there, but most of the writing
was new. She realized this essay was much better than her original and submitted it
with her job application and resume.
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If you were writing an essay for a job application, what is the probability that you
would have used the edited essay? Probable/Improbable
The probability that others my age would undertake the same action as Sara is:
High/Low
The action by Sara is: Ethical/Unethical
Scenario B
Sam and Ginger are both taking an advanced visual basic programming class this
semester. According to the class syllabus, each assignment is to be done individually and
not in groups. They have been working individually on a project for the class for several
days and are having difficulty getting either of their own programs to run correctly.
Around 2 am on the day the project is due, they agree via a text message to work
together. They decide to combine their efforts and skills, pull the best parts from each
individual project, debug the problem spots and turn in the project as their individual
work.
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If you were having difficulty with a project, what is the probability that you would
have combined your work with another student’s? Probable/Improbable
The probability that others my age would undertake the same action as Sam and
Ginger is: High/Low
The action by Sam and Ginger is: Ethical/Unethical
Scenario C
Professor Smith is reviewing the final papers in his management class. He turned the
papers into turnitin.com to check for plagiarism prior to reading them. When reviewing
the turnitin.com reports, he learns that Jason has 42% of his paper copied directly from
various Internet sites. As a result, Professor Smith gives Jason a zero on the paper and
reports him to the college on charges of academic misconduct.
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If you were reviewing the turnitin.com reports, what is the probability you would
have given Jason a zero on the paper and reported him for academic misconduct?
Probable/Improbable
The probability that others my age would undertake the same action as Professor
Smith is: High/Low
The action by Professor Smith is: Ethical/Unethical
Scenario D
It is 11:00 p.m. and Susan is Facebook chatting with her friends. She
has not started writing her research essay due the next day. One of
her friends suggests finding papers on the subject from the Internet.
Susan takes her friend’s suggestion and copies and pastes three
paragraphs exactly from a website and places them in her essay. She
puts the URL at the end of the three paragraphs referencing the web
site, but does not include any quotation marks. She continues by
adding some paragraphs of her own to the writing. Even though
University policy indicates that all material taken directly from sources
must be quoted, Susan feels that the URL placed at the end of the
paragraphs is sufficient.
Scenario E
Just for fun, Alice (a high school senior) tells
other people in an on-line chat room that
she is a registered nurse. The people in the
chat room have begun emailing her healthrelated questions and Alice is answering the
questions.
Scenario F
Jennie and Grace are rooming together in the freshmen
dorm, and the two of them seem to be getting along well.
They are both in the room when Grace needs to leave to
take laundry from the dryer. While she is gone, Grace
receives a text message on her phone which she has left in
the dorm room. Jennie reads the text message. The
message is from one of Grace’s friends asking how the
“snobby” roommate is working out. This upsets Jennie so
she posts a comment to Facebook regarding Grace’s
weekend escapades. The Facebook comments are viewed
by prospective sorority sisters. Grace is not invited to join
any of the sororities.