Consequences of Unsafe, Illegal, and Unethical Use of Technology Systems

Ethical Dilemma in the Use of Information Technology

From the first printing press onward, ethical dilemmas have always come with each
advancement in technology. While information technology continues to evolve, so do the
decisions business owners and IT managers must face. Just a few years ago, software piracy
was an issue for many businesses, however that's much less the case today. In the past couple
of years, new ethical issues in information technology have evolved, like how customer data
should be protected, and how artificial intelligence should be used in a way that satisfies, not
just the law, but customer's expectations.

In recent years, the ethical problems in information technology have been complicated even
further with the rise of ransomware attacks. Hackers infiltrate a computer network, take control
of it and then demand payment for a code that will release it. If you don't pay the ransom, you
may lose all of the data stored on your network. Even if you have the data backed up, the time –
and expense – of restoring your network may be more than the cost of paying the ransom.
Business owners and IT managers who pay the ransom do so knowing that it will encourage the
hackers to do the same thing to another organization.

Each year, as advances are made in artificial intelligence, or AI, businesses that use these
technologies will be facing new ethical dilemmas. For example, if you decide to use a chatbot on
your website to assist customers, not only do you have to decide what information you will be
collecting from those customers and how it will be used, you will also have to decide whether or
not to tell your customers that they are interacting with a program rather than a human being.
In other cases, the dilemmas surrounding AI revolve around how it is programmed. Human
preferences and even prejudices can affect how the software behaves. In one instance, an AI
tool used by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections to help determine parole eligibility of
inmates showed a distinct preference for Caucasian men over African-American and Hispanic
men. The prejudice was written into the software by the programmers. — David Weedmark

Viruses

A computer virus is executable malicious software or code that self-replicates by taking control
of other programs on an infected computer. Designed to spread from one host computer to
another, a computer virus latches onto a piece of software or a document and remains there
until a user opens the file in question. When they do, the virus will start executing its code and
cause damage to the host computer.

There are many ways how you can contract a computer virus – via file downloads, email
attachments, compromised software installations, or scam links on social media. You can then
spread the virus by sharing infected files or links with others. If your computer is part of a
network, just one user opening a compromised file on their desktop could be enough to take the
entire network down.

Although there have been some “good” viruses with helpful effects on host machines, computer
viruses are bad by definition. When executed, they can spam your email and social media
contacts, corrupt files on your hard drive, and slow down your computer. Viruses can steal your
passwords and change your login data to lock you out of your email and social media profiles,
online banking accounts, or even your computer. In the worst-case scenario, they can wipe all
the data from your hard drive in just seconds.

Consequences

Organizational Integrity—Businesses, schools and governments that have Internet

presence commonly provide hyperlinks to statements about safety and security.
Information technology professionals are the people who carry out and uphold these
policies in most organizations. People hesitate to use an organization's Internet-based
and e-commerce services if concerns exist about the integrity of these systems.
Security breaches can occur at the hands of wayward IT employees within an
organization, as well as in the form of hackers outside the company's firewalls. No
matter the culprit, if end-users do not feel comfortable interacting with an
organization's IT properties, businesses can lose profits, schools can lose the online
teaching platform and governments can lose the efficiency and cost-savings of having
public services available via the Internet.

Industry Integrity—Information technology is a profession and industry on its own,

but IT services and products are integral to the workings of essentially every industry.
Unethical behavior by IT personnel or hackers can bring entire industries to a halt,
either delaying services or shutting down operations. For example, hospitals and the
health-care industry are making a push to digitize patient care and medical records.
Paper documentation is falling by the wayside. If medical databases are compromised,
vital medical data may virtually disappear, adversely affecting the delivery of patient
care. Many vital industries have data backup plans in place, but downtime can deal a
crippling financial blow.

Academics, Research and Development—Universities and corporations have a

symbiotic relationship; the two seemingly separate entities coordinate to establish
what the next generation of graduating IT professionals need to know about the real
world. Existing IT professionals who perform malevolent activities that negatively
affect an industry might inadvertently disrupt the supply chain of new talent from
colleges.

Societal Impact—Businesses and academicians alike have trumpeted predictions

about the world-changing effects of information technology for decades. More than a
decade into the 21st century, the general consensus is that the Internet boom has
come and gone, but IT still plays a very important role across society. You may hear
the terms "developed nations" and "developing nations" mentioned in relation to
computers and Internet technologies; IT professionals are helping major industrial
countries maintain a standard of living and manage growth, while emerging economies
are using information technology to lift citizens out of poverty. As such, unethical
behavior in the IT industry can set the ambitions of entire regions back if governments
and businesses cannot trust the people charged with securing and maintaining the
technology.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ethical-dilemma-use-information-technology-18366.html

https://softwarelab.org/what-is-a-computer-virus/

http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Resources/Defining-EContent/What-is-Digital-Content-
79501.htm

https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/sme/en/documents/guides/customization/creative_expressio
n_phil.pdf

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-impact-unethical-behavior-information-technology-
34387.html