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Moral Implications of Computer Technology

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Moral Implications of Computer Technology

Why computer technology is resistant to moral technology

Moral technologies refer to steps made to enable us better our moral choices in an ambiguous

manner. They aim at the elemental cognitive and neurological processes or function as the techy

go-between of social interactions. Technologies affect our morals in that good technologies help

us become healthier, loving, more educated, and mentally fit. Bad technology will do the

complete opposite; increase crime, deteriorate our mental health, promote hate, racism, and evil

in society. Discussed below are moral challenges in information technology.

Data privacy. Many people hold their privacy in high regard. Nobody wants their data

accessed by unauthorized persons. As people regularly exchange data via servers connected by a

network there is a possibility that some of this data usually lands in the wrong hands. Such leaks

are hazardous as those who illegally obtain the data are likely to them for illegal activities. To

curb this organizations, as well as individuals daily, come up with new ways to secure their data.

(Opinion Technology, 2018)

Fraud. Fraud is rampant in every part of the world and each day fraudsters come up with new

ways of stealing from unsuspecting individuals as the old ways become obsolete. The most

common method used by fraudsters is personification. They often pretend that they are either big

companies or individuals selling a particular commodity or service. In the end, many individuals

end up losing their hard-earned cash to thieves. To mitigate these companies have devised

several methods of verification. It is now possible to verify remotely if indeed a given company

is legit. (NIATEC, 2019)

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Many companies also require that individuals verify themselves as either true humans or

robots. Address confirmation has also become very important and IP addresses are usually used

to verify the location. Companies have also secured payment methods to ensure that both the

customer and seller are satisfied after a transaction.

Plagiarism. Stealing of scholarly work has become very rampant nowadays. As others toil to

do research, thieves steal the work and claim to own the copyrights. This has been a huge ethical

problem for a long time as many people have credit for their hard work. There has been a huge

improvement in IT over the recent years to solve this issue. Many tools that detect any form of

plagiarism have been devised and are easily accessible all over the internet. Plagiarized work

cannot be accepted, and violating copyright laws is now a crime that will land anyone in jail.

(NIATEC, 2019)

Piracy. It is a situation where hackers break into the software system of another individual or

company and illegally gain access to very sensitive information. They often sell this data or

manipulate the system to work in a way that benefits them at the expense of the owner. Stealing

money is very common in piracy cases. Several laws are in place to protect individuals from

data piracy. It is now evident that being guilty of data piracy will make one pay huge fines or

serve long jail terms. Companies and individuals are also trying their best to protect themselves

from piracy by upgrading their soft wares and employing the use of highly secured soft wares.

Some have to the extent of hiring professionals who monitor their data and make sure it is

always secure. (Bowie, 2021)

In conclusion, moral technology faces many challenges because many individuals use the

available loopholes to enrich themselves. It is also noticeable that some scholars do not want to

do research hence end up stealing the work of other scholars. Although these challenges exist it
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possible to restore sanity to moral technology by putting in place strict laws with huge fines and

long jail terms. Proper technology and professionals can also be used to protect us from data loss.
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References

Bowie, N. (1985). Metaphilosophy, 16(4), 319-322. Retrieved April 25, 2021, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/24436824

NIATEC. (2019, March 6). 03. (III) ethical issues.

Home. https://www.niatec.iri.isu.edu/ViewPage.aspx?id=153&rebuild=true

Opinion Technology. (2018, April 25). Tech has no moral code. It is everyone’s job now to

fight for one. the

Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/25/tech-no-moral-

code-racist-ads-cambridge-analytica-technology-ethical-deficit