Environmental, Legal and Ethical Concerns of IT

Environmental concerns
The widespread adoption of information systems has also had environmental effects. On the one hand,
the need to power millions of computers has increased electricity consumption while, on the other
hand, the consumption of electricity and other forms of energy has been reduced as computers carefully
control air-conditioning and heating systems. Information systems have enabled teleworking from
home. This can mean less travel to and from work and therefore a reduction in traffic pollution. lthough
the age of the truly paperless office is some years away, there has already been some saving on the use
of paper (and therefore trees) as data is communicated and stored digitally.

Legal, ethical and moral effects

The legal, ethical and moral effects of information systems will continue to be an area of concern to
users. A great deal of personal information is held on computers. The Data Protection Act tries to ensure
that personal information is held and processed responsibly. Laws have also been passed to try to stop
hacking and the pirating (stealing) of software. All of this raises some important ethical and moral issues,
such as the following:

◆ How far should the law go in giving government officers, such as the police, access to everyone’s
personal data or emails in order to fight crime?

◆ How far should established and new technologies, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) and
microchip smart cards, be used to monitor people’s activities?

◆ What will happen to people who cannot afford to buy, or gain access to, a computer system?

Oxford Information Technology for CSEC p 92 – 93

Oxford Information Technology for CSEC p 92 – 93