Computer Ethics - Netiquette

Computer Ethics

by James H. Moor

Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. Vol. 2. 2^nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. p396-398.

Computer ethics is a branch of applied ethics and virtually covers all fields. This is because the computer technology has greatly affected and has now been greatly embedded in people's lives and activities in more ways that we can imagine. The computer technology has reached a wide number of users and that everyday new information are being made available to the public through the Internet.  It has now become integrated in society that  all our activities from education, law, business to the government and the military depend on them. Modern computing technologies gave way for more people to create computers that does a  wide range of functions. 

Computer ethics have been raised through the course of the advancements in technology. Viruses, spamming, doctored images and digital information being copied so easily and accurately have greatly increased and these problems have raised issues in rights and responsibilities. Privacy, property, power, security and professionalism are the main areas with which the justification for policies for the ethical use of technology are being based. 

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Upon researching for an article in computer ethics, I have discovered that there is a continuous effort to create guidelines for the ethical issues in using computer technologies.I also learned that people all over the world must be able to create a consciousness in observing acceptable behavioral conduct when participating in the cyberworld. Computers cannot be taught to understand emotions and moral responsibilities much like a human person do. We must be able to understand that there is no absolute cyber protocol, we just need to observe sensible rules of communication.