Introduction
Cyber ethics is a technological term. It is used to illustrate the discipline of using appropriate and ethical conduct in acknowledging the moral duties and obligations pertaining to online environments and digital media. It incorporates responsible use of information. Responsible use of information means making sure that one respects the nature and purpose of information gathered (Dudley 2012). Generally, cyber-ethics are aimed at ensuring that personal information is not illegally displayed in the internet. Moreover, it is meant to ensure that users of information are protected from false information. Besides that, it is also meant to ensure that the copyrights, among other rights of information, are honored.
As an information technology professional, one ought to have professional responsibility. It is vividly clear that there has been tremendous advancement in the level and tactics within the technology field today. As an IT professional, one has the responsibility to develop programs that can enable proper handling and processing of data (Dudley 2012). However, the management of these programs should be well monitored to ensure that it does not tamper with the privacy of other people. To be precise, information technology experts are supposed to help the organizations develop and appreciate the new evolution of the information technology. They are also supposed to entice the employees of every firm on the computing technologies and their intended impacts. However, the intended impact should not deviate from the good of the technology to violation of privacy to data users.
Basically, the most common responsibility of an information technology professional today is to analyze the design, modify and even support computer systems. This is further done through making a working collaboration with the entire staff of the firm and their clients. This means that the whole idea of being an information technology profession lies within making operations within an organization easy to execute and work on.
The knowledge passed on to the information technology gurus is adequate enough for one to develop intelligent systems. These systems can either be used to make the information within the selected organization vulnerable. In this case therefore, it is the ethical responsibility of the profession to practice ethics (Dudley 2012). Important systems within the national or local level need to acquire information security. There arises an urgent need to develop complex and independent support within the designed systems for that particular organization. It is the responsibility of information technology professions to advance the security status of the administration systems.
Part of the work of being an information technology professional is purely to develop programs that will enable to manage data. However, it is upon the ethical responsibility of the individual to ensure that the information is handled. Information at the hand of the government is one of the most delicate information (Chuvakin 2012). It encompasses individual data for citizens of a particular nation as well as information of national concern. Individual information according to the constitutions of most countries is supposed to remain confidential. For information concerning national projects and programs remains delicate. That is, people will have the urge to know what is in the database.
Government information is subject to whistle-blowers. Whistle blowers are individuals or organizations who assess data and expose misconduct, dishonesty or even the level of malpractice within a firm or government. Information technology professionals have a double-coincidence responsibility to ensure that the information is accessible to legitimate whistle blowers. This saves the ruling government from allegations of the rule or law on whistle blowers protection (Chuvakin 2012). However, it is necessary for the information technology guru to identify the information that is supposed be passed to them.
Despite the efforts of information technology professions efforts to make secure the information on the government, there remains inevitable leakages. The government, unlike most private corporations is faced by some inevitable challenges. This happens as it tries to perform effectively under its set manifesto. Some of these operational challenges include efforts by the government to operate with transparency, need to publicize confidential information due to public demand and the expense of hackers. The government requires assistance from the information technology professional to run their programs effectively (Chuvakin 2012). It is therefore a responsibility to develop a program that contains strong data-base that will enable the government identify log-in details of the hackers of information. This may enable the government to identify the location of the IP address of the computers used.
As a responsible professional in the information technology field, it is important that I try to ensure that I do not practice fraud within the system. Most of the corporate data is easily accessible. The balancing effect of the government and the whistle blowers then comes in. in this case is by ensuring that the information displayed to the whistle blowers is not potential. This can only be done through encryption of data that is much worthier and does not have a direct impact on the lives of citizens (Chuvakin 2012). There is a reason why the information should not be fully addressed online or even through digital devices. This is because there are different categories of whistle blowers. Some carry out the activity for fame and others have the martyr spirit in them.
Information on government databases is categorized into different dockets. The dockets are illustrated in form of the ministries. The health docket is one of the most essential dockets in every nation. As an information technology profession, I would advocate for protected health records through electronic means.
Information technology has an adequate potential to raise the standards of quality, safe and effective health-care. Considering the fact that the use of information technology is not common and uniform throughout, then the first proposal will be based on considering installation of the system. Maintaining the privacy of personal health information is a highly-valued activity. With reference to the already implemented EHR technology, health records should acquire qualified maintenance (Schultz 2006). Ample application of essential safe-guards that exist in the HIPPA privacy rules may enable security measures to be carried out. This way there will be minimal if no leakages in form o security gaps. This means that there will be fewer situations of data losses and cyber attacks on confidential health records.
Failure of the cited systems and policies of maintaining health records beckons for a better measure. With the knowledge in information technology, a new system is required to be developed. This new system should respect all the codes and cyber-ethics. The new system should entail a stronger database security system that secures the data from external manipulation (Chuvakin 2012). This means that the system should contain codes that are not easily manipulated. This will help ensure that the system is reliant in decision making concerning the health progress of the patients.
Besides the health record is one of the most crucial dockets. This is finance. This is one of the most targeted fields by experienced cyber frauds. Information pertaining security of finances is one of the most crucial items in information technology sector. The presence of identity theft is so common in the technological world. However, breach of information comes as a result of leakages within the financial-records system. In the current trends, the financial institutions have adopted IT globally. Therefore, almost all financial institutions are involved in electronic money transfer among other information technology practices.
The intensive use of information technology in the financial sector means that the records are subject to leakage. Advanced methods of security need to be improvised in order for the information maintain security. In that case therefore, improved and developed systems of data storage need to be improvised (Schultz 2006). In addition, the system developers should be actively involved in ensuring that gradual development is done on the systems. This will enable the system to maintain status up to date. With the rapidly evolving technology, failure to update the systems leads to a weak system and hence it can easily be penetrated. Financial institutions that use manual records need to address the issue. Use of IT in the organization will enable it to develop a better confidential and integral environment among the clients.
Information technology plays a vital role in the present marketing strategies. Due to the vast geographical scope of market, there has emerged the need to create a better way of creating awareness. Use of information technology in advertisement is one of the emerging issues (Schultz 2006). In this case, information about the company has to be exposed. With the click of a mouse, people can acquire information about the company. The use of ads enables this exercise to be successful. However, it is important that the website that is used for advertisement is separated from the site that comprises the key information. This will enable the consumer to get the information that is just important to them and nothing more.
Information displayed on the database of the entire company is vulnerable since the competitors may identify a point of weakness. It is after this vulnerability that the company may suffer from external fraud in the information. However, use of information technology makes the companies’ struggle to put to market the products.
Like every other advancement, information technology has its areas of concern. As discussed in the essay, information about the companies, the government operations and the public requires a level of confidentiality. In that case therefore, information on operations and activities within the companies and the government should have a level of privacy. The public also requires information about issues concerning the government and also the companies in order to assess them. In that case, the public demands that information about the latter is made public.
With reference to the cyber-ethics, the information concerning the government, companies and the public requires some level of privacy. It is unethical to let information that is confidential leak. In that case, all the information is useful. However, it is necessary to sort out the vital information that if let out to the external world, it would be unethical. Professionalism requires one to observe ethics within which the profession acquires relevance.
References
Chuvakin, A., & Williams, B. (2012). Pci Compliance: Understand and Implement Effective Pci Data Security Standard Compliance. S.l.: Syngress.
Dudley, A., Braman, J., & Vincenti, G. (2012). Investigating Cyber Law and Cyber Ethics: Issues, Impacts and Practices. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Schultz, R. (2006). Contemporary Issues in Ethics and Information Technology. Hershey, PA: IRM Press.
Wu, T. (2010). The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Zhong, Z. (2013). Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Engineering and Applications (iea) 2012: Volume 4. London: Springer.
(Dudley 2012)
