A right-based ethical framework requires people to make decisions that respect the moral rights of all parties involved in ethical decisions. Right-based ethical framework demonstrates respect for others, promotes the health of the society and is highly motivational. This ethical framework is based on the theory of Kant’s Categorical Imperative, which requires people to do the right regardless of the costs. The cyberspace provides a social experience that enables people to interact, share information, exchange ideas, direct actions and conduct business using the global network. The internet offers an environment consisting of several participants that have the ability to affect and influence one another (Spinello, 2013). The information that people share in the cyberspace raises moral panic among the public. The cyberspace moral dilemmas are problematic to deal with and require proper ethical frameworks to solve them.
The right-based morality is the most suitable framework for dealing with the moral dilemmas in cyberspace. The right-based morality framework demonstrates respect for other people’s rights. According to Miah (2005), people who observe the right-based morality do not act in ways that they believe are morally wrong. Kant emphasized on the necessity of respecting other people; this has become a key consideration in the modern moral philosophy. Moral dilemmas in cyberspace include freedom of speech and content control, internet security, intellectual privacy and cyberspace privacy (Spinello, 2013). The users of the internet who do not respect the rights of others spread undesirable propagandas and hack people’s online accounts to steal critical information. The right-based morality reminds these people to have high standards of respect and treat other people as they would wish to be treated.
The right-based ethical framework is highly motivational. This framework emphasizes persistence and consistency of behavior. The users of the internet who are convinced that certain actions are wrong are less likely to compromise their ethical standards (Miah, 2005). For example, distribution of pornographic materials is easier in the cyberspace than in the real space. Morally ethical distributors understand the ethical issues associated with pornography, hence restrict minors from accessing these materials. Failing to respect the rights of other people may sometimes lead to legal sanctions. Fines and punishments associated with infringing the rights of others motivate people use the internet ethically.
Right-based ethical frameworks promote the health of the society as a whole. This framework promotes sharing of information and concern for others while condemning coercion, deception and violence. Distribution of unwanted materials through the internet may create enmity among people and corporations (Spinello, 2013). Unwanted materials include deceptive information, propagandas, plans of violence and defamation. Right-based frameworks emphasize on respect for other people’s privacy and intellectual property for creating harmonious societies. Kant, in his theory of Categorical Imperative, argued that respecting the rights of others is a crucial guideline to observe in maintaining the health of their societies.
The right-based morality framework is based on Kant’s Categorical Imperative theory, which requires people to do the right regardless of the costs. Cyberspace is the flow of information through the network of interconnected computers (Miah, 2005). Moral dilemmas in the modern cyberspace include freedom of speech and content control, internet security, intellectual privacy and cyberspace privacy. These ethical dilemmas have created moral panic among the public. The right-based is the best framework in counteracting cyberspace dilemma since it demonstrates respect for others, promotes the health of the society and is highly motivational.
References
Miah, A. (2005). Genetics, cyberspace and bioethics: why not a public engagement with ethics? Public Understanding of Science, 14 (4), 409-421.
Spinello, R. (2013). Cyberethics: Morality and law in cyberspace. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
