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NET ETHICS. The Net Ethics Prepared by THARMENDRAN A/L SUKUMARAN FOR 1CITIZEN. I. The Internet & Ethics. THE VALUE OF THE INTERNET AS A RESOURCE.
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NET ETHICS The Net Ethics Prepared by THARMENDRAN A/L SUKUMARAN FOR 1CITIZEN
THE VALUE OF THE INTERNET AS A RESOURCE The next few slides should give you an idea of what we have come to rely on the internet for, and perhaps show you just how much it has become a part of our lives.
E-MAIL AND E-GROUPS Perhaps one of the earliest and most important functions of the internet for a wide user-base is electronic mail. The need for fax machines and snail mail decreased as more and more people resorted to using the internet to send messages.
INSTANT MESSAGING Another important function of the internet that continues to aid us daily is the ability to send and receive messages in real-time. Instant messaging has become a staple for every day life, used in business correspondence, personal chats and even to facilitate class discussions.
ONLINE SHOPPING One of the internet’s most current and relevant functions is, unsurprisingly, consumer related. With the birth of websites such as Amazon, consumers have been enabled to shop freely without having to leave the comfort of their own homes.
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS With the expansion of the internet and the development of such user-friendly platforms within Web 2.0 to aid users in network-building and information-sharing, the popularity of networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging platforms has sky rocketed.
WEB 2.0 The terminology "Web 2.0" is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with each other as contributors to the website's content, in contrast to websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them. Examples of Web 2.0 include web-based communities, hosted services, web applications, social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, mashups, and Within folksonomies.
WHY IS INTERNET ETHICS VALUABLE? • Internet ethics covers the proper ways of information distribution, the type of information that is being passed on, and, in turn the protection of it’s users. • Lack of internet ethics also means that there is no way for controlling what type of information will be sent through the network, including information that may cause harm to other people. • Without internet ethics, there would be no real way of protecting any sensitive information that is sent through the network, and no way of controlling who is free to have access to that information, and what they’ll use it for.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COME WITH INTERNET ETHICS It should also be understood that internet ethics is the responsibility of everyone that goes online, not just corporations and those in government, but the average end-user as well. In order to implement internet ethics, here are some things that may be done: • Laws that apply in real life such as identity theft, and a ban on child pornography must be both criminalised and implemented online as well. • Internet service providers such as Google must be made aware that they are servicing a multitude of people sharing information to more than one person. Even if they cannot pre-check content, they must address complaints or notifications about sites that they are hosting or programs they offer that are being used for illegal purposes. • Consumers or end-users should be given both the knowledge and means to apply their own ethical code when it comes to internet usage, whether by themselves or their families. This is particularly important for parents and teachers. • It must be recognized that children require special protection. The internet is not like television. Children can interact with other people on the internet without adult supervision, and in real-time. They are talking to strangers, some who may not have their best interest in mind.
WHAT LIMITS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNET ETHICS? • Jurisdictional competence. Laws are nation-based but cyberspace is global. How does one apply up to 170 separate and different legal systems to the Internet? • Technological complexities. The Internet is a complex technical network and one cannot simply apply ‘old’ regulatory conventions from the worlds of publishing or broadcasting. • The ‘geeks’ vs the ‘suits’. As many Internet-related companies have grown, there is now an internal tension between the old-timers, with their vast technical knowledge, and the new-comers who are more likely to be marketing people much more aware of consumer concerns. • Populist campaigns. The Internet is still so new and so mysterious for many that it is still relatively easy for a populist campaign to be whipped up which exaggerates the dangers of Internet content and/or minimises the technical complexities of dealing with it. We must be sensitive to consumer concerns, but the agenda cannot be determined by ill-informed politicians looking for votes or newspapers seeking to boost circulation.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO SOLVE THESE LIMITATIONS In order to create an ethical environment for both new and old internet users, Darlington gives the following solutions to current limitations: • Modernisation of laws. Governments need to consider whether pre-Internet laws need up-dating to take account of new crimes such as cyber stalking or grooming in chat rooms. • More high tech crime fighters. Law enforcement agencies need more people with greater technical training and resource to tackle increasingly sophisticated cyber criminals such as paedophile rings. One example is the recent creation of the Cyber Security Malaysia. • ‘Note and take down’ mechanisms. We need organisations to which Internet users can report allegedly criminal content in the confident knowledge that this hotline is equipped to judge the legality and identify the hosting of material so that, if it is illegal and if it is in their jurisdictional area, they can issue a notice to the relevant ISP to remove it. A good example of such an operation is the Internet Watch Foundation in the UK. • Labelling and filtering. We can best empower end users by greater labelling or rating of Internet content and greater use of more sophisticated filtering software. The Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA)has made considerable progress in developing and promoting a genuinely global, culturally independent labelling system. A wide range of companies provide filtering software which operates on different principles. In this way, households can make their own decisions based on their own cultural or ethical values. • Walled gardens. For young children or as a transitional stage to full Internet access, one could use a ‘walled garden’ which restricts access to those sites pre-selected by a particular provider, typically with a child-friendly brand. • Better supervision of children. All those with responsibility for children – especially parents, guardians, teachers and carers– need to become better aware of some of the problems of Internet use by children and the range of solutions which are available. They cannot rely, though, on technical solutions – regular conversation with, and observation of, the child is essential.
CONCLUSION • The concept of ethics is applicable to the internet because it is a resource that provides a slew of services to the human race particularly social interaction on a global scale. A vast amount of information is uploaded and passed around its networks daily. The security of which is sometimes taken for granted. • Because Web 2.0 has made information sharing and networking much easier, it also makes the internet more accessible to a vast range of users, even those who are under aged. This is why there is more of a need, now than ever, to filter content and to assist both new and young users in the workings of the web. They must be protected. • There is a need for internet ethics in order to protect the human rights of its users. Without defining internet ethics, there is no “proper” or “improper” way of using the internet and its services. • The need for internet ethics does not boil down to a battle between good and evil. Rather, it stems from a wide user base that all have different cultural & religious beliefs as well as laws and social norms. The development of internet ethics lies in finding a common ground for this user base on what they can agree on as "acceptable“ in terms of online conduct. • Because the internet is primarily used as a networking tool connecting billions of users worldwide, the need for guidance on how to use such a resource is important. Unlike natural resources, the internet is virtually endless and full of opportunities for modification and advancement. This also makes it easy to abuse.
IT IS UP TO US, AS USERS, TO HELP FIND A PLACE FOR ETHICS ON THE INTERNET We must be aware that as the internet becomes more and more of a valuable resource in the 21st century, we are just as open to new innovations as we are to the emergence of new crimes. If we do not take it upon ourselves to protect us and our families, who will?
