AN EXPLORATION OF ETHICS BEHIND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 The purpose of this research paper is to discuss how the increased use of information technology within society can cause ethical dilemmas to arise. Information technology has become widely adopted, and continues to impact several organizations, through the process of gathering and storing information online. Although many individuals would claim this advancement to be beneficial, the use of information technology can lead to serious consequences, if it is not handled properly. The paper will begin with an introduction to information technology, whilst highlighting the many components that make it useful within society. In addition, the paper will then discuss the ethics of information technology, and focus on why ethical concerns may unfold. Lastly, the paper will explore the different ways an organization can approach these ethical dilemmas. Moreover, suggestions on how to prevent ethical issues under information technology will be discussed as well.

Keywords: information technology, privacy, issues, ethics, dilemmas, society, change, positive impacts, negative, workplace, security

 In today’s society, information technology has tremendously developed, impacting the way individuals go about their daily lives. The use of this advancement has influenced several industries as well, like: health care, education, business, and more. Information technology allows for large amounts of information to be stored and retrieved in just a short amount of time, which is very convenient. This is the main reason as to why many would claim that information technology is a valuable addition to society. Since information technology has made such an impact, the debate of IT ethics is becoming more notable. Some areas of concern generally include: privacy, security, discrimination, and misuse. It is important that these issues are discussed and prevented. The development of information technology may be essential in society, but because of its prominence, there needs to be ethical regulations put in place.

The use of information technology has been implemented at both an individual and organizational level. At an individual level, usage refers to one’s personal access to information, which can either be through their cellular device, laptop, or any electronic device for that matter. As for an organizational level, usage refers to a group of individuals that have access under the same objective. Although information technology was developed to act as a tool to easily trans