The Internet and Ethics (Research Paper Sample)

We live in a world where the internet plays a pinnacle role in our day to day lives. Discuss how the internet has caused an ethical debate on our information privacy.
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Abstract
The internet is a powerful tool in the society. Organizations and institutions employ the power of the internet to achieve the company’s objectives. The access to the internet globally and the commercialization of the internet services has triggered the development of new technologies that facilitates and enhances the speed of internet connections. Communication patterns between and within organizations, institutions, governmental agencies, and states, has evolved from the primitive forms to the current internet enabled communication systems. However, despite these great contributions, the Internet poses significant risks to fraudulent activities. Ethical debates on information privacy are inevitable. This research paper focuses on the roles that the Internet plays in the society. The issues regarding information privacy and fraudulent activities are contained in this research paper. Also, internet malpractices that raise ethical debates are discussed in details. This paper also focuses on the precautionary measures at the individual and organizational level to enhance information privacy.
Keywords: the internet, information privacy, fraudulent activities, ethical issues,
In the society, the use of the internet is proofing to be a powerful tool in development. The use of computer systems is increasingly on demand in every organization. Right from the individual to cooperate level, the need for internet usage is becoming inevitable. As viewed from the broad perspective, the Internet refers to the global system comprising of computer networks that are used to link indefinite devices globally. The internet employs the application of wireless electronic devices and optical networking technologies. The information contained within the networking systems is primarily used by governmental organizations, business, private or public networks as well as the financial institution. Internet providers interlink between unique internet networks and provide access to end-users who tab the information.
In the contemporary world, the use of the internet has escalated. The World Wide Web plays a critical role in the dissemination of the information globally. Through the advancement in technology, the internet facilitates communication process in organizations and institutions. This availability of the information facilitates the learning processes within the learning institutions and reduces the bulkiness associated with print books. Advances in varying research fields are coordinated worldwide through the internet. For instance, during an outbreak of a disease epidemic, research findings in different distant research centers are coordinated through the web for analysis. In performing bulk duties within a vast organization, such as tracking company progress and results, payroll processing as well as data regarding the company, the management utilizes the internet to achieve the set objectives. At the individual level, any searchable information is accessible on the web. Social networking sites such as chat rooms and instant mailing are widely explored at the individual level.
However, due to the easy accessibility of the information on the internet, information privacy becomes a subject. Vulnerability to fraudulent activities and subsequent loss of financial or personal values raise serious ethical issues regarding internet usage. Most of the ethical debates concerning internet usage relate to information privacy, the accuracy of the information, the information property, and accessibility. Some of these malpractices include phishing, hacking, cyber-bullying, email spamming, among others.
Emails and Spam
Emails refer to the messages that are distributed electronically by the author to a single or multiple recipients. The process of sending the email messages requires the help of the Internet or any other available computer network. In the past, for the successful delivery of an email message, both the sender and the recipient need to be online simultaneously. However, due to technological development, current forms of emailing systems utilize the store-and-forward technique. The email server performs the tasks of accepting the messages, forwarding the messages and storage.
During the process of emailing, the author and the recipient work under assumptions regarding their information privacy. The users assume that the messages remain intact and only visible to the sender and the destined recipient. However, according to the recent research, there is a possibility that the email service provider companies are extracting data and information from their client’s messages for the company’s own research and development without the customer’s consent (Carlson, 2008). Also, government organizations can access the emails, intercept and seize them if the messages pose a security threat.
On the other hand, spam refers to the unsolicited bulk emails sent to multiple recipients. The spam emails contain backlinks that direct the client to a malware-hosting or a phishing website. Statistically, the number of spam emails escalated from 8% in 2001 to 90% in 2009 compared to not spam emails sent per day. Spamming companies obtain email addresses from users who submit their email addresses to other websites, chatrooms conversations or through use spy software to harvest the address from the computer without the user’s knowledge. Spam message senders are motivated to send more messages by the fact that sending the messages is free, and the profits are proportional to the amount of emails sent. Profits are realized even if a single product is bought from a bulk of numerous emails.
Spam emails may contain links to the purchase of non-existing merchandise. For instance, Australia lost $93 million through scams in 2012 alone. According to the research, the most common type of these fraudulent scamming activities involves an upfront payment of an advance fee to receive a promised favor (ABC News, 2013). The deal sounds perfect to the users, and they subscribe. The other portion involves the purchase of non-existing goods from the vendors.
Phishing and identity theft
Phishing refers to the practice of acquiring sensitive personal information such as usernames and passwords, by tricking credit card holders to giving out financial authorization information onto a website that masquerades and duplicates a legitimate site (Carlson, 2008). The phishing sites obtain sensitive information from clients, for malicious intentions, and use them to inflict financial harm on the client. The phishing emails direct the user to a fake website that resembles a legitimate and trustworthy site.
Phishing is continually growing. The utilization of the social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, in homes and workplace, facilitates phishing. The users are attracted and wowed by the site, and end up submitting confidential data such as security codes, credit card numbers and passwords, that are used by the site for malicious activities. For instance, in 2009, the US in conjunction with the Egyptian authorities probed a phishing case in which thousands of victims were lured into providing their financial details to anonymous fraudsters (Wattanajantra, 2015). The fishing scam lead to the loss of approximately $1.5 million that was transferred into fake accounts. Fifty-seven Americans and forty-three Egyptians were sentenced each to serve twenty years in jail.
Identity theft is another form of information malpractice that raises debate concerning information privacy. Identity theft refers to the form of assuming a different person’s identity, by using his/her identification details, without a unifying agreement. The identity thief often benefits by gaining access to restricted zones and receive credit in another person’s name. The confidential information such as name and credit card number are used by the identity thief to commit criminal offenses and fraudulent activities. The victims may suffer as a result of consequences held responsible due to the impersonators activities. The victims of identity theft are usually not aware how their personal information is obtained but in most circumstances, phishing is the primary cause.
Censorship and inappropriate children content
Censorship refers to the process of suppressing speech or any other information that may be regarded as harmful or questionable by the government, authorities or any other organization. Censorship can either be direct or indirect, and it occurs in a variety of forms. Censorship is implemented on grounds of national security, prevention of child pornography, protection of vulnerable groups and promotes unified political and religious views (Bennett & Raab, 2003). Most authors and publishers conduct self-censorship to avoid persecution or to maintain a healthy relationship with government originations. However, some scholars oppose censorship. He argues that people should be set free to think and reason rationally, and be their own guardians.
Children are at a greater risk of accessing inappropriate content on the internet. Due to the full exercise of the freedom of expression, the internet contains web pages that display adult contents. Children, if they surf unmonitored, may access such content, or fall prey to the ballooning cyber predators. To ensure that children access the appropriate content, the use of web filters is encouraged. This web filter software, such as Net Nanny, objects the display of blacklisted web pages (Carlson, 2008). The filtering software is installed on individual computers that are frequently ...