The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 13:

Ethical Issues of Information and Business: BERND CARSTEN STAHL

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232853902&sr=8-1

Quote:  “right to be let alone”

    All of us have our private or secrets. Sometimes, we just want to be left alone with ourselves. And so, it is one of our rights to be alone because it invades our privacy if we don’t have this right.

Learning Expectation:

     I instantly got an idea or an overview what this chapter is all about because it is no different from the previous chapter, except that it focuses on another industry. So, what I expect to learn from this chapter is how business connects to Information technology. Do they want to not want computers as a tool or do they find it an advantage, which I think it is. It is interesting to find out how they would connect.

Review:

    As we all know it, business has a large influence on how we live our individual lives and also on how society is regulated. Without business, things would be really different. There could be war. It’s almost close to saying that business makes peace and settles how we get our money, rather than fighting over it and causing a war to break.

Other business related things are also discussed in this chapter, just like business privacy. Again, we all know that privacy is a very important thing that we all value, no matter what department or what type of individual you are, privacy has always been top priority and in some cases, top secret. It is interesting to note what the author in this chapter stated: “It is beyond doubt that the question of privacy is a central issue of computer and information ethics. It is less clear what privacy is.” I don’t know honestly why it has been argued much but haven’t developers or shouldn’t developers know this? Why are people so convinced that computer will destroy their privacy where in you can tell the developer to have a secured information base built.

Basically, the chapter is all about the role of business and how it connects with information technology, along with its privacy issues.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned in this chapter combined with the previous chapter that privacy is the central issue of computer and information ethics.

Questions:

1.    Why are people so convinced that computers have no privacy?

2.    Can’t they just tell the developer to have a secure database?

3.    Is there anything that even happened already?

4.    How certain are people that their privacy can be destroyed?

5.    Do people have a better idea?

Citation: (Kenneth Einar E. Himma & Herman T. Tavani, 2008)