The materials discussed in these four weeks have introduced me to new ethical digital media topics as well as re-established topics that I have been aware of. I have a background in IT, and these ethical issues have been rarely brought up in my past experiences and studies. Looking back on the material from these past few weeks, I can put into a better perspective what really happens from an ethical standpoint in the world of information technology and why these debates should happen.
The first week of material focused on communication through “new media” and how they contribute positively or negatively for us in society. I argued that these new medias benefit our lives by making communication easier and allow us to better keep in touch with people. We must all be careful though, as our messages can be forwarded to unintended persons!
Week two of material forced us to look at IT issues in different ways. New technologies both open the door for new threats and problems (hacking, cyberwarfare) and new versions of issues already identified.
The third week of material had us look into global ethics and how, if possible, can there be any ethics in cyberspace if all cultures have different belief systems. This is a very interesting question that Tavani has brought up. This seems impossible and is also a very relevant question since we can easily connect with people from all over the world.
In week four, we went over some topics that everyone can relate to. We explored issues of how easy it is to freely download media illegally and how difficult it is to enforce the law on these actions. It is seen in other cultures not to be wrong to do so, while in the U.S. it is considered wrong. This makes interactions between different cultures difficult.
The materials read and discussed so far are very significant issues in all of our lives and new technologies invade our everyday lives. Everything discussed can be thought about as we use these technologies everyday. These general issues of ethics are to pave the way for more specific ethical issues we face in the upcoming weeks, which I look forward to.
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