The Internet is extremely powerful. Once something is published, it will forever remain in Cyberspace and may be accessed by tens, hundreds, thousands, or millions of people!
As technology continues to improve and change the way we do things, an ethical code for the Internet needs to be established.
But since technology and the Internet is growing and changing so rapidly, is there a way to create a somewhat standard set of ethical guidelines?
On page 125, Johannessen quotes Thomas Cooper with these ethical issues
- Dehumanization: this is especially relevant in chat rooms, or in a feedback post to a news article or something similar. All to often chat rooms, comment streams and video replies are answered in a rude, immature, ignorant or hurtful way. I am not going to post specific examples, but look around. You'll find an example soon enough.
- Deception: the issue of deception is big on the Internet too. I used to use a fake name to protect myself from anyone with bad intentions online. Gradually, I have allowed myself to reveal my name and such, but things such as my year of birth go unsaid. Does that mean I am lying? Am I breaking a commandment? Or am I just protecting myself?
- Personal Privacy: See above. How much is too much to reveal? How little is too little?
- Fair and equal opportunity: people can access the Internet almost 24/7 from anywhere, thanks to wireless and Wi-Fi connectable phones, mp3 players, and so on. But what happens when people use the Internet so much it consumes them? What about Second Life? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3d_fqDcN1s
Is Second Life ethical? What do you think? I personally don't like the idea of Second Life, nor do I ever want to use it, but many people use it for classroom lectures, for shopping, and for recreation. But is creating an alias on Second Life, or similar sites considered deception?
Are Internet ethics going to be along the same lines as the ethics in written or spoke communication? Hmm...
Are Internet ethics going to be along the same lines as the ethics in written or spoke communication? Hmm...
Interesting...you use your real name, but it's Jenny Green. What if you were named Clella Jaffe? Would you use a highly unusual name? (I think I may be the only Clella Jaffe in the U.S.)
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