Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
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CHAPTER 8
Ethics and Technology
Table of Contents
Chapter Summary 8-2
Learning Outcomes 8-2
Frontline Focus: “Problems at ComputerWorld” Questions 8-2
Learning Outcome 1 8-3
Learning Outcome 2 8-4
Learning Outcome 3 8-4
Learning Outcome 4 8-5
Learning Outcome 5 8-5
Life Skills 8-6
Progress ✓Questions 8-6
Ethical Dilemma 8-8
Frontline Focus: “Problems at ComputerWorld—Steve Makes a Decision” Questions 8-11
Key Terms 8-11
Review Questions 8-12
Review Exercises 8-13
Internet Exercises 8-14
Team Exercises 8-16
Thinking Critically 8-18
Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
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Chapter Summary
This chapter examines the ethical debate over employee surveillance and the extent to which
technology not only facilitates the prevention of unethical behavior but also jeopardizes the
rights of individual employees. The chapter begins by displaying the types of new technology
and the ethical implications of using it. Further, the chapter discusses the different points of view
on privacy at work from an employer and an employee perspective. Finally, the chapter discusses
the privacy and surveillance capabilities and the future of surveillance used in corporations.
Learning Outcomes
After studying this chapter, the student should be able to:
1. Evaluate the ethical ramifications of recent technological advances.
2. Explain the opposing employer and employee views of privacy at work.
3. Distinguish between thin and thick consent.
4. Evaluate the concept of vicarious liability.
5. Analyze an organization’s employee-surveillance capabilities.
Extended Chapter Outline
Frontline Focus
“Problems at ComputerWorld” Questions
1. The Computer Ethics Institute developed “Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics,” listed
in Figure 8.1. How many of those commandments are being broken here?
Larry is breaking several of the “Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics” in this situation.
In particular, the following commandments are broken:
• Commandment 2—Thou Shalt Not Interfere with Other People’s Computer Work.
Larry is interfering with other people’s work by keeping Mr. Johnson’s old hard drive.
• Commandment 3—Thou Shalt Not Snoop Around in Other People’s Computer Files.
Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
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Education.
Larry is using his knowledge of computers to deceive Mr. Johnson, who is not
computer savvy.
2. Larry seems pretty happy with the prospect of selling those slightly used hard drives at the
flea market, but what happens if the information on them doesn’t get erased? Would
ComputerWorld be liable here? Read the section “Vicarious Liability” later in the chapter to
find out more.
Vicarious liability is a legal concept that means a party may be held responsible for injury or
3. What should Steve do now?
Learning Outcome 1: Evaluate the Ethical Ramifications of Recent Technological
Advances.
• Technological advances often deliver new and improved functional capabilities before we
have had the chance to fully consider the implications of those improvements.
o There have been dramatic changes in workplace technology over the last two
decades—specifically desktop computing, the Internet, and the growth of e-mail and
instant messaging (IM).
➢ The intranet is a company’s internal website, containing information for
employee access only.
➢ An extranet is a private piece of a company’s Internet network that is made
available to customers and/or vendor partners on the basis of secured access by
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Learning Outcome 2: Explain the Opposing Employer and Employee Views of Privacy at
Work.
• Computers, e-mail, instant messaging, and the World Wide Web have changed our work
environments beyond recognition over the last two decades, but with those changes have
come a new world of ethical dilemmas.
o There are two distinct viewpoints on this issue:
➢ The employer view—employers mandate that productivity in the workplace is
what the employees have to meet for the pay-for-performance contract they
agreed to when they were hired.
✓ Employee actions during work time are at the discretion of the company.
✓ All employee activity should be work-related, and any monitoring of that
activity should not be regarded as an infringement of your privacy.
Learning Outcome 3: Distinguish Between Thin and Thick Consent.
• Telecommuting is the ability to work outside of your office (from your home or anywhere
else) and log in to your company network (usually via a secure gateway such as a virtual
private network, or VPN).
o The concept of “at work” has become blurred.
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o Availability has now become defined by accessibility.
o Employees, in return, have begun to expect the same flexibility in taking care of
personal needs during working hours.
• Adam Moore points out that the state of the job market will inevitably create a distinction
between two types of consent: thin and thick.
o Thin consent is the consent in which the employee has little choice.
➢ For example, when an employee receives formal notification that the company
will be monitoring all e-mail and web activity—either at the time of hire or
Learning Outcome 4: Evaluate the Concept of Vicarious Liability.
• Vicarious Liability is a legal concept that means a party may be held responsible for
injury or damage even when he or she was not actively involved in an incident.
o The implications of vicarious liability are that the party charged is responsible for the
actions of his or her subordinates.
• Cyberliability is a legal concept that employers can be held liable for the actions of their
employees in their Internet communications to the same degree as if those employers had
written those communications on company letterhead.
Learning Outcome 5: Analyze an Organization’s Employee-Surveillance Capabilities.
• Many supporters of employee privacy rights argue that we have reached that state now that
Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
employers have the technology to monitor every keystroke on your computer, track every
website you visit, and record every call you make.
o Creating a “locked–down” place to work may protect your liability, but it may also
drive those employees away who are not comfortable being treated like lab rats.
o The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics (Figure 8.1) are as follows:
➢ Thou Shalt Not Use a Computer to Harm Other People.
➢ Thou Shalt Not Interfere with Other People’s Computer Work.
➢ Thou Shalt Not Snoop Around in Other People’s Computer Files.
➢ Thou Shalt Not Use a Computer to Steal.
Life Skills
The mixed blessing of technology
The Life Skills box discusses the benefits of all the recent technology, such as the Internet, e-
mail, text messaging, etc., and how it has greatly enhanced the efficiency. It also puts a different
perspective on technology and points out the reality that this technology and easy
communication has created a blur between work and home. It states that you are no good to your
company if you are burned out and never find the time to rest.
Progress Questions
1. How would you feel if you found out that someone halfway around the world from your
doctor’s office was reading your CAT scan?
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2. Would your opinion change if you knew the cost savings from outsourcing were putting
American radiologists out of a job? What if they were being read this way because there was
a shortage of qualified medical personnel here? Would that change your opinion?
3. Should your doctor be obligated to tell you where your tests are being read? Why or why
not?
4. Storing private information in digital format simplifies the storage and transfer of that
information and offers cost savings to companies that are (hopefully) passed on to their
customers. Does using ID number instead of names meet their obligation to maintain your
privacy in this new digital world?
5. Define the term telecommuting.
6. Summarize the employer position on privacy at work.
7. Summarize the employee position on privacy at work.
Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
8. Explain the difference between thin and thick consent.
Thick consent is the consent in which the employee has an alternative to unacceptable
monitoring. For example, if jobs are plentiful and the employee would have no difficulty in
9. How would you describe the atmosphere in this call center?
10. Jamie’s calls were monitored at all times by a call center supervisor. Is that ethical? Why or
why not?
11. What would you say is the worst part of working in this call center?
12. When Jamie resigned, she was escorted from the building by security. Is that ethical? Why
or why not?
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13. Which of the “Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics,” in Figure 8.1, carry the strongest
ethical message? Why?
14. Define the term vicarious liability.
15. List four of the top categories of litigation related to Internet communications.
Four of the top categories of litigation related to Internet communications are:
16. Define the term cyberliability.
Ethical Dilemma
8.1 – A Failure to Disclose
1. Is Sally right to be concerned about Chuck’s plan? Explain why or why not.
2. Chuck Junior is obviously focusing on the money to be saved (and made) with this plan.
What are the issues he is not considering?
Chapter 08 – Ethics and Technology
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Copyright © 2018 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
Students’ answers will vary. Chuck Junior is not considering issues such as the privacy of
information being sent overseas. Some customers may not be comfortable sending their
information to foreign countries. The other issue becomes the legality of disclosing and
informing the customers.
3. Do you think Chuck Senior has signed off on this plan? If not, should Sally tell him?
Explain why or why not.
4. Would the plan still succeed if Chuck Junior disclosed all the details?
8.2 – Top 20 Blonde Jokes
1. Was Steve Collins wrong to send the e-mail? Why?
2. Is Jane Williams overreacting in filing her formal complaint? Explain why or why not.
3. What impact do you think any change in the employee privacy policies would have at
Midland?
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4. What are Bill Davis’s options here?
Frontline Focus
“Problems at ComputerWorld—Steve Makes a Decision” Questions
1. What could Steve have done differently here?
2. What do you think will happen now?
3. What will be the consequences for Steve, Larry, Mr. Johnson, and ComputerWorld?