12.12: The Ethical and Legal Implications of Information Systems
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this chapter, you will be able to:
- describe what the term information systems ethics means;
- explain what a code of ethics is and describe the advantages and disadvantages;
- define the term intellectual property and explain the protections provided by copyright, patent, and trademark; and
- describe the challenges that information technology brings to individual privacy.
Introduction
Information systems have had an impact far beyond the world of business. New technologies create new situations that we have never dealt with before. How do we handle the new capabilities that these devices empower us with? What new laws are going to be needed to protect us from ourselves? This chapter will kick off with a discussion of the impact of information systems on how we behave (ethics). This will be followed with the new legal structures being put in place, with a focus on intellectual property and privacy.