The Internet and Ethics: Possible Risks - Research Paper Example

The Internet and Ethics The Internet There is an enormous influence from the internet on our day to day life. Multimedia, computers and electronic devices are pieces of stuff that we have to encounter and use each day. The Internet is appearing to be more and more dependable for almost everyone as it is one of the most modern and forward-looking media and certain channel of the future. We are currently living in a contemporary world which is totally different from the past. Now we are reachable to almost anything that makes us feel contented in our day to day life. Since the improvement of current technology such as the internet, people can do numerous activities than they were unable to perform in the previous account (Fallows, 2004). As far as this paper is concerned, the Internet plays a very important role in our day to day life. This paper articulates how the internet plays an important role in our day to day life and the ethical implication of internet on information privacy. Background of the Internet Firstly, the internet is the paramount source of resources such as information. Large databases of information are stored on the Internet concerning culture, entertainments, education and so on. For example, today numerous of scholars rely a lot more on the Internet rather than manual booklets during their research in relation to their area of study. Employing the internet is both quicker and more easily accessible. On the contrary to books, internet resources help us save lots of time when doing research. If the comparison is conducted to gauge the time we spend by searching through books and the time that we spend to search the information on the internet, it has a great variation (Fallows, 2004). Secondly, the internet is the quickest form of communication. During ancient times, people who lived far away from each other normally communicated each other by conveying letters which takes at least one week to get to the recipients. In contrast, in the modern world, instead of writing letters, we normally send each other mails or text message that requires only some few seconds. The internet is not only the quickest form of communication, but also the inexpensive form of communication. Sending letters from one location to another uses a lot of money than employing the internet. Furthermore, employing electronic devices such as the phone is also relatively expensive as opposed to using the call through the internet such as Yahoo messenger or Skype (Fallows, 2004). Apart from the role of being the paramount source of information, cheapest and the fastest channel of communication, it also plays another vital role that connects people from different cultures relate to one another better and feel closer to one another than the manual manner of socializing. Via internet, people can comprehend more about diverse civilization, culture as well as customs. As the universe is very big, we cannot travel to each and every state or country in the world. Hence, we should get to comprehend more about other states/countries through employing the internet or books. Nonetheless, we consume too much time reading books than employing the internet and it is difficult for us to comprehend some types of traditional dances labelled in the books. If we search for videos of traditional dances on the internet, it is much easier than looking for them in person. Attempting to comprehend other countries’ mode of life is the best manner to make people around the universe, live and accept each other peacefully. The Internet reformed current mode of life vastly, that is certain (Fallows, 2004). Uses of the Internet The Internet has become a crucial practical tool that we employ for extensively diverse roles in our day to day lives. First, we have to make a distinction relating to the usage of internet. One can employ the Internet at home for domestic, personal or for professional purposes. To spend a portion of the day on the Internet is normal for many people. This is because most people employ this sort of medium to access information about all types of themes. Perhaps some of them are fascinated into chat, or maybe they are members of a certain community in the society and want to stay in touch. Whatever the case is that one is searching for one is likely to find it via the internet. If one wants to access precise or specific information via the internet it easily available with just a touch of a button. Typically, one regularly has to send a letter, and then wait for the recipient of the reply, or you have to make some calls to follow up. In any case, the old technique is the longer one. It is also possible to put personal information or data on the Internet. This includes the creation of a personal webpage, tell other users about your website and what you want to communicate or convey in your context (Fallows, 2004). Impact of the Internet Ethics In the social sphere, there is an escalated alarm about the loss of direct human contact as an effect of the overexposure to online relationships, with the potential outcome of the poor emotional lives of people’s and loss of social cohesion. Furthermore, the privacy of the individual will be at the sympathy of economic and political assemblies able to practice some level of control over the Internet (Alun, 1994). Politically, some are concerned that the matter of control over the network and the data it maintenances will affect the very role of democracy by offering a few powerful the capability to control public outlook. There is also apprehension that an appropriate set of scales can be kept between safeguarding the public against cyber terrorism and cybercrime and regarding individual rights and liberties (Vatican.va, 2015). The Internet has totally transformed the rules of the entire economy, for companies and for personal businesses. The process of transformation is far from over; actually, it is just getting warmed up. Having initiated a sequence of innovations that overlay, integrate and feed off each other to result in more transformation, every moment there is a change in the rules and the overall atmosphere (Vatican.va, 2015). However, it is conceivable in the field of culture where we listen to the most voices informing us of the risks of the Internet. Perhaps communications and culture are the businesses that have mostly been impacted by the introduction of the virtual world that has transformed model rooted for ages, in numerous references, since the discovery of the printing press (Alun, 1994). Over the past years, opinion leaders around the universe have signalled the expiration of culture. The Internet was initially apprehended of and predominantly used as a vast source of information. However, it has demonstrated to be much more than just a vast source of information. The Internet is a combined tool within everybody’s comprehension and it is a partnership that has given life to the Internet’s vast potential as a production of knowledge and initiation of innovation. The internet has widened the margin of opportunity for numerous people, especially in the least industrialized parts of the world and has become important to the stability and global prosperity (ORiordan, 2015). Advantages of the Internet There are several advantages of the internet which demonstrates the role of this contemporary medium. The computer is a fixed part of all contemporary office and the biggest number has an access to Internet connectivity. Businesses by now avail their items, their amenities on the Internet and so they get more flexible. Quick development is another advantage of the internet. Several research institutions and universities are also interrelated. They are capable of giving-and-taking encounters, innovations and frequently they begin new projects together. When they are connected, they can save money and time. Particularly in the business sector knowledge is power. If one is an innovator of a product, technology or simply of a concept, one is capable of generating a lot of income. The internet can play an essential role to get into this position, the. Businesses all over the universe have gone virtual. “Learning by doing”, everybody is familiar with this phrase and it is still an important part relating to the Internet. The internet is also used by children, mostly to play games and in the process learn to work with computers. Experiencing things is the only way to learn something, that one has not encountered yet. It is the first encounter with the computer, after a few moments of trying to learn it that the individual will know that the computer-mouse is no bodily animal on the computer. He or she studies to write using the keyboard to open, to navigate, to save data and close programs within hours. Ethical Issues concerning the Internet The technological outline underlying the Internet has a substantial demeanor on its ethical aspects. People have inclined to employ the internet according to the manner it was created, and to create customized it to that sort of use. Decentralization was the core concern to the organization, because in this manner, it was considered that the loss of one or even numerous computers would not result in the loss of the data (ORiordan, 2015). An ardent idea of the free exchange of concepts and information has played an admirable role in the expansion of the Internet. However, the decentralized configuration of the internet and the correspondingly dispersed design of the World Wide Web of the late 1980s also demonstrated to be amiable to a mentality contrasting to anything implying of a genuine rule of public accountability. An overstated uniqueness concerning the Internet hence developed. It was stated that, the spectacular land of cyberspace, where all manner of appearance was permitted and the only law was full individual freedom to do as one willed. Obviously this predestined that the only circles whose privileges and interests would be genuinely acknowledged in cyberspace was the circles of deep-seated libertarians. This manner of thinking stays persuasive in some communities, supported by conversant libertarian influences also accustomed to supporting violence and pornography in the media overall (Alun, 1994). The Internet has numerous remarkable features. It is endlessly expandable in contents, immediate, decentralized, worldwide, interactive, outreach and instantaneous, adaptable and flexible to an extraordinary degree. It is democratic, in the sense that any person with the essential tools and modest technical ability can be an energetic presence on the internet, assert his or her message to the universe and mandate a hearing. It lets people get involved in role-playing, fantasizing and anonymity and also to access into circles with others and get involved in sharing. Conferring to users preferences, it imparts itself correspondingly well to active contribution and to inactive engagement into “a narcissistic, self-referential world of stimuli with near-narcotic effects”. The internet can be employed to break down the loneliness of groups and individuals or to expand it (Vatican.va, 2015). The outburst of technology has escalated the communication capabilities of some specific groups and individuals numerous times over. The cyberspace can attend to people in their accountability use of democracy and freedom, increase the variety of choices existent in varied strata of life, advanced educational and cultural prospects, break down partitions, and endorse human expansion in a numerous ways. The free exchange of speech and images on a universal scale is changing not only economic and political relations between individuals, but even our comprehension of the universe. It unlocks up a variety of previously improbable potentials. When centered upon mutual values embedded in the nature of the individual, the intercultural negotiation made probable by the Internet and other social media of communication can be a right means for designing the civilization of love (Alun, 1994). Privacy of Information Internet The difference between private and public space is not constantly obvious on the cyberspace. Mere since web page is accessible to a public does not essentially mean that the persons who have designed it or use it see the material preserve it as being public in relations to being accessible for use in research (Vatican.va, 2015). Possible Online Risks Some individuals or groups may be at risk, and contribution of online research could consequence in unwanted or harm invasion into their private existence if information, which they identify to be private is publicized to others. This may be more clear in circumstances where the intended audience of a web page is a weak group, especially if it is clear that users of the webpage have an insight (even though the insight may be impractical) of it as a ‘secure’ space (ORiordan, 2015). Access to participation and reliability of data Though internet research can have benefits in relation to being capable of training contestants who are extensively spread in nature, there are dangers that scholars may unintentionally omit some possible members from their study, for instance, those who are uneducated or the elderly or impoverished who may be less probable to have admission to a PC. There is also a threat, that unless admission to contribution is by invitation, it can be challenging to regulate contribution in research that comprises of virtual interviews or surveys and there is a possibility of twisted outcomes if for instance the same individual has concluded a virtual review numerous times (Alun, 1994). Appendix This numeral is envisioned to offer an orientation guide for both research reviewers and researchers to identify where a specific research project might suit in the cyberspace exploration scale, in what particular type of location a project happens, what kind of information/data may be extracted from these excerpts and what mutual ethical queries have been probed within these settings. Review boards and researchers can denote to this chart as a checklist or guide of concerns when designing or appraising research proposals, creating methodologies concepts for a specific study, developing particular conventions, and so forth. In an ideal world, a researcher should be capable of replying these queries and defend those responses within the framework of his or her research inquiry, discipline, particular internet context or region and venue or prerogative. References Alun Jones, R. (1994). The Ethics of Research in Cyberspace. Internet Research, 4(3), 30-35. doi:10.1108/10662249410798894 Fallows, D. (2004). The Internet and Daily Life. Pew Research Centers Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved 25 May 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2004/08/11/the-internet-and-daily-life/ ORiordan, K. (2015). Internet Research Ethics. Nyu.edu. Retrieved 25 May 2015, from http://www.nyu.edu/projects/nissenbaum/ethics_bas_full.html Vatican.va,. (2015). Ethics in Internet. Retrieved 25 May 2015, from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/pccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_20020228_ethics-internet_en.html Read More