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Topic 4 2015, Page 2

Should parents spy on their kids?

There is a large compromise that needs to be made between parents and their kids as living in the modern world has its problems. There are so many scare stories of the horrors of the internet with children meeting with strangers and the posting of information online that it can be a struggle for parents to keep on top of what their child is up to. Many people feel that the best way to solve these problems is through using spying software to check on what exactly their child is up to. Continue reading →

The ethics of digital piracy

In this blog I am going to highlight the ethics of sites that host other users’ content; focussing specifically on MegaUpload. In 2012 the owner’s were taken to court and their site was brought down to due to violating privacy laws. Megaupload employs a comprehensive take down method to identify and remove child pornography, but does not employ a similar method in regards to copyright infringement. Continue reading →

Using and Posting on the Internet with Caution

As mentioned in previous posts, the amount of impact the internet has on our lives is enormous. Every little thing you do, be it a post or a something you search for, plays an important role in how you use the internet. This is because your employer can spy on you in many different ways. Your employer is capable of checking your searches within the company computer you are using and can perform monitor searches. Continue reading →

How nosey are employers?

We’ve already established that, while we might feel safe and hidden behind a screen in our bedroom or office, this is not necessarily the case. Justine Sacco may have had it coming, but someone like Ruth Palmer was completely innocent and unaware of her identity theft. Palmer’s stolen content was not even offensive, but an identity thief can still use content to manipulate and put someone’s reputation in danger. Continue reading →

Ethics of Tracking

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how companies and government agencies can track the websites we visit and how we communicate online. Sites use cookies to track users browsers not only on their site but also on other sites that share technologies. Each computer or small network has an IP address associated with it which can be used to track a user across a number of devices and between sites. Sites have access to the referrer of the browser, so which site links to theirs. Continue reading →

Public Shaming

According to the BBC ethics at its simplest is a system of moral principles; Jay Shepherd simplifies unethical behaviour even more saying ‘It’s like pornography: you know it when you see it. It’s as simple as knowing the right things to do, then doing the wrong thing.’ I know the difference between right and wrong. I know what I should and shouldn’t say, like most of the population I was brought up with a moral compass that helps me direct my behaviour. Continue reading →

How appropriate are social media relationships?

In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the use of social media. As of September 2015, Facebook alone have over 1 billion daily active users, an increase of 17% year-over-year [1]. As social networks have grown, they have evolved to be not just for social use, but also as a tool for education and business. The use of social media in professional settings such as these brings with it a range of ethical issues. Continue reading →

Do our potential employers have the right to spy on us?

During topic three’s discussion of developing an authentic online profile, I touched on the fact that 93% of recruiters are using or planning on using social media in their recruitment efforts (Jobvite, 2014). Is this ethical? Do our potential employers have the right to spy on us? “Yes, why not?” Source Hmm, I think not! As Lauren Riley (2014) points out, ‘unless a company has a policy on social media screening, then recruiters aren’t technically doing anything wrong’. Continue reading →

The Digital Divide

Taken from http://www.african-ls.com/blog/news/why-is-africa-a-have-not-in-the-digital-divide/ The digital divide is a growing ethical issue in the current information age. Digital divide the growing gap between groups who have ready access to computers and the internet, and those who don’t. It’s present among many communities in the United States and Europe. It’s also a global concept with a growing rift forming between developing and developed countries. Continue reading →

Privacy versus Security in Social Media

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I highly value the right to privacy and the anonymity that comes along with that. Whether that be the act of maintaining multiple personas online for a variety of purposes or if you wish to use the internet as a tool and not have a profile collected about how you […] The post Privacy versus Security in Social Media appeared first on Russell Kingsfield. Continue reading →

The Controversy Surrounding Online Privacy

In a previous blog, I have discussed the importance of having a consistent online profile for professional reasons as anything we do online could be accessed by employers and effect our prospects, but it’s now time to consider whether it is in fact morally right for all of our online behaviour to be accessible. In his TED talk, Glenn Greenwald makes several convincing arguments in favour of online privacy. Continue reading →

Teachers and social media: an ethical nightmare

The use of social media in the educational field is manifold; this video gives an introduction to 21st Century Education. It’s focused on Australian education but has many interesting facts: for example in South Korea they have digital textbooks, which register the amount of hours spent reading them online! Thus there is arguably little debate about the benefits of the Internet in education. Continue reading →

Social Media – A Business Class Weapon of Discrimination

Today, I’m tasked with discussing ethical issues of Social Media in the Education or Business realm. I chose the issue of Discrimination – both positive and negative. How do Businesses use Social Media? We know from Mr Blythes’ Blog from last week, 94% of employers have admitted to using social media website LinkedIn in recruitment. Also, 1 in 5 of jobseekers have professional information on their Facebook profiles. Continue reading →

Online Privacy is Still Important

Discuss ONE of the ethical issues raised by educational or business use of social media that you consider to be particularly significant. According to the BBC ethics is a system of moral principles and affects how a person makes decisions about their own lives. Although most people live their life ethically many don’t. The ethical issue I present today is whether the government should have the right to spy on us online and on social media. Continue reading →

Topic 4: social media ethics

Please read these notes and check out the links below, before preparing and posting your answer to the set question. This document should be regarded as just the start of the discussions, which are then developed over the next two weeks through the conversations themselves and the sharing of further relevant links. These articles are intended to give you a flavour of the topic, and get you started on answering the Topic 4 set question below. Relevant articles/videos http://www. Continue reading →