Ethical Challenges in IT: A Bachelor of Information Technology Essay

This essay delves into ethical considerations within Information Technology, addressing issues arising from the Internet of Things, the Australian Computer Society's code of professional conduct, and the application of utilitarianism. It examines the lack of legal infrastructure concerning IoT devices and the responsibilities of manufacturers, emphasizing the need for a code of ethics in internet usage. The essay further discusses the IT professional's role in balancing public interest with business objectives, referencing the ACS code of conduct and its limitations. Finally, it explores utilitarianism through examples like the trolley problem, differentiating between act and rule utilitarianism, and considering their implications in ethical decision-making. The essay concludes that ethical decisions are complex and often result in varied outcomes, highlighting the importance of considering different schools of thought in ethical reasoning.

Running head: BACHELOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BACHELOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Question 1..................................................................................................................................3
Question 2..................................................................................................................................3
Question 3..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Question 1
The issue which is related to the internet is things is running in existence due to the
concept of the digital technology are becoming more and more prevalent. It can be stated here
that the concept, which is behind the internet of thing, is very much interesting. When the
malware named as mirai took over the concept of the DVR’s and webcam which resulted in
the disruption of the internet all over the united Stated who was responsible for the event was
not known properly or who eventually unlashed the malware in the concept of the
infrastructure relating to the internet was not known. In recent times, the invasion of the
connected devices there is no directly answer to the question (Mukhopadhyay &
Suryadevara, 2014). The answer to the question is not found due to the factor that there is no
legal infrastructure in the concept that would be directly making the manufacturers
responsible if any event occur which would be harming other people. The concept of the
internet of things does not just lack in the concept of the legal infrastructure but also lacks in
the concept of the critical infrastructure (Whitmore, Agarwal & Da Xu, 2015). There is a
basic demand of the code of ethics, which should be prevailing in the concept of the internet
and how it should be used and took advantage. The main concept, which should be taken into
consideration, is that how to build and design the system and directly think about the overall
working of the system. The main question, which should be taken into consideration in this
aspect, is that who is accountable and who is responsible if any unethical event takes place
and how to promote the good of public in the infrastructure of the internet of things. In some
sense it can be stated that the age of information has made some kind of impact on the life of
the people. The concept of the internet of things exacerbates it. The boundary, which
prevailed in the concept of the social world and the and the physical world, are very much
blending which is making technology more people oriented. The internet of things in the near
future would be affecting the life of the people in a tremendous manner, which should be

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governed by some sort of ethical aspect so that it would not be hampering the life of the
common people. there are lot of things that can be put focus into that few days back could not
have been though about even. One of the best example in this case is the self-driving car:
what it would be if the self-driving would have to make a bad decision? How would the
decision be made and what who would be responsible for the decision being made. The
internet of thing is playing a vital role in the life of the people in recent times and it can be
stated that in the near future it would be playing more dominating role and involving more
prospective of the life of the common people. It is one of the most emerging sectors were the
ethical issues are faced and should be taken care of in the near future so that it would not
hamper the life of the common people.
Question 2
The Australian computer society code of professional conduct states the nice and the
general things that should be followed by the people in their professional live. One of the
example in this case is that “the people place the interest of the public above those of
personal business or sectional interest”. It can be stated here that the IT professionals are not
paid by the interest of the people. The work of the IT Professional are mainly included in the
sector of the business and the sectional interest. While these type of interest are towards the
business should serve is a big subject of lively debate to a first management of approximation
related to the business, which are expected to act in the direct interest of their stakeholders
and within the framework of the law. Taking into consideration the senior management even
though they are technologists in practice it is very much legal and cultural obligation of the
role of the management that are taken into consideration in a more serious manner than any
professional obligation that can be applied to any type of IT professional.

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In a general view many of the business bodies work and act in a way that are very much
harmful to the broader society in the direct interest of the stakeholders (Whitmore, Agarwal
& Da Xu, 2015). Some of the companies who in the order to stay ethical in their business
orientation want to skip some sort of activities, which according to them may be termed as
unethical activity. Sometimes business bodies in order to gain profit move towards the
concept of being involved into unethical processes by which they gain lot of profit as well as
business. The body of the ACS might be looking for a seek a de facto gatekeeper role by
which its credentials attaining employment can be developed in the concept. The ACS Code
of ethics cannot be considered any anything, which is related to the real obligation, which
should be compiled with. In a way, it can be stated that the code of ethics, which was formed
in the year 2010 it, was the first time when the actual implementation of the code of ethics
was actually implemented into the system. In general, laws are applicable to different field,
which can be used in order to make the service, which is related to the IT professional more
concentrate.
The code of ethics can be considered to be an explicit document which lays down the
experience of the professional working in the different field not only in the field of
technology. The Australian code of ethics sets the tenor, which is reflected to the exemplary
community and its work practice, which is related to the benchmark of the human service
practitioners. The founder of the association frost created the code of ethics taking into
consideration different aspects, which can be involved in the working in a professional field
that can be applied for a proper working in the field. The code of ethics was before known as
the practitioner’s code of ethics. Few of the example of the code are that which can be related
to the indicators, which would be stating the overall working in the peripheral of the code.
The eight guideline which can be used for setting a example are stated below:
 Provision of support and services

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 Practice which are ethical
 Diversity
 The framework which is regulatory
 Professional standing
 The workplace
 Professional development
The Australian community code of practice and workers guide can be very much
helping in knowing the overall segmentation of the work which can be conducted over the
concept of the infrastructure. The code of ethics are displayed in the work place, which can
be displayed at the workplace which can be used for increasing the concern in the good
practice related to the work in the work place (Whitmore, Agarwal & Da Xu, 2015).
Question 3
The concept of the utilitarianism can be considered as one of the main thought of
school in the ethics in modern times. Utilitarianism holds that what is ethical is whatever
while minimize the concept of the total happiness while concept of the pain is reduced. The
work total over here can be stated as one of the most important word and can be related to the
total happiness of the human race. Few of the example of utilitarianism are the trolley system.
In the aspect it can be seen that a trolley is heading towards a group of 5 people on a track
and the control of the trolley is set few kilometer away from the action. Any the control of the
trolley is such that the trolley can be set into another track where there is only one worker. If
the flip were done than, only one worker would be dying and if the switch is not done than
five worker would be, dying so what should be done in such a situation. In a recent survey, it
was stated that the flip should be implemented, which would be resulting in the loss of only
one person and save the other three persons. The loss of life should be minimized in this way

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and should be taken care of that apart from five person one would be losing his life. This can
be one of the biggest example of the utilitarianism reasoning where the importance is given to
the life of the people than merely thinking about the problem difficulty.
There are two types of utilitarianism. Both the types of the utilitarianism aim at the
goal of the ethics and always focus on the concept of ethics. However, one of the important
factors, which play a role in this concept, is that where should the decision be applied. The
two types of utilitarianism are the act utilitarianism and the rule utilitarianism (Barrow,
2015). The act utilitarianism directly states that we should be always choose the action, which
is based on what will cause the greatest loss to the concept of happiness. On the other hand
the concept of rule utilitarianism states that it should figure out what sort of behavior usually
cause the factor of happiness in the life of the common people and how do they play a role in
their life. The factors should be considered as the rules. For example, a judge can send a man
to prison taking into consideration that the person would not be involved in any types of
illegal activity in the near future and wants to be lenient based on the concept like may be
very old or has some sort of physical illness attached to them. The judge knows if the victim
were not send to the jail, he or she would be very much happy with the decision and would be
living a pure life without any problem and not to mention their family and friends name. On
the other hand, think of the family has forgiven the crime, which is committed by the person,
and his family member has forgiven him. Should the judge let the person go away with the
crime that he or she has performed? The act of utilitarianism states that the victim must be
left alone without any form of penalty (de Lazari-Radek & Singer, 2017). Other hand the rule
of utilitarianism states that the person should not be left due to the factor that taking into
consideration that in the future no more crimes would be performed but the judge should stay
with the law and give the punishment, which is stated in the law books. The utilitarianism can
be considered as one of the most common forms of consequentialism, which is one of the

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three major branches, which can be related to the concept of ethics. There are different school
of thought which play in the mind of the people and there are no particular reason, which can
be stated here in this context, but the decision, which should be made in each of the cases,
would be beneficial for some one or the other and the decision sometimes can be someone
not happy. There are no law by which every one would be happy and would be leading a
better life. In most of the cases people think in a positive manner in order to get what they
exactly want in this concept the word utilitarianism play a vital role so that a bad decision can
sometimes bring something good to the society which would be making the life of the people
more simpler (Mill, 2016).

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References
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Barrow, R. (2015). Utilitarianism: A contemporary statement. Routledge.
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management in aged care: cases of confidentiality and elder abuse. Journal of
business ethics, 122(3), 453-460.
Bernoth, M., Dietsch, E., Burmeister, O. K., & Schwartz, M. (2014). Information
management in aged care: cases of confidentiality and elder abuse. Journal of
business ethics, 122(3), 453-460.
de Lazari-Radek, K., & Singer, P. (2017). Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford
University Press.
Deane, F. P., Gonsalvez, C., Blackman, R., Saffioti, D., & Andresen, R. (2015). Issues in the
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Psychologist, 50(3), 241-247.
Izu, C., Weerasinghe, A., & Pope, C. (2016, August). A study of code design skills in novice
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Mill, J. S. (2016). Utilitarianism. In Seven Masterpieces of Philosophy (pp. 337-383).
Routledge

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Mukhopadhyay, S. C., & Suryadevara, N. K. (2014). Internet of things: Challenges and
opportunities. In Internet of Things (pp. 1-17). Springer, Cham.
Whitmore, A., Agarwal, A., & Da Xu, L. (2015). The Internet of Things—A survey of topics
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