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CH 8 Ethics Technology

This chapter discusses ethics and technology in the workplace. It covers topics like employee privacy, monitoring productivity, and consent for surveillance. Advantages of technology are increased information sharing and telecommuting. However, these tools also raise privacy concerns for customer and employee data. The document outlines debates around monitoring employees and when off-hours work becomes "at work". It defines thin and thick consent models and warns of dangers from electronic records of actions.

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423 views11 pages

CH 8 Ethics Technology

This chapter discusses ethics and technology in the workplace. It covers topics like employee privacy, monitoring productivity, and consent for surveillance. Advantages of technology are increased information sharing and telecommuting. However, these tools also raise privacy concerns for customer and employee data. The document outlines debates around monitoring employees and when off-hours work becomes "at work". It defines thin and thick consent models and warns of dangers from electronic records of actions.

Uploaded by

chfgvjkl;
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 8

Ethics & Technology


Major Topics
Do you know where your personal
information is?
The promise of increased worker
productivity.
Privacy at work.
The dangers of leaving a paper trail.
Ethics & Technology
Advantages of technology in the workplace:
Companies are now able to make vast amounts of
information available to employees and customers
on their Internet, Intranet, and Extranet sites.

Telecommuting: organizations was able to achieve


significant cost savings by using the new
technology. (employees can work from home, with
no costly buildings to staff, much flexible and
satisfied workforce that can log on at a time thats
convenient for them with no commute or office
dress code.)

8-3
Ethics & Technology
However, now that these tools have become part
of our everyday work environment, customers and
employees have concerns related to losing
privacy:

Companies have ability to send customers


personal data anywhere in the world
Employee monitoring: employers now have
the capability of monitoring every e-mail
employees send and web site they visit to
measure productivity.
8-4
The Promise of Increased Worker
Productivity
The Employer Position:
As an employee of the organization, your allotted
shift or normal work period are at the discretion of
the company.
Other than lunch and any scheduled breaks, all
your activity should be work-related, and any
monitoring of that activity should not be regarded
as an infringement of your privacy.
If you want to do something in private dont do it
at work.
It is part of the organizations obligation to its
stakeholders to operate as efficiently as possible.3
8-5
The Promise of Increased Worker
Productivity
The Employee Position:
My agreement should not intrude upon my civil
rights as an individual I am an employee, not a
servant.
I should be notified of any electronic surveillance
and the purpose of that surveillance.
The actions of a small number of employees in
breaking company rules should not be used as a
justification to take away everyones civil rights.
Electronic monitoring implies that we cant be
trusted to do our jobs and if you cant trust us,
why are you employing us in the first place?
8-6
When Are You at Work?
Computer technology allows the
capability of telecommuting working
from anywhere by logging into your
companys network remotely
Computer and Smartphone
(iPhone/Blackberry)
Availability now being defined as
accessibility
So, does this flexibility apply to employees
at work?

8-7
Employee Consent
THIN CONSENT

If an employee receives formal notification that the


company will be monitoring all email and web activity
either at the time of hire or during employment
and it is made clear in that notification that his or her
continued employment with the company will be
dependent on the employees agreement to abide by
that monitoring, then the employee may be said to
have given thin consent. In other words, there are
two options agree to the monitoring or pursue other
employment opportunities.

8-8
Employee Consent
THICK CONSENT

If employment conditions are at the other


end of the scale i.e. jobs are plentiful and
the employee would have no difficulty in
finding another position then the consent
given to the monitoring policy could be
classified as thick since the employee has
a realistic alternative if he or she finds the
policy to be unacceptable.
8-9
The Dangers of Leaving a
Paper Trail
Employees may be able to monitor
every keystroke on computers, but
the documents written on the
machines do the most harm
Offensive email postings
Viewing inappropriate Web sites
Internet communication:
Damage from electronic trail of emails

8-10
Ten Commandments of Computer
Ethics

8-11

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