Itc506 Topics In Information Technology Assessment Answers

Task

1. If using a workplace example, to maintain confidentiality, do not use real names.
2. If you use a media article you must include the link to the media article in the references list of your assignment.

The emergence and evolution of Information and Communication technology (ICT) has lead to the widespread use of information without much of restriction. People of any age group any demographics can enjoy its benefits without caring much about its adverse effects.

The ethical dilemma identified in the above scenario can be further analyzed with help of Doing Ethics Technique (DET) which allows better insight into the situation by asking certain questions (Al-Saggaf & Burmeister, 2012).

Q1. What is going on?

ICT has lead to low privacy, less security and unhealthy exposure of children towards technology. In a case recently witnessed in World Economic forum published on 20th January 2017, a question was posed over helping children to protect them from ICT mishaps (Forum, 2017). It is a very crucial and sensitive issue as children are the future and their over involvement in technology may create a bad impact. Here the ethical dilemma arises that limiting their control and involvement with technology might let them lag behind time. Defining ethical dilemma it can be said that it is a complex questionable situation where one gets dragged into a mental conflict of accepting one aspect may transgress the moral aspect and vice versa (Henderson, Johnson & Auld, 2013).

Q2. What are the facts?

Presently, the discussion is on child’s limits on accessing the Internet and other social sites, should it be constrained or not. With advancing technology majority of population has just got immersed into hyper connected digitized world children being the most effected ones. A report suggests 50% of the children start using social media from the age of ten when they not at all understand the meaning of privacy and online security (Marsh et al., 2012). Children have been reported of being sexually abused, non healthy exposure to aggressive content through online gaming and also sharing personal data not knowing its potential risk. Children are also into meeting strangers online through social platforms. Hence lack of digital literacy becomes an emergency which requires attention of eminent ICT leaders. A study conducted by Nanyang Technological University in 2016 shows lower risk of getting harmed by any online potential mishap with quality assemblage of digital literacy (Marsh et al., 2012).

Q3. What are the ethical and non-ethical issues?

Highlighting the issue in the above context one can pin point the most harmful effect being sexual abuse. The ethical issues which can be listed are children protection, their rights, concerned health issues, not getting enough attention from parents. The unethical issues are effect on health and mind and violent behaviors. In addition, harmful user-generated content like how one can commit suicide might be helpful for some research analysis but it is not appropriate for kids obviously.

Q4. Who is affected?

Children are the most affected once with the modern tool of communication- Internet. Besides children, parents are also affected indirectly with the change in their child’s behavior. Children affected by the information technology in any way also pose threat to their fellow friends. They may hurt them physically or torture mentally. The effect can be severe and may prove fatal. Sometimes researchers and their research analysis are also affected as children tend to lie to the questionnaires asked which results in false conclusions (Kwan, & Skoric, 2013).

Q5. What are the ethical issues and implementation?

The ethical issue that is being faced is due to child’s exposure towards communication tool is the negative learning effect. Children have got their right to know and surf internet like any other adult. This leads to dilemma of children protection and children’s right to participate. Children should be encouraged on using internet but not the negative content. According to the government the children cannot be kept away from their rights therefore limiting their internet usage is a difficult task. Parents also go through issues where they cannot control and trace their child’s activity (Duerager & Livingstone, 2012). The children tend to lie about their actions. Yet one cannot stop or ban their internet usage as they need to learn many new and helpful things from Internet which may help them in studies and related researches (Blackwell, Lauricella & Wartella, 2014).

Q6. What can be done about it?

This whole issue arise a need for a sound and justified solution which may neither harm a child’s behavior and neither be a barrier in their way of prosperity. This requires a reasonable understanding in parents, teacher, elders and government too (Kalmus, von Feilitzen & Siibak, 2012). People need to address this situation with urgency. These issues are leading to loss of innocence in children which may be harmful in long run. Children are tender flowers who require pure nourishment and should be given prime attention. Working parents many a times ignore these facts and children grow on their own with their own sort of understanding and knowledge. It is the sole responsibility of the digitized citizen, government and researchers to handle the situation with utmost care (Henderson, Johnson & Auld, 2013).

Q7. What are the options?

The situation can be dealt with asserted solution to resolve it. The leading ICT and technicians should devise certain technologies which would help children on their open access to the communication tool. A certain web browsing platform can be devised which will specially run for children where any kind of negative and violent content should be blocked.. Government can frame rules in accordance with the using of negative content by the children. Parents also should be forced to keep an eye on their children behavior (Lee & Chae, 2012). A teaching subject can be introduced in the curriculum to make children aware of their responsibility while using communication tool-INTERNET.

Q8. Which option is best-and why?

The option of developing a separate web browser is the best as it would provide no scope of negligence where all negative content could be blocked. Along with which there should be certain methods where computers and other tools may trace out the user being a child or an adult and thus will give access to that particular user only. After all, budding children are the future of the world.

References

Al-Saggaf, Y., & Burmeister, O. K. (2012). Improving skill development: an exploratory study comparing a philosophical and an applied ethical analysis technique. Computer Science Education, 22(3), 237-255.

Blackwell, C. K., Lauricella, A. R., & Wartella, E. (2014). Factors influencing digital technology use in early childhood education. Computers & Education, 77, 82-90.

Duerager, A., & Livingstone, S. (2012). How can parents support children’s internet safety?.

Henderson, M., Johnson, N. F., & Auld, G. (2013). Silences of ethical practice: Dilemmas for researchers using social media. Educational research and evaluation, 19(6), 546-560.

How can we help kids protect themselves online?. (2017). World Economic Forum. Retrieved March 14, 2017, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/digital-danger-kids-protect-themselves-online/

Kalmus, V., von Feilitzen, C., & Siibak, A. (2012). Effectiveness of teachers’ and peers’ mediation in supporting opportunities and reducing risks online. Children, risk and safety on the internet: Research and policy challenges in comparative perspective, 245-256.

Kwan, G. C. E., & Skoric, M. M. (2013). Facebook bullying: An extension of battles in school. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(1), 16-25.

Lee, S. J., & Chae, Y. G. (2012). Balancing participation and risks in children's internet use: The role of internet literacy and parental mediation. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15(5), 257-262.

Marsh, J., Mascheroni, G., Carrington, V., Árnadóttir, H., Brito, R., Dias, P., ... & Trueltzsch-Wijnen, C. (2012) The Online and Offline Digital Literacy Practices of Young Children.