1. Ethics and Information Society Challenges, Recommendations, Solutions By Omid Fatemi omid@fatemi.net

2. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Questions? Why is it necessary that information societies commit themselves to observe moral and spirituality principles? What are the losses of lacking moral and spirituality to the societies? What practical strategies have been planned for constructive relation between these two? What are the successful practical samples in this regard ? What is the prospect of information societies in relation to morals? What recommendations can be provided to users and those who involved in the information systems?

3. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Outline First Part (from what has been said) –Moral / Ethics –Solutions Second Part (another view) – What is value? Gain / Loss? –How to use tools?

4. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Ethics / Moral Ethics: the study of morals –Longman Interactive American Dictionary, ©Addison Wesley Longman 1997 Morals: –Principles of right and wrong behavior and the difference between good and evil

5. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net How to? Find out about –Good and evil –Right and wrong –Good and bad What is the criteria?

6. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Specific Theories Utilitarianism: good behavior is that which produces the most happiness or most good for the most people. Emotivism: all value judgments are expressions of feelings Egoism: every person acts out of self interest

7. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Societies Agrarian Society Industrial Society Information Society

8. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Important Factors Development of technology Globalization process Digitalization

9. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Information Society? Lots of “Info” Increase in jobs dealing with “data” Information as a commodity –Intellectual Property Rapid innovations and developments

10. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Technology Crimes Characteristics Dealing with abstracts Stealing means copying –The original is there Anonymity for criminals Criminals feel they aren’t hurting anyone. Don’t care for intangible properties Privacy is at risk

11. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Society Issues Loss of identity, cultural heritage and values for small communities. Virtual identity and position vs. real life Privacy issues Property rights Accountability and control (freedom of speech) Internet – Offensive language, Violence –Gambling, drugs and alcohol –Nudity and sexual content –Poisoning beliefs

12. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Solutions Computer Ethics – Cyberethics –The web site Code of conduct –ACM, IEEE Business Ethics –Profitability, monopoly, environmentalism

13. Real Ethics From Allah

14. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net High values of Behavior الكافي 2 56 باب المكارم..... ص : 55: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَصَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِمَكَارِمِ الْأَخْلَاقِ فَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ مَنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ فِيهِ فَلْيَتَضَرَّعْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لْيَسْأَلْهُ إِيَّاهَا Allah has chosen the prophets to have good behavior, whoever owns this should thank God and whoever doesn’t have this should beg God and asks for it.

15. Where the Value comes from? The creator, the knowing, the compassionate, the merciful.

16. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net The Value of Tools 1. Having a value 2. Neutral –Gains value from the objective and the purpose –انما الاعمال بالنيات –The value of action depends on the purpose. Could we do good things in information society with ICT? What precautions do we need to take when approaching ICT?

17. Example: Internet and eLearning To Educate and Distribute the Words of Islam http://university.etrat.net

18. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Summary Society is changing. We feel moral risks in Information age. Lots of useful tools in information age. The value comes from Allah. Why don’t we use the tools for spiritual and moral purposes?

19. Ethics and Information Societyomid@fatemi.net Questions? Why is it necessary that information societies commit themselves to observe moral and spirituality principles? What are the losses of lacking moral and spirituality to the societies? What practical strategies have been planned for constructive relation between these two? What are the successful practical samples in this regard ? What is the prospect of information societies in relation to morals? What recommendations can be provided to users and those who involved in the information systems?

20. The End Thanks