Security, Privacy and Ethics in Technology

Technology has created many conveniences including increases in production, automation and increased revenue in the workplace. However, with these conveniences, come various challenges associated with ethics, security and privacy with the use of technology in the workplace.

When dealing with technology, concerns regarding intellectual property, copyright laws and the Fair Use Doctrine must be considered. In my workplace, there are many examples of intellectual property, which is defined as "intangible creative work that is embodied in physical form." (Haag & Cummings, p. 226.) These examples include company brochures and flyers. One method that my company uses to address issues surrounding intellectual property, copyright laws and the Fair Use Doctrine, is the use of a disclaimer that every employee must acknowledge prior to signing on to any company computer. The disclaimer states that all programs and any information contained on the computer you are logging onto are the property of the company and are not to be copied or reproduced. Even though there is this disclaimer, my company does allow each employee to download the Microsoft Office 2007 software program for home use. However, once employment is severed the program must be uninstalled.

With regard to privacy, the company disclaimer also states that the computer is the property of the company and any information inserted or contained within the computer is not considered private. It becomes the property of the company. To address concerns regarding privacy for my company's business, its employees and customers, various filtering devices are instituted on each computer. Each employee must use a password to log in and computer usage is tracked. There is also filtering as far as internet use that will block certain internet sites. These securities address both security and privacy concerns and help to alleviate possible incoming threats to security and privacy, for the company, the employee and customer information.

There are roles that leaders within the workplace must take with respect to establishing guidelines and ensuring ethical behavior that have to do with the use of technology. One method that business leaders can use to establish guidelines regarding the technology that employees use is to establish an ethical code of conduct that outlines the company's expectations in this regard. Once the ethical code of conduct or acceptable use policy is established, employees must be tested to ensure that they understand it. I also believe that requiring employees to take an annual test acknowledging the ethical code of conduct or acceptable use policy and any changes to it would be beneficial. My workplace has instituted similar guidelines and policies to the ones I have mentioned. Each year, every employee is required to take an ethics course and be tested on the company's "acceptable use policy." Actions such as these will help