Human communication, technology and new ethical considerations
The ways that humans interact in 2017 is vastly different to the time in which the internet was created. Rapid advancements in technology have meant that people can interact globally via email, social media, video chats or simply by posting something such as a blog on the internet. With these new opportunities for communication, it is important to consider the ethical issues that may arise, and how to best address them.
Privacy online is a major issue with regards to how personal information is used, and becomes a concern with there being potential for people to hide behind fake identities. It is also necessary to think about consent, and the responsibility that we have as users of technology to ensure we are not infringing the rights of other people. Using technology to communicate is not in itself a problem, rather it is the way in which it used. If technology is abused, there can be ramifications on multiple levels and it is important that people are aware of this. (Sullins, John 2016)
Cyberbullying is a common example of how technology can be misused in communication. It has become easy to make mistakes as social media users, particularly when younger generations do not understand the effects of their decisions. This is why as a society we need to monitor not only our personal use of technology, but also that of other people. (Kowalski, Robin 2012).
When using technology, people must take caution to remain safe and responsible communicators. This involves understanding the need to acknowledge the work of others if posting it online, respecting the privacy of others, and thinking about the appropriateness of what we post for others to see. Once content is online, there will always remain a trace of it somewhere. Ask yourself, would I like my grandmother to read this, see this or find out about this? If not, then maybe reassess how you are using technology to communicate with others.
References:
Kowalski, R., Limber, S., & Agatston, P. (2014). Cyberbullying. Johanneshov: MTM
Sullins, John, "Information Technology and Moral Values", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2016 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), Retrived on 14 September 2017 from <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2016/entries/it-moral-values/>.
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