Introduction
Information is increasingly being shared and accessed on a global level, regardless of country and government boundaries. As a result, ethical parameters are being explored and established on an international level. This creates challenges on a worldwide scale for the global information society. In 2003 a world summit was held in Geneva to focus on challenges that are currently being faced by the worldwide information society. Two documents were established, The Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action (Capurro & Britz, 2010, p. 28).
Consideration of how the world is working towards a standardised form of ethics and what is happening on a global level needs to be examined further. Some challenges will be universal within one country, however as many different cultural groups exist within each country, policies on ethics and boundaries will shift and differ. Global cultural differences present many challenges as the information society strives to create ethical parameters for the sharing of information worldwide.
The four main points identified in relation to ethics in the global information society are: Access to information technology, Freedom of information, International publishing distributors and Privacy in relation to cultural sensitivity. This is shown in the below diagram.
Consideration of how the world is working towards a standardised form of ethics and what is happening on a global level needs to be examined further. Some challenges will be universal within one country, however as many different cultural groups exist within each country, policies on ethics and boundaries will shift and differ. Global cultural differences present many challenges as the information society strives to create ethical parameters for the sharing of information worldwide.
The four main points identified in relation to ethics in the global information society are: Access to information technology, Freedom of information, International publishing distributors and Privacy in relation to cultural sensitivity. This is shown in the below diagram.
Access to Information Technology
The ethical distribution of technology is crucial in allowing equal access to information. Buchanan (1999) states that while the African continent represents more than one tenth of the global population, it has less telephone lines than Manhattan, USA. This a serious issue when so much information is now online, without access to technology and the internet, how do developing countries gain access to information?
Freedom of Information
The global information society as a whole needs to work towards making information as accessible as possible to everyone, regardless of their background or physical location. Britz (2008) identified those individuals who don’t have access to information will most likely be marginalised and remain marginalised. This is further supported by Buchanan (1999), who maintains that information professionals are obligated to try and maintain free and open access to information to everyone around the world. By asserting the information society poses many pros and cons to the worldwide information society, she establishes that to fulfil the role of provider of free and accessible information, key ethical challenges must be overcome first.
International Publishing Distributors
Lor (2007) argues that as information in the information society continues to become a commodity, excessive power is given to publishers. This in turn adds to information becoming unaffordable for some countries. Without fair and ethical parameters this problem will only increase. Richard Baraniuk’s TED talk (2006) describes the changes that we are facing and presents some solutions to these challenges.
The ethical distribution of technology is crucial in allowing equal access to information. Buchanan (1999) states that while the African continent represents more than one tenth of the global population, it has less telephone lines than Manhattan, USA. This a serious issue when so much information is now online, without access to technology and the internet, how do developing countries gain access to information?
Freedom of Information
The global information society as a whole needs to work towards making information as accessible as possible to everyone, regardless of their background or physical location. Britz (2008) identified those individuals who don’t have access to information will most likely be marginalised and remain marginalised. This is further supported by Buchanan (1999), who maintains that information professionals are obligated to try and maintain free and open access to information to everyone around the world. By asserting the information society poses many pros and cons to the worldwide information society, she establishes that to fulfil the role of provider of free and accessible information, key ethical challenges must be overcome first.
International Publishing Distributors
Lor (2007) argues that as information in the information society continues to become a commodity, excessive power is given to publishers. This in turn adds to information becoming unaffordable for some countries. Without fair and ethical parameters this problem will only increase. Richard Baraniuk’s TED talk (2006) describes the changes that we are facing and presents some solutions to these challenges.
Privacy and Cultural Sensitivity
Brey (2007) found that the development of universal policy in relation to information ethics is challenging. Reason for this is given, as different cultures will cause different countries to have different priorities and attitudes on what is and is not ethical. If ethics of the information society continue to be solely focused on a narrow more individual level, freedom of information between different cultural groups and countries will be severely limited. It is therefore essential for the information society to develop ethical parameters on a global level.
Brey (2007) found that the development of universal policy in relation to information ethics is challenging. Reason for this is given, as different cultures will cause different countries to have different priorities and attitudes on what is and is not ethical. If ethics of the information society continue to be solely focused on a narrow more individual level, freedom of information between different cultural groups and countries will be severely limited. It is therefore essential for the information society to develop ethical parameters on a global level.
Conclusion
It is evident that not all individuals have access to information due to lack of technology. This is a huge challenge to developing countries and lower socio-economic groups. As more information professionals from developing nations meet with those from developed countries, these challenges can begin to be addressed in conjunction with developing organisations and government departments.
The current publishing models are continuing to marginalise entire countries within the global information society. Where countries are not able to afford the basic telecommunication necessary to access online information, the issue of how to afford to pay for access to material is immense.
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It is evident that not all individuals have access to information due to lack of technology. This is a huge challenge to developing countries and lower socio-economic groups. As more information professionals from developing nations meet with those from developed countries, these challenges can begin to be addressed in conjunction with developing organisations and government departments.
The current publishing models are continuing to marginalise entire countries within the global information society. Where countries are not able to afford the basic telecommunication necessary to access online information, the issue of how to afford to pay for access to material is immense.
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References
Baraniuk, R. (2006). The birth of the open-source learning revolution [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_baraniuk_on_open_source_learning#t-136154
Britz, J. (2008). Making the global information society good: A social justice perspective on the ethical dimensions of the global information society. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 59(7), 1171-1183.
Buchanan, E. A. (1999). An overview of information ethics issues in a world-wide context. Ethics and Information Technology, 1(3), 193-201.
Capurro, R., & Britz, J.B. (2010). In search of a code of global information ethics: The road travelled and new horizons. Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics, 7(2/3), 28-36.
International Federation of Library Associations. (2014). Internet Manifesto 2014. Retrieved from http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/224
Webster’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (2nd ed.). (1963). Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company
Baraniuk, R. (2006). The birth of the open-source learning revolution [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_baraniuk_on_open_source_learning#t-136154
Britz, J. (2008). Making the global information society good: A social justice perspective on the ethical dimensions of the global information society. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 59(7), 1171-1183.
Buchanan, E. A. (1999). An overview of information ethics issues in a world-wide context. Ethics and Information Technology, 1(3), 193-201.
Capurro, R., & Britz, J.B. (2010). In search of a code of global information ethics: The road travelled and new horizons. Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics, 7(2/3), 28-36.
International Federation of Library Associations. (2014). Internet Manifesto 2014. Retrieved from http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/224
Webster’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (2nd ed.). (1963). Cleveland and New York: The World Publishing Company