Challenges of implementing the ethics through the use of information technologies in the university

Agni Dika, Mentor Hamiti (2011) Challenges of implementing the ethics through the use of information technologies in the university, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol.15, pp.1110–1114

Abstract

In university premises where we live, despite the social development which allegedly is compatible with the European one, the principles related to ethical use of Information Technologies (IT) differ in many cases. Therefore, often we find actions that are contrary to the code of ethics and legal infrastructure, during which some of the following dilemmas are posed:

• How ethical is to have installed a software without a license in our computers, justifying that it costs quite especially for students?


• Does this mean that avoiding the conflict with the code of ethics, the computer should not be used, or should be used partly only with the licensed software?


• In the other hand, are we going against the code of ethics if we buy licensed software and do not give its copy to the other students, when we know that in our computer we have installed copied software?

Students that use IT face other dilemmas, which are analyzed in this paper. Some of them are mentioned below.

• The case when our students or members of academic staff travel in Europe with computers that have installed unlicensed software, as well as facing the law.


• Another is the ethical dilemma that currently relates to the use of Facebook in the global space, when we know that through the same private content are published, without the consent of the persons involved?!


• We can state the same about the multimedia recordings that are posted on YouTube or in other sites with private or free access!

Case study was conducted at the SEE University (SEEU, 2010) in R. Macedonia, where students and academic staff discussed and debated issues regarding ethic dilemmas.

Keywords: Information Technology, University, Ethical Code, Software, License;