Information Technology and Ethical Issues

As indicated in the title this posting will focus on Information Technology (IT) and the ethical issues surrounding IT use. Aksoy and DeNardis (2008) define information technology as “…systems of hardware and/or software that capture, process, exchange, store and/or present information, using electrical, magnetic and/or electromagnetic energy (p.8).  To me this includes, but is not limited to, things such as digital cameras, cell phones, internet, computers , televisions and external hard drives.

                Technology has become so common in society that a lot of people are dependent on it. Personally, before I even get out of bed in the morning the TV will go on and I will be on my laptop checking Facebook, emails, daily specials, weather and banking. Then I’m on my way to class, in my car with an electronic computer, passing through speed cameras (slowly!), CCTV cameras and traffic lights. I will stop at the supermarket to purchase an item through the self-checkout and will pay by EFTPOS. I will arrive in class where the lecturer will have the computer on projecting images, videos and audio to the class. Following class it is expected that we are back on a computer to do ‘self-directed learning’. I will check my cell phone, make a call, send an email, Skype my family and pay a bill online. This is all my own personal experience but I imagine there will be a lot of people whose days and routines are somewhat similar.

                The amazing changes that have been happening in technology and how these have penetrated into our society are demonstrated in the following Youtube video:

I can see the benefits and disadvantages of technology. For myself, the benefits include ease of access to information (news, weather), services (banking, booking, paying bills) and easy social interaction or communication with people you may not see on a day to day basis (Facebook, Skype, email). However, at the same time there are just as many disadvantages. There is the issue of security of information when using credit cards online or logging into an online banking service or personal security when putting personal information (name, age, location) online in places such as Facebook. There is the horror of realising the computer has frozen before document has been saved thus losing all of the hard work! There are also ethical implications when using technology- this will be discussed in further detail later.

Now to focus on IT in OT – that’s information technology in occupational therapy! In my Fieldwork 1(FW1) experience IT was not widely adopted. This may be due to being in a rural setting and the hospital not having the technology available. The notes were still handwritten and stored in a filing cabinet and faxes seemed more commonplace than emails. However I can envisage IT being a very useful tool of occupational therapy practice. For practitioners this can allow ease of information sharing. For the client this can be things such as memory aids (reminder on cell phone), online communities (for support and information) and interactive computer games such as the Nintendo Wii. Further information on IT in OT can be found in the following article:

Mainstream technology as an occupational therapy tool: Technophobe or technogeek?

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6805/is_6_71/ai_n31909080/

            Last but not least I will briefly discuss the potential ethical implications that may arise when capturing, sharing and transferring information via IT devices (cell phone) or systems (Internet). When transferring information through a generally open system such as the internet there is a risk that information will end up in the wrong hands. This is of particular concern when it is something confidential such as an email between health practitioners discussing a client and their medical needs. Ethical implications may also arise when an image is captured and shared, possibly through a digital camera and uploaded onto a social networking site. Once something is uploaded onto the internet it is very, very difficult for it to be completely erased if the need arises. . . Speaking of which it is time to upload this (never to be successfully erased) post. J

 Reference:

Aksoy, P. & DeNardis, L. (2008). Information technology in theory. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson Learning Inc.