Databases

= Summary of Social and Ethical Issues =
 * __ Social and Ethical Issues of Databases  __**
 * privacy of the individual – security of data and information
 * accuracy of data and information
 * changing nature of work
 * appropriate information use
 * health and safety
 * copyright laws

Social and ethical issues in collecting

 * bias in the choice of what and where to collect data
 * accuracy of the collected data
 * copyright and acknowledgment of source data when collecting
 * the rights to privacy of individuals on whom data is collected
 * ergonomic issues for participants entering large volumes of data into an information system

Social and ethical issues associated with organising

 * current trends in organising data, such as:
 * the increase in hypermedia as a result of the world wide web
 * the ability of software to access different types of data
 * a greater variety of ways to organise resulting from advances in display technology
 * the cost of poorly organised data, such as redundant data in a database used for mail-outs
 * the appropriateness of a two digit date field at a time when storage and processing was more expensive, versus the current inappropriateness

Social and ethical issues associated with analysis

 * unauthorised analysis of data
 * data incorrectly analysed
 * erosion of privacy from linking databases for analysis

Social and ethical issues associated with storing/retrieving

 * the security of stored data
 * unauthorised retrieval of data
 * advances in storage and retrieval technologies and new uses such as data matching

Social and ethical issues associated with processing

 * types of computers on networks
 * flexibility from the distributed processing of personal computers on networks
 * security from the centralised processing of network computers (terminals)
 * ownership of processed data
 * bias in the way participants in the system process data

Social and ethical issues associated with transmitting and receiving

 * accuracy of data received from the Internet
 * security of data being transferred
 * net-etiquette
 * acknowledgment of data source
 * global network issues, time zones, date fields, exchange rates
 * changing nature of work for participants, such as work from home and telecommuting
 * current developments and future trends in digital communications, radio and television
 * the impact of the Internet on traditional business

Social and ethical issues associated with displaying

 * communication skills of those presenting displays
 * past, present and emerging trends in displays
 * appropriate displays for a wide range of audiences, including:
 * standards for display for the visually impaired
 * displays suitable for young children

Social and ethical issues associated with Planning, Design and Implementation

 * machine-centred systems simplify what computers do at the expense of participants
 * human-centred systems as those that make participants’ work as effective and satisfying as possible
 * how the relationships between participants change as a result of the new system
 * ensuring the new system provides participants with a safe work environment
 * awareness of the impact the system may have on the participants:
 * opportunities to use their skills
 * meaningful work
 * need for change
 * opportunities for involvement and commitment

Social and ethical issues related to information systems and databases

 * acknowledgment of data sources
 * the freedom of information act
 * privacy principles
 * accuracy of data and the reliability of data sources
 * access to data, ownership and control of data
 * new trends in the organisation, processing, storage and retrieval of data such as data warehousing and data-mining

Social and ethical issues related to communication systems

 * the use of communication systems to share knowledge, not just data
 * issues related to messaging systems
 * ideas delivered by this means appear less forceful and caring than ideas delivered personally
 * danger of being misinterpreted
 * power relationships
 * privacy and confidentiality
 * electronic junk mail
 * information overload
 * implications of Internet trading including:
 * local taxation laws
 * employment ramifications
 * nature of business
 * trading over the Internet and its commercial implications
 * the difficulties of censoring content on the Internet
 * issues arising from Internet banking, including:
 * security of banking details
 * changing nature of work
 * branch closure and job loss
 * the removal of physical boundaries by enabling:
 * work from home
 * virtual organisations, ie organisations structured around the communication system
 * removal of national and international barriers to trade
 * how participants are supported:
 * individuals by providing a means for communication
 * participant teams by enabling the exchange of ideas and data
 * the emerging trend of accessing media such as radio and video across the Internet

Social and ethical issues related to multimedia systems

 * copyright: the acknowledgment of source data and the ease with which digital data can be modified
 * appropriate use of the Internet and the wide spread application of new developments on it such as live video data
 * the merging of radio, television, communications and the Internet with the increase and improvements in digitisation
 * the integrity of the original source data in educational and other multimedia systems

Social and ethical issues related to transaction processing systems
>> (Eg collecting now done by customers using the bank's ATM machines instead of via the bank clerk) **Source:** http://www.grcoatley.mcc.education.nsw.gov.au/ipt_website/12_social_implications/issues_summary.htm = **For information on Databases, click here:** =
 * changing nature of work and the effect on participants, including:
 * the automation of jobs once performed by clerks
 * the bypassing of clerks by people in the environment performing their former roles
 * the need for non-computer procedures to deal with transactions when the computer is not available in real time systems
 * bias in data collection:
 * when establishing the system and deciding what data to collect
 * when collecting data
 * the importance of data in transaction processing, including:
 * data security
 * data accuracy
 * data integrity
 * control in transaction processing and the implications it has for participants in the system

http://databases.about.com/od/administration/u/using_databases.htm