You are required to write a fully referenced essay of no more than 3000 words in length on a topic of your choosing that is related to the themes of ISYS330, namely the social, ethical, cultural and/or historical aspects of information technology and allied areas of professional practice. (The word count excludes the reference list.) The aim of this task to use ethical concepts and/or theories.

The following list contains suggested topics. Pick one.

1) Give two examples of how a social pressure or need led to the development of a new information technology. Give at least three examples of how the adoption of a new information technology changed society.
2) How did the culture around San Francisco in the late 1960s and early 1970s affect the development of the personal computer in the United States of America?
3) Describe at least three ways in which the widespread adoption of the telephone changed society.
4) What characteristics of the Internet make censorship of the Internet particularly difficult?
5) Describe how the governments of Saudi Arabia, the People’s Republic of China, and the United States regulate the Web. (Compare and contrast censorship activities in all three countries where applicable.)
6) Some believe that Internet addiction is real, but others disagree. Summarize the arguments on both sides of this question. Which side has the stronger argument? Why?
7) What are the ways that an individual or firm may protect intellectual property in Australia? Briefly describe the uses for each kind of intellectual property protection.
8) Describe the concept of fair use. How has digital rights management affected fair use?
9) Do you believe the Google Books project is a fair use of copyrighted material? Justify your answer.
10)Do you believe intellectual property protection for music will grow stronger or weaker in the years to come? Justify your position.
11)Describe several ways that a typical unmarried 20-year-old may have more privacy now than an unmarried 20-year-old would have had 200 years ago.
12) Should anonymity be tolerated in social media? Justify your position.
13)Describe at least three modern information technology devices and how they may be used to decrease privacy.
14)Modern information technology allows a great deal of information to be collected, stored, searched, and rapidly retrieved. Describe how this capability benefits society.
15) Summarize the arguments in favour of and opposing the creation of a national identification card in Australia.
16)Describe the benefits and risks associated with online voting.
17)Describe the ethical scenario underpinning the Therac-25 radiation therapy system accidents. (Google for information…)
18)Describe the mistakes that led to the failure of the automated baggage system at Denver International Airport and undertake an ethical analysis of the scenario. (Google for information…)
19)Describe the arguments supporting and opposing the adoption of direct recording electronic voting machines. (This is different from online voting as per above.)
20)What evidence is there that software quality is improving and how is this related to ethical practice?
21)Write a code of ethics for bloggers. Justify your creation from an ethical perspective.
22)What is cyberbullying? Undertake an ethical analysis of this social phenomenon.
23) In what ways are computer-related jobs similar to fully developed professions? How are computer-related careers different from a fully developed profession?
24)Why is it usually difficult to assign moral responsibility for computer system failures to a particular individual? What are the implications for the organizations that create these systems?
25)What is whistleblowing? What harms does it cause? What benefits does it provide? Why is whistleblowing rare? (Use examples from the news to support your discussion.)
26) Is automation – replacing human workers with machines – morally wrong? Justify your answer.
27) Is it morally wrong to try to construct a computer conscious of its own existence? Justify your answer.
28) From an ethical vantage, describe how information technology has influenced the way manufacturing and service companies organize themselves, create products, and interact with other companies.
29) From an ethical vantage, describe the term “globalization” and explain how advances in information technology have stimulated globalization.
30) From an ethical vantage, describe recent events that provide evidence of globalization.
31)What is “the digital divide?” Describe the two fundamentally different dimensions of the digital divide.
32)Describe at least two models of technological diffusion and explain how they are used by technological optimists (and technological pessimists) to predict the future of “the digital divide.”
33) Is a code of network ethics needed to address security concerns in cyberspace? Justify your answer.
34) Is workplace surveillance ethical? Justify your answer.
35) Is the use of “gamification” in marketing ethical? Justify your answer. (Google “gamification.”)
36)Do some computer games encourage violent behaviour in real-life? Justify your answer.
37) Should computer games be subject to censorship? Justify your answer.
38)Are smartphones an evil distraction in modern life? Justify your position.
39)How have manners in interpersonal communication changed with the advent of the
Internet? Undertake an ethical analysis of the change in customs.
40)Whither the Transparent Society? Read and critique David Brin’s notion of privacy
41)Why did the passing of Steve Jobs evoke such a global outpouring of grief? Please explain.
42) The film “Social Network” is in the RMIT Library collection: http://tinyurl.com/8g8uar6
It deals with the birth of Facebook. Place a hold on it and then borrow it. Watch the film
and then write a critical review focusing on the ethical issues you have uncovered.
43) The film “The Conversation” is in the RMIT Library collection:
http://tinyurl.com/9qp9emx It deals with the ethics of privacy. Place a hold on it (if it is
out) and then borrow it. Watch the film and then write a critical review focusing on the
ethical issues you have uncovered.
44) Is social media a force against political oppression? Justify your position.
45) Should social media usage be regulated in the workplace? Justify your position.
46)Has text messaging changed the way we communicate in a negative fashion? Justify your
position.
47) If all companies truly behaved in an ethical manner then concepts such as “Green IT” would
not be necessary? Justify your position.
48) Cloud computing is a veiled attack on personal ownership of data in a physical sense. Do
you agree? Justify your position.
49)What are the positive and negative side-effects to society of the current consumer love affair
with the Apple range of electronic products? Compare and contrast in an ethical/aesthetic
manner.
50) Is diversity important in technological innovation? Please discuss this in an ethical vein.
51)What are the ethical dilemmas of life in a virtual reality. Please discuss the issues.
52)Do you agree with the following statement: “Codes of conduct do not make people ethical.”
Justify your position with respect to codes of conduct in technology professions.
53) “Facebook must start to take responsibility.” Read about this issue:
http://tinyurl.com/8zcwnmm Critically discuss the ethical issues involved in this news
story.
54)Why is trolling in online communities unethical? Please discuss the issues involved.
55)How can Internet-based marketing techniques subvert government advertising regulations?
Discuss the ethical implications of the issues involved with reference to particular
examples.
56) Is Twitter a waste of time? Please offer your opinion with reference to the ethics of
microblogging in general.
57)Discuss the possible ethical dilemmas of the Singularity. (Google for information…)
58) Should robots have rights? Please discuss the issues involved.
59)Are there cross-cultural differences in computer ethics? Please discuss using relevant
examples.
60)Discuss the ethics of crowdsourcing using a particular example.
61)Are there positive benefits of an ethical nature from internet piracy? Please discuss using
relevant examples.
62)Discuss the ethics of parental control of internet usage by their children.
63)Discuss the ethics of social media as a political force. Use relevant examples such as the
“Arab Spring” in support of your arguments.
64) Critique the ethics of 4chan: http://www.4chan.org
65) Should online pornography be banned? Please discuss.
66) Should anonymity be banned on the Internet? Please discuss.
67)What is wrong with online reputation management? Please discuss.
68)Where are the heroic figures of the Information Age? Please discuss.
69) In an age of technological distraction, is boredom unethical? Please discuss.
70)How can the truth be protected and/or supported on the Internet? Please discuss.
71) Should humans be banned from ever falling in love with intelligent robots? Please discuss.
72)What is wrong with technological “solutionism”? (Google for information…)
Please discuss.
73)What are three positive and three negative aspects of the future of technological innovation.
Please discuss this with reference to a projected scenario in context (e.g. 20 years from
now, 30 years from now…)
74)What are the ethics of plagiarism and essay mills in the Digital Age? Please discuss.
75)Read Bill Joy’s Wired magazine article, “Why the future doesn’t need us,” and critique it
from an ethical standpoint. Article found here: http://tinyurl.com/a6i2
76) Read Jaron Lanier’s Wired magazine rebuttal (“One-Half of a Manifesto”) to Bill Joy’s
article and critique it from an ethical vantage. Article found here: http://tinyurl.com/cdt3wsb
77) Should we use any technological device to become smarter, more attentive versions of
ourselves? Please discuss.
78)Write an original science fiction or fantasy story that deals with an ethical dilemma in a
futuristic technological scenario.