View of IMPORTANCE AND INFLUENCE OF ETHICS ON COMMUNICATION

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ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING

Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal, ISSN NO. 2456-1037

Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in/index.php/AJEEE

Vol. 06, Issue 05, May 2021 IMPACT FACTOR: 7.98 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) 1 IMPORTANCE AND INFLUENCE OF ETHICS ON COMMUNICATION

Dr. Preeti Koolwal

Assistant Professor (English), P.M.B. Gujarati Commerce College, Indore (MP)

Communication technology has changed so radically in the past 10 years that we no longer even know what is ethical, let alone legal. Since communication has changed, a workable framework is needed that defines ethical communication in the Internet era.

The Internet is the latest and in many respects most powerful in a line of media- telegraph, telephone, radio and television. It has enormous consequences for individuals, nations and the world. Use of the new information technology and the Internet needs to be informed and guided by a resolute commitment to the practice of solidarity in the service of the common good, within and among nations. This technology can be a means for solving human problems, promoting the integral development of persons and creating a world governed by justice, peace and love. The spread of the Internet also raises a number of other ethical questions about matters like privacy, security and confidentiality of data, copyright and intellectual property law, pornography, hate sites, dissemination of rumours and character assassination under the guise of news, and so on.

1. THE INTERNET

The Internet has a number of striking features. It is instantaneous, worldwide, decentralized, interactive, endlessly expandable in contents and outreach, flexible and adaptable to a remarkable degree. It is egalitarian in the sense that anyone with the necessary equipment and modest technical skills can be an active presence in cyberspace, declare his or her message to the world, and demand a hearing. It allows individuals to indulge in anonymity, role playing and fantasizing and also to enter into community with others and engage in sharing. The technological configuration underlying the Internet has a considerable bearing on its ethical aspects - people have tended to use it according to the way it was designed and to design it to suit that kind of use.

1.1 Some Areas of Concern

Let us now consider some areas of concern regarding ethical communication on the Net.

1.2 Digital Divide

One of the most important of areas of concern involves what today is called the digital divide - a form of discrimination dividing the rich from the poor, both within and among nations, on the basis of access or lack of access to the new information technology. In this sense, it is an updated version of an older gap between the 'information rich' and 'information poor'. The expression 'digital divide' underlines the fact that

individuals, groups and nations must have access to the new technology in order to share in the promised benefits of globalization and not fall further behind.

It is imperative 'that the gap between the beneficiaries of the new means of information and expression and those who do not have access to them... not become another intractable source of inequity and discrimination.' Ways need to be found to make the Internet accessible to less advantaged groups, either directly or at least by linking it with lower-cost traditional media. Cyberspace ought to be a resource of comprehensive information and services available without charge to all and in a wide range of languages. Public institutions have a particular responsibility to establish and maintain sites of the kind. In this connection it should be borne in mind that the causes and consequences of the divide are not only economic but also technical, social and cultural.

1.3 Cultural Domination

There is also a growing concern about the cultural dimensions of what is now taking place. Precisely as powerful tools of the globalization process, the new information technology and the Internet transmit and help instill a set of cultural values - ways of thinking about social relationships, family, religion, the human condition - whose novelty and glamour can challenge and overwhelm traditional cultures.

Intercultural dialogue and enrichment are of course, highly desirable. Indeed,

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Vol. 06, Issue 05, May 2021 IMPACT FACTOR: 7.98 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) 2 dialogue between cultures is especially

needed today because of the impact of new communication technology on the lives of individuals and peoples' but this has to be a two-way street. Cultures have much to learn from one another and merely imposing the worldview, values and even language of one culture upon another is not dialogue but cultural imperialism.

Cultural domination is an especially serious problem when a dominant culture carries false values inimical to the true good of individuals and groups. As maters stand, the Internet, along with the other media of social communication, is transmitting the value-laden message of western secular culture to people and societies that are in many cases, ill-prepared to evaluate and cope with it. Many serious problems result for example, in regard to marriage and family life, which is experiencing 'a radical and widespread crisis' in many parts of the world. Cultural sensitivity and respect for other people's values and beliefs are imperative in these circumstances. Intercultural dialogue that 'protects the distinctiveness of cultures as historical and creative expressions of the underlying unity of the human family and sustain understanding and communion between them' is needed to built and maintain the sense of international solidarity.

1.4 Freedom of Expression

The question of freedom of expression on the Internet is complex and gives rise to another set of concerns. Freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas must be upheld, as freedom to seek and know the truth is a fundamental human right and freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. Authoritarian regimes are by far the worst offenders in this regard; but the problem also exists in liberal democracies, where access to media for political expression often depends on wealth and politicians and their advisors violate truthfulness and fairness by misrepresenting opponents and shrinking issues to sound-bite dimensions.

2. INTERNET JOURNALISM

The Internet is a highly effective instrument for bringing news and

information rapidly to people. But the economic competitiveness and round-the- clock nature of Internet journalism also contributes to sensationalism and spreading of rumours; to a merging of news, advertising and entertainment and to an apparent decline in serious reporting and commentary. Honest journalism is essential to the common good of nation and the international community. Problems visible in the practice of journalism on the Internet call for speedy correction by journalists by journalists themselves. The sheer overwhelming quantity of information on the Internet, must of it unevaluated as to accuracy and relevance is a problem for many. But, we are also concerned lest people make use of the medium's technological capacity for customizing information simply to raise electronic barriers against unfamiliar ideas. That would be an unhealthy development in a pluralistic world where people need to grow mutual understanding. While Internet users have a duty to be selective and self-disciplined that should not be carried to the extreme of walling themselves off from others. The medium's implications for psychological development and health likewise need continued study, including the possibility that prolonged immersion in the virtual world of cyberspace may be damaging to some. Although there are many advantages in the capacity technology gives to people to 'assemble packages of information and services uniquely designed for them', this also 'raises an inescapable question: Will the audience of the future be a multitude of audiences of one? What would become of solidarity - what would become of love in a world like that?

Regulation of the Internet is desirable and in principle industry self- regulation is best. 'The solution to problems arising from unregulated commercialization and privatization does not lie in state control of media but in more regulation according to criteria of public services and in greater public accountability. 'Industry codes of ethics can play a useful role, provided they are seriously intended, involve representatives of the public in their formulation and enforcement and along with giving encouragement to responsible

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Vol. 06, Issue 05, May 2021 IMPACT FACTOR: 7.98 (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL) 3 communicators, carry appropriate

penalties for violations, including public censure. Circumstances may sometimes require state intervention for example by setting up media advisory boards representing the range of opinion in the community. The Internet's transnational, boundary-bridging character and its role in globalization require international cooperation in setting standards and establishing mechanisms to promote and protect the international common good. In regard to media technology, as in regard to other issues, 'there is a pressing need for equity at the international level'.

Determined action in the private sectors is needed to close and eventually eliminate the digital divide.

Manny difficult Internet-related questions call for international consensus for example, how to guarantee the privacy of law-abiding individuals and groups without keeping law enforcement and security officials from exercising surveillance over criminals and terrorists;

how to protect copyright and intellectual property rights without limiting access to material in the public domain and how to define the 'public domain' itself, how to establish and maintain broad-based Internet repositories of information freely available to all Internet users in a variety of languages and how to protect women's rights with regard to Internet access and other aspects of the new information technology. In particular, the question of how to close the digital divide between the information rich and the information poor requires urgent attention in its technical, education and cultural aspects.

2.1 Ethical Implications of Privacy in Electronic Mail

Cyberspace, the electronic frontier, may be perceived as a lattice of communities;

some linked, some isolated. Communities (users of electronic mail) have shared the commonality of a hierarchy of virtues, intra-group civility, loyalty, tolerance and common pursuits. However, the current online community, a as whole, does not share a hierarchy of virtues, though some localized segments do. Among such segments, the people with whom one interacts most strongly will be selected more by commonality of interests and goals than by accidents of proximity and as such will share some values. This

online community as a whole does place a great stock in words in order to communicate ideas and concepts through the virtual world.

3. COMMUNICATION TOOL 3.1 Computer Ethics

The ten commandments of computer ethics are as follows:

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.

2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.

3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.

4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.

5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.

6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which thou hast not paid.

7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.

8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.

9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program thou art writing or the system thou art designing.

10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for thine fellow humans.

 Never mention passwords in emails.

 Always logout completely.

 Do not leave online account unattended or use 'xlock' if it is not inconvenient to other.

 Check host file

3.2 Application of Computer Ethics to Problems Identified

What can one do, within this framework, about problems identified earlier? Let us consider a few options.

3.2.1 Receiving Mail

The following tips would come in handy:

 Do not be on a mailing list if do not want the world to know your email address - this may 'conceal' but will not avoid the general problems noted previously.

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 Try not to become a 'lurker' instead be a contributory participant as a member of the community.

3.2.2 Sending Mail

The following pointers should be kept in mind when sending emails:

 Be aware of and respect the comfort level of recipient (s) with your words.

 If involved as a mailing list editor, recognize the significance of the role as a publisher with the acquisition use and dissemination of information.

In general, the following guidelines are important:

 In an organization that has or is considering, email usage, develop and distribute an email privacy policy.

 Follow the relevant EMA guidelines for formulating a privacy policy for corporate electronic messaging.

 Upon discovery of uncomfortable situations specific to a service provider, such as prodigy, encourage ethical competition.

 If a company does not have an email privacy policy, it should establish privacy solutions that deal with all methods of employee communication media.

4. ADDITIONAL CONCERNS

The following questions will help settle upon an email privacy policy:

1. Who has a stake in establishing a responsible policy regarding access to and disclosure of company electronic mail? How will the policy affect the employer, employee, third parties, law enforcement authorities and electronic communication services providers?

2. What baseline legal rights and duties constrain any policy?

3. What operational features of electronic communications systems should affect any policy on access, use and disclosure?

4. What analogies can be used to help formulate a consistent set of policies?

5. What criteria should be used to evaluate a proposed policy?

6. Has your policy been disclosed in advance by all concerned?

7. Who from the organization should participate in the development of the policy?

8. What corporate assets should be considered when formulating overall workplace privacy policies?

9. What information will be want to gather in advance or during the course of formulating your policy?

Here, some of the ethical implications of privacy with email have been identified and explored, however, the uncontrollable communication and therefore, information flow will continue to pass and grow through the internet backbone as a form of media. The value of and right to privacy will continue to compete with other values in our global society within the virtual community. The clash of old inherent freedoms and new emergent technologies will continue to generate ethical issues for discussion, reflection and action.

REFERENCE

1. Allyn and Bacon 2001, Human Communication, Person Education pp. 44- 72.

2. Benatar, D. 2002. Ethics for Everyday, Megraw-I Ill, Boston, pp. 64-75.