Blog post #1- What are we doing and how do we do it?
The Internet’s Ethical Challenges
This article by Sara Martin addresses several pressing questions related to internet ethics such as, “Should you Google your clients?” and, “Should you ‘friend’ a student on Facebook?”. The truth is that no form of communication over the internet is guranteed to be 100 percent private, and in a world where social media has become of prime importance, several “ethical pitfalls” are now present. The article interviews Stephen Behnke, PhD, JD, Director of APA’s Ethics Office, who begins by talking about the Ethic Codes drafted between 1997 and 2002. Behnke states that the codes do not prohibit social relationships, and applies to all electronic communication. He then goes on to talk about the effects of new technology in the workplace. The example of texting a client is provided, and it says that the messages may become part of the client’s records. In terms of social media, what you post may be publically accesible despite putting privay setting in place. Behnke also says that it is important to, ” educate yourself about privacy settings and how you can make your page as private as you want it to be”. These days, students are inviting professors to view their pages which inevitably allows professors to access more information about students’ lives than before. Behnke’s advice on the subjects is not only to “weigh the potential benefits and harms that could come from adding that dimension to the teaching relationship,” but to take into account the school’s policy towards the subject. The same goes for following on blogs and Twitter. As for Googling clients, his opinion is that there may be a good reason to search a client under certain circumstances (a safety issue, for example), but again, the professor should think about the relationship witht the student. Lastly, Behnke reveals that the next revision to Ethic Codes have not been scheduled, but it is important to view internet ethics from a developmental perspective. As the field evolves, new problems arise.
For the most part, I agree with this article. I think that it is important to remember that technology is always growing and changing, and with it comes new problems and responsibilities. Taking the time to consider how you are presenting yourself on the interent is key in terms of being an ethical social networking user. As for “friending” your professors, I believe that you should asses the situation and relationship fully before you make that decision. Personally, I would not “friend” or “follow” a professor until they are no longer teaching me. I also agree with the idea that Googling a client is acceptable if it is for safety issues. Because the internet is rich in information, I think that it can be a really helpful tool when considering whether or not to hire someone. I think that internet safety should be placed above all else.
After reading this article, I wanted some tips on how to be an ethical internet user. I found the “Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics” on Education World, and this page also had other useful information such as establishing a cluture of propor use and incorporating cyber ethics into your culture. One of the favorite “Commandments” was the first one, which stated, “Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.” It seems so simple, but if everyone really applied this, then the internet would be a much safer place. My second tip is to simply think about what you do before you do it. Fully asses the situation (like “friending” a professor) instead of taking immediate action. By taking all of this information into consideration, my conclusion is that although internet security isn’t always guranteed, you should do your best to be safe and be ethical towards others.