Ethics and information technology use: a factor analysis of attitudes to computer use

Abstract

Abstract. In 1986 Richard O. Mason identified privacy, accuracy, property and access as four ethical issues for the information age. The research reported here sought to answer the questions: are these social issues empirically verifiable constructs? Second, what consensus exists on the factors? A field survey of 79 business professionals and students identified 12 factors which were grouped into five clusters: ownership, access, motivation, responsibility and privacy. These constructs identify additional dimensions and complexity to extend Mason's definition of key ethical issues. The importance of separating the computer user who experiences the ethical dilemma from the stakeholder(s) who deal with the consequences of the dilemma is identified. This study also demonstrates some consensus within the survey items. Consensus exists that it is unethical to profit from non‐job, computer‐related acts. Consensus also exists that personal use of company‐owned information technology resources is acceptable. The other items show little consensus, identifying areas of necessary discussion within the computing professions to determine ethically consistent and appropriate computer uses.