Information Society and Information Ethics Takeshi Tokuyama Tohoku University Graduate School of Information Sciences System Information Sciences Design and Analysis of Information Systems Necessity of Information Ethics • Ethics – Right attitude as a human in society – Standard of people to live together in a society • Aristotle : Mesotes (happymean, goldenmean) • Confucius(孔子) : 五常の徳：仁(Humaneness)・義(Justice)・礼(Politeness)・智(Wisdom)・信(Honesty) • Information Ethics – How we should behave to deal with information • You need to have “ ethical rule you must oblige to in order not to harm others” – Neither intentionally nor accidentally Information in Society • Human history is the history of information • Major evolutions – Language, Paper+Pen, Printing – Orderly, Fire relay, Mail , Telegram, Telephone – Novel, Newspaper, Movie, Radio, TV – Internet • Email, Web, Blog, Twitter, Facebook • Human culture depends on information infrastructure and information exchange Who can broadcast information? • Only Load or government are allowed to broadcast information in old days – Laws, Notice, Announcement • Book writers & political/religious leaders – Bible, Novels, Poems • Mass media – News writers, Movie makers, TV producers • Now, everyone can broadcast – Twitter, blog, etc – Everyone need to have ethics on information ! Benefit and Risk of the Internet • Benefit – World wide scale – Each person takes part in a huge media • Facing unspecified large number of people – Publishing information and utilization raise the value of information • Risk – Individual act leads to a large effect – One can see many malicious users • But, Internet novice may become a “loser” • You need to use internet wisely Self-Defense, Self-Responsibility • Malicious user + Internet – Account hacking – Data destruction, falsification – Disclosing the private life of the others – Abusing – Spoofing • Just be careful when you use the internet Self-Defense, Self-Responsibility • Criminal act is illegal – Unfair act and trouble by immoral user on the internet – Human rights violation, piracy, system disturbance • Unconscious misconduct – Lack of awareness is your fault • Unethical act should be avoided – Possession of child pornography Security System • Technology for Computer Security – Access control using user ID and Password – Firewall to prevent intrusion – Data encryption – Anti-virus software • Security system is essential • You should use security system wisely • You should not rely on only security systems My experience 1 • We have our own Web server system. • In 2001, we forgot to update a security software (SSH) and used old one for 6 months. • We went to seminar trip to hot spa • When we come back to next morning, ……. Crimes you might commit • Privacy in violation – Disclosing a private life of the others without permission • Defamation – Blaming, Discrimination • Piracy – Using text, image, photo on web page of the others without permission – Putting celebrity photo, animation on web page • Gambling, trickery, pyramid selling Privacy Violation and defamation • Attack through the Internet – Spam mail – Defamation on web site, SNS and etc • Not difficult to attack the others on the Internet • Therefore, you can become a victim or harm others unconciously • Freedom of speech is the right for “ethical person” My own experience 2 • In 1990, I got an interesting email – Two researchers suspected that a particular conference accepted papers without any review – Then they did an experiment to reveal it • Write a paper, cut it into three parts • Shuffle them to make three papers, and submitted • All were accepted – “We decided to send caution to colleagues. please forward it to your friends” – What should you do? Legal Protection of Software • Software – Payware • Do not violate license agreement – Freeware • Copying, modification and redistribution are allowed without consent of copyright holder – Shareware • If you like the software, pay after trial use – Be careful about spyware and virus My own experience 3 • I joined IBM in 1986. There was no real internet, but I enjoyed VNET in IBM (intranet) – We made programs for fun, and exchange others. • In December 1987, I got an email from my (highly reliable) colleague in laboratory. – “It is not fun to read it, just run the attached file.” – Xmas.exe was the attached file. – What do you think happened? Malware(Malicious Software) • Malware – Program designed to destroy system, gather private information to reveal and other behavior that cause disadvantage. – Virus, Worm, Trojan Horse • Infection route – External storage(especially USB key) – Internet ○ Downloaded file ○ E-mail attachment ○ File Sharing Software • Defense policy – Keep Anti-virus software up to date – Use a supported OS and keep up to date Online Shopping • Troubles on online shopping – An item doesn’t arrive after you paid – Customer won’t pay though item has been sent – Risk both for seller and customer • Credit card – Card information might be stollen • Check if the transaction is encrypted • Not allowed in university account My own experience 4 • In 2004, Mike, an exchange student from UC Irvine (California, U.S.) came for one year • He bought a cellular phone – Fixed price for unlimited number of packets • Two months later, he was so astounded to receive a bill of 1.4 million yen ! • What happened?? Spam Mail • Spam mail – Advertising, invitation mail which is sent repeatedly – You should aware of there is no “free lunch” – Trickery ○ Phishing ○ Paid dating, money laundering, lottery ○ Fictitious claims – one-click fraud ○ Do not pay, though you get bill on e-mail ○ Take it easy and forget it ○ If you have told your personal information, consult your adviser at first Self Defense • Proper management of personal information – Be careful about handling personal information – Refrain from thoughtless statement on BBS, SNS, and etc • National Police Agency Japan Countermeasure against Cybercrime – http://www.npa.go.jp/cyber/english/index.html • National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan – http://www.kokusen.go.jp/ncac_index_e.html Rumors and its effect • Just after the earthquake in March, so much information was posted in twitter • It was very important to obtain information • But, it was sometimes harmful – “The gas station near my home sells gas tomorrow morning from 9am” • There was so much rumors – “ You should drink tincture of iodine to reduce effect of radiation “ (of course should NOT) Human Communication • Although internet is very useful, you often need to speak directly to your colleagues. – Nowadays, we may use emails etc even if we are in the same room. • My own experience 4 – Two members chatted about a matter not related to the work (in low voice) in the office – The manager sent emails to them • “Refrain from chatting during work” – What do you think about this? Your task (two weeks later) • Think about a problem in information ethics – Information leak by Wiki Leaks – In which occasion a government should control (or hide) information? – Manner for discussion on internet (emails, bulletin board system, blogs, social networks) – Anything you feel serious • Give your idea (at most four PPT pages) • Volunteers will give presentations, and we will discuss (everyone should speak ). COMPUTER BASICS 1. TEXT EDITOR Basics • Text Editor – Note Pad – Word Pad – Microsoft Word • Office tools – PowerPoint – Excel • Also, included in – Internet Browser: Internet Explorer – File and Folder: Explorer