ITGSWiki

Areas Of Impact

1. Business and employment
2. Education
3. Health
4. Arts, entertainment and Leisure
5. Science and the environment
6. Politics and the government

Social and Ethical Areas

1. Reliability
2. Integrity
3. Security
4. Privacy and Anonymity
5. Authenticity
6. Intellectual Property
7. Equality of Access
8. Control
9. Globalization and Cultural Diversity
10. Policies and Standards
11. People and Machines

IT Systems in a Social Context

1. Basics: hardware and networks
2. Applications
3. Communication systems
4. Integrated systems

Methodologies for Analysing Social Impact and Ethical Considerations

Social issues

"The analysis of social issues can be guided by answering the following key questions.

1. What are the social issues associated with a particular IT development?
2. How did the IT development emerge?
3. Who are the stakeholders—individuals, institutions, societies who initiate and control the IT developments and are affected by them?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the stakeholders?
5. What feasible solutions can be applied to overcome problems?
6. What is the social impact of the IT development on human life? This may include some or all of the following areas: economic, political, cultural, legal, environmental, ergonomic, health and psychological.
7. What are the social impacts on local and global communities?' (IBO 2006)

Ethical issues

The analysis of ethical issues can be guided by answering the following key questions from the IB syllabus.

1. "What are the ethical issues associated with a particular IT development?
2. Who is responsible?
3. Who is accountable?
4. What policies, rules or laws apply to the situation?
5. What are the alternative ethical decisions?
6. What are the consequences of these decisions?"

---

References

Excerpted from Information technology in a global society: guide. Cardiff Wales, UK: International Baccalaureate Organization, 2006.