Tutorial One: Information Technololgy and Ethical Issues

Information Technology (IT) is the giving, sharing and processing of information through a medium such as a computer. This medium can include many other things, such as TV, cellphone, fax etc.

Information technology is incredibly prevalent in society today. You cannot walk into many buildings without seeing a computer and various other forms of technology used to transmit, receive and share information.

I feel comfortable using many of the mainstream IT devices that are common in society today. If I encounter a new device, system or program I am willing to give it a go to further my knowledge.

IT has been embraced in most if not all Occupational Therapy settings and is being used in a number of ways. On my fieldwork 1 placement in 2008 I witnessed my supervising therapists using the computer to type clinical notes which were then pooled together with the notes from other health professionals in the hospital. My supervisor also used the computer for researching conditions that she encountered. She also contacted other therapists and liaised with other services such as enable, this was done via email and telephone and also fax.

There are ethical implications that arise from the relative with which we capture and share information via IT devices. Incriminating, embarrassing or compromising images of people or their property can be taken on mobile phones or digital cameras and uploaded onto the internet. Once there they can be duplicated by users all over the world and spread rapidly. This is a breach of privacy if permission was not gained by the person in the image or the owner of the property. However, there is not much that can be done against the sharing of this information.


Computer ethics is a branch of practical philosophy which deals with how computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct.
Retrieved February 27, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_ethics

Intellectual property (IP) are legal property rights over creations of the mind, both artistic and commercial, and the corresponding fields of law.
Retrieved February 27, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_Property

Social justice, sometimes called civil justice, refers to the concept of a society in which justice is achieved in every aspect of society, rather than merely the administration of law. It is generally thought of as a world which affords individuals and groups fair treatment and an impartial share of the benefits of society. (Different proponents of social justice have developed different interpretations of what constitutes fair treatment and an impartial share.) It can also refer to the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society.
Retrieved, February 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice

Informed consent is a legal condition whereby a person can be said to have given consent based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications and future consequences of an action. In order to give informed consent, the individual concerned must have adequate reasoning faculties and be in possession of all relevant facts at the time consent is given.
Retrieved February 27, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent

Understanding how to use IT is important in todays society as it allows fast and convenient sharing of information and communication with others. In an Occupational Therapy practice it saves time and money in its ability to provide convenient connections with people who are distances apart. It also saves time, as information can be sent rapidly and collated together into a file such as I witnessed on my Fieldwork One placement.
In terms of computer ethics, in practice we must be aware of the need to ensure client anonymity, keep others safe and not mix client files up. This can happen easily when information is being added to and collated electronically. We also need to manage who has access to the information.