Ethical questions regarding the use of the Internet :Ethical questions regarding the use of the Internet


WHAT IS THE INTERNET? :WHAT IS THE INTERNET? Where did it come from? In 1969 as the US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency network (known as ARPAnet). A network for the American military - In 1989: the World Wide Web, was developed by the British scientist Tim Berners-Lee during his time at CERN in Switzerland. - Take off: 1993. entered media consciousness and public debate. - Today: around 400 million Internet users world-wide.


Internet growth :Internet growth Accommodated to a wide diversity of cultures and value systems. E-mail : to 400 mill. people Internet Relay Chat (IRC) some 40,000 world-wide Usenet newsgroups: to file articles or comments or pictures The World Wide Web which now consists of over one billion sites Communications: e-mail, telephony (IP) networks Information E-commerce E-Government E-Church Clear advantage over previous Epochs: more information, faster and less controlled.


ADVANTAGES :ADVANTAGES


ADVANTAGES :ADVANTAGES Searches per day (in millions) Google 112 AOL Search 93 Yahoo 42 MSN Search 32 Ask Jeeves 14 InfoSpace 7 AltaVista 5 Netscape 4


ADVANTAGES :ADVANTAGES Worldwide email messaging 1999: 5 billion 2000: 10 billion 2002: 14.9 billion 2006: 60 billion Source: IDC via Channel One Market Overview


IS THERE A PLACE FOR ETHICS? Battle between good and evil :IS THERE A PLACE FOR ETHICS? Battle between good and evil - Can the courts of one country apply penalties to a company based in another country? If so, how will Internet e-commerce cope with multiple jurisdictions? Yahoo, April 2000, the French organisations the International League against Racism and Anti-semitism (ILCRA) and the French Jewish students organisation (UEJF) How many hours do individuals spend online? What activities do people do while online?


DOCUMENTS :DOCUMENTS Family and Cyberspace : 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ethics on Internet: 2002, by the Pontifical Council of Social Communications Temperance, prudence, common sense,… Vs “I’m going surfing, because I have some free time…”


RISKS :RISKS Possible sins against: Faith Charity Justice Chastity Moral principles apply Proximate & remote occasions of sin


RISKS :RISKS Time Lack of self-control Reduce human relationships Justice - But, neither good nor evil are specific to the Internet. Specific: reach out to more people, with less time and money. - The Internet usually only burns a person who wants to be burned, or who at least likes to play with fire.


HOW TO USE IT WISELY? AND TO FORM KIDS… :HOW TO USE IT WISELY? AND TO FORM KIDS… Formation and virtues. Both in the one posting information on the web, and the one who makes use of it. Providers and filters help, but never perfect. Work, school, family, entertainment, etc.


Filters and other protective devices :Filters and other protective devices Prevention Decision to want to use the Internet well. Optenet, CyberPatrol, CyberSitter, Net Nanny, Surfwatch, X-Stop, Rated-PG (limitations: eg, languages) ICRA system (user decides level): ineffective. Provider. Useful at home. Never definitive. Like forming a home library: what books?


Red alarm :Red alarm When children or adolescents make extensive use. Japan example. Chatting on the net (never face to face). Locked to music, videos, pictures, etc. Curiosity. In my room…


Red alarm :Red alarm International Crime Analysis Association, “Child Internet Risk Perception”, 77% of children between 8 & 13 years use the Internet. Only 26 % of parents guide children More than 52 % of children found pornography. 24 % of them, carried away by curiosity. 13 % of them serious problems. Most of them (70%) never talked with parents.


Wrestling with a computer? How to make the Internet safe in the home? :Wrestling with a computer? How to make the Internet safe in the home? Good start (they communicate your values to your children): Choose an ISP that offers parental control features, and activate them. Install filtering software. Continue with: Parental involvement (Christian atmosphere): Spend time with them, check what they find. Computer with internet access in a public area of the house—not in a bedroom. Focus on the good sites.


Wrestling with a computer? How to make the Internet safe in the home? :Wrestling with a computer? How to make the Internet safe in the home? Continue with: Caution your children never to give personal information to anyone on the Internet. Avoid surfing without direction. If several children: never general rules. The just must not pay for the sins of others. Remind your children that these rules apply whenever they use computers at locations outside the home, such as libraries. Above all, communicate: the best protection is good relationships and a healthy Christian family life.


Use of the Internet by adults (user) :Use of the Internet by adults (user) User with sound morals, good provider, filter, but still some objectionable materials can be found. Human weakness. Frequent use. MORAL DUTIES. To render the proximate occasion of sin be remote. Filter, location of the computer, reduce use to minimum. Purpose of amendment. Use time well (office, home). Formation and virtues