Nigeria And Ethical Concerns In Information Technology

Abstract

The focus of this study is to expose various ethical problems in Information Technology (IT). It is an in-depth desk research aimed at extending the frontiers of knowledge in Information Technology. Most end-users of IT in Nigeria are not aware of some ethical questions underlining the creation and application of IT devices. As a result, manufacturers, end-users and the populace, perpetrate unethical behaviours against or with the use of Information Technology. It was unraveled that unethical attitudes bedevil the Information Technology industry. Such ethical issues include computer criminals, environmental pollution, electromagnetic emissions, data security and privacy, intellectual property rights, among others. This paper concludes that the violation of ethical values in IT has resulted to health hazards and loss of property of end-users of IT devices in Nigeria. It recommends the provision of techniques, devices and human resources to forestall various unethical behavioural tendencies as they affect end-users, producers and merchandisers of Information Technology in Nigeria.

Keywords: ethic; consumer; end-user; information technology

JORIND Vol. 5 (2) 2007: pp. 8-8