Binalatongan Community College

Brgy. Ilang San Carlos City, Pangasinan

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT)

LEARNING MODULE

Module No. 1
Subject Code : IT 325
Subject Description : SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Term : 2nd Semester 2025-2026

I. Learning Objectives:
- Teach the critical reasoning and moral theory.
- Discuss the computing professions and professional ethics.
- Inform students regarding intellectual and intangible property.
- Discuss all about Trust, Safety and Reliability.

Upon completion of this module, the students will be able to:

II. Learning Outcome:
- Discuss regarding the introduction to professionalism
- Identify what is Philosophy, ethics and applied ethics
- Discuss common computer ethics fallacies
- Identify the code of conducts in IT/CS related professional bodies.
- Discuss topic regarding legal systems.
- Identify law, moral, norms and ethics.
- Discuss the issues in Information Systems.
- Identify the intellectual property, software licensing issues, computer
evidences and online transactions

III. Tasks to Complete:

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 - SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES
Rolfe Mathew Alipio

- IMPACT OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ON

- THE NIGERIAN MASS MEDIA: IMPLICATIONS AND INSIGHTS
- INTO DISRUPTIONS
Ugo, Solomon Ugo
- [Link]
- [Link]
- odeyboniface@[Link]
- Assignment
- Computer Activities
- Quizzes
- Final Examination

IV. Content Items:

Introduction to Professionalism

The definition of a profession is a job, or what you do for a living. A lawyer

is an example of a profession. When you work as a teacher, this is an
example of a situation where education is your profession. ... Profession
means a declaration. Telling someone you did something wrong is an
example of a profession of guilt.
A profession is an occupation founded upon specialized educational
training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested objective counsel
and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart
from expectation of other business gain.
A Profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical
standards and who hold themselves out as, and are accepted by the public
as possessing special knowledge and skills in a widely recognized body of
learning derived from research, education and training at a high level, and
who are prepared to apply this knowledge and exercise these skills in the
interest of others.
A vocation is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for
which they are suited, trained, or qualified. Though now often used in non-
religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.
Vocation is one's response to a call from beyond oneself to use one's
strengths and gifts to make the world a better place through service,
creativity, and leadership. A call from beyond oneself. ... To speak of

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“vocation” or “calling” is to suggest that my life is a response to something
beyond myself.

What Is the Difference Between a Professional Job and a

Nonprofessional Job?

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a

professional job is one that requires a specific level of college education,
typically a bachelor’s degree or higher, for someone to perform its duties
and responsibilities. Examples of professional jobs include doctors, teachers,
accountants, lawyers, scientists, and authors. According to the EEOC, non-
professional jobs include craftspeople, plumbers, electricians, installers, and
food service workers or, in general, positions that primarily entail manual
labor duties and trade skills learned through an apprenticeship or training
program.

Attributes of Professionalism

1. Competency

First of all, accountancy professionals are known for their specialized

knowledge and skills backed up by their accountancy qualification. It is
expected and required that they will keep this knowledge and skills up-to-
date throughout their careers (undertaking regular continuing professional
development – CPD) so that they can always deliver work of the highest
quality, in accordance with accounting standards and relevant laws and
regulations.

2. Reliability and accountability

True professionals plan in advance and never turn up to client meetings

unprepared. They honour their commitments and can be relied upon to
always get the job done – they deliver what they said they would deliver, and
on time. But if things are not going exactly to plan, they do not look for
excuses but do their best to put tasks and projects back on track. If mistakes
are made, they accept responsibility for the part they played.

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3. Honesty and integrity

Personal accountability is closely linked to honesty and integrity, another two

tenets of professionalism. Professionals always tell the truth and never
compromise their values. They will do the right thing at all times and in all
circumstances, even if it means others will disagree or disapprove.

‘There are also contributory factors of morality and ethics – a professional

person should demonstrate a squeaky-clean, whiter-than-white stance,’ adds
Clarke.

4. Self-control

Imagine being faced with an irate client or supplier. Instead of getting angry
in return, you will act like a professional if you stay calm and business-like,
and if you do everything you can to understand and help resolve the issue.
Professionals can do this because they have a good degree of emotional
intelligence, which means they consider the emotions and needs of others.

At work, professionals keep calm under pressure no matter what, even

though they might act differently if faced with a similar situation in their
personal lives.

It is possible because they have developed a work persona that is separate

from their personality outside of the office, says Rona O'Brien, dean of
business and management at GSM London: ‘In your personal life there are
situations where you will be angry, shout, start an argument or be difficult
with other people. While you don't want to entirely remove your individual
personality at work, you must be able to dampen down the negative sides.’

5. Flexibility

Your contract of employment may state that your workday ends at 5pm, but
some days you may have to stay half an hour late to get a task or project

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finished on time. This does not mean you should ignore important
commitments in your personal life, but you do not want to be seen leaving
important work not done just because you want to go to the gym.

‘Your employer expects you to demonstrate a commitment to your role, as

well as being flexible enough to adjust to any changes,’ says Johnson. Plans,
goals and parameters evolve as work moves forward.

6. Respect for others

Treating all people with respect and kindness is part and parcel of being
professional. This includes people junior to you and those in support roles, as
well as people you dislike. Sometimes you will have to work with colleagues
you just do not get on with or who are not very nice. Remain professional by
always being polite to everyone you come into contact with, no matter what
their role is and no matter what you think of them.

Respecting others also involves supporting them when they need it and
being generally helpful, which sometimes means doing that little bit more.
You gain a reputation as a professional by going over and above the bare
minimum requirement of your job description. This means always looking for
ways to do your job better, helping out colleagues and not balking at new
responsibilities.

7. Professional image

Professionals always look the part. What you wear (this includes hair and
jewelry) needs to exude an air of confidence and respectability, ‘as you are
always on show and being judged,’ says Johnson. ‘This does not necessarily
mean that you have to conform to the stereotype of a pin-striped suit and
white shirt, but you do have to be very smart. Lasting impressions are made
in a split second.’

Appearance also extends to external emails and written documents you

present to clients, suppliers and other parties. ’Untidy reports with poor
grammar will imply you are careless or disorganized and will therefore call
into question the quality of the content,’ says Johnson. They will also call into
question your professionalism.

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If you want to develop or improve your professionalism, focus on developing
or improving the attributes above.

‘Perhaps also seek out someone within your organization who is successful
and experienced, and observe how they handle the technical aspects of the
job and how they interact with others,’ suggests Johnson.

’Senior managers, for example, will have significant experience of working

with clients and with staff so "being professional" is second nature to them.’
Pay particular attention to how they handle themselves and how they react
in difficult situations.

The three significant vocations are:

1. Single life
2. Married life
3. Religious life

Single life

Is one of the three types of vocation. It's when a person/ persons are
committed to being single. This gives them the opportunity to become closer
to God, to love God, and serve others. People that are single, are free from
the obligations to family. This makes single people more reliable to help and
serve the Catholic Church, assist the needy, and care for themselves and
other. By being free from obligations of community, and family, they have
potential to enrich themselves personally, and can benefit humankind. Some
examples of vocations that people following a single life can display within
their communities are, being nans, social worker and a teacher. By single
people pursuing their vocations, the gifts and talents they receive from
God are used to follow out their vocations, and to improve them. Some gifts
and talents people receive to pursue their vocations are, patience,
forgiveness, love, and respect. By single people using these gifts and talents,
they can live out the 'calling/ callings' from God.

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Marriage life
Is when a couple have unconditional love for each other. This reflects God's
infinite love that he has for us. Marriage symbolizes Christ's love for the
Church and his followers. By a man and a woman being united by marriage
and children, they express the love that a married couple have. This shows
the love that the couple have for God, the members of the Church, and their
community. Some examples of vocations that people receive even if married
are, parenthood, teaching, and psychologist. These are some vocations that
people can do even if they are married or not. Some gifts and talents that
are in involved to be married and do these vocations are, patience, kindness,
respect, and intelligent. By using these gifts and talents, people that are
married can improve their relationship between them and their partner, with
God and others.

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Religious life
Is the third vocation. Religious life is when priests, sisters, and brothers
commit their life to God, rather than being in a romantic or sexual
relationship. These people devote themselves to the Church, to the needy, to
their communities, and to charity work. By following the vocation of a
religious life, priests, nuns, and brothers spend most their time in prayer with
God, and serving their Catholic community. Even those a person can purse
the vocation of a priest, they can still become a teacher or even a scientist.
Many priests decades ago were also teachers and scientists, and have
changed history. Also, nuns and brothers could teacher at schools as well as
serving God. Some gifts and talents that people pursing in the vocation of
religious life have are, patience, hope, kindness, forgiveness, honesty, and
generosity. By priests, nuns, and brothers having these gifts to purse the
vocation of a religious life, they can also use them to teach, and do scientific
research. By using these gifts and talents in the right and respectful way,
people that have a vocation to be part of the religious life can improve
society, their Catholic communities, and their way of life. They can also
inspire others when pursing their vocation through their gifts and talents.

Philosophy is the study of underlying things. ... A "philosophy" can also

mean a group of ideas by philosophers, or by a philosopher. Philosophy is a
way of thinking about the world, the universe, and society. In the past,
sciences were part of philosophy as well. The ideas in philosophy are often
general and abstract.
Socrates of Athens (l. c. 470/469-399 BCE) is among the most famous
figures in world history for his contributions to the development of ancient
Greek philosophy which provided the foundation for all of

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Western Philosophy. He is, in fact, known as the "Father of
Western Philosophy" for this reason.
At its simplest, ethics is a system of moral principles. ... Ethics is concerned
with what is good for individuals and society and is also described
as moral philosophy. The term is derived from the Greek word ethos which
can mean custom, habit, character or disposition.
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves
systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong
behavior". The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matters of
value, and thus comprises the branch of philosophy called axiology.
The four main branches of ethics include descriptive
ethics, normative ethics, meta-ethics and applied ethics.

Descriptive Ethics
Descriptive ethics deals with what people actually believe (or made to
believe) to be right or wrong, and accordingly holds up the human
actions acceptable or not acceptable or punishable under a custom or law.
However, customs and laws keep changing from time to time and from
society to society. The societies have structured their moral principles as per
changing time and have expected people to behave accordingly. Due to this,
descriptive ethics is also called comparative ethics because it compares the
ethics or past and present; ethics of one society and other. It also takes
inputs from other disciplines such as anthropology, psychology, sociology
and history to explain the moral right or wrong.
Normative Ethics
Normative Ethics deals with “norms” or set of considerations how one should
act. Thus, it’s a study of “ethical action” and sets out the rightness or
wrongness of the actions. It is also called prescriptive ethics because it rests
on the principles which determine whether an action is right or wrong. The
Golden rule of normative ethics is “doing to other as we want them to do to
us“. Since we don’t want our neighbors to throw stones through our glass
window, then it will not be wise to first throw stone through a neighbor’s
window. Based on this reasoning, anything such as harassing, victimizing,
abusing or assaulting someone is wrong. Normative ethics also provides
justification for punishing a person who disturbs social and moral order.

Meta Ethics
Meta Ethics or “analytical ethics” deals with the origin of the ethical concepts
themselves. It does not consider whether an action is good or bad, right or
wrong. Rather, it questions – what goodness or rightness or morality itself is?
It is basically a highly abstract way of thinking about ethics. The key theories

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in meta-ethics include naturalism, non-naturalism, emotivism and
prescriptivism.
Naturalists and non-naturalists believe that moral language is cognitive and
can be known to be true or false. Emotivists deny that moral utterances are
cognitive, holding that they consist of emotional expressions of approval or
disapproval and that the nature of moral reasoning and justification must be
reinterpreted to take this essential characteristic of moral utterances into
account. Prescriptivists take a somewhat similar approach, arguing that
moral judgments are prescriptions or prohibitions of action, rather than
statements of fact about the world.
Applied Ethics
Applied ethics deals with the philosophical examination, from a moral
standpoint, of particular issues in private and public life which are matters of
moral judgment. This branch of ethics is most important for professionals in
different walks of life including doctors, teachers, administrators, rulers and
so on. There are six key domains of applied ethics viz. Decision
ethics {ethical decision making process}, Professional ethics {for good
professionalism}, Clinical Ethics {good clinical practices}, Business
Ethics {good business practices}, Organizational ethics {ethics within and
among organizations} and social ethics.
It deals with the rightness or wrongness of social, economical, cultural,
religious issues also. For example, euthanasia, child labor, abortion etc.

Applied ethics is a branch of ethics devoted to the treatment of moral

problems, practices, and policies in personal life, professions, technology,
and government. In contrast to traditional ethical theory—concerned with
purely theoretical problems such as, for example, the development of a
general criterion of rightness—applied ethics takes its point of departure in
practical normative challenges. Along with general overviews and journals,
nine central branches of applied ethics are added, with six to eight
references in connection to each branch. It should be noted that these
branches constitute only a selection among the plethora of disciplines within
applied ethics. Moreover, some overlap is found among the different areas.
The Ten Great Computer Fallacies
It seems that everyone has bought, is buying or is thinking about buying a
computer. Unless you have been in a coma for the past several years, you’ve
heard of the marvelous things computers can do- everything from balancing
your checkbook to insuring your child’s success in college. The festive
atmosphere surrounding the computer market would lead us to believe that
the buying experience is all fun and games. However, for many people, the
experience is a personal catastrophe. They spend thousands of dollars and
hundreds of hours on equipment and software they can’t even use. To most

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of us, buying a computer is like buying a dream. We think, “If I buy this
marvelous new technology, I will achieve a mastery over my environment
that I never had before.” We often rashly ignore the advice about analyzing
our needs and justifying the purchase. We fall victim to one or more of the
Great Computer Fallacies. Have you fallen for any of these?
Fallacy No. 1: All Computers Have Magic Buttons.
Many people purchase a computer with the misconception that all they have
to do is push a button and the computer will solve all their problems. With
computers, you have to tell the computer what the problem is and then how
to solve it. If you can’t do that without a computer, you probably can’t do it
with one either.
Fallacy No 2: We Can Communicate With Computer People.
When you speak with many people in the computer industry, the individual
words may be familiar but taken together they are intimidating, using high—
tech terminology. Combat this problem — insist that everyone speak in
language you can understand.
Fallacy No. 3: Computers Can Fix It All.
As the saying goes “When in trouble, Computerize.” If you are in a mess, a
new computer will compound the mess, not fix it. If erroneous data is
entered into the computer, the results produced by the computer will be
equally erroneous; the only difference is that it will produce it with mind—
boggling speed.
Fallacy No. 4: Computers can be mastered in 30 Minutes.
Many computer purchasers fell that they don’t have to read a 200-page
manual to learn to operate their computer. This attitude prevents many
people from successfully using their new computer. In reality, computers
require your active involvement. This means setting at the terminal and
working with the machine, not simply walking past it.
Fallacy No. 5: One Size Fits All.
The “one-size fits-all” variety of software usually doesn’t fit anyone very well.
A business is successful because of the way management has chosen to do
business. These policies and procedures should not be changed to conform
to the requirements of a software package. If you can’t find a package that
meets your requirements, have one modified for you.
Fallacy No. 6: Computers Are User-Friendly.

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The fact is they’re not friendly at all. Computers consist of a collection of
electronic components, the best of which could never be called friendly.
What makes a computer friendly is the software. Try it out ahead of time; if
you have a great deal of difficulty, it will not become any friendlier after you
buy it.
Fallacy No 7: Written Information Is Easily Understood.
Computer manuals seem to be written by the same people who write IRS
publications. Many computer hardware and software manuals assume that
the reader is already familiar with all the details and is not reading the
information for the first time.
Fallacy No. 8: The Machine’s Advertised Low Price Is the Total Cost
of a System.
By the time you add all the necessary components to make your system
usable — monitor card and monitor, printer controller, dot—matrix or letter—
quality printer, hard disk, communications protocols and software — plan on
spending much much more than the advertised price. A number of costs
beyond the price of the hardware and software are often overlooked. These
include the costs of training, annual maintenance, supplies, conversion and,
perhaps, temporary help.
Fallacy No. 9: I Can’t Buy Now Because I’m Waiting for So-and-So to
Announce a Faster Machine.
The rest of the fallacy is that no matter how long and hard you shop for a
computer, after you purchased it, it’ll be on sale cheaper somewhere else.
Regardless of when you decide to buy a computer, the machine will most
likely be technologically obsolete before you get it fully operational.
Advances occur so rapidly that any computer you buy will be superseded by
something bigger, faster and cheaper in the near future.
Fallacy No 10: Everyone Needs a Computer.
We hear this often from people. They tell us they must have a computer
because their competitor has one, or because they don’t want to be the last
executive on the block to have one. In truth, many businesses, both large
and small, are run very effectively with a manual system. Still, prospective
buyers feel left out of the crowd. When a computer is purchased without a
definable purpose, it becomes a prime candidate for residency in the storage
closet within a short time, if they have no definitive need, you should stay
out of the computer stores.

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Computer ethics is defined as the analysis of the nature and social impact
of computer technology and the corresponding formulation and justification
of policies for the ethical use of such technology. The typical problem
with computer ethics is the policy vacuum that arises from the new
capabilities of the technology.

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.

2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not
paid (without permission).
7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without
authorization or proper compensation.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are
writing or the system you are designing.
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure
consideration and respect for other humans.

Commandment 1
Explanation: This commandment says that it is unethical to use a
computer to harm another user. It is not limited to physical injury. It
includes harming or corrupting other users' data or files. The
commandment states that it is wrong to use a computer to steal
someone's personal information. Manipulating or destroying files of
other users is ethically wrong. It is unethical to write programs, which
on execution lead to stealing, copying or gaining unauthorized access
to other users' data. Being involved in practices like hacking,
spamming, phishing or cyber bullying does not conform to computer
ethics.

Commandment 2
Explanation: Computer software can be used in ways that disturb
other users or disrupt their work. Viruses, for example, are programs
meant to harm useful computer programs or interfere with the normal
functioning of a computer. Malicious software can disrupt the
functioning of computers in more ways than one. It may overload

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 computer memory through excessive consumption of computer
resources, thus slowing its functioning. It may cause a computer to
function wrongly or even stop working. Using malicious software to
attack a computer is unethical.
Commandment 3
Explanation: We know it is wrong to read someone's personal letters.
On the same lines, it is wrong to read someone else's email messages
or files. Obtaining data from another person's private files is nothing
less than breaking into someone's room. Snooping around in another
person's files or reading someone else's personal messages is the
invasion of his privacy. There are exceptions to this. For example,
spying is necessary and cannot be called unethical when it is done
against illegitimate use of computers. For example, intelligence
agencies working on cybercrime cases need to spy on the internet
activity of suspects.

Commandment 4
Explanation: Stealing sensitive information or leaking confidential
information is as good as robbery. It is wrong to acquire personal
information of employees from an employee database or patient
history from a hospital database or other such information that is
meant to be confidential. Similarly, breaking into a bank account to
collect information about the account or account holder is wrong.
Illegal electronic transfer of funds is a type of fraud. With the use of
technology, stealing of information is much easier. Computers can be
used to store stolen information.

Commandment 5
Explanation: Spread of information has become viral today, because
of the Internet. This also means that false news or rumors can spread
speedily through social networking sites or emails. Being involved in
the circulation of incorrect information is unethical. Mails and pop-ups
are commonly used to spread the wrong information or give false
alerts with the only intent of selling products. Mails from untrusted
sources advertising certain products or spreading some hard-to-believe
information, are not uncommon. Direct or indirect involvement in the
circulation of false information is ethically wrong. Giving wrong
information can hurt other parties or organizations that are affected by
that particular theme.

Commandment 6
Explanation: Like any other artistic or literary work, software is
copyrighted. A piece of code is the original work of the individual who

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 created it. It is copyrighted in his/her name. In case of a developer
writing software for the organization she works for, the organization
holds the copyright for it. Copyright holds true unless its creators
announce it is not. Obtaining illegal copies of copyrighted software is
unethical and also encourages others to make copies illegally.

Commandment 7
Explanation: Multi-user systems have user specific passwords.
Breaking into some other user's password, thus intruding his/her
private space is unethical. It is not ethical to hack passwords for
gaining unauthorized access to a password-protected computer
system. Accessing data that you are not authorized to access or
gaining access to another user's computer without her permission is
not ethical.
Commandment 8
Explanation: Programs developed by a software developer are her
property. If he is working with an organization, they are the
organization's property. Copying them and propagating them in one's
own name is unethical. This applies to any creative work, program or
design. Establishing ownership on a work which is not yours is ethically
wrong.

Commandment 9
Explanation: Looking at the social consequences that a program can
have, describes a broader perspective of looking at technology. A
computer software on release, reaches millions. Software like video
games and animations or educational software can have a social
impact on their users. When working on animation films or designing
video games, for example, it is the programmer's responsibility to
understand his target audience/users and the effect it may have on
them. For example, a computer game for kids should not have content
that can influence them negatively. Similarly, writing malicious
software is ethically wrong. A software developer/development firm
should consider the influence their code can have on the society at
large.

Commandment 10
Explanation: The communication etiquette we follow in the real world
applies to communication over computers as well. While
communicating over the Internet, one should treat others with respect.
One should not intrude others' private space, use abusive language,

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 make false statements or pass irresponsible remarks about others. One
should be courteous while communicating over the web and should
respect others' time and resources. Also, one should be considerate
with a novice computer user.

Privacy Concerns:

 Hacking – is unlawful intrusion into a computer or a network. A hacker

can intrude through the security levels of a computer system or
network and can acquire unauthorised access to other computers.
 Malware – means malicious software which is created to impair a
computer system. Common malware are viruses, spyware, worms and
trojan horses. A virus can delete files from a hard drive while a
spyware can collect data from a computer.

 Data Protection – also known as information privacy or data privacy

is the process of safeguarding data which intends to influence a
balance between individual privacy rights while still authorising data to
be used for business purposes.

 Anonymity – is a way of keeping a user’s identity masked through

various applications.

Intellectual Property Rights:

 Copyright – is a form of intellectual property that gives proprietary

publication, distribution and usage rights for the author. This means
that whatever idea the author created cannot be employed or
disseminated by anyone else without the permission of the author.

 Plagiarism – is an act of copying and publishing another person’s

work without proper citation. It’s like stealing someone else’s work and
releasing it as your own work.

 Cracking – is a way of breaking into a system by getting past the

security features of the system. It’s a way of skipping the registration
and authentication steps when installing a software.

 Software License – allows the use of digital material by following the

license agreement. Ownership remains with the original copyright
owner, users are just granted licenses to use the material based on the
agreement.

Effects on Society

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  Jobs – Some jobs have been abolished while some jobs have become
simpler as computers have taken over companies and businesses.
Things can now be done in just one click whereas before it takes
multiple steps to perform a task. This change may be considered
unethical as it limits the skills of the employees.

There are also ethical concerns on health and safety of employees

getting sick from constant sitting, staring at computer screens and
typing on the keyboard or clicking on the mouse.
 Environmental Impact – Environment has been affected by
computers and the internet since so much time spent using computers
increases energy usage which in turn increases the emission of
greenhouse gases.

There are ways where we can save energy like limiting computer
time and turning off the computer or putting on sleep mode when
not in use. Buying energy efficient computers with Energy Star
label can also help save the environment.

 Social Impact – Computers and the internet help people stay in touch
with family and friends. Social media has been very popular nowadays.

 Computer gaming influenced society both positively and

negatively. Positive effects are improved hand-eye coordination,
stress relief and improved strategic thinking. Negative effects are
addiction of gamers, isolation from the real world and exposure to
violence.

 Computer technology helps the government in improving services

to its citizens. Advanced database can hold huge data being
collected and analysed by the government.

 Computer technology aids businesses by automating processes,

reports and analysis.

Ethical & Security Issues in Information System

Information systems have made many businesses successful today. Some

companies such as Google, Facebook, EBay, etc. would not exist without
information technology. However, improper use of information technology
can create problems for the organization and employees.

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Criminals gaining access to credit card information can lead to financial loss
to the owners of the cards or financial institute. Using organization
information systems i.e. posting inappropriate content on Facebook or
Twitter using a company account can lead to lawsuits and loss of business.

Cyber-crime

Cyber-crime refers to the use of information technology to commit crimes.

Cyber-crimes can range from simply annoying computer users to huge
financial losses and even the loss of human life. The growth of smartphones
and other high-end Mobile devices that have access to the internet have also
contributed to the growth of cyber-crime.

Types of cyber-crime

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 1. Identity theft

Identity theft occurs when a cyber-criminal impersonates someone else

identity to practice malfunction. This is usually done by accessing personal
details of someone else. The details used in such crimes include social
security numbers, date of birth, credit and debit card numbers, passport
numbers, etc.

Once the information has been acquired by the cyber-criminal, it can be used
to make purchases online while impersonating himself to be someone else.
One of the ways that cyber-criminals use to obtain such personal details is
phishing. Phishing involves creating fake websites that look like legitimate
business websites or emails.

For example, an email that appears to come from YAHOO may ask the user
to confirm their personal details including contact numbers and email
password. If the user falls for the trick and updates the details and provides
the password, the attacker will have access to personal details and the email
of the victim.

If the victim uses services such as PayPal, then the attacker can use the
account to make purchases online or transfer funds.

Other phishing techniques involve the use of fake Wi-Fi hotspots that look
like legitimate ones. This is common in public places such as restaurants and
airports. If an unsuspecting user logons into the network, then cyber-crimes
may try to gain access to sensitive information such as usernames,
passwords, credit card numbers, etc.

According to the US Department of Justice, a former state department

employee used email phishing to gain access to email and social media
accounts of hundreds of women and accessed explicit photos. He was able to
use the photos to extort the women and threatened to make the photos
public if they did not give in to his demands.

2. Copyright infringement

Piracy is one of the biggest problems with digital products. Websites such as
the pirate bay are used to distribute copyrighted materials such as audio,
video, software, etc. Copyright infringement refers to the unauthorized use
of copyrighted materials.

Fast internet access and reducing costs of storage have also contributed to
the growth of copyright infringement crimes.

3. Click fraud

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Advertising companies such as Google AdSense offer pay per click
advertising services. Click fraud occurs when a person clicks such a link with
no intention of knowing more about the click but to make more money. This
can also be accomplished by using automated software that makes the
clicks.

4. Hacking

Hacking is used to by-pass security controls to gain unauthorized access to a

system. Once the attacker has gained access to the system, they can do
whatever they want. Some of the common activities done when system is
hacked are;

 Install programs that allow the attackers to spy on the user or control
their system remotely
 Deface websites
 Steal sensitive information. This can be done using techniques such
as SQL Injection, exploiting vulnerabilities in the database software to
gain access, social engineering techniques that trick users into
submitting ids and passwords, etc.

Computer virus

Viruses are unauthorized programs that can annoy users, steal sensitive data
or be used to control equipment that is controlled by computers.

Information system Security

MIS security refers to measures put in place to protect information system

resources from unauthorized access or being compromised. Security
vulnerabilities are weaknesses in a computer system, software, or hardware
that can be exploited by the attacker to gain unauthorized access or
compromise a system.

People as part of the information system components can also be exploited

using social engineering techniques. The goal of social engineering is to gain
the trust of the users of the system.

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Computer viruses – these are malicious programs as described in the
above section. The threats posed by viruses can be eliminated or the impact
minimized by using Anti-Virus software and following laid down security best
practices of an organization.

Unauthorized access – the standard convention is to use a combination of

a username and a password. Hackers have learnt how to circumvent these
controls if the user does not follow security best practices. Most
organizations have added the use of mobile devices such as phones to
provide an extra layer of security.

Let's take Gmail as an example, if Google is suspicious of the login on an

account, they will ask the person about to login to confirm their identity
using their android powered mobile devices or send an SMS with a PIN
number which should supplement the username and password.

If the company does not have enough resources to implement extra security
like Google, they can use other techniques. These techniques can include
asking questions to users during signup such as what town they grew up in,
the name of their first pet, etc. If the person provides accurate answers to
these question, access is granted into the system.
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Data loss – if the data center caught fire or was flooded, the hardware with
the data can be damaged, and the data on it will be lost. As a standard
security best practice, most organizations keep backups of the data at
remote places. The backups are made periodically and are usually put in
more than one remote area.

Biometric Identification – this is now becoming very common especially with

mobile devices such as smartphones. The phone can record the user
fingerprint and use it for authentication purposes. This makes it harder for
attackers to gain unauthorized access to the mobile device. Such technology
can also be used to stop unauthorized people from getting access to your
devices.

Information system Ethics

Ethics refers to rules of right and wrong that people use to make choices to
guide their behaviors. Ethics in MIS seek to protect and safeguard individuals
and society by using information systems responsibly. Most professions
usually have defined a code of ethics or code of conduct guidelines that all
professionals affiliated with the profession must adhere to.

In a nutshell, a code of ethics makes individuals acting on their free will

responsible and accountable for their actions. An example of a Code of Ethics
for MIS professionals can be found on the British Computer Society (BCS)
website.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy

An ICT policy is a set of guidelines that defines how an organization should

use information technology and information systems responsibly. ICT policies
usually include guidelines on;

 Purchase and usage of hardware equipment and how to safely dispose

them
 Use of licensed software only and ensuring that all software is up to
date with latest patches for security reasons
 Rules on how to create passwords (complexity enforcement), changing
passwords, etc.
 Acceptable use of information technology and information systems
 Training of all users involved in using ICT and MIS

With great power comes great responsibility. Information systems bring new
opportunities and advantages to how we do business but they also introduce

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issues that can negatively affect society (cybercrime). An organization needs
to address these issues and come up with a framework (MIS security, ICT
policy, etc.) that addresses them.
VI. Assessments:
ASSIGNMENT#1:
1. Being a student, choose 5 computer ethics commandments; give the
advantage as well as the disadvantage of each.
2. As a student, how do you handle stress?
3. What are the 2 most common cybercrime. Why did you say so?
Explain your answer.
4. Differentiate information policy from data policy.

5. Tell something about the following ICT POLICY:

 Purchase and usage of hardware equipment and how to safely dispose

them
 Use of licensed software only and ensuring that all software is up to
date with latest patches for security reasons
 Rules on how to create passwords (complexity enforcement), changing
passwords, etc.

ASSIGNMENT#2:
1. Differentiate Profession from vocation.
2. In 2 sentences each, explain the 7 Attributes of Professionalism
3. Share your ideas regarding the 3 significant vocations. Give 5
examples each vocation.
4. Tell something about the following:
a. Descriptive ethics
b. Normative ethics
c. Meta ethics
d. Applied ethics
5. Choose 5 Great Computer Fallacies. Explain each in your own words.

ACTIVITY#1:

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 THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER AS APPLICANT
As a head of the Human-Resource Department, you received a phone call
from your boss who was also the board president and your godfather, asking
to determine whether or not you received his daughter’s application for a
current job opening. You indicated that it had, indeed, come in, but that the
closing date for the paperwork/filing of applications had passed. “oh”, he
said, “you are not going to let a qualified candidate be excluded because of a
closing date, are you?” Then he added quickly, “but let me not interfere. As
you hung up the phone, you replayed the conversation in your mind and
pondered the implications. Later that day, your senior manager asked to see
you. Despite offering him a chair, he choose to stand by the door that he
had just closed and said, “I hear that the boss daughter has applied for the
opening. You are going to consider her, are you? She worked here years
ago, and there were problems. The place will be up in arms if you take her
back”. He smilingly added, “I just wanted to let you know and to help”.
Then he turned on his heel and left.
Question:
If you were faced with this situation, how are you going to resolve the
dilemma?

ACTIVITY#2:
HARASS HIM UNTIL HE QUITS
Ruben Dinacaya is 62 years old and has been with the company for 28 years.
He has had a varied career, and possesses a number of skills and abilities.
Mr. Dinacaya is quite set in his ways and somewhat eccentric. His supervisor
and other senior managers would like to see him retire or let him go, but his
performance meets the standards of the company in all respects and he has
no interest in retirement. No one has been able to identify any deficiencies
that would warrant discharge.
The senior manager in Mr. Dinacaya’s department recently decided to create
a work environment for him that would be so uncomfortable that would
ultimately cause Mr Dinacaya to quit. The manager presented the idea to

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Mr. Dinacaya’s immediate supervisor who accepted readily. They began to
give Ruben thankless assignments and assigning him to the “graveyard”
shift. Younger employees with less experience and service were given
better assignments and shifts. Ruben appealed the decision but was told by
his manager that “the assignments have all been made; if you don’t like
yours you can look elsewhere”. There is no union or employee problem-
solving process.
Question:
What are the ethical factors here? Explain briefly your answer.
ACTIVITY#3:
USING THE OFFICE PHONE
Suppose a Makati-area manager, Tommy Laoac, learns that his assistant, Mis
Lynn Cyac, is using the office phone at least once a week to talk to her sister
in Cebu for an hour or so. The manager confronts her with the discovery by
asking Lynn, if, in fact, she is asking these long-distance personal telephone
calls.
Lynn answer, yes why? Have I done anything wrong? What is so terrible
about my using the phone anyway? The company is big enough to afford it;
what is one phone call or two to Cebu? Feeling expansive, she adds, I
phoned my mother a couple of times last week because I wanted to find out
about her trip to HongKong. What is the problem?

Question:
1. How do you think her manager should respond?
a. Ignore the situation altogether.
b. Excuse her.
c. Tell her that she can use the phone only in an emergency.
d. Tell her that what she is doing is theft.
e. Do something else,
Explain your answer….

2. What are your views on using the company phone to make personal
calls? Explain your answer.

QUIZ#1:
A. Click each that you believe has one degree or another influenced your
conduct:

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 a. Father
b. Mother
c. Brother/sister
d. Other relative
e. Friend
f. Teacher
g. Religious leader
h. Youth/peer groups
i. Sports hero
j. Military hero
k. Professional hero
l. Books-essay-philosophical writing
m. Religious writing/scripture(bible)
n. Other_______________

B. Choose one (individual, philosophy, or institution) who/that have

influenced you most in your life and then describe how such influence
changed your ethical behavior.

QUIZ#2:
A. Identifying ones’ values in life:

C. List down values/virtues in your life that you acquired through

experience, culture, science and religion.
a. Values acquired through experience.
b. Values acquired through culture.
c. Values acquired through science.
d. Values acquired through religion.

B. Identifying the stand of one’s church/religion on different

oral and social issues:
D. Explain the following.
a. Poverty
b. Labor unions
c. Whistle blowing/informing the public about the illegal or immoral
behavior of an employer or organization.
d. Abusing the environment for profit
e. Graft and corruption
f. Exposing workers to unhealthy and unsafe conditions.

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Prepared by: Recommending Approval:

PROF. WILLIE S. OPERAÑA, MBA PROF. BRIXON J. DE VERA,

MIT
Instructor II Dean, College of Information
Technology

Approved by:

DR. MACRINA B. CAJALA

College President

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