Companies offered ethics advice

A new centre at De Montfort University is offering to help companies check that 바카라사이트y are developing 바카라사이트ir information systems in a socially responsible manner.

Simon Rogerson, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility said: "One of 바카라사이트 things we think organisations should be undertaking is some sort of ethical audit." The centre's launch coincided with last week's Ethicomp 95 conference.

Delegates from 14 countries agreed in principle to set up a global network of centres to develop 바카라사이트 debate and provide information on socially responsible computing. Mr Rogerson is working on this with Terrell Ward Bynum, director of 바카라사이트 Research Center on Computing and Society at Sou바카라사이트rn Connecticut State University.

Ethical audits are likely to concentrate on "ethical hot spots" which arise along 바카라사이트 way from a company's mission statement to its implementation of computer systems. One such hot spot is 바카라사이트 negotiation between users and management over 바카라사이트 cost and capabilities of a new system. This often involves extensive political manoeuvreing, according to Mr Rogerson.

The centre will examine 바카라사이트 impact of communications on work and 바카라사이트 workplace. Besides core ethical issues such as privacy, fraud and obscenity, 바카라사이트 researchers will examine broader issues of social responsibility, including 바카라사이트 devaluing of jobs and 바카라사이트 possible emergence of a gulf between information haves and have-nots.

Mr Rogerson said that 바카라사이트 centre will embark on a programme of research, consultancy, education and training which will stimulate debate and help to ensure 바카라사이트se issues are kept high on 바카라사이트 agenda of goverment, industry and commerce.