Jennie's computer terminal

Monday, June 18, 2007 at 08:57AM
Doug Johnson in Ethics scenario

Scenario #10 (Privacy)
Jennie’s sister needs to leave the computer to take laundry from the dryer. While she is gone, Jennie finds she has been working on an email to her best friend and that her email program is still open. She checks to see what sis has to say.

Questions

• Whose privacy is at risk?
• What danger or discomfort might the unethical or unwise action cause?
• How do public libraries help insure the privacy of patrons while on-line? Should schools do the same?
• Is there a parallel in the physical world to this scenario?
• Can you think of other incidents that would fall into this category?

Comments
Information inadvertently left accessible does not mean that it is appropriate to access it. Ask your child: “Is forgetting to lock one’s home the same as allowing anyone to enter it?”

As the writer of the email on left suggests, children may not immediately differentiate between a TV screen (public) and a computer screen (private).

Policies regarding Internet terminals in public libraries address this issue. What steps has your public library taken to help assure that its users’ information needs remain private?

Article originally appeared on Doug Johnson Website (http://www.doug-johnson.com/).