Digital Ethics

S. Moonesamy

24 April 2021

A doctor uses gmail.com to communicate with a patient.

  • Is the medical information confidential (secret médical)?
  • Who is responsible for the medical information?
  • What will happen if you decline to send the medical information to the doctor by email?

A doctor uses WhatsApp to communicate with a patient.

  • Who will have access to the medical information?
  • What will be done with the medical information?

A computer technician was hired to fix a computer. The computer technician found some intimate photos on the hard disk of the computer.

  • Is the computer technician allowed to make a copy of the photos?
  • Is the computer technician allowed to share the photos with a friend?

A company tracks when its employees are using Facebook and saves the information in an archive.

  • Is the company allowed to tracks the employees using Facebook?
  • Is the company allowed to save the information which is sent to Facebook?

A government inspects Internet traffic to take down intimate photos and videos posted to social media.

  • Should people be allowed to post intimate photos or videos on social media?
  • Should the government identify who posted the intimate photos or videos to social media?

Digital Ethics in 2010

From internet governance to teleworking, from digital exclusion to privacy and computer crimes, there are various issues that can be listed as a part of what Digital Ethics - the «ethics of computer era» - is and involves.

Digital Ethics in Mauritius

A National Digital Ethics Committee to:

  • Investigate on illegal and harmful [online] content
  • Decide whether, in its opinion, online content under investigation is harmful and illegal

Investigating harmful online content

  • Is the potential societal impact of the technology required for inspecting online content taken into account?

Deciding whether online content is harmful and illegal

  • Can online content be assessed objectively and impartially?
  • Is the law regulating online content ambiguous?

Digital Economy

  • Is there a digital economy?
  • What is the potential impact of the proposed regulation on the digital economy?

Questions?