UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2011/2012
YEAR 2 EXAMINATION FOR THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BIT 2101 ETHICAL, LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN IT
DATE: APRIL 2012 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One and Any other Two Questions
QUESTION ONE
a) The computer industry has responded to the Energy Star program with the Green PC. Describe the
basic elements of the Green PC (6 Marks)
b) What are the two principles of justice according to Rawlsian Justice (4 Marks)
c) Discuss why computer use and information technology create ethical issues (4 Marks)
d) Explain the term ‘techno stress’ and describe some of its effects on individuals (4 Marks)
e) Define the following terms (2 Marks)
i. Computer ethics
ii. Computer professional
f) Discuss what you think will be the important emerging ethical issues in the future of the internet
(5 Marks)
g) Explain any five candidate ethical principles (5 Marks)
QUESTION TWO
a) Describe the morally significant characteristics of communication on the internet and explain why
they are problematic (10 Marks)
b) Discuss the legal issues associated with Censorship of the media (10 Marks)
QUESTION THREE
a) Max was recently hired to supervise a large unit of a manufacturing company. He was informed that
he is expected to increase the efficiency of the unit significantly. Max decides to install a software
system that allows him to monitor the computer of each employee in his unit. Discuss whether it is
ethical for companies to monitor their employees activities during working hours. (5 Marks)
b) Discuss what would happen to software development if software were declared ‘unownable ‘
(6 Marks)
c) Explain the kind of protection offered by copyright , trade secrecy and patents (9 Marks)
QUESTION FOUR
a) What are the arguments for and against the following IT social issues (8 Marks)
i. Globalization
ii. Digital Divide
b) When computer professionals take on jobs they may enter relationships with an employer, a client ,
the public and co-professional. For each of these relationships describe the ethical parameters the
professional must observe (8 Marks)
c) Using relevant examples differentiate between philosophy and ethics (4 Marks)
QUESTION FIVE
a) Discuss the morality of creating machines capable of making human labor obsolete. (8 Marks)
b) ‘Computer technology is a double edged sword.’ Discuss the relevance of this statement in the
world today. (8 Marks)
c) Using relevant examples differentiate between the deontological and teleological theories (4 Marks)
