London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Modules

106
Sociology and ethics of information systems

Prerequisite – 10 Introduction to sociology and
60 Introduction to information systems

This subject is composed of two distinct topics: A sociology of information systems and Ethical issues in information systems. Students are required to study for, and be examined in, both topics.
A: A sociology of information systems
Using a sociological interpretation, this unit aims to gain an understanding of information systems as socio-technical networks that enable and mediate society.
Processes of definition: The defining of objects and their representations in computer systems.
Rules and rule following: The role of socialisation and the development of skilled activity. Following rules. Specifying rules in advance. Skill acquisition and rule following. Situations where there are no rules. Agency and structure.
Social facts: Speech act theory. Acts and social facts.
Scientific facts: Mediation and its role in the creation of scientific facts.
The sociology of translation: The diffusion of innovation. Obligatory passage points. Innovation and information systems. Plans and purposeful action. Situated actions. Planning and information systems.
Humans and non-humans: The symmetry principle - considering the non-humans.

B: Ethical issues in information systems
This unit aims to investigate the political and moral dimensions of information technology in current and emerging human institutions. The investigation is guided by a critical appraisal of the current and
potential issues from the merging of the technical and the social.
Privacy: Notions, importance and protection.
Responsibility and liability: Arguments around the responsibilities of systems’ developers. The extent to which they can be applied to machines.
Intellectual property rights: The basis of intellectual property rights. Limitations on such rights.
IT and civil liberties: Regulation. The Internet and freedom of speech.
IT and work: Transformations in the nature of work. IT and the workplace.
IT and crime: Changing patterns of criminal activity. Hacking.
Controlling technology: Controls on the development of technology. Policy implications for new emerging technologies.