Information Ethics

Electronic communication tools provide new avenues for sharing information with others. However, most still require the ability to read fluently, to comprehend what is read, and to write in ways that can be easily understood by others. Based on the format of websites, wikis, and blogs, the need to teach and learn reading and writing skills and strategies will continue to be a fundamental educational concern and priority! Information ethics is grounded in a presumption of educational ethics, in which children are taught to read, write, and think critically, to evaluate and analyze information, and to clearly articulate opinions based on substantive, direct evidence from relevant, reliable, and authoritative sources of information.

The social consequences of information creation and use are significant. Responsible retrieval is impacted by issues of accessiblity, authority, and confidentiality. In order to access and use information resources effectively, it is essential for users to understand the ethical principles that underlie the responsible creation and use of information, regardless of format or means of presentation. Such understanding is necessary to facilitate thoughtful selection of relevant and authoritative resources. Fundamental knowledge of ethical codes and concepts of intellectual freedom provide the criteria for critically evaluating the source and content of all kinds of information. By developing skills in comprehending and assessing information resources, users acquire the ability to articulate a rationale for information choices. Information literate users are those who can discriminate and differentiate among information that is valid and that which is less credible.