More than just friends? Facebook, disclosive ethics and the morality of technology

Light, BA; McGrath, K; Griffiths, M

Abstract

Social networking sites have become increasingly popular destinations for people wishing to chat,
play games, make new friends or simply stay in touch. Furthermore, many organizations have
been quick to grasp the potential they offer for marketing, recruitment and economic activities.
Nevertheless, counterclaims depict such spaces as arenas where deception, social grooming and
the posting of defamatory content flourish. Much research in this area has focused on the ends to
which people deploy the technology, and the consequences arising, with a view to making policy
recommendations and ethical interventions. In this paper, we argue that tracing where morality
lies is more complex than these efforts suggest. Using the case of a popular social networking site,
and concepts about the morality of technology, we disclose the ethics of Facebook as diffuse and
multiple. In our conclusions we provide some reflections on the possibilities for action in light of
this disclosure.

Citation

Light, B., McGrath, K., & Griffiths, M. (2008, January). More than just friends? Facebook, disclosive ethics and the morality of technology. Presented at International Conference on Information Systems

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: International Conference on Information Systems
• Start Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Sep 2, 2011
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016
• Keywords: Social networking, ethics, design, consequences, Latour
• Publisher URL: http://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2008/193/
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference