Informatizacija kao etički izazov

Abstract

In the introductory part of this paper, the authors provide a short historical survey of inventions from the simplest computers to contemporary social networks. They state that computerization has become one of the constitutive elements of modern societies and point to enormous advantages in business, communication, education, social transition and interaction. They also notice some less desirable by-products of the informatization process that concern a the personal level of an individual: alienation, exposure, manipulation, possible endangerment of the moral and emotional dimension. Additional ethical challenges of computerization concern children, which the authors have dealt with elsewhere (Kovačević, Vrbanec, Tomić, 2022). With this paper, the authors want to contribute to the debate on the ethical aspect of informatization. They support the education of the social community about the ethical challenges of informatization, as well as the education of information experts about ethics and about possible threats to the rights of individuals. They call for the development of an integrated information policy at the national and international level.