The Ethical and Social Issues in Information Systems from Data Use, Surveillance, and ArtificialIntelligence

Abstract

Digital technologies are rapidly transforming organizational operations, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerging as a key driver of innovation across multiple sectors. As organizations increasingly rely on Management Information Systems (MIS) to enhance productivity and service delivery, ethical concerns related to data use, surveillance, and AI have become more prominent. This paper examines the ethical and social implications of AI integration in MIS, focusing on issues of privacy, information systems management, and organizational responsibility. The study adopts a comparative analysis using ethical frameworks, including deontology, utilitarianism, the ACM Code of Ethics, and Laudon and Laudon’s Five Moral Dimensions of Information Systems, to evaluate whether current technological practices align with moral and social standards. Empirical examples, such as the governance of MySejahtera, data breaches involving Maybank, ASTRO, and the Election Commission, and the use of facial recognition technologies in airports, are analyzed. The results reveal significant gaps in transparency, accountability, and system management within both public and private institutions. These shortcomings increase organizational and societal risks associated with digital information systems. This paper concludes by recommending stronger ethical governance, enhanced regulatory frameworks, improved monitoring mechanisms, and increased public awareness to promote the responsible and sustainable use of AI in MIS.