New Technology Strains Ethics.

"My computer made me do it" may soon be a common lament heard around offices and factories in the U.S. as more and more workers are confronted with new technology and the pressures it places on their morals. In a study conducted by ICR (International Communications Research) on behalf of the American Society of Chartered Life Underwriters and Chartered Financial Consultants and the Ethics Officer Association, it was revealed that nearly half of American workers engaged in an unethical act as a result of technology in the workplace. While almost everyone (92%) says that the use of the latest technology is a great improvement and advances business, they also feel new technology places added pressure on them from a number of sources, such as increased productivity expectations, the continual need to update technology, less tolerance for errors or co-workers who are not as technologically savvy, fear of losing data, and the overload of information. As a result, they are acting less ethically in the workplace.

Of 12 unethical acts presented to workers of all job levels, 45% committed at least one of them. For the most part, acts considered the most unethical--such as listening to private conversations, accessing personal files, or sabotaging data --are committed by few employees. Actions which involve the use of personal time at work--such as utilizing office equipment for personal reasons or using the Internet to shop--are considered the least...