Exploring the Relationship between Individual Information Technology Ethics and Netizenship Behaviors
Abstract
In the digital age, information technology (IT) ethics plays a critical role in shaping netizenship behavior within online communities. This concept paper examines the relationship between individual IT ethics and netizenship behavior and emphasizes how ethical principles guide responsible and constructive participation in digital spaces. Based on theoretical frameworks such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Digital Citizenship, the article examines the influence of ethical IT practices on positive netizenship, including factors such as digital literacy, hierarchical influence and cultural or religious values. The review shows that people with strong IT ethics are more likely to engage in responsible online behavior, promoting healthier digital environments. By identifying gaps in the existing literature, the paper proposes a conceptual model to guide future empirical research on how ethical IT use influences digital citizenship. The findings highlight the importance of promoting IT ethics and digital literacy to improve online interactions and contribute to more engaged, respectful and responsible digital communities.
Downloads
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Ali, A. J., & Al-Owaihan, A. (2008). Islamic work ethic: A critical review. Cross-Cultural Management: An International Journal, 15(1), 5-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/13527600810848791
Al-Kwifi, O. S., & Hammoud, J. (2019). Impact of Islamic work ethics on the performance of employees in business organizations. _Journal of Business Ethics, 157(3), 1-14.
Asif, M., et al. (2020). Islamic work ethics and digital behavior: Exploring the influence of cultural values. _Journal of Business Research, 115, 265-273.
Dahlberg, L. (2020). Digital ethics and the role of IT in online conduct. _Ethics and Information Technology, 22(4), 345-358.
Dotterer. G., Hedges. A., & Parker. H. (2016). Digital natives - Fostering digital citizenship in the classroom. Retrieved December 20, 2016, from https://www.net-ref.com/white-paper-fostering-digital-citizenship-in-the-classroom/
Doucette, S., DiGennaro, R. F., Reed, D., Maguire, H. & Marquardt, H. (2012). Implementation of a Posted Schedule to Increase Class-Wide Interobserver Agreement Assessment. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. 32. 263-269. 10.1080/01608061.2012.698187. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2012.698187
Floridi, L. (2019). The ethics of information. _Oxford University Press_.
Gomes, C. (2021). Digital literacy and ethical digital conduct: A new model for netizenship. _New Media & Society, 23(8), 1643-1660.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J. & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective, New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall.
Hauben, M., & Hauben, R. (1998). Netizens: On the history and impact of Usenet and the Internet. First Monday, 3(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v3i7.605
Isman, A., & Canan Gungoren, O. (2014). Digital citizenship. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 13(1), 73-77.
Kenneth McBride, N. (2014). ACTIVE Ethics: An information systems ethics for the internet age. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 12(1), 21-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-06-2013-0017
Ma, J., et al. (2020). Hierarchical influence on ethical digital behavior: A study of IT ethics in the workplace. Journal of Business Ethics, 162_(3), 525-539.
Mohamad Fauzan Noordin, (2013). ICT and Islam. IIUM Press.
Mohamed, N., Karim, N. S., & Hussein, R. (2012). Computer use ethics among university students and staff. Campus-Wide Information Systems,29(5), 328-343. doi:10.1108/10650741211275099
Norshidah, M., Nor Shahriza, A. & Ramlah, H. (2012). Computer use ethics among university students and staff. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 29(5), 328-343. doi:10.1108/10650741211275099 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/10650741211275099
Ribble, M. (2017). _Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know. International Society for Technology in Education.
Salam, A. (2010). Islamic ethics: An exposition for resolving ICT ethical dilemmas. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 8(3), 289-301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/14779961011071088
Turner, A., & Reinsch, R. (2021). Generation Z and digital ethics: A new wave of netizenship. _Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 24_(10), 643-650.
Yigit, E. O. (2014). Pre-Service Social Studies Teachers' Perspectives Towards Netizenship. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 13(2), 121-137.
Zhu, L. (2021). The role of netizenship behavior in combating misinformation. _Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 5, 100167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100167
Copyright (c) 2024 Nor Afni Md Sari, Ramita Abdul Rahim, Sazimah Mohamed Salleh, Noor Zalina Zainal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.
This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.
