DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND ITS ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: THE IMPERATIVE OF DIGITAL ETHICS

Abstract

Revolution is continual and repeating phenomenon throughout human history. Advancement in digital technologies ushered in the emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This has prompted inquiries about the moral implications of digital technologies. While there are numerous ethical issues, associated with the invention and usage of digital technologies, the thrust of this research is to examine a few salient ones. The study through conceptual clarication that involves examining of thoughts and denitions emphasises the importance of digital ethics (commonly known as 'cyber-ethics') in this fourth era of industrial revolution. Although ethics and ethical consideration/decisions are argued to be vast, digital ethics must place premium importance on human dignity to avoid the risks of losing humanity to technologies. It is a call for responsible use of digital technologies to enhance humanity.