Ethics in this digital age can be compared to a bustling, busy market, one where there are a lot of opportunities, possibilities and space but also if one is not careful, one night get lost, get scammed, or misstep. On the internet, we all are either traders, buyers or just passersby. Some sell truth and some buy, some sell lies and some fall for it, while some are just lost and confused. Now there should be a boundary, one that no one dare to cross and that is where ethics comes in.
Here, in Nigeria, we were raised on morals, you don't lie, you don't steal, you respect and greet people, don't take what is not yours and if found, you need to return. It was simple. Life made sense because there were unspoken agreements on how people should behave. But now, in this digital world, everything is upside down, and ethics already packed it bag and leave, now you can steal someone else identity, you can spread lies, you can hide behind the screen to insult anyone, all without shame, and you still get cheered on, get views, likes and more followers.
The truth is, technology is not the enemy. I love the internet, there are lot of opportunities embedded in it, there are connections, it allows you to share and see, it teaches us, we learn, we can work, earn and even love. But somehow, it made life a little complicated also, we are scared of who to trust, what to believe, what's real, some people even hardly have their own privacy now, all, everything about them is on the internet, their joy, pain, struggles, routines, work and all. Even if you are not like that, I mean the social media type, make one careless mistake and your private life is public property.
Also, there are solicitors, or let's just say, theres fairness to some extent on the internet, if a person is caught stealing in real life, he/she would face judgment, but online, some if not most people get away with things just because they are popular or have money. A small business can be crushed by bad reviews, even if it's not true, a person’s reputation can be destroyed with one fake post, and by the time the truth comes out/is known, the damage is done, ethics is crawling and just struggling to keep up.
Also, the digital world has created new ways to make money, at the same time new ways to cheat people, there are various ponzi schemes, there are various fake investment platforms, there are fraudulent giveaways, there are fake transfers, there are send 2k to collect 5k(very popular on WhatsApp) everywhere you turn, someone is always there trying to outsmart the system and get rich at the expense of others. And sometimes, I just sit and think it all, there are companies selling our data, the government are just there, watching, the media apps is the one controlling what we see and what we don't, do I have anyone like me who wonders if we are really in control of what we think we are in control of, or its just a game and we are just pawns who understands nothing.
Not as if its totally bad, at least, there are still good people online, people who use technology to educate, to inspire, to help, we have those who fight against cyberbullying, those who protect people’s rights, those who push for honesty and fairness and all are there. I believe, like I said earlier, ethics in this digit age is not completely dead, it’s just struggling to survive. And for it to do better and thrive, we also have roles to play, we need to be better, to be responsible and to be the kind of people we wish others would be. Tech is just a tool, we that are behind the screen are the ones that can choose to make a difference.
Ethics in this digital age is confusing, but it is needed, cause without it, there will be chaos. The internet is not going anywhere, and neither is technology. Starting now, we need to be honest, accountable and respectful, cause if its get late, then it will be just too late to fix.
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