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This paper highlights the importance of involving academic librarians in the development of ethical AI policies. The Academic Librarian Framework for Ethical AI Policy Development (ALF Framework) is introduced, recognizing librarians' unique skills and expertise. The paper discusses the benefits of their involvement, including expertise in information ethics and privacy, practical experience with AI tools, and collaborations. It also addresses challenges, such as limited awareness, institutional resistance, resource constraints, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evolving AI technologies, offering practical solutions. By actively involving librarians, institutions can develop comprehensive and ethical AI policies that prioritize social responsibility and respect for human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Social media (SM) has been heavily criticised in recent years for its damaging effects on societies globally. Tasked with empowering those same societies, libraries' continued use of SM is considered ethically contentious. This study presents the findings of a University of Sheffield study that investigated the ethical tension between libraries and their use of SM by aiming to establish whether: (1) libraries' use of SM is ethically motivated; (2) ethically informed; (3) and compatible with codes of ethics in the Library and Information Science (LIS) sector. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenographic approach was employed to gather and analyse the data for this study, which is drawn from the transcripts of seven online interviews with Bodleian Libraries staff who used Twitter, now X, in a professional capacity. Findings: Three categories of description were identified among participants: (1) Collectivist conception; (2) Settled conception; (3) Questioning conception. The categories are bound by a shared context of conceptualisation made up of a small set of internal and external influences discussed in the interviews which affected all participants to varying degrees. Originality/value: The findings were used to support the following determinations: (1) Libraries' use of SM is ethically motivated. (2) Libraries' use of SM is ethically informed, in part. Due to lack of evidence, no determination was made about whether libraries' use of SM is compatible with codes of ethics in the LIS sector. Recommendations for LIS professions and professional bodies are offered based on these determinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS), this study examines the impact of closed-minded communication in the secondary digital information market in crisis situations where controversial issues about large corporations can unduly deteriorate the relationship between the business and publics. A combination model was constructed to examine the influence of the situational antecedents of STOPS and the conspiracy orientation on selective forfending. An analysis of online survey data (N = 700) revealed the influences of conspiracy orientation and factors other than problem recognition were significant among the factors for problem situations. Publics was subdivided into "non-conspiracy theorists," "conspiracy theorists," and "situational problem solvers" groups with the "conspiracy theorist" group performing selective forfending of business ethics issue information, engaging in the most prominent degree of acquisition and transmission of the information among the groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between corporate ethics and the information intermediation element of public companies' information environment. Drawing on the well-established virtue, deontological, and consequential ethical theories, we predict that higher corporate ethics standards have a positive effect on financial analysts' behavior and earnings forecasts. Using a sample of 5276 firm-year observations from 780 publicly listed US companies, multivariate regression analyses document a significant positive association between company's level of ethical commitment and analyst coverage and forecast accuracy. Furthermore, the results show that firms with fewer incidents of ethical misconduct are associated with higher analyst consensus. These findings hold across a battery of robustness tests and indicate that a firm's ethical commitment enhances its corporate information environment and allows financial analysts to play a more effective intermediary role in capital markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study are to analyse the content of publications focused on the area of information ethics and discover patterns, knowledge and thematic trends. The main research question is: What is the intellectual and topical structure of the field of information ethics? We apply bibliometric analytical methods, including co-citation analysis (41 most cited authors out of 9947), co-word analysis (127 keywords), visualizations (maps) and analysis of time periods in strategic diagrams. These methods are interpreted with the use of previous content analyses and results of a Delphi study. The dataset covers publications between 1988 and 2023 collected from Web of Science using the search term "information ethics" in titles, keywords and abstracts (469 records). The study presents the research background and objectives, related research review, research methods and findings. Results are visualized in maps of topics and trends. We investigate the intellectual and thematic structure of information ethics, including numbers of publications, main disciplines, the intellectual structure (authors, topics, trends) and identify four time periods (1988-2005, 2006-2012, 2013-2019, 2020-2023) visualized by strategic diagrams. The study reveals the multidimensionality and multidisciplinary dynamic evolution of information ethics. The main trends are the topics of ethics of artificial intelligence and algorithms, data ethics, ethics of information literacy, informational privacy and dis/misinformation. We find that information ethics studies are embedded in wider contexts of the information crisis and design of public digital services. We propose education and information literacy courses related to ethical sensitivity, data ethics and the use of AI tools. The study contributes to bridging the gap between information ethics studies and human information interactions. Our results confirm the increasing interest in ethics of artificial intelligence.

The ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) is a research topic with both theoretical and practical significance. However, the ethical and moral aspects of conceptual, ontological, semantic, and knowledge modeling, more specifically, and which are sometimes found in AI applications, is not being given sufficient attention. I argue that it should. Whether considering using or developing these meaning-focused models, there are ethical aspects. This paper offers a preliminary outline about this potentially new research field, discussing: some questions and areas of concern, their significance; scenarios of ethical import, and initial ethical guidelines. A focus area, potential case study, and lens through which to see the ethical significance at hand, is ontologies, with emphasis on the most abstract ontologies (so-called generic, foundational, top-level or upper ontologies). This would aim to show the ethical import of highly abstract (often philosophical) ontological choices, assumptions, and their effects on data, developers, users, and society. In particular, I stress the need for critical examination of such models, their content, their intended meanings, assumptions, ideologies, as well as the development process. Both the ethics of, and ethics in, these activities are, therefore, of interest. Topics in the ethics of AI that are relevant include: transparency, bias, data-sharing, privacy, control over data, etc. This paper thereby contributes to the ethics of AI, as well as the ethics of information, of knowledge managment and relevant topics by developing and discussing the ethics of ontology (and similar systems). Future development will refine and add to the ideas expressed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Interdisciplinary Educational Research / Disiplinlerarası Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Interdisciplinary Education & Research Association / Disiplinlerarasi Egitim ve Arastirma Dernegi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explores the importance of critical information competence and its relationship with ethics in contemporary society. Initially, the relevance of ethics in determining the sciences to be studied and in shaping critical and ethical citizens is highlighted. The main objective of the work is to discuss how critical information competence can contribute to the development of Information Science professionals prepared for the challenges of the information age. The methodology used in the research consisted of a conceptual analysis, based on theories of ethics, information science, and education. Authors such as Aristotle, Ramonet, Elmborg, and others were consulted to support the reflections presented in the article. The analysis aimed to integrate these fields of knowledge to understand the importance of critical information competence in shaping informed and ethical citizens. The results point to the need to expand studies and practices related to critical information competence, aiming to educate citizens capable of acting consciously in the information society. The integration of ethics in information management is essential to ensure responsible and fair practices in handling information, promoting democratic participation and civic awareness. It is concluded that critical information competence is essential for building a fairer, more equitable, and democratic society, emphasizing the importance of developing Information Science professionals committed to ethical and social values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the collaborative efforts of libraries within the Ukraine Art Aid Center network, dedicated to preserving cultural heritage during times of war. Emphasizing the vital role of international library cooperation, we investigate the dissemination of trusted news in the Russo-Ukrainian war. The first section examines Russia's use of (dis-)information in the war of aggression, which is flanked by a globally waged information war. The second section clarifies key terminology distinctions related to disinformation, misinformation, fake news, and deep fakes. In the third section, we scrutinize the importance of accurate language and wording to avoid manipulation and disinformation. The fourth section explores strategies to counter disinformation, empowering individuals to make informed decisions. The fifth section highlights the support provided by international library networks in aiding libraries and societies under attack, focusing on Ukraine Art Aid Center (Zentrum Kulturgutschutz Ukraine). The sixth section presents selected information services and news sources from Ukraine, Germany, and Russian media in exile. The seventh section emphasizes the role of information institutions providing access to documents on the war, on war crimes and human rights violations against the background of information ethics and the code of ethics of librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the potential of Information Ethics (IE) to serve as a coherent ethical foundation for the library and information science profession (LIS profession). Design/methodology/approach: This study consists of two parts: the first part present IE's central theses and the main critiques it has received; the second part offers the authors' own evaluation of the theory from the LIS perspective in two steps: (1) assessing its internal consistency by testing its major theses against each other; (2) assessing its utility for resolving frequently debated LIS ethical dilemmas by comparing its solutions with solutions from other ethical theories. Findings: This study finds that IE, consisting of an informational ontology, a fundamental ethical assertion and a series of moral laws, forms a coherent ethical framework and holds promising potential to serve as a theoretical foundation for LIS ethical issues; its inclusion of nonhuman objects as moral patients and its levels of abstraction mechanism proved to be particularly relevant for the LIS profession. This study also shows that, to become more solid an ethical theory, IE needs to resolve some of its internal contradictions and ambiguities, particularly its conceptual conflations between internal correctness, rightness and goodness; between destruction, entropy and evil; and the discrepancy between its deontological ethical assertion and its utilitarian moral laws. Practical implications: This study alerts LIS professionals to the possibility of having a coherent ethical foundation and the potential of IE in this regard. Originality/value: This study provides a systemic explication, evaluation and field test of IE from the LIS perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed the research pattern of postgraduate students in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) in Tanzania. Covering a span of 17 years, the study used content analysis to study and identify research areas postgraduate students studied. In all, 269 dissertations were evaluated for the 2000–2017 period. Most of the dissertations (n = 247; 92%) were for the Master's degree and the least (n = 22; 8%) for doctoral studies, with the majority of LIS graduates being male. The study findings show that user studies accounted for the most researched upon (n = 67; 24.9%) area by postgraduate students in Tanzania followed by information industry economics and management (n = 45;16.7%), information/learning society (n = 37;13.7%), diffusion studies (n = 36;13.3%) and finally, information technology (n = 32; 11.9%). The least covered research areas were methodology, information ethics and law. Implicitly, the students preferred user-studies centred research followed by technology. The study concludes no direct association between gender, level of education, year of study and students' choice of research themes except for information technology. It is recommended that students ought to be exposed to new LIS global research trends for enhanced and broadened research areas to materialise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information ethics, which examines the processing of all kinds of visual, audio and text data, including information, through information technologies, and the basic concepts, principles and values of computational smart technologies, is related to the axiology field of information philosophy in contemporary philosophy. This article, which deals with information ethics and controversial issues in the context of information philosophy, examines the ethical problems that arise in the development and use of information technologies and human-machine interaction. In the article, first of all, the information revolution and its effects, which form the background of information ethics, are clarified. Secondly, the definition and classification of information ethics are included. Thirdly, the emergence of information ethics as a discipline is explained in historical chronology in order to reveal the evolution of controversial ethical issues over time. Finally, intellectual property, privacy, networking, anonymity, cyberbullying, security, artificial intelligence ethics, manipulation, anthropomorphism problem, internet ethics, computer games and ethics, which are the main topics of information ethics, are included. The integration of information technologies into social, economic life and cultural areas has increased the need for axiological acquisitions in order for people to live a meaningful life. It is of great importance to bring forward the studies of the philosophy Information and ethics in order to understand its effects on our individual-social, economic and value lives. Therefore, this article aims to give the reader a general understanding of Information ethics issues, with an emphasis on the philosophy of Information and Information ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a pivotal force in modern society, significantly impacting various sectors, including academia. This paper examines the broad implications of AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), and their transformative potential across educational institutions. The San Jose State University's iSchool is highlighted as a case study, demonstrating its proactive approach to integrating nascent technologies and revising curriculum competencies to address AI's influence. As AI reshapes library and information science (LIS) education, the development of new competencies, such as data privacy and ethical AI use, becomes essential. Furthermore, the ethical and societal implications of AI, including potential inequalities and biases, are explored. The response of scholarly publishing communities, illustrated by the iSchool's Student Research Journal's policies, underscores the need for adaptable frameworks to manage AI's impact on research integrity. This paper advocates for immediate curriculum design adjustments and ongoing policy reviews to ensure responsible AI integration, emphasizing the importance of equitable access and the ethical use of AI technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As numerous travel information is provided on digital platforms, information literacy is becoming increasingly important for tourists to address travel-related problems and ensure a smooth tour experience. This study conceptualizes e-tourism information literacy (eTIL) based on previous researches and develops a scale to measure this construct following a systematic approach, from which, 14 items were generated to measure four underlying dimensions of eTIL: information knowledge, information skills, information awareness, and information ethics. Additionally, to examine the interplay between eTIL, information quality, and system quality, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is employed on 399 samples to obtain equifinal configurations that lead to tourist satisfaction with online travel information (TSOTI). The results revealed two configurations leading to high TSOTI and three configurations leading to low TSOTI. This study contributes theoretically by constructing the concept of eTIL and explaining its role in driving TSOTI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Exacta is the property of Exacta - Engenharia de Producao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research aimed to examine the impact of ethics orientation and the mastery of information technology on the performance of agricultural extension workers in Konawe District. The study was conducted in Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, spanning from January to October 2022. The population and sample included all State Civil Servant (ASN) agricultural extension workers in Konawe District, totaling 113 individuals. The study incorporated exogenous variables, namely the ethics orientation and mastery of information technology of agricultural extension workers, and endogenous variables, focusing on the performance of agricultural extension workers. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were employed to assess the state of ethics orientation, mastery of information technology, and the performance of agricultural extension workers. The inferential analysis utilized Partial Least Square (PLS), an equation model of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on a variance or component-centered structural equation modeling approach. The findings revealed a significant positive influence of ethics orientation on the performance of agricultural extension workers in Konawe District. Similarly, the mastery of information technology among agricultural extension workers significantly positively affected their performance in Konawe District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an epoch where cyberspace is the emerging nexus of geopolitical contention, the juncture of Information Operations and Large Language Models (LLMs) heralds a paradigm shift, replete with immense opportunities and difficult challenges. This paper puts forth a framework for navigating this brave new world using the "ClausewitzGPT" set of equations for framing measurement of AI-augmented information operations. By breaking down the parts of a typical digital information operation into variables, these novel formulae not only seek to quantify the risks inherent in machine-speed LLM-augmented operations but also highlight the vital role of autonomous AI agents in addressing the technical shortcomings and architectural issues of LLMs. These agents, embodying ethical considerations, emerge as indispensable components, ensuring that, as the human race goes forward, it does not lose sight of its moral compasses and societal imperatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the wake of Industry 4.0, libraries are integrating Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to enhance efficiency. However, this shift in practice raises ethical and privacy concerns, particularly regarding the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPI Act). Objectives: This literature review explores the ethical and privacy challenges posed by 4IR technologies in delivering information services to library patrons including the impact on PoPI Act compliance in addressing data privacy concerns. Method: Adopting a systematic approach, this literature review employs the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart and inclusion criteria focussed on 4IR in libraries and its relation to the PoPI Act. Peer-reviewed articles in English from 2013 to 2023 were sourced from scholarly databases. Results: The review highlights the transformation of academic library services in the 4IR era and the consequent privacy challenges. Concerns arise from advanced library systems and extensive data retention. While libraries operate non-profitably, the adoption of 4IR technologies for data acquisition mirrors commercial practices, raising ethical questions. Patron privacy issues extend beyond traditional data collection to potential misuse and improper data handling as libraries often work with vendors. Conclusion: The integration of 4IR technologies in academic libraries necessitates a delicate balance between improved services and safeguarding user privacy and the PoPI Act serves as a crucial regulatory framework. Librarians must navigate the evolving landscape of data ethics, emphasising transparency, accountability and adherence to privacy legislation. Contribution: The introduction of artificial intelligence and 4IR technologies to library information services has unlimited possibilities including countering misinformation and disinformation, and the expansion of library services to tech-savvy users beyond the physical walls of the library building. However, the deployment of these technologies raises new questions about ethical concerns that the use of these technologies poses to information professionals in the rendition of library services. The results of this study will be useful for policy and professional practice in taking full advantage of 4IR technologies and services.

The text announces the first diffusion course on "The Structure of Language as a Connection Between Artificial Intelligence, Information, and Ethics." The course will take place in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, from August 22nd to November 21st, 2024. It aims to bring together interdisciplinary studies on language, cognition, decision-making, artificial intelligence, and ethics. The course will cover topics such as the cognitive linguistic structure, artificial intelligence, information, and law and artificial intelligence under sustainable ethics. The course is organized by the University of Sao Paulo and aims to open new research horizons for undergraduate and postgraduate students. [Extracted from the article]

Recently, information ethics has been developed as a new perspective into ethics based on informational and computational considerations. As distrust is an essentially ethical problem in informational environments, it is plausible to think of solutions for trust-related problems in the field of information ethics. This article proposes an entropy-based trust model inspired by entropy structure and information ethics principles as a solution to trust problems in service-oriented environments. The system is capable of maintaining a robust awareness of the trustworthiness of agents. Whereas most trust models are developed as problem-specific solutions, the system proposed here is directly derived from a higher order ethical/informational philosophy that makes it better fit with many problems in an informational environment. The experimental results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed system is promising in terms of trust calculation accuracy and detection of deceptive behavior as well as the adaptation speed to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data infrastructure includes the bureaucratic, technical, and social mechanisms that assist in actions like data management, analysis, storage, and sharing. While issues like data sharing have been addressed in depth in bioethical literature, data infrastructure presents its own ethical considerations, apart from the actions (such as data sharing and data analysis) that it enables. This essay outlines some of these considerations—namely, the ethics of efficiency, the visibility of infrastructure, the power of standards, and the impact of new technologies—in order to invite the bioethics community to participate in conversations about infrastructure, as their expertise is both needed and welcomed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information ethics (IE) influences how people use and produce information and affects information services, information technology (IT), and professional practices. Lack of IE severely affects individuals, teams, organizations, or the community. This research bridges a gap in understanding IE perceptions and IE-declared behavior among different sociodemographic profiles in the global communicative space. We devised an extended version of the IT ethics survey to measure attitudes toward IE issues. We surveyed a sample of 1,648 college students in seven countries. We identified four clusters, uncovering groups of people with very high (Legalists), high (Moralists), fair (Pragmatists), and low (Anarchists) perceptions of the IE issues. Clusters allow the exploration of patterns in IE perceptions that would remain hidden at an individual level of analysis and can help to predict IE-related behavior. The findings imply that teachers should adapt IE curricula, and managers should customize the policies and interventions to these groups. Furthermore, managers should consider group behavior and account for factors that affect it in the corporate world, such as lower computer knowledge. International managers should be aware that certain groups behave more unethically with IT and are overrepresented in certain countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Philósophos is the property of Revista Philosophos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Informationswissenschaft: Theorie, Methode & Praxis / Sciences de l’information: Théorie, Méthode & Pratique is the property of University Library of Bern and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Data privacy and protection are becoming more than just legal requirements; they are becoming a comprehensive strategy that is necessary to successfully navigate the challenges of the contemporary world. In order to maintain long-term viability and foster stakeholder trust, organisations need to go above and beyond the requirements of regulations in protecting sensitive information. Developing an awareness culture within the workforce, incorporating strong security protocols, and adopting innovative technologies such as encryption and anonymization are all essential components of an all-encompassing data privacy plan. Encouraging user confidence through transparent data practices can help an organisation reaffirm its commitment to information ethics. In addition, the constantly changing environment necessitates constant adjustment to new risks and modifications to laws. Every step of the data processing process, from collection to disposal, must take privacy into account when privacy by design principles are put into practice. Essentially, an all-encompassing strategy for data privacy goes beyond compliance checklists and integrates itself into the core principles and functions of the company. In the digital age, firms which take this approach not only reduce risks but also establish themselves as responsible data stewards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Artuklu Akademi is the property of Artuklu Akademi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

AbstractIn Western culture, perceptions and emotions have often prevailed over truth and reality, trivializing the act of lying and undermining trust between individuals and institutions. Today, freedom of expression and the right of citizens to freely form their own opinions—based on facts and not falsehoods—are sometimes threatened by the impunity with which lying is allowed in public debate, even in societies that consider themselves democratic. Lying, especially when practiced by public representatives, can cause serious social harm, and we believe that globalization calls for a higher common standard of respect for the truth. Along with the reflections of historical authors on the subject, in this essay we analyze two cases as examples: the false statistics used to achieve the decriminalization of abortion in democratic countries, and the lies of the Chinese authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic in one of today’s leading totalitarian states. We believe that these behaviors should not go unpunished, and therefore we propose to insert new criminal offenses in national and international criminal law, especially for those in public office and media professionals. Our objective is to preserve and promote truthfulness in our societies in order to foster trust and peaceful coexistence among free and equal people.

The article will present the main assumptions of the information marker method, which can be used for recognizing the characteristics of conspiracy theories conveyed in the content of informational messages – texts, statements, recordings, etc. The proposed method draws on the conspiracy thinking model CONSPIR (Lewandowsky & Cook 2020) and has a practical component. However, the technique presented in the paper constitutes a modification and addition to the original proposal. First, it deals with a problem frame that is different from that of CONSPIR, since it is applied to formulated information messages. Hence the marker method is not an instrument for analyzing cognitive attitudes or patterns of conspiracy thinking. Secondly, the proposed tool is profiled in terms of content focused on scientific issues (mainly pertaining to the natural and applied sciences). Third, given the characteristics and structure of the communication under consideration, I replace the widely used term “conspiracy theory” with the more universal concept of “conspiracy narrative,” which seems to reflect more adequately the specific features of such information messages. Fourth, given the more specific purpose of the marker method compared to that of the CONSPIR model, I will try (where possible) to refrain from citing specific examples of conspiracy narratives, referring to singular events and personal examples. Consequently, to use a phrase widely used in methodology, the presented technique can be applied to all cases of a given type.

Navigating the governance of macroscopic changes presents an inherently multifaceted challenge. Analogous to the resistance encountered during organizational transformations by employees, every societal shift -- be it a technological revolution or alterations in technical and cultural landscapes -- elicits significant skepticism and distrust among the populace. Recent global upheavals, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, have polarized societies, particularly affecting nations with a lesser degree of cultural preparedness and minimal levels of mutual trust. The advent of the digital revolution, transforming modes of work and consumption, alongside historically significant events like wars and pandemics, invariably triggers a resurgence of nostalgic nationalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While both the academic literature and practice suggest that the use of accounting information is often not neutral, the factors behind a manipulative use of accounting information are under-researched—especially in the public sector context. This article is intended to stimulate the debate about ethical questions related to accounting information manipulation that are often neglected. The authors aim to increase awareness among politicians and public managers about the disputability, or even inappropriateness, of the accounting information they receive. This article explores ethical issues of accounting information manipulation (AIM) in the political arena. After conceptualizing AIM, including its drivers, techniques, contextualities and impacts, the authors discuss underlying tensions between various types of values that emerge as a trigger for applying AIM. In that respect a distinction is made between values at the societal, organizational and individual level, such as, respectively, sustainability, transparency and honesty, and additionally between private values related to personal gain and public values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Western culture, perceptions and emotions have often prevailed over truth and reality, trivializing the act of lying and undermining trust between individuals and institutions. Today, freedom of expression and the right of citizens to freely form their own opinions—based on facts and not falsehoods—are sometimes threatened by the impunity with which lying is allowed in public debate, even in societies that consider themselves democratic. Lying, especially when practiced by public representatives, can cause serious social harm, and we believe that globalization calls for a higher common standard of respect for the truth. Along with the reflections of historical authors on the subject, in this essay we analyze two cases as examples: the false statistics used to achieve the decriminalization of abortion in democratic countries, and the lies of the Chinese authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic in one of today's leading totalitarian states. We believe that these behaviors should not go unpunished, and therefore we propose to insert new criminal offenses in national and international criminal law, especially for those in public office and media professionals. Our objective is to preserve and promote truthfulness in our societies in order to foster trust and peaceful coexistence among free and equal people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There was documented election rigging in 1964, 1965, 1979, 1983, 1999, 2003, and now in 2023 in Nigeria. This paper presents practical information systems that can prevent non-citizens and underage voting by using agile records management and software designs. A fraudulent process cannot produce an honest leader. The study focuses on voter portal management. It entails improving voters' registration, accreditation, verification, and authentication. The study used a living-lab approach to design and present a snippet of codes as an example of how to configure a system for this process. Also, the software design employs the use of service-oriented design to model a sequence diagram to make some of the processes easy to understand. However, one major challenge was the issue of skill. There are a lot of gaps in the literature as many studies did not focus on the technical skills required to facilitate electronic voting systems (EVS). The study concluded that aligning innovative technologies, blockchain, and agile information systems designed with serviceoriented software methods will improve e-voting records management processes. The study recommended five necessary measures: Implement secure electronic voting with biometric authentication to prevent fraud; use machine learning to detect non-citizen and underage voters; use blockchain to store voting data securely and ensure transparency; regularly test the electronic voting system; and continuously innovate and improve the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]