Help Desk Technician

Help desk technicians support end users in their daily use of IT, especially applications. They may

be part of an organizational help desk group or employees of an organization that provides help desk to other organizations. In both cases, but especially in the latter, they often provide help via the telephone. They may also communicate directly with a user’s PC via a network and special software that gives them control of the user’s PC. Help desk technicians are often required to have knowledge of a wide variety of PC applications.

PART 1 THE INFORMATION AGE

New technology almost always improves lives. But it shopping habits; the drugs you take (and through often also has undesirable effects. This was true of the

this information, the diseases you might have); the labor-saving machines that prompted the industrial

political party to which you contributed; and so on. revolution (introducing 16-hour workdays and child

Civil rights advocates argue that IT has created a labor under harsh conditions), and it is also true about

Big Brother society where anyone can be observed. information technology. Think of the bliss of IT: it

U.S. business leaders oppose European-style legisla- makes our work more productive because a few key-

tion to curb collection and dissemination of private strokes on a computer keyboard prompt the computer

data because this limits target marketing and other to calculate and print what would otherwise take many

economic activities. Are you willing to give up some human hours. It educates us via technologies such as

of your privacy to help companies better market to multimedia classes delivered online. It opens new eco-

you products and services you might be interested nomic opportunities such as trading with overseas

in? Do you accept the manipulation and selling of consumers via the Internet. It makes the world smaller

your personal data?

by letting people work and socialize together over • Employee Privacy. IT helps employers monitor great distances via networks such as the Web. It

their employees, not only via the ubiquitous video democratizes the business community by making

camera, but also through the personal computers important business tools affordable to both estab-

they use. Employers feel it is their right to monitor lished and start-up companies. And it puts at our fin-

keystrokes, e-mail traffic, the Web sites employees gertips information on practically every imaginable

visit, and the whereabouts of people whose wages subject. So, what’s the dark side? There are quite a

they pay while on the job. So, while IT increases few dark sides, which we will discuss in the following

productivity, it might violate privacy and create chapters. Here is a sample of the main issues and the

stress. Which is more important: your employer’s questions they raise. right to electronically monitor you, or your privacy

and mental well-being? • Consumer Privacy.

The ability to inexpensively

and quickly collect, maintain, manipulate, and • Freedom of Speech. On the Web anyone can transfer data enables every individual and organi-

become a publisher without censorship. Blogging zation to collect millions of personal records. When

and other technologies encourage netizens (Inter- visiting a commercial Web site, chances are the

net users) to opine about anything, from products site installs a little file, a “cookie,” on your com-

to their employers’ misdeeds. Much of the material puter’s hard disk. This file helps track every click

published is of violent and pornographic nature. If you make on that site, so companies specializing

someone posts slurs about your ethnic group at a in consumer profiling can learn your shopping and

Web site, do you want the government to step in buying habits. When you purchase drugs, the

and ban such postings? To what extent should druggist collects details about you. Every time you

Web server operators be responsible for what oth- pay with a credit card, the purchase is recorded to

ers publish through their sites? Is unsolicited com- a personally identifiable record. All these data are

mercial e-mail (spam) a form of free speech? channeled into large databases for commercial

• Online Annoyances. Over 80 percent of all exploitation. Your control of such data is minimal.

e-m ail is spam. Do you accept this? And if you

While consumers, patients, and employees might own a new small business and want to advertise consent to the collection of information on one

via e-mail (because it is the least expensive adver- aspect of their lives by one party and on another

tising method), wouldn’t you want the freedom to aspect by another party, the combination of such

do so? While surfing the Web you encounter information might reveal more than they would

pop-up windows and pop-under windows. Your like. For example, a firm can easily and inexpen-

computer contracts spyware. Sometimes special sively purchase your data from a druggist and sev-

software hijacks your browser and automatically eral consumer goods companies, combine the data

takes you to a commercial site that you do not into larger records, and practically prepare a dos-

care for. Are these annoyances legitimate, or sier about you: your name, age, and gender; your should they be stopped by legislation?

Chapter 1 Business Information Systems: An Overview □ 25 Chapter 1 Business Information Systems: An Overview □ 25

considered professionals, why don’t they comply with sites that purport to be legitimate sites of banks

a mandatory code of ethics as other professionals, and other businesses where they are requested to

such as physicians and lawyers, do? “update” or “correct” their social security numbers, credit card account numbers, passwords, and

We will discuss these and other ethical and social other information. This information is used by the

issues throughout this book. As you will see, these phishers to make fraudulent purchases and obtain

issues are not easy to resolve. The purpose of these loans. Victims do not only lose money. In many

discussions is to make you aware of issues and pro- cases when phishers steal an identity, the victims

voke your thoughts. Remember that the purpose of experience a long nightmare with authorities and

education is not only to develop skilled professionals businesses. but also to remind professionals of the impact of their

• IT Professionalism. IT specialists play an work on the welfare of other people, and to encourage increasing role in the lives of individuals and the professionals to be socially responsible.

Help Desk Technician