Special Section Introduction—Ubiquitous IT and Digital Vulnerabilities

Sam Ransbotham (), Robert G. Fichman (), Ram Gopal () and Alok Gupta ()
Additional contact information
Sam Ransbotham: Information Systems, Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467
Robert G. Fichman: Information Systems, Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467
Ram Gopal: Department of Operations and Information Management, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269
Alok Gupta: Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

Information Systems Research, 2016, vol. 27, issue 4, 834-847

Abstract: While information technology benefits society in numerous ways, it unfortunately also has potential to create new vulnerabilities. This special issue intends to stimulate thought and research into understanding and mitigating these vulnerabilities. We identify four mechanisms by which ubiquitous computing makes various entities (people, devices, organizations, societies, etc.) more vulnerable, including: increased visibility, enhanced cloaking, increased interconnectedness, and decreased costs. We use the papers in the special issue to explain these mechanisms, and then outline a research agenda for future work on digital vulnerabilities spanning four areas that are, or could become, significant societal problems with implications at multiple levels of analysis: Online harassment and incivility, technology-driven economic inequality, industrial Internet of Things, and algorithmic ethics and bias.

Keywords: online harassment; economic inequality; Internet of things; algorithmic bias; algorithmic ethics; artificial intelligence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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