On the Typology of the Information Ethos

The paper provides a discussion on the understanding of information ethics as a research field which scrutinizes ethical problems of social communication in close connection with the analysis of cyber informatization process. It is proposed to consider information ethics as a generic concept and interpret computer ethics as one of its types due to computer communication technologies. Historical types of information ethos and its psychological characteristics are revealed in accordance with the main types of information paradigms. The basis of this paradigm is a specific type of system ‘human – information technology’ and information exchange technology. In the structure of the information exchange several components can be distinguished: (a) content component, or the actual exchange of the information (content); (b) technological basis of communication which generates the ethics of technological methods of information exchange; (c) psychological aspects of information exchange which change together with each new technological method of communication. Its changes raise the specific ethical problems and form a specific type of information morality – information ethos. Ethics of information exchange and ethics of information technologies are distinguished.