Unethical Use of Information Technology: A Two-Country Study

This paper investigates the phenomenon of unethical use of information technology (IT) by developing and testing a model that postulates multiple influencing factors of unethical IT use. Results from two studies of young adult participants in USA and Finland show that unethical IT use is primarily influenced by social (e.g., subjective norms), situational (e.g., moral intensity), and technological (e.g., technological facilitation) considerations. Differences between the two countries regarding this phenomenon also surface. The results suggest that multiple interventions at various levels may be required to combat the growth of unethical IT use, showcasing the practical significance of these research results.