The Ethics of GIS

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Abstract
There has so far been little discussion of the ethics of geographic information systems (GIS), yet they are complex and driven by conflicting goals. This paper argues for an ethical analysis of GIS which goes beyond “intemalist” judgements of good behavior and adherence to accuracy standards to a contextualized “extemalist” one. Only when spatial technologies such as GIS are understood as part of a nexus of relations which includes academia in the commodification of information can GIS practice by fully analyzed. A four-stage sequence of ethical practice is proposed, in which GIS has achieved the second stage. GIS practice and use is a fluctuating, contested area, which, therefore, is not suited to a rigid code of ethics. A better approach is based in the internalist and externalist dialectic.

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