Ethical Issues in Computer Science

9 Key excerpts on "Ethical Issues in Computer Science"

• 

  eBook - ePub

  The Ethics of Information Technologies

  • Keith W Miller, Mariarosaria Taddeo(Authors)
  • 2020(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Let us next examine some areas in which philosophers can help to clarify some existing and future conceptual confusions associated with moral issues in computing. Consider some of the confusion that currently exists with regard to exactly what is an ethical issue in computing. Birrer (1998) notes that it has become trendy to extend the term ‘computer ethics’ to apply to almost anything that for decades used to be referred to by terms such as ‘social issues in computing.’ Birrer goes on to point out that while many of the issues considered in this stretched sense of computer ethics may even be normative, they are not necessarily ethical in nature. Unfortunately, this important distinction is frequently glossed over, or in many cases overlooked altogether, in much of the computer ethics literature. 15 I have argued elsewhere (Tavani 1999b) that philosophers can play an important role in helping to sort out genuine ethical issues from those issues that are essentially sociological and descriptive in nature. If someone approaching the field of computer ethics for the first time were to examine much of the current literature that passes for ‘computer ethics’ and ‘Cyberethics,’ that person might get a very distorted picture of the field. For one thing, at least some of the books now being published with the expressions ‘computer ethics’ or ‘Cyberethics’ in their titles have little or nothing to do with ethics. For example, Willard’s The Cyberethics Reader (1997), despite its title, does not address ethical issues at all. That particular text focuses primarily on scenarios having to do with polite behavior or etiquette on the internet (i.e., what some referred to as ‘Netiquette’)

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Computer Ethics

  • John Weckert(Author)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Moral philosophy has been studied systematically at least from the time of the ancient Greeks, and the ethical issues in computing are part of this tradition. What is new and different is that the development and use of computers has raised old questions in interestingly new and different ways (Johnson, 2001), often creating what Moor calls policy vacuums (Chapter 6). The work of the computer ethicists, then, is to develop policies to fill those vacuums. What are some of these ethical issues that are raised in a unique way because of computer technology? Consider hacking. Breaking into someone’s computer account is in some ways like breaking into someone’s house, but there are interesting differences. It is a logical rather than a physical entering. Unauthorized copying of software is a bit like unauthorized copying of a book and a bit like taking a television set, but there are significant differences. There are also questions relating to work and the loss or creation of skills, which arise in a unique way. And there are questions about the creation of intelligent machines. Another approach to computer ethics is to treat it as professional ethics – that is, to concentrate on the specific concerns of computer professionals qua computer professionals that are essentially about the professional-client relationship. This is a reasonable approach. Medical ethics chiefly concerns the doctor-patient relationship. Computer professionals design and develop software and hardware for the use of their clients; they design, develop and maintain networks and so on. The important issues, then, include system reliability, system and data security, software theft, network security and reliability, and the like, which are typically specified in professional codes of ethics. This is the approach adopted by Gotterbarn and he argued that this should be the essence of computer ethics (Gotterbarn, 1991)

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  No longer available |Learn more

  Technoscientific Research

  Methodological and Ethical Aspects

  • Roman Z. Morawski(Author)
  • 2019(Publication Date)
  • De Gruyter

    (Publisher)

  Both individual computers and computer networks (local, regional and global) can be used to commit common crimes, to violate privacy or to conduct espionage. They can cause damage to individuals or institutions if the software does not work as expected, because of a programmer’s error or his deliberate action; they can perform sophisticated logical and mathematical operations whose correctness cannot be checked by anybody. Computer ethics is to determine to what extent and in what situations we can trust computer systems, and what restrictions should be imposed on their use. IT means can be used for performing illegal operations, being serious ethical violations, which are, however, neither specific to the scientific community nor very frequent among its members; therefore, they will not be discussed here.

  The spectrum of IT-related ethical issues is systematically expanding with the development of IT, and it is increasingly more and more identified with the spectrum of ethical issue related to the infosphere. This is because the social impact of the IT development is becoming more and more recognised, and – consequently – ethical demands regarding the “ecological” management of the infosphere are more and more explicitly articulated. The relevant public debates focus on such issues as:

  • – the IT-induced evolution of the social context in which ethical problems, unrelated to technology, appear and are solved;
  • – the increase in the objective scope and subjective sense of anonymity of operations performed on information;
  • – the fuzzification of responsibility and increased sense of impunity for unethical processing of information.

  The diversity of IT-related ethical issues and the inevitability of their appearance in everyday research practice are illustrated with the following series of examples. The common source of this diversity and inevitability is the extraordinary logical plasticity of computers933 and computer networks as tools for solving theoretical and practical problems in very diverse areas and in various social contexts.

  Example 19.1: Already in the 1980s, computers were used during the US presidential election for counting votes and forecasting the result of the election. Already at that time, the question was asked if it was acceptable that some voters knew the forecasts (disseminated by radio and television) before voting934 . This may seem an innocent exercise after scandalous involvement of the UK-based political consulting company Cambridge Analytica in the US presidential election in 2016. This company used in the election campaign personal information about ca. 50 million Facebook users, acquired by an external researcher who claimed to be collecting it for academic purposes. In May 2018, under pressure of public criticism, the company had to stop its operations and declare insolvency935

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Edutech Enabled Teaching

  Challenges and Opportunities

  • Manpreet Singh Manna, Balamurugan Balusamy, Kiran Sood, Naveen Chilamkurti, Ignisha Rajathi George, Manpreet Singh Manna, Balamurugan Balusamy, Kiran Sood, Naveen Chilamkurti, Ignisha Rajathi George(Authors)
  • 2022(Publication Date)
  • Chapman and Hall/CRC

    (Publisher)

  Sniderman, 2020 ).

  Ethics are the norms in any particular department according to the higher authorities that are to be followed by all people belonging to that organization. Professional ethics are principles that set the expectations for behavior for all members of an organization (Bhasin, 2020 ).

  A broad class of websites and services that allow connecting with people of similar interest through social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and many more in the acceptable use of policies, which are set by a network administrator or by school authorities for the users of such technologies for safety and security concerns to avoid any sort of bad consequences in future (Farnese, 2012 ).

  4.3 Ethical Issues in Technology

  While using online websites for different purposes such as online shopping, indulging in social media, etc., companies sell personal data of customers to make unlawful deals with the third party against the norms of their own companies. As cyber use increases, knowing if your online data is protected becomes more difficult and confusing (Watters, 2021 ).

  4.4 Why Digital Ethics Are Important

  It is mandatory as it depicts the inner persona of the person behind the screen with the intentions receiver is getting after receiving the message (Davis, 2021 ).

  The following sections outline the ethical issues of most concern for individuals.

  4.4.1 Confidentiality

  Confidentiality permits only authorized users to access sensitive and protected data in computer systems. Specific procedures protect data from malicious invaders while ensuring confidentiality (Techopedia, 2021 ). It has a particular impact on clients, encouraging them to build trust because the duty of secrecy is critical in fostering positive perception in public dealing (Widmaier, 2016

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Improving Stability in Developing Nations through Automation 2006

  • Peter Kopacek(Author)
  • 2007(Publication Date)
  • Elsevier Science

    (Publisher)

  Part 4 Privacy, Security and Ethical Issues Current Ethical Scruples Concerning Information Engineering Tibor Vámos [email protected] Computer and Automation Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-1111 Budapest, Lágymányosi u. 11., Hungary Abstract In the irresistible emergence of e-society the individual is represented by his/her electronic identity. The theoretical and practical pros and cons of electronic identity are treated, the harmonization and contradictions of privacy and security interests, and their relationship to the principles of liberty and solidarity, individual and society. The issues of democratic control and influence to further developments of democracy are discussed with a special focus on the ethical duties and possible actions of the engineering community, with some references to the dramatic events of global terrorism, extreme fundamentalism and to the local efforts of Hungarian Information technology. Keywords Social behavioural sciences social impact linguistic support 1 INTRODUCTION Through out the ages, no responsible professional activity has existed without scruples. Though, in our age unscrupulous behaviour is, in technologically advanced countries, less of a danger than it used to be earlier, even in the 20 th century. The other addendum is the requisite of the concept of professional responsibility; the quality of being scrupulous, scrupulous in his/her science, personal competence and especially in considering the consequences of his/her results. The characteristic difference in our age is the ubiquity of science and science-originated technology in every relation of human life and the special role of information, disseminated and transmitted globally, as the fundamental vehicle in human action and society organization

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Fundamentals of Educational Technology

  • Shareef M. Shareef, Vinnaras Nithyanantham(Authors)
  • 2001(Publication Date)
  • Bentham Science Publishers

    (Publisher)

  Legal And Ethical Issues In Educational Technology Shareef M. Shareef , Vinnaras Nithyanantham

  Abstract

  ICT is an effective power in driving education, social, political, and economic reforms. Some countries cannot afford to stay passive to ICT if they want to compete and struggle in the global economy, particularly the developing countries. New technology also becomes more predominant in our establishments, As updates and illegal e-hacking in modern technology are inevitable concerns associated with the ethical use of this technology rise. As its forces and a new style of workplace learning have motivated organizations to progressively integrate advanced technologies to transform the way establishments learn and the way training is delivered. This chapter explains and analyses the legal and associated ethical issues that affect educational technology. In addition, it tackles the code of ethics, and the ethical mistakes are typically oversight. To obtain the knowledge of ethics, one must follow the ingredients of ethics which are the discipline, process, and thinking and doing the right thing and living justly.

  Keywords: Accessibility, Amazon, Code of Ethics, Cyber Security, Digital Code, Education Platform, Education Policy, Educational Technology Law, Ethical Issues, Ethical Use, Facebook, Google, ICT, National networks, Network Privacy, Social Media, Special Education, STEM, TECH SMART, User-Generated.

  6.1. INTRODUCTION

  Nowadays, the knowledge of computers and computer-associated technologies has become mandatory for educators and it is the finest solution to develop student learning. However, when the teachers and students depend on educational technology, they tend to experience different kinds of complex ethical and legal issues. In this chapter, we will try to shed light on some of the issues and challenges that affect the teaching and learning process.

  6.2. LAW AND REGULATIONS

  “Educational Technology Law” is a new and emerging sub-discipline in Education. Therefore, the focus of discussions must include the classification of different kinds of stakeholders in Educational Technology and the different forms

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Information Ethics

  Privacy, Property, and Power

  • Adam Daniel Moore, Adam Daniel Moore(Authors)
  • 2012(Publication Date)
  • University of Washington Press

    (Publisher)

  Needless to say, developing answers to these questions is philosophically challenging. This anthology was put together so that a number of important articles centering on the normative issues surrounding information control—in the broadest sense—could be found in one work. As we move further into the information age, which is marked by the shift from an industrial economy to an information-based economy, clarity is needed at the philosophical level so that morally justified policies and institutions can be adopted.

  Information ethics is related to, but not the same as, computer ethics or ethics and information technology. Computer ethics includes topics such as value sensitive design and computers as social actors. The former considers the ethical dimensions of values imposed on users via the user interface while the latter examines the ways in which computers play social roles. Neither of these issues is directly related to information ethics. Moreover, there are areas of information ethics that don't properly fall into the domain of computer ethics or ethics and information technology. For example, when government agents search an apartment, computers and information technology may play no role in the search or the ethical issues surrounding the event.

  Before providing a summary of the articles included in this volume, we would like to give a brief overview of the different domains of inquiry that make up information ethics: applied ethics, intellectual property, privacy, free speech, and societal control of information. Each of these specialized areas of study has its own historical context. We will take them up in turn.

  Moral Theory and Applied Ethics

  Although the readings in Part I

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Artificial Intelligence in a Throughput Model

  Some Major Algorithms

  • Waymond Rodgers(Author)
  • 2020(Publication Date)
  • CRC Press

    (Publisher)

  5

  Ethical Issues Addressed in Artificial Intelligence

  “What does the notion of ethics mean for a machine that does not care whether it or those around it continue to exist, that cannot feel, that cannot suffer, that does not know what fundamental rights are?

  ”

  — Vijay Saraswat, Chief Scientist for IBM Compliance Solutions

  Due to the tremendous complexity of the world around us and the enormous amount of information in the environment, it is necessary sometimes to rely on some psychological shortcuts or heuristics that allow us to act expeditiously based on the circumstances. Moreover, the escalating use of algorithms in decision-making also brings to light important issues about governance, accountability and ethics.

  Why the increase in popularity of Artificial Intelligence ethics and Artificial Intelligence governance? Artificial Intelligence technology is displaying disruption in business and life in general. In other words, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are recognized as disruptive forces that will likely change the human experience, and in particular, the nature of human work.

  Since Artificial Intelligence is recognized as a colossally disruptive force, people are interested in guaranteeing that its impact on society and individuals is appropriate, respectable and beneficial. Certainly, much of the origin of “Artificial Intelligence Good” initiatives originate from a desire to do good (Rodgers, 2009).

  Nevertheless, obtaining power has impacted upon Artificial Intelligence ethics. Individuals, organizations, and nations are now realizing just how serious their disadvantage will be without Artificial Intelligence innovation. For these groups, securing one’s interests in the future suggests a corridor other than innovation, and regulation is the next best thing.

  The most essential principle of power and Artificial Intelligence is data dominance. That is, whoever controls the most valuable data within a space or sector will be able to make a superior product or solve an advance problem. Whosoever solves the problem best will be dominant in business, secure higher revenues, and whoever wins customers obtain more data.

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book
• 

  eBook - ePub

  Environmental, Ethical, and Economical Issues of Nanotechnology

  • Chaudhery Mustansar Hussain, Gustavo Marques da Costa(Authors)
  • 2022(Publication Date)
  • Jenny Stanford Publishing

    (Publisher)

  Frewer et al. 2014 ).

  6.4 Identifying Ethical Issues

  The ethical issues are the most uncertain because there is no agreement. It could be defined at first, but the most important thing is trying to define some norms to follow. The technology must have an ethical reflection for the impact on the life and environment. This impact implies in lives, animals, and vegetables, and must be well planned from research to production to market and the long-term uses that will affect the social structure and environment.

  A technology that unquestionably improves the conditions of life of individuals could, at the same time, increase inequality among the general population. Because for various reasons, the benefits are not justly distributed. For instance, a nanobiotechnology-based medical treatment could be so expensive that only the economic elite can afford it; or the beneficial use of a nanotechnology-based device may require considerable knowledge skills so that in practice only the educational elite can benefit from it (Schummer 2006 ).

  6.4.1 General Ethical Concepts

  Establishing ethical boundaries together with the ethical situations involved with nanotechnology is a task that needs to be defined on a case-by-case basis. Each new product or technology has its own ethical implications. It may not be possible to just define a list of situations that should be checked and think that they will be sufficient.

  It is possible to find a starting list, which should be verified but is not safe to rely only on this list. This task is complex and requires an investment of time at least adequate so that you can correct all possible situations and then mitigate or solve them and only then continue with the development process.

  Biological materials, like cells, have different ethical issues, and it is more critical with the stem cells and ova fertilized or not, because they are cells that can generate life. Some cultures are against this kind of research, which will be discussed later. What will happen in the human body with a modified cell must be planned, and if it is the right use of nanotechnology, it could be applied to the cell for body physiologic modifications.

  Sign up to read

  Learn more about book