1. Week 4: Technology and Ethics
http://www.dilbert.com

2. Ethics in Computing
Ethics is the study of the general nature of
morals and of the specific moral choices made by
individuals.
Because technology often moves faster than rules
can be formulated to govern it, how technology is
used is left up to the indiviual with the guidance
of their personal ethics.
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3. Challenges
Technology challenges our ethics as individuals
and as a society, especially with regards to
1. Social Justice
2. Intellectual Property (Fair Use)
3. Privacy
4. E-Commerce (Online Gambling)
5. Free Speech
6. Computer Abuse
7. The Environment
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4. 1. Social Justice
Freeman Dyson, American physicist
“Science is concentrating too much on making toys
for the rich instead of addressing the necessities of
the poor.”
He proposes three technologies that can turn poor
rural areas into sources of wealth: solar energy,
genetic engineering and Internet access.
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5. Ethical Discussion is:
Can technology be used to benefit all?
Debate Issue is:
Does technology provide economic
opportunity for all?

6. 1. Social Justice
Ethical Discussion: Can technology be used to benefit all?
Point Counterpoint
• Technology can improve • Problem of poverty is not an
the quality of life of poor issue for technologists.
if scientists and business Should be addressed by
leaders get together. religious leaders/politicians/
• Technology can be an education experts.
ethical force to humanize • Genetic engineering may
us, giving us the ability to hold the promise of benefits
impact the lives of all but should not be explored
because of risks.
More on Page 85 - 86

7. 2. Intellectual Property (IP) and Fair Use
IP such as music, writing, and art us protected
through copyright law. Four criteria:
• What is the purpose of the “fair use” of the
work (eg is it for-profit or educational use?)
• What is the nature of the work (eg will it be
published or unpublished?)
• How much material is being used?
• Would it decrease the number of copies of the
original?
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8. Ethical Discussion is:
What is fair about fair use?
Debate Issue is:
What kind of fair use standards
are beneficial?

9. 2. IP and Fair Use
Ethical Discussion: What is Fair about Fair Use?
Point Counterpoint
• Allowing an open • Existing laws have worked
interpretation of far use well for print media and do
encourages dissemination not need to be modified.
of information. • Copyright holders are winin
• Existing laws cannot cope their rights to be aggressive.
with widespread Artists or critics can use the
dissemination of material but must be able to
information possible with pay the licensing fee.
Internet
More on Page 87 - 88

10. 3. Privacy
Simply put, privacy is the right to be left alone to
do as one pleases, to not have to explain your
behaviour to others.
In the digital age, we leave a trail of electronic
breadcrumbs almost everywhere we go.

11. Ethical Discussion is:
Is personal privacy a casualty of
the modern age?
Debate Issue is:
Should personal privacy be
protected

12. 3. Privacy
Ethical Discussion: Should privacy be protected?
Point Counterpoint
• If I’m not doing • If you aren’t doing
anything wrong, you anything wrong, you have
have no reason to nothing to hide.
watch. • It’s not possible to put a
• Requiring national ID price on freedom or
is like Nazis or security therefore projects
Soviets and like surveillance and
implementation is a national ID are worth the
waste of tax money. cost of implementation.
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13. Surveillance

14. Surveillance
Factors propelling the surveillance revolution:
1. Improved technology.
2. Centralized surveillance.
3. Unexamined assumptions that cameras provide
security.
These developments are creating powerful
momentum toward pervasive surveillance of our
public spaces.

16. 4. Communication and Free Speech
Ethical Discussion is:
When does big business limit free
speech?
Debate Issue is:
Did Google make the right choice
in China by self-censoring?
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17. 4. Free Speech
Discussion: Does big business limit (Google) free speech?
Point Counterpoint
Google acted unethically Google’s actions justified
• Google sacrificed free- • Companies are free to pursue
speech for business. profits as long as they follow
• Cooperating with the country’s laws.
China violates human • Withdrawing from China
rights. would further restrict free
speech.
More on Page 94

18. 5. Computer Abuse
Using a computer or the Internet to harm another
individual. By providing anonymity the Internet
facilitates such unsavory activities.
Everyone agrees that protecting children from
harm is an important goal but the question is how
best to accomplish it?

19. Ethical Discussion is:
Does restricting online
information protect children?
Debate Issue is:
Is filtering or monitoring
software helpful?

20. 5. Computer Abuse
Ethical Discussion: Does restricting online information
protect children?
Point Counterpoint
• Filtering software is • Filtering routinely blocks
the only way to good as well as bad.
protect children • Educating children about
from violence and responsible Internet use is
porn. more effective.
• Parents need to be • Filtering widens the
assured that schools “digital divide” by
and libraries are adversely affecting the
“safe havens.” poor.
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21. 6. Environmental
Issues
Ethical Discussion: Does
excessive gadgetry lead to
excessive levels of
hazardous e-waste.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67j7JlEZzpQ&feature=related