A-Level Presentation - 44 Moral and ethical issues.pptx

teachcomputerscience.com
Moral and ethical
issues
Teach Computer Science
A-Level

Lesson Objectives
Students will learn about:
▪ Ethical, cultural, privacy, and environmental issues with the use
of computers
▪ Artificial intelligence
▪ Effect of computers on the workforce
2

Content
1.

Ethical and cultural issues
4
The British Computer Society has laid down some ethical standards that
computer professionals must follow. For example:
▪ Not doing any activity that could dishonour his/her profession
▪ Not taking up work that is beyond his/her capabilities
▪ Not taking bribes and avoid injuring others

Ethical and cultural issues:
Privacy
5
▪ The use of social networking sites makes it impossible to keep one’s
details private.
▪ Social networking users must be careful with their personal details. It is
not safe to publish personal data that can be accessed by everyone.
▪ Journalists have used such personal details to expose criminals. This is
done for the benefit of the public.
▪ Privacy is still a matter of debate, and people may not agree on what is
right or wrong.

Censorship
6
▪ Censoring data is also a topic of debate.
▪ Some feel that the right to freedom of speech and access to
information gets infringed.
▪ The majority of them favour censorship.

Work culture
7
▪ Computers in society have changed the way everyone works.
▪ The skill set required for each job is now different.
▪ People with computer and IT skills are preferred over others.
▪ For example, a shop now requires comparatively fewer shop assistants
as many customers order online, and computers keep track of stock and
sales.
▪ Banks now enable users to access their accounts through online service
24 hours a day. As a result, the number of bank employees required has
comparatively reduced.

Automation
8
▪ Computers are now used in the fields of electrical power distribution,
stock market trading, driverless cars, plant automation, etc. due to their
automatic decision-making capabilities.
▪ It is important for these systems to be efficient to avoid disasters.
▪ These systems take decisions in a fraction of a second based on available
inputs.

Privacy issues
9
▪ Nowadays, computers are used for monitoring people in public places
to avoid crimes and identify criminals.
▪ CCTV cameras around the town are used to monitor any suspicious
activity.
▪ Black boxes in cars monitor how people drive and safe driving results
in the reduction of insurance premiums.
▪ Mobile phone signals are tracked so that they can be used as
evidence that can be produced in courts.

Privacy issues
10
▪ Monitoring the behaviour of employees during office hours such as
the websites they visit, the number of keyboard presses and mouse
clicks to find out the amount of time they are actively involved.
▪ Wearable technology is also an example of tracking, where the pulse
rate, sleep duration, number of steps taken, and the amount of time
spent in any other physical activity is saved. This data is finally used to
calculate the number of calories burnt.

Privacy issues
11
▪ Trolling, racist and sexist comments are unethical, and these comments can be
tracked by an organisation to find from which private computer were these
comments posted.
▪ Personal data is analysed by social networking websites and is sometimes
shared with its partner organisations.
▪ For example, the location, date and time we checked out social networking
website.
▪ A picture taken on a phone stores information of the location, date and time.
▪ We may think that it is just date, time and location. But, patterns of these data
are used to analyse market trends that create opportunities.

Algorithms
12
▪ Social networking websites use ranking algorithms to filter results to the
‘News Feed’.
▪ Based on the interests of a user, posts, advertisements and stories are
displayed on their ‘News Feed’.
▪ Even though this makes their interaction with the website interesting, use
of social media has a negative impact on a user’s social behaviour.
▪ Users are affected by the response of friends, and this influences their
behaviour and mood.

Algorithms
13
▪ Google and Amazon also use algorithms to learn the interests of a user and
display results accordingly.
▪ Banks use algorithms to determine whether someone can avail a loan or
not.
▪ Job search websites also use algorithms and sometimes filter applicants to
the employer.
▪ Based on these circumstances, the programmer has a huge social
responsibility.

Artificial intelligence
14
▪ Artificial intelligence enables computers to perform activities at a human
expert level using complex algorithms.
▪ For example, the speech recognition system identifies words and
understands them.
▪ Artificial intelligence works by creating a knowledge base using conditional
statements.
▪ An inference engine searches the knowledge base to obtain results.
▪ An interface interacts with the user or system connected.

Creates a knowledge
base using conditional
statements.
An inference
engine searches
the knowledge
base to obtain
results.
An interface
interacts with
the user or
system
connected.
15
Artificial intelligence: Working

Artificial intelligence: Example
16
▪ A chatbot is an application of
artificial intelligence that
makes the user think that they
are interacting with a human
being.
▪ Some chatbots may fool users
to share personal information
or lead to a malicious website.
Chat with us
Peter: Hi! Welcome to flightbooking.com.
How can I help? Type a question or choose
an option to start: Booking, Cancellation,
Refund or Feedback
User: Cancellation
Peter: Please enter your ticket number

17
▪ Self-driving cars are also an example of artificial intelligence and automatic
decision making.
▪ It is important to think about the algorithms that are used to know
whether it is safe to use these cars.
▪ In the case of an adverse situation, the algorithm should be able to make
careful decisions.
▪ For example, whether cars with children are to be given higher safety when
compared to other vehicles or how pedestrians are handled.

Machine learning
18
▪ Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that enables
computers to solve tasks that are infeasible or too cumbersome with
traditional programming languages.
▪ A dataset is a collection of data values in a tabular format.
▪ The columns are referred to as a feature and rows are referred to as a
datapoint.
▪ A datapoint contains specific values for each feature. This is similar to
tables in databases.

Supervised learning
• In supervised learning, a data point in a dataset has a
label to identify its contents.
• Based on the labels, the datasets are classified.
• To complete the classification task, a model is trained
using a training data and then, the model is used to
predict the class of each row in a test dataset.
• Regression is a technique used for supervised
learning. In regression, the model is used to predict
numerical quantities. For example, predicting
temperature, stock market values, price of a product
and sales trend.
Unsupervised learning
• In unsupervised learning,
the data points are not
labelled.
• A technique called
clustering is used, in which
similar data are grouped
together.
19
Types of machine learning

Artificial Neural Network (ANN)
20
▪ An artificial neural network is a machine learning technique that simulates
the mechanism of learning in biological organisms.
▪ The cells that perform the basic functions in the human nervous system
are called neurons. Neurons are connected to each other by synapses. The
strength of these synaptic connections varies with respect to external
stimuli. This is how the learning process takes place in biological
organisms.
▪ In an artificial neural network, the computational units are called neurons.
▪ Similar to the connection in biological organisms, the computational units
are also connected to one other using weights.

21
▪ The inputs to a neuron are scaled based on
weight.
▪ This affects the function computed in a unit.
▪ In artificial neural networks, learning occurs by
changing the weights.
▪ These networks are trained by providing it with
input-output data pairs of the function that this
network is supposed to learn.
▪ Based on the training data and its feedback, the
weights shall be adjusted to predict the output
more accurately.
Computational
unit in ANN
Neuron
W2
W1
Wn

22
▪ A technique called the back propagation of errors is implemented in which
the difference between the actual output value and the desired output
value is reduced by adjusting the weights of the connections in a network
repeatedly.
▪ Deep learning is a category of machine learning which uses artificial neural
networks.
▪ Reinforcement learning is a category of deep learning in which an agent
learns to perform a task by a trial and error method without any guidance
from a human operator.

“Using brain simulations, hope to:
• make learning algorithms much better
and easy to use
• make revolutionary changes in
machine learning and AI
• I believe this is our best shot at
progress toward real AI”
– Andrew Ng, Chief Scientist at Baidu research & founder of
Google Brain
23

Environmental issues
24
▪ The disposal of old computers releases harmful chemicals such as
airborne dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, chromium,
radioactive isotopes and mercury.
▪ These materials are hazardous and have undesirable health impacts.
▪ This waste is sent to countries with low environmental standards for
disposal.
▪ Also, people living in these countries try to extract metals from this waste
and sell them, exposing them to harmful chemicals.

25
▪ Even though modern computers consume significantly less power, some
organisations keep the systems on throughout.
▪ This consumes around 2% of the energy used on the planet.
▪ Huge data centres and servers produce heat. In order to avoid
overheating, energy is required to keep the processors cool.
▪ Large amounts of energy could be saved if the data centres are
established in cooler climates.

26
▪ Even though the production of computers and their disposal creates a
carbon footprint, it is important to consider the positive effects of a
computer in the environment.
▪ Some processes, if done without a computer, may lead to more pollution.
▪ For example, with the use of computers, employees may work from home
and reduce vehicle pollution.
▪ Also, with the use of computers, there is always less paper consumption.

Cultural issue: Web design
27
▪ Websites are internationally viewed, and hence, it is important to design
websites in such a way that it is pleasing to all.
▪ Important aspects concerning web design for global viewership are:
• the layout of web page
• colour used
• character sets

Web design: Layout
28
▪ Western readers usually skim through the web pages.
▪ Hence, websites in the US are usually designed with a linear structure and
multiple blocks of information.
▪ Japanese readers prefer less content on a page so that it is easy for them
to understand.
▪ The menus in western websites are usually placed on the left because
western readers read from left to right.
▪ Whereas, Arabic readers, read from right to left, and it is easier for them if
the menus are placed on the right.

Web design: Colour
29
▪ The colour of the website also plays an important role.
▪ The colour blue represents trust, security, authority and peace in North
America and Europe.
▪ The colour green represents freshness, nature, luck and wealth in western
countries.
▪ In eastern countries, green represents youth and a new life. Green also
represents the national colour in Mexico.
▪ However, in Indonesia, the usage of this colour is banned. In China, the
colour green represents infidelity.
▪ Hence, based on the usage of websites, the theme colour of the website
must be chosen carefully.

Web design: Character set
30
▪ Based on the language used, the character set used may also vary.
▪ To use scientific, mathematical and musical symbols, Unicode characters
must be used.
▪ If the website is based on numbers and English alphabets, ASCII coding is
sufficient.

Code of Ethics for engineers
31
The code of ethics for software engineers is laid out by organisations such as
IEEE and ACM. A set of 8 principles has been created. It is the responsibility of
an engineer to follow these principles and act ethically when designing a
software application or a component for computers. The set of 8 principles are
given:
▪ Public: Software engineers shall consistently support the public good and
act towards public interest.
▪ Client: Software engineers shall consistently act in a manner that is in best
interest of client and employer without harming the public good. For
example, professionals shall maintain confidentiality when they are
entrusted with confidential information.

32
▪ Product: Software engineers shall maintain high standards of quality in
their work and insist the same from colleagues. The product and
modifications shall meet highest standards of quality possible.
▪ Judgement: Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence
in their professional judgement. For example, it is the responsibility of the
computing professional to evaluate a work assignment and make a
judgement whether the work is within the professional’s area of
competence.

33
▪ Management: Managers and leaders in this field shall support an ethical
approach to the management of software development and maintenance.
For example, leaders shall make sure that the quality of work-life is not
degraded.
▪ Profession: Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation
of the profession consistent with public interest. For example, public good
will be of the utmost importance in any point of software development
such as research, analysis, documentation, testing and maintenance.

34
▪ Colleagues: Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive to their
colleagues. For example, the dignity of colleagues working in a project
shall be respected throughout the process.
▪ Self: Software engineers shall participate in a lifelong learning process
regarding their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the
practice of their profession.

Free software
Free software allows the user
to study and make changes
to the software as per their
requirements.
A user can use this type of
software for any legal
purpose, analysing and
modifying the source code,
and sharing both the original
and modified software
among family and friends.
Freeware
Freeware is a type of
software that can be
downloaded and used
free of cost.
Users are not allowed to
study and make changes
to the source code.
35
Free software, freeware and
shareware
Shareware
Users can download this
type of software free of
cost for a trial period.
After the trial period,
users pay a fee for further
usage. The source code is
not shared with the user.
Users require permission
to share the software
among family and friends.

Let’s review some concepts
Ethical and cultural issues
▪ Censorship
▪ Computers in the workforce
Privacy issues
▪ Monitoring behaviour in offices
and public places
▪ Wearable technology
▪ Tracking social networking
activities
▪ Personal data
Algorithms
Programmers of social
networking websites, banks and
job search websites have a huge
responsibility. Algorithms in
these websites affect the
behaviour of users.
Artificial intelligence enables
computers to perform activities
at a human expert level using
complex algorithms.
36
Web design
Important aspects concerning
web design for global viewership
are the layout of a web page, the
colour used and the character
sets.
Environment issues
Materials used in computers are
hazardous. Proper disposal is
required. Energy consumption.
Positive effects of the computer
on the environment: lower
vehicular pollution.
Machine learning
Machine learning is a subset of
artificial intelligence that
enables computers to solve
tasks that are infeasible or too
cumbersome with traditional
programming languages.

Activity
2.

Activity-1
Duration: 15 minutes
1. The use of computers has a great impact on the workforce. Several
jobs have disappeared in the past decades as computers replace
workers or employees. Find out what jobs will be lost in future due
to the increase in the use of computers. How will this affect social
life?
38

Activity-2 (Internet Research)
Duration: 15 minutes
1. Research the various machine learning techniques. Explain in
detail a regression algorithm and a clustering algorithm.
39

End of topic questions
3.

End of topic questions
1. What steps do social networking websites take in order to filter
abusive, violent and misleading content?
2. What is your opinion about monitoring posts on social
networking sites that are posted from private computers?
3. You are designing a social networking website. What moral and
ethical issues will you take into consideration while designing this
website? Explain briefly.
4. Discuss some of the environmental effects of computers.
41

5. Discuss the use of self-driving cars. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of using self-driving cars?
6. You are designing an eCommerce website. List important aspects
that you will take into consideration while designing the website.
7. What is the difference between free software, freeware and
shareware?
42

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