Ethics and Computing
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1
Why is Ethics such an issue with computing
in particular?
Principles of ethics are the same - theft is
theft whether using a computer or not
But computers give rise to new questions as
to how these principles are to be applied.
There can remain gaps or “lacuna” within
which new policies have to be made.
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Issues
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Why is Ethics such an issue with computing in particular?
Health
Speed/Pervasiveness
Storage
Identity
Transnationality
Copying
Content
Power
Privacy
Technical Issues
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Health
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Health device control
Obesity
Education
Copy-cat “gaming”:
Grand Theft Auto in the dock over US road killing
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SPEED/ Pervasiveness
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“Immediate” responses are possible using
email causing problems that would never
have occurred before.
Flames
Reply All phenomena
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STORAGE
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Vast amounts of data can be stored on
individuals including transactions, locations,
goods bought etc
Privacy and Accuracy of information become
an issue
Information can be shared in multiple ways
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IDENTITY
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Forgery
Spoofing identity (impersonation)
Pervasive mistaken identity
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TRANSNATIONALITY
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It can cross borders with impunity
What is legal in one country can be viewed
by another in a country where it is illegal
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COPYING
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Information can be taken form its original
source and used elsewhere with ease.
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Copyright can easily be infringed
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Content
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Pornography
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Gambling
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Chat rooms
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POWER
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Gender - Computer Science is still a maledominated field, is this male domination an
inequity, or just an amoral accident?
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Race and Social Class is the computer such
a basic tool that all should have equal access
to it?
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PRIVACY
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Selling private data - harvesting e-mail
addresses then sell that information to mass
marketers (spam)
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Opt-in vs. opt-out for solicitation - Is it unfair
to marketers to prevent them by law from
sending e-mail only to those who have in
some way requested it?
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Technical Issues
12
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Reverse engineering other companies
software
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Professional conduct - see codes later
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