Transcript Information Ethics

Information Ethics
Adam D. Moore
http://www.aclu.org/pizza/
Can you think of
any ethical
problems or
issues related to
this picture?
 …or more
recently the
Craig's list
experiment?
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Information Ethics
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Ethical Theory
Intellectual Property
Privacy
Free Speech
Government control of information
Policy, Law
Ethical IT design
Etc.
Ethical Theory
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A Theory of Moral Value: What is moral
value? What is good or bad? What has
value in the realm of human experience?
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A Theory of Moral Obligation: What makes
an action right or wrong? Where do rights
come from?
Traditional Theories of Moral Value
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Hedonism – pleasure good, pain bad
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Eudaimonism – human flourishing good, human
non-flourishing bad
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Desire Satisfaction – good occurs when human
desires are satisfied, disvalue occurs when
human desires are frustrated.
Traditional Theories of Moral Obligation
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Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) – good and
bad consequences are what make an action or
policy right or wrong.
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Deontology – there is more to rightness or
wrongness than good or bad consequences.
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Virtue Ethics – what virtues (dispositions) do we
want our fellow citizens to have?
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Case: Trapped in an Underwater SeaCave
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Case: The Case of Reluctant Donation
Intellectual Property
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What is IP?
 Copyright,
patent, trademark, trade secret
 TRIPS agreement
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The Justification of IP rights?
 Incentives-based
social progress argument
 Deontological arguments
 Personality-based arguments
Case: Making an Extra Back-up Copy
With two youngsters running about the house it is difficult
for you to keep track of all legitimately purchased CD’s
and DVD’s in your possession. In fact, before you can
make a legally sanctioned back-up copy of your CD’s
and DVD’s your kids have scratched them beyond
repair. In an effort to obtain undamaged copies you go
online and download replacements via your favorite file
sharing program. Shortly thereafter, new trouble comes
your way – the RIAA is suing you for copyright
infringement. Have you done anything illegal or
immoral?
Privacy
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Defining privacy
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Justifying privacy rights
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Privacy protections in the
law. 4th Amend, torts
Tensions with Speech and IP
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Privacy v. Free Speech
 If
individuals have
informational privacy rights
then these rights may restrict
freedom of speech and
freedom of the press.
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Privacy v. Intellectual
Property
 If
individuals have
informational privacy rights
then these rights may limit
intellectual property rights.
Discussion Case: Intellectual property
v. Privacy v. Free Speech
Cape Publications, Inc. v. Bridges, Florida 1982:
A women is kidnapped, taken to an apartment,
stripped, and terrorized. The police — and the
media — surround the apartment. The police
eventually overcome the kidnapper and rush the
woman, who clutches a dish towel in a futile
attempt to conceal her nudity, to safety. A
photograph of her escape is published in the
next day's newspaper. She sued for invasion of
privacy and eventually lost the case.
Free Speech
Accuracy – “I just said ‘thanks but no
thanks to that bridge to no-where”
 Spin – bias
 Checking function of the media
 Yale cultural cognition project
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(more info does not help…an
individual’s world/cultural views largely determines what she believes….individualist, hierarchist,
solidarist/communitarian, egalitarian)
Government and Corporate control
of information
Controlling data…
• Choice Point, Axicom
• Event Data Recorders (EDRs)
• GPS, employee tracking
• Google Search
• Facial recognition technology
• bio-implants, RIFDs
• store loyalty cards
• video surveillance
Radio-frequency identification
Ethical Dimension: Imposed or
Chosen?
http://www.aclu.org/pizza/
Government Surveillance:
The USA Patriot Act
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Emergency Powers
FISA Courts
Administrative subpoenas
TIA – Total Info Awareness
TIPS --Terrorism Information
and Prevention System
Secret wire-taps
Bush says he signed NSA wiretap order… Adds he OK'd program more
than 30 times, will continue to do so. In acknowledging the message was
true, President Bush took aim at the messenger Saturday, saying that a
newspaper jeopardized national security by revealing that he authorized
wiretaps on U.S. citizens after September 11
Saturday, December 17, 2005; Posted: 8:07 p.m. EST. CNN.com
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Case: Wearing an Anti-Disclosure Suit
Suppose that Fred creates and wears an anti-disclosure
suit that shields him in public spaces entirely. All that his
fellows know is that someone is present—they do not
know if Fred is old or young, male or female, tall or short,
etc. In simply wearing his anti-disclosure suit Fred does
nothing wrong. Does this necessarily worsen anyone? In
this example to discover much about Fred would require
violating his property rights or liberty rights. Alas, the suit
and what it shields is his to control. Should wearing an
anti-disclosure suits be prohibited? How about masks or
disguises?
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Strong Encryption?