Transcript Session 23

Ethics of Computing
MONT 113G, Spring 2012
Session 23
Ethics in IT Societies II
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Technology as "instrumentation
of human action"
• Many ethical theories concerned with action or its
consequences.
•Technology changes what people are able to do, and what
they actually do.
Examples:
•Sending "spam"
•Searching the web
•Blogging
•By viewing technology as the instrument, humans are still
accountable for the action.
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AI, Robots, Etc.
•
Autonomous entities may not be directly controlled by
humans.
•
Should they be granted moral status?
Should humans be responsible for actions of autonomous
agents?
•
Humans are still accountable because they develop the
technology.
•
Humans choose the design. This may involve ethical
decisions.
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Example: "I, Robot"
Example: Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot" stories.
The three laws of robotics:
1)A robot will not harm a human, or through
inaction allow a human to come to harm.
2)A robot will obey a human unless doing so
violates the first law.
3)A robot must protect its own existence
unless doing so violates the first or second
laws.
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Features of IT Societies:
Global, many-to-many scope
•The reach of communication is greatly expanded through the
internet.
•Other technology also expands communication: mail,
telephone, radio, television.
•Internet may be unique in terms of ease, immediacy and low
cost of communication.
•Internet allows many-to-many communication.
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Features of IT Societies:
Distinctive Identity Conditions
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Anonymity is Complex
•People may see you, but not know your name or anything
about you. (This is an example of anonymity).
•You may not be using your real name (e.g. on the
internet), but can be tracked by your internet service
provider for law enforcement. (Situation appears
anonymous, but isn't).
•When you vote, you identify yourself, but your name
cannot be linked with how you vote. (Anonymous with
respect to your vote).
•Anonymity depends on the ways and extent to which
information can be linked with other information about a
person.
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Distinctive Identity conditions
Internet communication is mediated.
•Communication over the internet is transmitted through a
machine.
•People cannot see each other directly. The text and/or
images can be manipulated.
•The possibility for distortions always exists.
A range of identity conditions is available.
•Can communicate through avatars.
•Can communicate using pseudonyms.
•Can provide accurate information about ourselves.
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Reproducibility
Digital information can be easily copied with no loss of quality.
This has implications for property rights and crime.
Words endure--Deleting words may be difficult.
Ease of copying makes it easy to use someone else's words as
one's own (plagiarism).
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Virtual Reality and
Role Playing Games
•In VR and RPG's, people interact using avatars.
•Avatars are software generated images of characters in the
games.
•Avatars are controlled by people using keyboard input.
•Avatars interact with other people's avatars. They may establish
a relationship over time.
Ethical issues?
How should we relate avatar behavior to human behavior?
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Friendship and Social
Networking
•Modern friendship is a socio-technical system.
•Friendship is mediated by: Facebook, email, chat rooms, IM, etc.
•Can true friendship be formed online?
•The limitations of online friendship may prevent true friendship.
•The internet environment distorts what people reveal about their
character (Cocking and Matthews).
•IT structures our online identity. Example: Facebook
•Most commonly friendships are maintained both online and offline.
•The internet allows connections to be maintained more easily over
long distances.
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Plagiarism
• Plagiarism is the use of another's words or ideas and
presenting them as one's own.
•The internet makes plagiarism easier. How?
•Does technology make a moral difference?
•Plagiarism existed long before the internet.
Tom Lehrer--Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky
•Are the differences introduced by technology morally
important?
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Is Plagiarism Unethical?
•
Utilitarian Arguments:
Who are the stake-holders?
Who benefits (short term/long term)?
Who is hurt?
•
Deontological Arguments:
Is the act of plagiarism ethical?
How are other humans treated?
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Turnitin.com
Turnitin.com and similar sites allow teachers to check for possible
plagiarism in papers turned in by their students.
Should teachers use Turnitin.com?
Arguments for (discussion):
Arguments against (discussion):
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Plagiarism Detection
On balance, is the use of plagiarism detectors ethical?
Utilitarian argument: (Are the overall consequences better
than not using it)?
Deontological argument: (Are people treated as ends in
themselves)?
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