PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
CD5590
Ethics, Privacy and Civil Liberties
Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic
Department of Computer Science and
Engineering
Mälardalen University
2006
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Ethics of Computing Ethics of Computing
Ethics, Values and Practices – Why is it “Descriptive metaphysics is content to describe the actual
structure of our thought about the world; revisionary
Important? metaphysics is concerned to produce better structure.”
Strawson (1959)
Agency implies making choices, which is
related to preferences. Based on Strawson’s distinction, Debrock (2003) extends the
terms “descriptive” and “revisionary“ to philosophy in
Questions of identity in a digital universe. general, arguing that the distinctions regarding what there
is (ontology) are to be extended to the question of how do
we know that (epistemology), and also how should we act
(ethics).
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Privacy Privacy protection vs. Surveillance
The four basic features of computing technology
that makes it unprecedented tools for
monitoring and surveillance:
Privacy is a fundamental human right
recognized in all major international Searching,
agreements regarding human Sorting,
rights such as Article 12 of the Storage
Universal Declaration of Human Simulation
Rights (United Nations, 1948).
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Privacy protection vs. Surveillance Legislation
Disappearance of boundaries between private and
public/professional life: Privacy and Human Rights Report
- ubiquitous computing Personal Information must be:
– obtained fairly and lawfully
- ambiental intelligence
– used only for the original specified purpose
– adequate, relevant and not excessive to purpose
– accurate and up to date, and
– destroyed after its purpose is completed
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Legislation Why Value Privacy?
Privacy and Democracy
The Council of Europe's 1981 Convention for the Protection of
In intruding on privacy, which is closely related to
Individuals with regard to the Automatic Processing of Personal freedom and autonomy, surveillance can be
Data considered to have, ultimately, a negative
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's
effect on democracy.
Guidelines Governing the Protection of Privacy and Transborder
Data Flows of Personal Data
A Privacy Culture
Whether or not privacy is protected by law or
contract, fostering a culture where privacy is
valued and respected contributes to healthy
human relations.
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Legitimacy by Design and Legitimacy by Design and
Trustworthy Computing Trustworthy Computing
The first phase of the intentional design for democracy is the
explication of the embedded moral significance of ICT
while the next is the development of the corresponding – Trust must be established in the use of ICT, where
technology (Yu and Cysneiros, 2002). both users and the technology will be trustworthy.
– This in the first place presupposes the informed
consent of all the parties involved.
– This trust must be established globally because the
data contained in networked computers virtually knows
no boundaries.
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Some common uses of data about Some common uses of data about
people people
Public Information Business Transactions which can lead to..
Multiple Mailing Lists
Birth Certificates Mail Orders
Driver Licenses Telephone Orders Subscriptions
Car Registrations Subscriptions Entertainment Specials
Property Records Donations Donations
Marriage License Credit Cards Memberships
Census Records Warranty Cards Catalogues
Telephone Directories Tattslotto, ... Social Clubs
Consumer Surveys Accounts Payments Professional Development
Passports
Visas
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Ethics, Privacy and Security
Ethics, Privacy and Security
Some common uses of data about people
Multiple Mailing Lists
Public Information Business Transactions
Birth Certificates Mail Orders Subscriptions
Driver Licenses Telephone Orders Entertainment Specials
Car Registrations Subscriptions Donations
Property Records Donations Memberships
Marriage License Credit Cards Catalogues
Census Records Warranty Cards
Telephone Directories Tattslotto, ...
Social Clubs
Consumer Surveys Accounts Payments Professional Development
Passports
Visas
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Ethics, Privacy and Security Ethics, Privacy and Security
Privacy: The right of people not to reveal Invasion of Privacy. Would you agree to:
information about themselves, the right to Your shopping habits, your income, to be
keep personal information from being available to any number of businesses ?
misused Your medical records being used by your
employer as one of the means of making
Electronic invasion of personal data has decision regarding promotions, hiring,
become a serious ethical issue redundancy ?
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Ethics, Privacy and Security Ethics, Privacy and Security
US US
The rapid expansion of use of the Internet
and E-Commerce has raised many Privacy Officers :
problems with privacy aspects.
- train employees about privacy
- examine a company’s policies for
In America there exists the ‘Association of potential risks
Corporate Privacy Officers’ which would
- manage customer-privacy disputes
indicate that there is much interest and
concern regarding privacy of data. - inform senior executives on how the
company deals with privacy issues
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Security Security
AIM PREVENTS
Database Security: is the protection of a database from - Confidentiality - Unauthorised disclosure
– unauthorised access - Integrity - Unauthorised Amendment
– unauthorised modification - Availability - Unauthorised Withholding
– destruction
Security Systems:
1. Computer Security
PRIVACY is the right of individuals to have some control over 2. Communications Security
information about themselves - transmission
- encryption
INTEGRITY refers to the correctness, completeness and 3. Procedural security
consistency of data 4. Physical security
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/courseware/cse1720/Week12.ppt
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What are civil rights and
what are civil liberties?
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Civil Rights = The right of every person to
equal protection under the law and
equal access to society’s opportunities
and public facilities.
Civil Liberties = Individual rights that are
protected from infringement by
government.
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CIVIL LIBERTIES CIVIL LIBERTIES
1. The Bill of Rights
Civil liberties are the personal rights
2. First Amendment: Freedom of and freedoms that the federal
Religion government cannot abridge, either by
3. First Amendment: Freedom of law, constitution, or judicial
interpretation.
Speech and Press
These are limitations on the power of
4. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms government to restrain or dictate how
5. The Rights of Criminal Defendants individuals act.
6. The Right to Privacy
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The Right to Privacy
Civil Liberties after Sept 11
Privacy is not specifically mentioned in the
Constitution, nevertheless some areas are to be
off-limits to government interference.
Examples:
– The right to Abortion
– The right to Homosexuality
– The Right to Die
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Privacy before Sept. 11th Privacy Before Sept 11th, cont.
Tradeoff between security and privacy 54% were “very concerned”
has always been a major issue for most Only a minor portion of America (13%)
Americans supported FBI internet surveillance to
Most sided with privacy at the expense catch criminals
of security 62% of Americans thought that new
84% of Americans were concerned laws should be created to guarantee
about the government, businesses, or that privacy would be protected from
individuals collecting information on government agencies
them
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9.11.2001 Shift in Public Opinion
NYTimes Poll NYTimes Poll
4/23/97 9/27/01
29% wanted stronger 55% want stronger
laws at cost of civil laws at cost of civil
liberties liberties
62% did not want new 35% do not want new
On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked laws laws
the World Trade Center in New York City and Majority wanted 72% think
the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C. protection from antiencryption laws
government would prevent another
attack
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Government Reaction
The government is reacting to public opinion Internet wiretapping scheme
polls and are passing new controversial laws
Installed at ISPs (Internet Service
that expand government power
Providers)
Have already passed many ‘anti-terrorism’
bills that cover matters such as wiretaps, Maintained and operated by FBI
electronic surveillance, regulation of airports, Monitors all email, both incoming and
etc. outgoing
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Cryptography Cryptography
Evidence produced from the Libyan
bombings that Osama bin Laden, the The US government has charged that such
suspected mastermind behind the 9/11 cryptography aids terrorism more than it
attacks, used phones scrambled by strong protects privacy and therefore should be
cryptography to hide the planning of the banned
Libyan bombings
Evidence produced by the US government
suggests that similar methods were used by
the terrorist network for 9/11 attacks as well
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Conclusions
Public opinion will most likely remain
concerned with security for years to come
Government expanding law enforcement
powers
Privacy strongly related to public safety
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~cs7/papers/zachary-pr.ppt
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