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Computer Ethics

Here are some sample questions for a quiz on the material covered: 1. Which organization provides a code of ethics for computing professionals? 2. What are the four components of an ethical computer system according to the document? 3. Name three of the "Ten Commandments" for computer ethics. 4. Briefly summarize the key issues discussed around voting machines. 5. What case study involves a university student accused of making threats on the internet? 6. Which company was at the center of a major copyright infringement case involving music file sharing? 7. What ethical dilemmas does the use of surveillance technologies raise according to the material? 8. How might a deontological perspective differ

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757 views

Computer Ethics

Here are some sample questions for a quiz on the material covered: 1. Which organization provides a code of ethics for computing professionals? 2. What are the four components of an ethical computer system according to the document? 3. Name three of the "Ten Commandments" for computer ethics. 4. Briefly summarize the key issues discussed around voting machines. 5. What case study involves a university student accused of making threats on the internet? 6. Which company was at the center of a major copyright infringement case involving music file sharing? 7. What ethical dilemmas does the use of surveillance technologies raise according to the material? 8. How might a deontological perspective differ

Uploaded by

balabsg
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Ethics

Ethics
Ethics are the standards that guide
people's behavior.
Ethics speaks to whether actions are
right or wrong.
A person's culture, upbringing, and
religion all contribute to a persons
sense of ethics.

Computer Ethics
Ethical computer systems are gaining
recognition.

Computer Ethics
The components of an ethical computer
system are responsibility, ownership, access
and personal privacy.
Responsibility concerns the accuracy and
accountability of the information.
Ownership deals with who has the right to use the
information.
Access deals with who is allowed to use, view,
store and process the information.
Personal privacy addresses the question of who
the information belongs to.

ACM Code of Ethics


http://www.acm.org/about/code-ofethics

Computer Ethics Institute


http://www.computerethicsinstitute.org/
As a leader in the field, the Computer Ethics
Institute has provided an advanced forum and
resource for identifying, assessing and
responding to ethical issues associated with
the advancement of information technologies
in society. Through advisory and consultative
activities, research and education, and public
outreach, CEI has stimulated awareness of
the issues likely to arise as technology
continues to develop.

Ten Commandments
1.Thou shalt not use a computer to
harm other people. This is the
foundation for computer ethics.

Example: Thou shalt not use a


computer to harm other
people

Laser Guided Bombs

Ten Commandments
2.Thou shalt not interfere with other
peoples computer work. Such as
sending numerous thoughtless e-mails
to larger issues like purposely sending
computer viruses.

Example: Thou shalt not


interfere with other peoples
computer work

Ten Commandments
3.Thou shalt not snoop around in other
peoples computer files. Dont go
looking through other peoples computer
files unless given permission.

Example: Snooping
WOW and Warden

Ten Commandments
4.Thou shalt not use a computer to
steal.

Example: Thou shalt not use a


computer to steal.
Fake Charities
Phishing

Ten Commandments
5.Thou shalt not use a computer to bear
false witness. Dont spread rumors or
change your email address so that the
receiver of an email believes that it
came from someone other than
yourself.

Example: Misrepresentation
Email forgery

Ten Commandments
6.Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary
software for which you have not paid.
Once you buy a software system, music
CD or DVD you should not make copies
of that information and distribute it to
your friends.

Example: Copying

Ten Commandments
7.Thou shalt not use other peoples
computer resources without
authorization or proper compensation.
This means do not surf the internet or
print off large amounts of paper for
personal use during work hours.

Example: Misusing resources


WiFi Surfing

Ten Commandments
8.Thou shalt not appropriate other
peoples intellectual output. Dont
upload information and take credit for it
such as music, images and text.

Example: Robbing intellectual


output
Putting images on a web page

Ten Commandments
9.Thou shalt think about the social
consequences of the program you are
writing or the system you are designing.

Example: Social
consequences

Ten Commandments
10.Thou shalt use a computer in ways
that ensure consideration and respect
for your fellow humans. Just because
you cant always see someone face to
face doesnt give you the right to offer
any less respect then you would offer in
a personal encounter.

Example: respect and


consideration

How do you judge?


How doe we debate the ethics of an
action?
Consequentialist Moral Theories
Deontological Moral Theories

Consequentialist Moral
Theories
Moral rightness (or wrongness) of action
is dependent upon the consequences of
that action
Ends justify the means?

What are good consequences?


Utilitarianism: best actions are those which
produce the greatest utility (happiness or
pleasure)

Deontological Moral Theories


Focus on the actions as right or wrong
with respect to some rules or duties
Looks at inputs rather than outcomes

(enough for now)

Issues: Voting Machines


Their ability to be hacked both remotely (via
direct modem connection) and locally (via
portable programmers and memory cards).
There are videos on youtube showing college
students breaking into current in use voting
machines, and showing how easy it is to use
a simple memory card, with a few lines of
code, to modify the voting results.
The ability to withstand blackouts, hardware
failure, etc
Their use by the disabled

Issues: Voting Machines


(Cont.)
Even without hanging chads, the touch
screens might misinterpret the voters'
intent if the they are misaligned
Political ties of the manufacturers.

Issues: Search Engines

Case Study: James Baker


http://www.mit.edu/activities/safe/safe/c
ases/umich-bakerstory/Baker/timeline.html
http://www.mit.edu/activities/safe/safe/c
ases/umich-baker-story/throwout.1

Issues

Privacy of victim
Threats
Therapy
Role playing in creative writing
Obseentity
Due Process
Internet
Publishing medium
Internet crossing jurisdictional boundaries
Appropriate use

Case Studies: surivilence

Case Studies: cable guy

Case study: privacy


http://research.csc.ncsu.edu/efg/ethics/
papers/ASEE05Miranda.pdf

Case study: Napster


"The MP3 files that you locate using
Napster are not stored on Napster's
servers. Napster does not, and cannot,
control what content is available to you
using the Napster browser."

More issues:
http://www.haggertyinc.com/phpBB_CS
CC35507W/viewforum.php?f=12

Perfection in CG

Dove Billboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyA
JOSW8U

Quiz
Case Studies in Information and Computer Ethics by Richard
Spinello, ISBN #: 013533845x
Introduce the case study including:
The companies and individuals involved
The computer technology and information systems involved

The ethics:
Identify the ethical questions and dilemmas
Identify what choices or actions the parties took

Comparison:
How is this case similar to cases we have already studied?
How is this case different?

Personal discussion:
How would you personally have handled the situation

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