ETHICAL ISSUES IN INFORMATICS

ETHICAL ISSUES IN INFORMATICS (for lecture Thursday, November 21)

As promising as it appears, and as pervasive as it will probably become, virtual reality, augmented reality, ubiquitous computing, and embedded information systems can fall prey to a common problem.  The problem is that information technologies are often developed and deployed, and only later is it realized that they raise ethical concerns or poorly support human values.  The following three readings (Brey; Nissenbaum; Gotlieb) raise some of these issues.  Please read all three articles carefully.

WRITE one question (that draws on at least one of the articles) that you would like to discuss and your initial thoughts about this question (1-2 paragraphs).  You may also wish to draw on some of the earlier articles on virtual reality, augmented reality, and ubiquitous computing for examples to illustrate your points.  Please email your question and discussion to me in the body of an email message (batya@u.washington.edu) no later than 5 PM on Wednesday, November 20.  We’ll use your questions to structure class discussion.

Brey, P.  (1999).  Ethics of representation and action in virtual reality.  Ethics and Information Technology, 1, 1 5-14.

Nissenbaum, H.  (1998).  Protecting privacy in an information age: The problem with privacy in public.  Law and Philosophy, 17, 559-596.

Gotlieb, C. C.  (1996).  Privacy: A Concept Whose Time Has Come and Gone.  In D. Lyon and E.  Zureik (Eds.), Computers, Surveillance, and Privacy (pp. 156-171).  Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

Note: The following background readings are also in the course reader:

Warren, S. D., & Brandeis, L. D.  (1985).  The right to privacy.  In D. G. Johnson and J. W. Snapper, (Eds.), Ethical Issues in the Use of Computers (pp. 172-183).  Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.  (Originally published in Harvard Educational Review, 4, 5 [December 5, 1890], pp. 193-220.)

Sheehan, K. B.  (2002).  Toward a typology of Internet users and online privacy concerns.  The Information Society, 18, 21 – 32.

What Will Be, Chapter 4: Computer security schemes (pp. 98-107).

Becker, L. C.  (1977).  Property Rights: Philosophic Foundations.  London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.  (pp. 18-23)

Litman, J.  (1999).  Electronic commerce and free speech.  Ethics and Information Technology, 1, 3, 213-225.

Friedman, B., Kahn, P. H., Jr., and Borning, A.  (2002).  Value sensitive design: Theory and methods.  Unpublished manuscript.  Seattle, WA: University of Washington.

INFORMED CONSENT ONLINE (for lab Friday, November 22)

During lab you’ll examine some particular online interactions from the perspective of informed consent.  To prepare for lab, please read and take notes on the following article:

Friedman, B., Felten, E., & Millett, L. I.  (2000).  Informed consent online: A conceptual model and design principles.  CSE Technical Report 2000-12-2, University of Washington.