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introduction to sociotechnical computer ethics
Burak Galip ASLAN, PhD
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ethics: morality
computer: information and communication technology
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“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
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the traditionalist account
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Does IT create new ethical issues that never existed before or is it just new
versions of old ethical issues?
1. technology -> complex ethical issues [nuclear weapons, genetically modified organisms (GMO), cloning, genetic diseases research, mind-altering technology – still – the science of subjective experience, etc.] … this will lead to standard account
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Does IT create new ethical issues that never existed before or is it just new
versions of old ethical issues?
1. technology -> complex ethical issues (nuclear weapons, genetically modified organisms - GMO, cloning, genetic diseases research, mind-altering pharmacology – the science of subjective experience)
2. specifically IT -> more than automobiles, electricity and bridges, more to discuss at the end of course, now a preliminary start … this will lead to socio-technical systems approach
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
computers create new possibilities and opportunities (community groups, global companies, closing geographical gaps) (no possibility before – data mining, proprietary software, child abuse on the web) (even more – Second Life, robot caring for the elderly esp. in Japan, artificial robo-medics, intelligent warfare)
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
computers create new possibilities and opportunities (community groups, global companies, closing geographical gaps) (no possibility before – data mining, proprietary software, child abuse on the web) (even more – Second Life, robot caring for the elderly esp. in Japan, artificial robo-medics, intelligent warfare)
good & bad come together…
virtual reality –> modeling, simulation, training + escaping real world
robo-caring elderly –> better care + less human contact)
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
computers create new possibilities and opportunities (community groups, global companies, closing geographical gaps) (no possibility before – data mining, proprietary software, child abuse on the web) (even more – Second Life, robot caring for the elderly esp. in Japan, artificial robo-medics, intelligent warfare)
good & bad come together (virtual reality – modeling, simulation, training – escaping real world; robo-caring elderly – better care – less human contact)
economic view, politic view, etc. –> important (descriptive approach – how do people behave)
ethical perspective –> very important – normative approach (how should people behave)
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
new possibility – vacuum of policies
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
new possibility – vacuum of policies
computer ethics – filling policy vacuums (files -> no privacy concern -> remote access -> a policy vacuum)
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the standard account
James Moor, 1985, “What is Computer Ethics?”
new possibility – vacuum of policies
filling policy vacuums -> sorting out conceptual muddles (copyrights and patent laws, concept: computer program)
computer ethics – filling policy vacuums (files -> no privacy concern -> remote access -> a policy vacuum)
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an update to the standard account
change in IT -> science and technological studies (transplantation -> donation vs. selling?, urine tests at work-> offense on home privacy, sexual preference, race or religion?, genetically modified food?)
policy vacuum – conceptual muddle -> new technology ethics
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an update to the standard account
1- new first: filled or not filled, if filled; bad-policies or good-policies -> never forget that: IT shaping moral practices as well
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an update to the standard account
1- new first: filled, not filled, if filled; bad-policies, good-policies -> IT shaping moral practices
2- it isn’t just “new” anymore, e-ntegration (my call)
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an update to the standard account
1- new first: filled, not filled, if filled; bad-policies, good-policies -> IT shaping moral practices
2- it isn’t just “new” anymore
3- newness as an impact at introduction -> missing that there is social context in it, technology <-> human (Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Apple, HP, California, garage, electricity, electronic engineer, mouse, on-screen icones, hobby store)
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an update to the standard account
1- new first: filled, not filled, if filled; bad-policies, good-policies -> IT shaping moral practices
2- it isn’t just “new” anymore
3- newness as an impact at introduction, there is social context in it, technology <-> human (Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Apple, HP, California, garage, electricity, electronic engineer, mouse, on-screen icones, hobby store)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design) do NOT get blinded please!
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an update to the standard account
The standard account is not especially for “computer” or “IT”, it is rather on “new technology” in general.
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
Science and Technology Studies (STS)
SocioTechnical Systems (STS) perspective
“Avoid 3 mistakes while thinking about technology!”
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
1- reject technological determinism -> think coshaping
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
1- reject technological determinism -> think coshaping
tenets of technological determinism
a- technological development is independent from society X (decisions of government agencies, social incidents, war/terrorist attacks – security, National Science Foundation – NSF investment on nanotechnology)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
1- reject technological determinism -> think coshaping
tenets of technological determinism
a- technological development is independent from society X (decisions of government agencies, social incidents, war/terrorist attacks – security, National Science Foundation – NSF investment on nanotechnology)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
both (a) and (b) can be referred to 3rd required update to the standard account (my call)
b- technology determines the character of society X (automobile safety and fuel efficiency -> automobile design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
1- reject technological determinism -> think coshaping
tenets of technological determinism
a- technological development is independent from society X (decisions of government agencies, social incidents, war/terrorist attacks – security, National Science Foundation – NSF investment on nanotechnology)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
both (a) and (b) can be referred to 3rd required update to the standard account (my call)
b- technology determines the character of society X (automobile safety and fuel efficiency -> automobile design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
1- reject technological determinism -> think coshaping
tenets of technological determinism
a- technological development is independent from society X (decisions of government agencies, social incidents, war/terrorist attacks – security, National Science Foundation – NSF investment on nanotechnology)
“Nature cannot be made to do just anything humans want it to do. Nevertheless, nature does not entirely determine the technologies we get.”
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
b- technology determines the character of society X (automobile safety and fuel efficiency -> automobile design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
2- reject technology as material objects -> think sociotechnical systems
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
2- reject technology as material objects -> think sociotechnical systems
artifacts <- intentional human activity
technology -> “social product”
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
2- reject technology as material objects -> think sociotechnical systems
artifacts <- intentional human activity
technology -> “social product”
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
artifact is only a part of a social system and it doesn’t do anything itself (employee monitoring system)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
2- reject technology as material objects -> think sociotechnical systems
artifacts <- intentional human activity
technology -> “social product”
sociotechnical systems (Hughes, 1994) – not only social, not only technical, (different from traditional ethics)
cannot understand a technology just by focusing on the artifact (monitoring tool, data-mining tool, word processor) (updates to 3rd and 4th of std.acc.)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
artifact is only a part of a social system and it doesn’t do anything itself (employee monitoring system)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
3- reject technology as neutral -> think technology infused with values
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
3- reject technology as neutral -> think technology infused with values
“value neutral”
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
3- reject technology as neutral -> think technology infused with values
“value neutral”
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
Langden Winner, 1986, “Do artifacts have politics?”
Particular technologies cannot exist or function without particular kinds of social arrangements.
adoption of technology -> adoption of social order (nuclear power v.s. windmills, trains v.s. bicycles) (social v.s. individual)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
enforcing social biases (Bridges of Long Island, 1930s, New York, Robert Moses)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
a race-biased arrangement?
enforcing social biases (Bridges of Long Island, 1930s, New York, Robert Moses)
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the sociotechnical systems perspective
a race-biased arrangement?
enforcing social biases (Bridges of Long Island, 1930s, New York, Robert Moses)
could be technical determinism as well?
• height of bridges
• size of buses
• previous social arrangements
• ideas about race and social hierarchy
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sociotechnical computer ethics
just for example, a STS here:
Facebook (1-Mark Zuckerberg, Harvard, didn’t come out of nowhere, 2-social networking site, users contribution, users enforcement, 3-not neutral, user values v.s. facebook values – profit organization)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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micro and macro level analysis
micro level -> individual (RFID tag, RFID tag implanted on elderly?)
macro level -> groups, organizations, countries (hospital policies, should software be proprietary?, should employers monitor employee emails?)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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micro and macro level analysis
micro level -> individual (RFID tag, RFID tag implanted on elderly?)
macro level -> groups, organizations, countries (hospital policies, should software be proprietary?, should employers monitor employee emails?)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
both levels affect each other
hacking -> individual action (micro level), how to deal with it? (macro level – laws)
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micro and macro level analysis
micro level -> individual (RFID tag, RFID tag implanted on elderly?)
macro level -> groups, organizations, countries (hospital policies, should software be proprietary?, should employers monitor employee emails?)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
both levels affect each other
hacking -> individual action (micro level), how to deal with it? (macro level – laws)
interaction of micro and macro levels:
“The hacker was wrong to gain unauthorized access because it is illegal.”
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return to “why computer ethics?” question
1- Why a book on technology and ethics?
(technology is a part of human activity, it shapes and it is shaped by morality – decisions and choices)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
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return to “why computer ethics?” question
1- Why a book on technology and ethics?
(technology is a part of human activity, it shapes and it is shaped by morality – decisions and choices)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
2- Why a book on specifically “computers” or “IT” and ethics?
Different technologies have different effects.
Not just “ethics” instead of “IT ethics”, because STS perspective notes that all social activities are, in a part at least, shaped by technology.
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return to “why computer ethics?” question
1- Why a book on technology and ethics?
(technology is a part of human activity, it shapes and it is shaped by morality – decisions and choices)
4- newness – only possible? best possible? (Helen Nissenbaum – TrackMeNot, value sensitive design)
2- Why a book on specifically “computers” or “IT” and ethics?
Different technologies have different effects.
Not just “ethics” instead of “IT ethics”, because STS perspective notes that all social activities are, in a part at least, shaped by technology.
ethics
IT ethics
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references