Introduction to Cyberethics

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Introduction to Cyberethics
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Cyberethics and cybertechnology

• What is cybertechnology?
• Why cyberethics?

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Table 1-1 Summary of Four Phases of Cyberethics
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Are cyberethics issues unique?

• Some say using a computer doesnt matter
• Others say the special abilities of cybertech
  give rise to special problems
• Anonymity and pseudonymity
• Scope and scale
• Walter Maner says computing has created a new
  class of issues. Is he right?
• Scenario I Controversial computer system
• Scenario II Software piracy

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Unique tech features vs. unique ethical issues

• Perhaps nothing new as moral issues
• Maner uniquely fast, uniquely complex,
  uniquely coded
• James Moor cybertech is logically malleable
• Policy vacuums and conceptual muddles
• Example copying software

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Cyberethics as applied ethics

• Applied ethics examines practical issues
• Applies ethical theories
• Different theories sometimes yield different
  answers
• Three perspectives professional, philosophical,
  descriptive

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Cyberethics as professional ethics

• Concerned with responsibilities of computer
  professionals
• Is such a focus too narrow?
• Everyone uses computers, not just computer
  professionals
• How responsible are ISPs for what their
  subscribers do?

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Cyberethics as philosophical ethics

• Broader scope
• Social policies as well as individual behavior
• Breys standard methodology
• Identify problem
• Describe and analyze problem
• Apply moral theories

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Cyberethics as descriptive ethics

• Previous 2 perspectives are normative, concerned
  with what should be
• Descriptive inquiries focus on what is
• Digital divide do certain groups have greater
  access to cybertech? (descriptive) should that
  be the case? (normative).

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Descriptive vs. normative claims

• Bill Gates served as CEO of MS
• Bill Gates should expand MS offerings
• Bill Gates should compete fairly
• First descriptive
• Second normative but not a moral assertion
• Third normative and a moral assertion

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Figure 1-1 Descriptive vs. Normative Claims
Descriptive
Normative (Report or describe what is
the case) (Prescribe what ought to be the
case)


Non-moral
Moral
Prescribe or evaluate in matters having to do
with fairness and Obligation (e.g., criteria for
just and unjust actions and policies).
Prescribe or evaluate in matters
involving standards such as art and sports
  (e.g., criteria for a good painting or an
outstanding athlete).
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Table 1-2 Summary of Cyberethics Perspectives
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A comprehensive cyberethics methodology

• A single comprehensive method to analyze
  cyberethics issues
• Is the standard model with Moors additional
  steps complete?
• Brey says no, cybertech has embedded features
  that may have moral implications
• Gender bias in auto design, bias against
  left-handers
• Is technology neutral?
• Firearms valenced toward violence?

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A disclosive method

• Morally transparent and morally opaque
  features
• Morally transparent easily recognized as morally
  problematic. Example surveillance cameras.
• Morally opaque less easily recognized. Examples
  data mining, search engines.
• Features must be identified or disclosed before
  proper analysis can be done

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Figure 1-2Embedded Technological Features Having
Moral Implications
Transparent Features Morally Opaque Features


Known Features
Unknown Features

Users are aware of these features but do not
realize they have moral implications. Examples
can includeWeb Forms and search- engine
tools.
Users are not even aware of the technological
features that have moral implications   Examples
can includeData mining and Internet cookies.
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Table 1-3 Three Levels in Breys Disclosive
Model
Level Disciplines
Involved Task/Function
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Three-step Strategy for Approaching Cyberethics
Issues
Step 1. Identify a practice involving
cyber-technology, or a feature in that
technology, that is controversial from a moral
perspective.
1a. Disclose any hidden (or opaque) features or
issues that have moral implications
1b. If the issue is descriptive, assess the
sociological implications for relevant social
institutions and socio-demographic and
populations.
1c. If there are no ethical/normative issues,
then stop.
1d. If the ethical issue is professional in
nature, assess it in terms of existing codes of
conduct/ethics for relevant professional
associations (see Chapter 4).
1e. If one or more ethical issues remain, then
go to Step 2.
Step 2. Analyze the ethical issue by clarifying
concepts and situating it in a context.
2a. If a policy vacuums exists, go to Step 2b
otherwise go to Step 3.
2b. Clear up any conceptual muddles involving
the policy vacuum and go to Step 3.
Step 3. Deliberate on the ethical issue. The
deliberation process requires two stages
3a. Apply one or more ethical theories (see
Chapter 2) to the analysis of the moral issue,
and then go to step 3b.
3b. Justify the position you reached by
evaluating it against the rules for
logic/critical thinking (see Chapter 3).