Ethical Issues in Computer Science

(slides modified by Erin Chambers)

Ethical Issues

Many ethical complications arise in the context of computer science

RIAA versus Napster

Is it ok to steal a CD?

Is it ok to download that same music without paying?

Ethical Issues

Software Piracy and Copyrighting

Have you every "borrowed" software

from a friend?

Have you ever "lent" software to a

friend?

Did you know that 107,000 jobs were

lost in the US one year due to such

"borrowing" and "lending?"

Ethical Issues

Digital Rights Management is software used to “control access to to data and hardware”.

Sony used XCP, but flaws in the code allowed hackers to break into computers with XCP installed.

Should companies be allowed to protect their copyrighted data? Does it matter if it is digital or physical?

What does Napster or iTunes do to protect data?

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Ethical Issues

Open-Source Software Development

What is open-source software?

What is proprietary software?

What are the arguments against

open-source software?

What are the arguments for open-

source software?

Privacy and the government

The Bill of Rights protects people against 'unreasonable search and seizure'.

No branch of the government may detain or search a citizen's property without a warrant issued by a judge

Do you feel safe under this system?

How did things change after September 11, 2001?

Privacy and the government

What is the Patriot Act?

What did it change?

Anyone ever heard of Carnivore, or know their rights for digital monitoring?

Digital privacy

If you send a letter, is it secure?

What about an email?

How do the two things differ?

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Ethical Issues

Email Privacy

Who can read your email?

Who should read your email?

Do you send personal email from	work?

Is it worse to read email than to read a	diary?

What about spam?

How much of email is spam?

Does spam get the same free speech rights as anything else? Is it different from junk mail?

Spam costs companies more than $22 billion a year. Why?

CAN-SPAM Act

In 2004, Congress took action.

All email must have:

Accurate routing information

Subject line that reflects content of message

Opt-out option

Include postal address and advertisement info

Why could this be a free speech problem?

Bioinformatics

What is the human genome project?

Are health care records private?

From individuals?

From companies?

From governments?

What about if the information is 'sanitized'?

Ethical Issues

HIPPA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

What was the goal of this act?

Have you ever had to sign one of HIPPA	forms at the doctor's office?

What are the benefits of this law?

What are the problems with this law?

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Ethical Issues

Biometrics Research and the Case of

deCode Genetics, Inc

Describe the antagonists in this case

Why is the case controversial?

Would you have participated originally?

Would you participate now?

Encryption

Who here has ever depending on encryption?

Who did it protect you from?

Who should be able to decrypt your message?

What about government oversight, or company oversight?

Should a protester have the same rights? A criminal? A terrorist?

Ethical Issues

Breaking into a University’s Computer System to Inquire About One’s Admission Status into a Graduate Program

Is breaking into a computer system ever	justified?

Is breaking into a house to view something	different from breaking in to steal	something?

Would you have viewed your own admissions	data if given the chance?

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Ethical Issues

Ubiquitous Computing

What does "ubiquitous computing"	mean?

Name three ways that an employer can	monitor an employees computer	interaction

Should an employee have any right to	privacy in the workplace?

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Ethical Issues

Blogging

What is the blogosphere?

Give several examples of how blogs	have made national headlines

Should bloggers have the same	protections as regular journalists?

PowerPoint Presentation

Jones & Bartlett Publishers

2002-06-09T14:56:08