Class Lab2: how is cyberethics different from “ordinary†ethics?
In this interactive activity, we explore the origin and definition of the term cyberethics. Our main goal today is to answer the question: How is cyberethics different from “ordinary†ethics?
To answer this question, we first examine definitions for cybertechnology and ethics.Here are the questions we will tackle for this activity:
- How is cybertechnology different from the technologies that preceded it?
- What is unique about cybertechnology?
- What are cyberethics issues?
- Are cyberethics issues brand new and unique, or are they new versions of longstanding ethics issues?
Let’s begin!Form groups of three people, and give each person a role to play within your group (or your instructor will assign groups & roles):
- A facilitator, who asks the first question, and keeps the group moving forward with the discussion
- A “quality controllerâ€, who interjects questions throughout the discussion and makes it a priority to make sure that everybody’s input has been received and that discussions & differences are handled in a principled way
- A recorder/reporter, who records group responses and responds to questions from outside your group
how is cybertechnology different from previous technologies?
Ideas about technology and technological advances predate our current understanding of what technology is.Today, when we think “technologyâ€, we typically mean digital or cyber technology. But here are some ideas and definitions of technology that do not explicitly mention computers:
- Technology is the process by which humans modify nature to meet their needs and wants.
- Technology is a body of knowledge that is devoted to creating tools and processes.
- Technology changes the way we communicate, the way we learn, the way we relax, the way we stay healthy, the way we purchase products; it changes the way we live.
- Individual response:Based on these ideas, which of the following statements ring true to you?
- Group response:Discuss your responses to the three T/F questions above.Write one sentence about technology that captures your group’s opinions.
- Individual response:List 3 examples of pre-digital technology that are (or were) not digital.E.g., pre-1960s automobiles, refrigeration, assembly lines
- Group response:What do your entries in #3 have in common?
- Technology equates with progress.T/F
- Technology is always good.T/F
- Technology changes society.T/F
a)
b)
c)
Now, let’s talk about technology the way we typically do today.We often use the adjectives “digitalâ€, “cyber†or “computer†interchangeably to identify the central role of the electronics involved. Our current day technology is routinely used to enhance pre-digital technological products and processes, but it has also given rise to brand new products and processes.
- Group response:List three pre-digital products or processes (choose from your previous entries in #3 or list some new ideas), and indicate how the introduction of digital technology into that product or process has increased or enhanced its capabilities.
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Product/Process |
Enhanced capabilities (progress) |
We also have some brand new products and processes that we had never seen before, e.g., computers, software, Internet and World Wide Web. In these cases, we have nothing to compare them to, but we distinguish them by evaluating the products, processes and activities that they enable.And, we have some products and processes that have been so dramatically transformed form their pre-digital forms, that we tend to consider them to be brand new, such as cell phones, drones, and databases.
So, for a quick recap, the technologies we have today:
- Pre-digital technologies that have been enhanced by cybertechnology
- Brand new cybertechnology products and processes
- Pre-digital technologies that have been radically transformed by cybertechnology
- Comment on the speed with which all these technologies perform their functions.(Compare this speed to what humans are capable of)
- Comment on the scope of all of these technologies that support communication.How far can they reach?
- Comment on the impact of these technologies malfunctioning.Provide an example.
- Comment on the ease of access to information that is provided by many of these technologies.How does it differ from earlier technologies?
6.Group response: “What is unique about these technologies’ capabilities?â€
what is cyberethics?
Ethics is defined as the study of morality.Morality is the set of rules, or social norms, that a society has for describing acceptable behavior.The relationship between ethics, public policy and laws is complex and interesting.
We define cyberethics as the ethical issues that arise in the development, deployment and implementation phases of cybertechnology.
A question of interest is whether cyberethics issues are unique, given that the capabilities of cybertechnology are generally considered to be unique, or at least, special. As we just saw, the speed, global reach, impact, and overall power of its routine uses, misuses and abuses often take us into uncharted territory.
- Group response:For each of the ethical concerns below (see example), have your group come to consensus in identifying what it means, and what is different or special about it when cybertechnology is involved.
- Group response:Finally, can you think of a cyberethics issue that never existed before the age of cybertechnology?If you can think of one, explain it.If not, explain why!
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Ethical Concern |
What It Means |
Special Cyberethics Concerns |
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Privacy |
Keeping personal, sensitive data away from unintended recipients. |
Databases are vulnerable to hacking; since access to the Internet is so easy, once data is stolen, it can travel at lightning speed, causing security nightmares that can be financial, embarrassing or life-threatening |
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Security |
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Intellectual property |
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Censorship |
Jermaine Byrant
Nicole Johnson
OVER
RATING
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