Name:______
Assignment #7
Due November 10, 2008 @ 11:05AM
ELC 200 Fall 2008
Grey Matters in Computer Ethics
The following are scenarios represent typical ethical issues that arise when we use computers. Read the scenario. Then study the proposed courses of action that follow the scenario. Circle the letter of the course of action that you think is best. If you do not like any of the proposed courses of action, design your own under the “your solution” alternative.
Additionally, for each of the scenarios, provide a one paragraph discussion with the following information.
1)What are the important issues in this scenario
2)Is this scenario an issue of legality, morality or ethics ( a combination) ? Why?
3)How does the solution that you chose address the issues raised by the scenerio?
(Scenarios taken from Johnson, Computer Ethics, DOLCE project funded by NSF, and the UPRM NSF ethics initiative.)
1)Melvin has advocated and started the use of data mining at a major credit card firm where he works. Melvin soon discovers a correlation between customer loan defaults and 25 zip codes. What should he do with this information? (Jose Cruz, NSF integration exercise)
a)Melvin should check to see if he can find a correlation between other zip codes and customers who faithfully pay off their loans.
b)Melvin should go no further. In fact, he has already gone too far since, through this data mining, he has violated the right to privacy of these individuals.
c)Melvin should test these correlations further. Then, if they seem to hold, he should go to his supervisor and recommend not giving loans to people in these zip codes
d)Your solution…
2)You are a computer programmer working for X, a small company that is currently reengineering the inventory system of a local hardware store, ABC. (ABC would like to use a “just in time” strategy to reduce their inventory and storage costs.) You know of a software program developed by another company which X has a license to use. This license does not allow you to duplicate the program, but your supervisor orders you to install it on ABC’s computer. After all, he says, “Who’s going to know; we want to keep a valued customer.” What should you do? (UPRM NSF ethics initiative)
a)Install the program on ABC’s computers. After all, your supervisor is right. Nobody will know. Furthermore, you have only been working for X for six months, and you don’t want to be branded a “trouble-maker.”
b)Refuse to do it. Make it clear to your supervisor that he is putting you in a very difficult position, and you are not happy about it.
c)Go ahead and install the software on ABC’s computers. But be sure to cover yourself by writing a memo that clearly states the illegality of this act. State also that you are doing this only because you have been ordered to do it. Then make sure to give copies to several people.
d)Discuss your problem with another colleague, preferably another supervisor at a higher level than your boss. If this person sympathizes with your situation, then ask him or her to go with you, meet with your boss, and try to talk him out of this course of action.
e)Your solution.
3)Joe is working his way through college. He receives an offer from some friends to work in a start-up company that will organize and host raves. Because Joe has some experience with programming on the Web, they ask him to set up the Web site to advertise the raves. Joe accepts, and soon the company has more business than it can handle. However, the community’s reaction to these raves is negative; “ravers” often use Ecstasy and other recreational drugs. What should Joe do? (DOLCE summer 2000 workshop)
a)Joe should continue doing what he is doing since the company is obviously successful. He cannot be held responsible for what people do at these raves. All he is doing is putting his technical expertise to a profitable use.
b)Joe should continue to advertise raves but make it clear to clients that he will not work for raves where drugs are used.
c)Joe should continue advertising for raves but look for another job.
d)Joe should try to open a dialogue to those opposing raves, find out their concern, and see if he can do anything constructive to respond to their worries.
e)Your solution.
4)In the early 1980’s, Jim was working for a large bank in charge of promoting credit cards for college students. His task was to develop the software system to support mass mailings of credit card applications to the students and then process them. Jim is aware that his system will result in many college using these cards irresponsibly and that their parents will be held responsible for their debts. What should he do? (DOLCE summer 2000 workshop)
a)He should ask to be reassigned to another project; this project is completely immoral.
b)He should continue doing what he has been doing. His job is to find ways of making money for his employer by designing software systems to their specifications. If either his employers or the customers choose to abuse this service, that is their problem, not his.
c)He could suggest to the bank that they constitute a “focus group” of parents and college students, in other words, potential users and ask them what they think about the moral implications of this student-oriented credit card.
d)He should continue working on the project but quit if he notices that it is producing any harm.
e)Your solution…
5)Jerry is working for a defense contractor on the new ballistic missile defense system. He personally believes that any defense system can be defeated easily with decoy warheads and that this system will destabilize current arms control agreements and possibly leads to a new arms race. What should he do?
a)Nothing. He is being well paid to use his expertise in this area. What is done with the results after he has finished is neither his concern nor his responsibility. (DOLCE summer 2000 workshop)
b)He should let his supervisors know of his concerns. If they do not respond, then he should put the concerns in writing and send them to the Department of Defense of the United States Federal Government.
c)He should continue working on this defense system but join a pacifist group during off work hours.
d)He should continue working for the defense contractor but ask to be assigned to another project. In stating his reasons, it is probably better if he leave out his concerns about the missile defense system because this might ruin his standing with his employers.
e)Your solution…
6)You are the supervisor of a medium size business. You suspect that the employees under your management are goofing off, but you have no proof. Software exists that can monitor employees and measure their productivity. What should you do? (Jose Cruz, ethics integration project)
a)Purchase the software and comprehensively monitor every action of your employees.
b)Send a memo to your employees threatening to monitor their activities if they don’t get more productive.
c)Purchase the software but only monitor employees whom you suspect goofing off.
d)Implement other measures, short of computer monitoring, to measure the productivity of your employees.
e)Your solution…