Ethics and Tech - NYU

Finals Study Cards

Social Justice

A concept advocating for the fair distribution of resources, opportunities and privileges within a society, ensuring equity across all groups.

Reading: Interview with Donna M Riley in Public Books

Ethics

A branch of philosophy dealing with moral principles that govern an individual's or group’s behavior, guiding decisions about what is right and wrong.

Reading: Interview with Donna M Riley in Public Books

Democratized Engineering

An engineering practice that involves public participation and collaboration in decision-making processes, ensuring that broader societal needs are served.

Reading: Interview with Donna M Riley in Public Books

Activism

A policy or action to drive social, political, or environmental change through actions like advocacy, protests, or public engagement, aiming to challenge injustices and promote equity.

Reading: Interview with Donna M Riley in Public Books

Social Sciences

focus on how individuals behave within society, how society works and the relationship between them

Reading: Ethics Alone Can’t Fix Big Tech (Slate article)

Ethical Actions

an action that respects and protects the moral rights of those affected

Reading: Ethics Alone Can’t Fix Big Tech (Slate article)

Ethics Theater/ Ethics Washing

Where companies make vague checklists with claims about ethics and principles designed to feign ethical consideration, evade liability, and to improve how a person or organization is perceived.

Reading: Ethics Alone Can’t Fix Big Tech (Slate article)

AI Ethics

principles that guide how AI is developed and implemented to ensure it is beneficial to society, and that these systems reflect and respect human values, like privacy, autonomy, and fairness

Reading: Ethics Alone Can’t Fix Big Tech (Slate article)

Social Construction of Technology

The opposite of tech determinism, that is, technology is created as a by-product of societal influences, so society shapes the technology we innovate. E.g. through military, economy, cultural factors, etc

Reading: “Social Shaping of Tech” 1985, MacKenzie and Wajcmann

Tech Determinism

The idea that technology is the primary cause of social change.

Reading: “Social Shaping of Tech” 1985, MacKenzie and Wajcmann

Digital Millennium Copyright Act

The DMCA is an act passed during the turn of the 20th century due to societal pressures to ensure intellectual property rights in a digital age. Is best used as a result for arguing the social construction of tech

Reading: “Social Shaping of Tech” 1985, MacKenzie and Wajcmann

Sociology of Science

This argues that because science, a primarily empirical field, is a social construct, the truths argued by Science are merely ideas can be interpreted based on different contexts.

Reading: “Social Shaping of Tech” 1985, MacKenzie and Wajcmann

Moses’ Low Bridges

bridges built by Moses’ that were created to be low which deterred many public transportation from using it, therefore blocking many lower income individuals from traveling

Reading: Langdon Winner, “Do Artifacts Have Politics?”

McCirmick’s Molding Machines

machines built by Mccormick which made molding metal easier. This reduced the amount of skilled workers needed, who are replaced with unskilled workers, which broke an ongoing union

Reading: Langdon Winner, “Do Artifacts Have Politics?”

Technology

Entire body of methods and materials used in combining science and art to produce items and concepts to satisfy industrial commercial and social objectives 

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Science

a commitment to a systematic way of thinking, an allegiance to a way of building knowledge and  explaining the universe through testing and factual observation. The thing  is, that isn’t a normal way of thinking

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Neutrality (with respect to technology)

they are simply tools that can be used one way or another; the benefit or harm they bring depends on how men use them”

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Casual Neutrality

having no effect

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Moral Neutrality

morally innocent, the subject is neither inherently good or bad

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Value-free Neutrality

being free of intrinsic values or biases

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Technological Frame

Technology creates a “frame” through which the functioning technologist views his world” → by creating a frame it leaves out other possible considerations

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Value Laden

The influence of personal opinion (relates back to the technological frame)

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Standing Reserve

Heidegger uses a standing reserve as a metaphor to show how items (technology?) are ready to be used

Reading: Robert Whelchel, “Are Technologies Neutral?”

Solipsists

someone who is focused only on their own needs and wants not considering other people → egocentric

Reading: “Small Change,” Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker (2011)

Insubordination

Defiance of authority; refusal to obey others 

Reading: “Small Change,” Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker (2011)

Contagion

The spreading of a harmful idea or practice 

Reading: “Small Change,” Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker (2011)

The Dictator’s Dilemma / The Conservative Dilemma

When new media that increase public access to speech or assembly, a state accustomed to having a monopoly on public speech finds itself called to account for anomalies between its view of events and the public's.

Reading: The Political Power of Social Media,” Clay Shirky. Foreign Affairs. (2011)

Slacktivism

casual participants, low cost activities

Reading: The Political Power of Social Media,” Clay Shirky. Foreign Affairs. (2011)

Virtue Ethics

acts that uphold moral virtue and development of the actor

Reading: Making Choices: A Framework for Ethical Decisions

Utilitarianism

This ethical framework attempts to maximize the overall benefit for most people even if it results in the suffering of the minority.

Reading: Making Choices: A Framework for Ethical Decisions

Deontology

Ethical framework that emphasizes always doing moral actions.

Reading: Making Choices: A Framework for Ethical Decisions

Computer Ethics

the analysis of the nature and social impact of computer technology and the corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of technology.

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Intellectual property

an expression of an idea that is owned (copyright) or a process that is owned (patent)

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Logical Malleability

Computers are logically malleable in that they can be shaped and molded to do any activity that can be characterized in terms of inputs, outputs, and connecting logical operations

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Convergence

the merging of existing separate technologies into a single technology or system

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Combinatorial Innovation

the practice of using existing technologies to develop newer, improved technologies

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Invisibility Factor

Most of the time and under most conditions computer operations are invisible

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75.

Invisible Abuse

the intentional use of the invisible operations of a computer to engage in unethical conduct

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75

Invisible programming values

values embedded, intentionally or unintentionally, in a computer program

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75

Invisible complex calculation

Computers today are capable of enormous calculations beyond human comprehension. Even if a program is understood it does not follow that the calculations based on that program are understood.

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75

Stages of a (computer) revolution

Introduction - The new technology is first unveiled, typically at high cost with few users and marginal social impact.

Permeation - The new technology starts to spread. Devices utilizing the technology become standardized, the cost lowers, and the social impact becomes noticeable.

Power - The new technology becomes widespread and pervasive. The device is most useful in this phase, and the social impact becomes significant.

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75

Formal Ethics Framework

Formal models that allow us to analyze ethical decisions by separating factual from ethical disputes and providing resources for accountability over time

Reading: Moor, James. 1985. “What is Computer Ethics?” Metaphilosophy 16 (4): 266–75

Best practices

a term often used in contexts where it is very important that the thing be done well, and where there are significant costs or risks to doing it in a less than optimal way

Reading: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University, “Best Ethical Practices in Technology”

8-Fold Path

Focus on self cultivation, caring for oneself and for others

Reading: The Dalai Lama at MIT, Anne Harrington

Dogmatism

the tendency to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true, without consideration of evidence or the opinions of others

Reading: The Dalai Lama at MIT, Anne Harrington

Epistemology

the study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge

Reading: The Dalai Lama at MIT, Anne Harrington

Methodology

the system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity

Reading: The Dalai Lama at MIT, Anne Harrington

Autopoiesis

the idea that living systems are self-organizing entities

Reading: The Dalai Lama at MIT, Anne Harrington

Rational/logical knowledge

a philosophical concept that involves the use of reason to understand the world, seem as supreme in the sciences

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Standpoint epistemology

a feminist theory that examines how a person's social and political experiences shape their understanding of the world; emphasizes marginalized groups’ perspectives

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Model

abstract representation of a process

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Dynamic Model

model that integrates updates and adjustments

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Formal external model

codified model outside of one’s own head

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Proxy

stand - in data, statistically- correlated data (zip code, language patterns)

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Predictive Data

Past data used to forecast future outcomes

Reading: Cathy O'Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Chapter 1: “Bomb Parts: What is a Model?”

Inequality Problem

“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer” describes economic inequality, where wealth concentrates among the rich while systemic barriers hinder the poor, widening social and economic divides.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Social Inequality

Social inequality is the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges, influenced by systemic factors like race, gender, class, and education. It raises ethical concerns about fairness, justice, and human rights.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Politics of Reform

The politics of reform addresses systemic issues by implementing changes in technology, society, or economics. It raises ethical concerns about equity, accountability, and societal impacts, aiming to balance innovation with fairness.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Politics of Refusal

The politics of refusal involves rejecting technologies, systems, or norms seen as unjust, such as surveillance or data exploitation. It raises ethical questions about autonomy, collective action, and the societal impacts of resistance or opting out.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Digital Divide

The digital divide is the gap between those with access to digital technologies and those without. It raises ethical concerns about equity, as it can deepen social, economic, and educational disparities.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Geographic Inequality (In relation to technology)

refers to disparities in access to technology and opportunities based on location. Rural or underdeveloped areas often lack internet access and tech education, deepening economic and social divides.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Destruction/Deskilling of Jobs

The destruction or deskilling of jobs occurs when technology replaces or simplifies roles, reducing the need for specialized skills. This raises ethical concerns about unemployment, displacement, and the need for worker retraining.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Wealth Generation vs. Wealth Distribution

Wealth generation vs. wealth distribution highlights the tension between creating wealth through innovation and ensuring it is shared equitably. In technology, this raises ethical concerns about profit concentration and the need for fair redistribution to address inequality.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Information Systems

Information systems are frameworks for collecting, processing, storing, and sharing data through technology. They raise ethical concerns about privacy, security, and the societal impacts of data use in decision-making and power dynamics.

Reading: Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor. Selections, Virginia Eubanks

Contextual Integrity

privacy expectations vary depending on the purpose and public understanding of the context surrounding the collection of data

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

Information Flow

the exchange of information between people, processes, and systems

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

Privacy Policy

legal document that explains how a party gathers and handles customer, client, or employee data

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

HIPAA

American law that establishes medical privacy rights and personally identifiable information guidelines/restrictions.

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

GDPR

European Union law with the most extensive privacy policy yet developed in the world, companies are bound to protect personal data if collected, and users have the right to be informed about what data is being collected, how it is being used, and how long it will be retained for

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

Intersectionality

Sociological paradigm where multiple overlapping categorizations and experiences influence identity

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

Spheres of trust

trust serves as the basis of interaction, certain types of information flow is voluntary

Reading: Privacy in Context (Nissenbaum)

Panopticon

An idea suggested by Jeremy Betham of a circular prison with a central watchtower, creating unobstructed views of all prison cells while prisoners cannot observe the guards. Proposed to reduce # guards needed to watch over prisoners but were too inhumane due to lack of privacy and ability to have a private space. George Orwell's 1984 extension included the middle class. In his novel, he “the Panopticon became electrical [...] to discuss, among other things, both the reasons of the state for wanting ubiquitous surveillance and the impact that this has on the individual and the nature of a society under ubiquitous surveillance.”

Reading: Maconish, Kevin, “Surveillance Ethics.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. - Panopticon

Biometrics

Data that personally identifies a person via a feature found in their body, I.e DNA, Retina Scans, Fingerprints, etc

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Function Creep

Utilizing a tool or infrastructure for a different purpose than it was originally intended for. Example; Yemen data center as per World Food Programme, could be abused to track dissidents when a new government takes power, not the original purpose for ensuring equal distribution of food.

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Modes of Resistance

(specific to surveillance) Can include; hide their faces in real life and online (catfishing, a mask), deny them taking a picture at an airport, giving a fake name, class action lawsuit – remove our names, multiple email addresses, using alternative platforms, encrypted platforms, or covering a laptop camera.

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Bias

Prejudice towards certain groups in an unfair way. Example, the jim crow laws were a biased set of legislation meant to harm the african american community 

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Tech Justice

Approach to technological advancements that challenges structural inequalities.

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Transparency

In the surveillance sense is regarding how much the surveilling party confirms and clarifies their surveillance practices to the public.

Reading: Latonero, Mark. “Stop Surveillance Humanitarianism

Automation

Balancing efficiency and human oversight in law enforcement tasks

Reading: Case Study: Law Enforcement Chatbots

Research Ethics

Addressing the ethical implications of using AI systems to interact with human subjects

Reading: Case Study: Law Enforcement Chatbots

Sovereignty

Navigating conflicts between national interests and international cooperation in combating cybercrime

Reading: Case Study: Law Enforcement Chatbots

Computing

Any activity that involves requiring, benefiting from, or creating computing machinery

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Planned Obsolescence

Business strategy where the process of a product becoming obsolete is intentionally planned and built into it from the beginning by the manufacturer.

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Supply Chain

The network of all the individuals, organizations, resources, activities, and technology involved in the creation and sale of a product

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Circular Economy

A model of production and consumption that aims to reduce waste and extend the life of products and materials (reuse/repair, recycling, production, distribution, consumption)

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Barriers to Repair

Device lock-out (physical barriers like screws), Proprietary controls (control of schematics/firmware), Legal (warranty assertions, copyrighting of repair-relevant knowledge)

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Right to Repair

The legal right of product owners to repair and modify their devices and equipment without restriction.

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Bhangari

Technology recycle, repair, and sale workers in Bangladesh (experience significant health issues)

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Networked Ecosystem

natural phenomena have been replaced by digital and artificial systems as forces that drive development

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Cobalt Pipeline

Path from deadly hand-dug mines in Congo to consumers’ phones and laptops

Reading: Todd Frankel, “The Cobalt Pipeline: Tracing the Path from Deadly Hand-Dug Mines in Congo to Consumers Phones and Laptops,” Washington Post

Generative AI

A type of AI that can create new content based on the data it's trained on. Utilizes significant energy (ChatGPT uses “4-5 times that of a conventional web search”)

Reading: Kate Crawford, “Water and Generative AI” Nature

Environmental Sustainability

The practice of maintaining the balance of the natural environment while conserving resources for the benefit of current and future generations.

Reading: Kate Crawford, “Water and Generative AI” Nature

Container Principle

Shipping containers fundamentally changed the world with the amount of goods transferred and their speed. Containers find their way into not just shipping yards and airfields, but also rural areas and urban architecture.

Reading: Klose, Alexander, “Selections from The Container Principle: How a Box Changes the Way We Think“

Containerization

he principle proposing the container as the “modern answer to the ancient question of cultivation and utilization that constitutes culture… play[ing] a decisive role in the organization of people, programs, and information as they do in that of goods.”

Reading: Klose, Alexander, “Selections from The Container Principle: How a Box Changes the Way We Think“

Globalization

The increasing interaction of different world powers, cultures, economies, etc. This is caused by increasing the amount of goods and information shared between nations

Reading: Klose, Alexander, “Selections from The Container Principle: How a Box Changes the Way We Think“

Logistics

The modern modularization and optimization of the distribution of goods. Logistic systems are designed to be efficient at pushing large amounts of products across the world

Reading: Klose, Alexander, “Selections from The Container Principle: How a Box Changes the Way We Think“

Gig Work

short term, contract based work which usually takes place on platforms with independent contractors

Reading: “What’s a gig job?” David Well, Brandeis Now

Proposition 22

Allowed transport and delivery companies to classify drivers as “independent contractors” rather than employees

Reading: “What’s a gig job?” David Well, Brandeis Now

Algorithmic Mediation

algorithmic management to control workers (i.e. surge pricing for taxi drivers, which they can’t control)

Reading: “What’s a gig job?” David Well, Brandeis Now

Digital detox

distancing oneself from technology for a long period of time, typically for attention “reform”

Reading: Johann Hari, Stolen Focus