AUTHOR
Irma van der Ploeg

ABSTRACT

Two lines of argument exist regarding the question whether biometrics are the next threat IT practices pose to the privacy of people. The first is the obvious one that sees biometrics as a new and pernicious way to identify, track, and profile people in ways that surpass the already daunting possibilities of existing systems. Involving what are presented as unique, positive identifyers, biometric data promise the unequivocal coupling of ‘the digital persona’ to one particular individual body.

The second line of argument, on the other hand, sees biometrics as a potential solution to privacy problems by its potential to provide, for example, verification of identity in transactions and delivery of services without disclosing name, address, or other personal data. It stresses that biometric data do not contain much meaningful information, and that the irreversibility of the processing of biometric data required by most systems prevents misuse.

This paper will not take sides in this dispute, but, rather, analyse the opposing views within the debate on their tacit assumptions regarding the nature of ‘privacy’ and of technological development and practice. It argues that both general assessments of biometric technology rely on a concept of what the technology in itself is and implies on the basis of assumed, feared, or hoped for configurations of which the technology will become part.

When looking into the proposed and existing regulations and legislation on biometrics, rather than being reassured by the guarantees provided therein, one senses what exactly is to be feared from biometrics and how much is needed to prevent it from being damaging to privacy and liberty and equality. Faced with these threats, however, the paper argues, the politics of theorizing technology itself becomes an important issue that needs to be addressed. A specific case is presented that shows how specific attributions of inherent qualities to technology may in some contexts, actually provide a rhetoric that helps to acquire the political leverage needed to shape future technological configurations in a more socially reponsible and ethically just way.

AUTHOR
Rosalia Peña, Juan Botía and Javier Extremera

Published in: ETHICOMP Journal Vol 1 Issue 2

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, there is an imperative need of familiarizing future computer professionals with some basic ethical principles. It stems from the fact that in today’s world, these professionals in par with others, are exposed to growing number of ethical dilemmas concerning his/her professions.

The present article discusses a way of teaching ethics in professional fields as applied to 3 year of Computer Science and Telecommunication Engineering students. Our approach consisted on include different aspects of professional ethics into the curricula of subjects directly related to the Telecommunications and Computer Science major. This discussion is accomplished by analyzing answers from two surveys as conducted at the beginning and at the end of the Professional Data Protection, a 45 hours course, offered at Alcal University.

The time allotted to study of Ethical, Legislation and Technical aspects comprised in the course were 7, 9 and 28 respectively.

The students who are about to graduate seemed to be more interested in debates on ethical and legal issues. Linking these topics with teaching technical aspects of Protection of Information helped students realize potentially beneficial or harmful effects of computer on the society. Hopefully, after this course, the students will assimilate these issues as a constituent part of their professional responsibility and try to minimize effects that are not desirable. For the most part, the students confirmed that the debates held within the framework of the course, will influence their behavior when faced in the future with professional dilemmas.

After the course was over, students valued their training in a more positive way in all the aspects: ethical, legal and technical; expressing satisfaction that it was approached as an integrated whole. Their answers confirmed usefulness of this approach in raising standards of education toward total quality, the final objective of any teaching process.

Of all the students who have signed up for our course , less than half of that total said at the beginning that they might have chosen a course specifically devoted to ethics, which implies that our integrated approach appeals to more studets than the specialized method.

The interest in attending organized debates or lectures on the subject of Privacy and Protection of Data has diminished accordingly, yet, personal involvement and interest to those matters has eventually increased.

It is encouraging that short time is sufficient to detect a meaningful change of attitude in the students. Even the conducted surveys have proven their efficiency as didactic tools capable of invoking positive change of attitude in the name of the importance that the students of Computer Science give to privacy. Post-survey analysis yielded an added value by showing them how different are our initial reactions caused by a situation which affects us directly from soul searching response.

From all the previously results, it can be concluded that integrating ethical aspects into the subject matter of our course, enhances the students interest in the same.

Facultative must closely cooperate with and learn from Ethic and Legislation experts in order to adapt methodological tools for tutoring topics so distinct from those which are customarily dealt with and advise on themes and up to dates.

References

P. Clipsham, D. Chadwick y A. Stanley; “Teaching Information Integrity an ethical approach”. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Ethical Issues of Information Technology. ETHICOMP 98. Holland (1998) pp 140-149.

R. Peña y J. Extremera. “Teaching Ethics in Computer Science. How it is approached in Spanish Universities”. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Ethical Issues of Information Technology. ETHICOMP 98. Holland (1998). pp 547-554.

Project Impacts CS Steering Committee. The Consecuences of Computing: A framework for teaching the Social and Ethical Impact of Computing. First Report. The George Washington University, January 1995.

Martin, C. Dianne; Huff, Chuck; Gotterbarn, Donald and Keith Miller. “Implementing the Tenth Strand in the CS Curriculum,” Communications of the ACM. Vol. 39, No 12, December 1996, pp. 75-84.

JD. Vance. The Tavani Bibliography of Computing, Ethics, and Social Responsibility. ISWORLD. Editor: Herman Tavani, Rivier College. http://www.siu.edu/departments/coba/mgmt/iswnet/isethics/biblio/ 25/3/98

Gotterbarn, D. and Reiser. R. “Ethics Activities in Computer Science Courses: Goals and Issues,” Computers and Society, Vol. 27, No. 1, March 1997, pp. 10-15.

T. Bynum. RE: Computer Ethics in the New York Times: Privacy is dead?. Computer ethics list: COMPUTER-ETHICS@mailbase.ac.uk. 12-03-1999

AUTHOR
Emanuela Pauselli

ABSTRACT

The first objective of this study is to provide a general overview of the utilization of information technology and telematics for the management of economic and financial flows on the part of criminal organizations, identifying those methods most commonly employed for such purposes. The professionals involved in such activities may be dealers in the various sectors of the market, and/or members inside the Mafia itself. The second objective is to categorize such people and to analyze in behavioral and ethical terms the mechanisms underlying such conduct and how such comportment could be fought.

The relationships among economics, finance and criminality, fit into the wider social and economic scenario. Therefore, this work considers the strong influence that the development of the Information Society has on money laundering techniques. The involvement of professionals in “offshore” legal activities, leads to some reflections on ethical and deontological aspects, which should regulate such behaviour.

The paper will illustrate the history of the Mafia criminal activity, the current relationship with the economic and financial sectors and the realisation of illegal income and money laundering.

Organised crime operates essentially reinvesting illegal capital with the basic intention of separating it from its illegal origins, so as to then transform it into legal operations: this is money laundering.

In the paper we shall describe the most frequently used methods to launder money, showing their technological evolution in the bank channel, in the non-banking financial services sector, and in other channels and sectors utilized for this purpose.

Developments of I.T. applications are deemed as a great opportunity to exploit, in order to carry out illegal activity or, in any case, legal only as regards appearances and form but not in substance as they originate for wholly illegal purposes. Naturally, money laundering methods have been subject to evolution which has led to the use of technological instruments (IT), information networks (CT) and professionals who are experts also in information technology so as to be able to carry out ever more complex and obscure operations.

In the paper will be explained the relation between network money and technological Mafia activities.

In fact, ‘The Network’ is the best reliable mechanism to foster new type of “on line” transactions or “real time” payments. The growing globalisation leads toward the introduction of a kind of payment system made of byte called “network money”. There are a lot of opportunities to invest directly through the Network because of the presence of ‘Brokers on-line’ at a very low cost. Unfortunately Mafia and corrupt organisations may use network money to support their crime traffics. In fact it is easy for a criminal organisation to develop a network money parallel system: it needs to create first of all an information technology operating system, then find the right software and financial know-how to build business and create or exploit a ‘connection point’ with legal networks.

The paper will analyse the professionals features and in conclusions ethics and professional behaviour.

We are used to think of Mafia and criminal organisations as formed by violent people deeply involved in murdering, stealing and drug trafficking. When we talk instead about “money laundering” we must take into account also another kind of criminal feature: “white collars”. It’s very important to outline that Mafia and criminal organisations, as real crime corporations have to count on managers and professional skills to perform their business. Criminal organisations are obliged to employ someone who has got also financial skill. Thus it is necessary to find a strong support in financial and banking system. Money laundering is made through Banks, Investment fund, multinational corporations, brokerage firms and other financial institutions with the help of insider very skilled people knowing very well where are possible choke points in the procedure, for each type of transaction.

Considering criminal organisations and professional features, we have to understand what is the reason of the collaboration and what are the ethical limits that occur into the relationship. Talking about professionals we intend workers in the field of Information technology, software analysis, financial and banking system and brokerage firms. Professionals who get in touch with Mafia have to understand how to behave themselves in front of certain kind of offers and as far as they can push themselves without incurring in penal responsibility. What could be the right answer to these situation? First of all is the conscience, second the knowledge of the situation (know your customer) and third ethics.

AUTHOR
Hendrik Opdebeeck

ABSTRACT

Information technology can be defined as a medium, as a means to produce or to transfer something. The computer and television are promptly dealt with as ‘media of information’, whereas the concept of ‘mass medium’ is referred to as a ‘community means reaching the general public’. Thus the concept of information technology is very close to the concept of power, which is usually conceived as the capacity to overcome any resistance in order to reach a specific goal. The power of the television e.g. refers to the capability to break people’s resistance to buying a certain product, by advertising.

When the power of the information technologies lies in their capacity to overcome resistance in order to reach a specific goal, today it is highly important to check which goal is concerned, which targets are being set and which resistance is being overcome. Could the power of the information technologies increasingly lie in the capacity to ignore democratic values in order to reach economic purposes of the market place? According to some authors however, power is not mere possession, but a very strategy pursued within an intricate net of ever-changing relations. This approach impels us not to interpret power as something pejorative in itself. The power of the information technologies need not be a negative (ethically condemnable) phenomenon. Crucial is from which ethical motives power is framed and exercised. Utilitarianism is increasingly becoming the exclusive ethical standard of the concept of power. Utilitarianism is so dominant that consequently human activity risks to come loose off the major democratic criterion of justice. From an ethical point of view it is a task to find out, on the one hand, to what extent the power of the information technologies may contribute to bringing about more justice into our democracy and, on the other hand, to what extent justice is being used as a moral standard in these technologies, while exercising power.

It becomes obvious that, in a world in which information technologies and economic power are so prevalent, guaranteeing democratic justice has become an extremely and utmost delicate matter. The main barrier in going for a more just and equitable information society, in which the communication technologies do not threaten to undermine democracy, is apparently the tension between merits, needs and progress. Taking as a principle of distributive justice, ‘everyone his or hers in accordance to his or her needs’, into information society, one reaches more equality, though, but the homo-economicus would be stimulated too little to keep performing in an efficient and productive way. The other well-known principle of justice, ‘everyone his or hers in accordance to his or her merits’, which meets the want of a working stimulus, however implies, that the economic progress is granted ‘carte blanche’. The awareness of the bounds of progress, which has become widely accepted in recent years and which, in the transition to the 21st century, will all the more remain of topical interests on moral level, apparently puts question marks to the exclusive principle of merits in the information society. Even the most optimal forms of mixed market economy in a democratic political system, cannot apparently cope with the negative moral effects of communication technologies on work, leisure, education and regulation. All this has to do with erroneously considering justice a secluded sphere in itself: “Ethics is one thing, information technologies are another”, so it goes. The times in which we live, invite us and compel us to search for an ethical and democratic extension of the information society, beyond this dillemmic view. To the utilitarian ‘ever more’ one opts for a shared democratic responsibility.

Hendrik OPDEBEECK(1955) took his doctoral degree of Economics at the State University of Ghent in Belgium and his Bachelor’s Degree of Thomistic Philosophy at the Catholic University of Louvain. Since his arrival at the Antwerp University in 1980 he has lectured the courses ‘Philosophy of Technology’, ‘Economics and Ethics’, ‘Macro-Economics’ and ‘HRM and Ethics’. He is a staff member of the Centre for Ethics (UFSIA). He published “Schumacher is beautiful” (1986, Kok Agora) and ” Paul Ricoeur’s ethical theory”(1999, Peeters Pharos). At Ethicomp 1998 in the Erasmus University Rotterdam his lecture was on “Technnology, blessing or curse for employment and labour”.

AUTHOR
Sam Nitzberg

ABSTRACT

The quality of systems created for either civilian or military purposes has systemic, infrastructure-wide consequences. A number of the concomitant ethical considerations present in developing military and civilian software are similar, and are examined.

AUTHOR
Miranda Mowbray

ABSTRACT

The demographics of Internet access have recently been undergoing dramatic changes. Although the ideal of equal access is far from being realised, demographic trends are away from the traditional Internet user, (a US male between the ages of 18 and 40, with Internet access from University or computer-related employment) and towards use of the Internet by a much broader cross-section of society. The non-traditional users now accessing the Internet include more women, more users connecting from home, more non-US users, more over-50s, and users with more varied educational and cultural backgrounds.

However the ability to access the Internet does not imply an ability to make use of it on an equal footing with traditional Internet users. Internet products and services are largely designed and built by traditional Internet users. The content and structure of Internet services as a whole are biased (often unconsciously) towards a narrow demographic section of those with Internet access. This is clear in the case, for example, of the dominance of the English language on the Internet, but there are other more subtle biases, some instances of which are identified in this paper. The paper concentrates on two (overlapping) non-traditional user groups, female users, and European users who connect to the Internet from home.

Market forces may work to reduce some of the biases against non-traditional user groups. But market forces cannot be relied upon to reduce bias against groups without large purchasing power, or to reduce bias in non-commercial Internet applications.

There is moreover a danger of self-perpetuating biases, in which the “Internet Market” is identified largely with traditional users, so that the Internet continues to be designed mainly for the use of traditional users, alienating non-traditional users. An alienation of a non-traditional user group from recreational or commercial Internet use may lead to wider disadvantages for that group. As an analogy, there is some evidence that a self-perpetuating sex bias in the computer games market has contributed to the sex bias in employment in the UK and US computing industry.

Given the growing trend for the use of virtual communities on Internet as a means of delivering public services targeted at non-traditional as well as traditional users, it is crucial for the future of the Information Society that there should be an attempt to minimize biases against non-traditional user groups in such virtual communities.

To do this, it is necessary to identify in what ways the needs and preferences of these user groups differ from those of traditional users. This paper reports a case study of the behaviour of the users of the largest italian-language virtual community, Little Italy MOO, over the period of a month.

There were statistically significant differences in the use of the virtual community between male and female users. Some aspects of the virtual community, such as object creation, were used creatively and frequently by female users, and were used significantly less by male users; and other aspects, such as a game in which players use a “blaster” to silence an annoying robot, were significantly more attractive to male than to female users.

There were also differences between the use by work/university users and home users. Once again the traditional user groups (in this case, work/university users) did not use object creation significantly more than the non-traditional user group did, and did use the blaster game significantly more. There were other similarities in the preferences of the non-traditional user groups in comparison to those of the traditional users.

In addition, the non-traditional users were on average present in the virtual community for a significantly shorter amount of time per week than traditional users, which suggests that this community itself has a “geek bias” that deters non-traditional users from making full use of the virtual community once they have accessed it.

As a result of the findings from this case study and from other data reported in the literature, this paper makes a number of suggestions for possible ways to reduce the geek bias in virtual communities.