Technological Transcendence: Why It’s Okay that the Future Doesn’t Need Us

AUTHOR Thomas Blake ABSTRACT Enhancing oneself through the use of cybernetic technology is becoming a real possibility for humankind. Through advancements in cybernetics, one can potentially transform oneself into a different sort of being. But what are the ethical implications of such a transformation? If ethics is based on one’s nature, will post-human “cyborgs” operate […]

A short history of ETHICOMPs

AUTHOR Angel Luis Garcia Alvarez, Porfirio Barroso Asenjo, Rishwina Dookhony ABSTRACT ETHICOMP (Ethics and Computer) has become a reality nowadays. The registered trademark belonging to the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility (CCSR) at the Leicester University (United Kingdom) has gradually reached maturity and, after eight editions, has reached a recognised position among the most […]

Challenges to improve access to information society: from usability to e-quality

AUTHOR Teresa Torres-Coronas,  Leonor Gonzalez, Mar Souto,  Mario Arias-Oliva ABSTRACT Individuals and organizations have enhanced the use of Internet and web information services during the last decades. Web pages are increasing exponentially every day (Gullison et al, 1999). Internet is used by 70% of its user as an information source (Korman, 1998). But according to […]

Living with another gender on the Net

AUTHOR Ryoko Asai ABSTRACT Over the past few decades, a considerable number of studies have been conducted on the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) on gender or gender roles. Some of them have focused on the relation between women and development of ICT, and have revealed the existence of gender disparities or gender […]

Personal Electronic Health Cards in Portugal – an ethical review

AUTHOR Isabel Alvarez and Simon Rogerson ABSTRACT This paper reviews the Personal Electronic Health Card (PEHC) from a local Portuguese perspective. The ethical and social issues surrounding PEHCs are discussed and global implications summarised. At the same time that political and sociological conditions are causing a revolution in health care, advance technologies promise to introduce […]

Regulating CCTV

AUTHOR Andrew A. Adams ABSTRACT As is well known, the UK has more CCTV cameras per head than any other country in the world. The majority of the cameras in operation are analogue cameras attached to a nearby visual display, although a significant minority are networked to larger local monitoring centres. A small number of […]