CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
Historical Overview of Computer
Ethics
The Pace of Change
1940s: First computer was built.
1956: First hard-drive disk weighed a ton and stored five
megabytes.
1991: Space shuttle had a one-megahertz computer. Ten
years later, some automobiles had 100-megahertz
computers. Speeds of several gigahertz are now common.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Cell Phones
Relatively few in 1990s. Approximately five billion
worldwide in 2011.
Used for conversations and messaging, but also for:
taking and sharing pictures
watching videos
checking email and playing games
finding maps, etc
What smartphone apps do we have for:
Muslims?
Students?
Change and Unexpected Developments
Issues with cell phones:
PRIVACY: location tracking, camera
Cell phones can interfere with solitude, quiet and
concentration.
Talking on cell phones while driving is dangerous.
Other unanticipated negative applications: terrorists
detonating bombs, rioters organizing looting parties.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Kill switches
Allow a remote entity to disable applications and delete
files.
Are in operating systems for smartphones, tablets and
some computers.
Used mainly for security, but raise concerns about user
autonomy.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Social Media or Social Networking:
First online social networking site was classmates.com in
1995.
Founded in 2003, Myspace had roughly 100 million
member profiles by 2006.
Facebook was started at Harvard as an online version of
student directories
Twitter was founded in 2006
microblogging and social networking service
Instagram was launched in October 2010
photo and video-sharing owned by Facebook, Inc.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Social Media or Social Networking (cont.):
Businesses connect with customers.
Organizations seek donations.
Groups organize volunteers.
Protesters organize demonstrations and revolutions.
Individuals pool resources through “crowd funding”.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Social Media issues:
Stalkers
Cyber-bully
Jurors tweet about court cases during trials.
Socialbots simulate humans.
Fake info / fake news
Fake accounts
Many more….
Change and Unexpected Developments
Communication and the Web
In the 1980s, email messages were short and contained
only text.
People worldwide still use email, but texting, tweeting ,
and other social media are now preferred.
Blogs (“Web log”) began as outlets for amateurs wanting
to express ideas, but they have become significant source
of news and entertainment.
Inexpensive video cameras and video-manipulation tools
have resulted in a burst of amateur videos.
Many videos on the Web can infringe copyrights owned by
entertainment companies.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Telemedicine
the practice of caring for patients remotely when the
provider and patient are not physically present with each
other.
performance of medical exams and procedures, including
surgery.
Examples:
Patient consultations via video conferencing,
e-health (including patient portals),
remote monitoring of vital signs,
nursing call centers,
Change and Unexpected Developments
E-commerce
Amazon.com started in 1994 selling books on the Web.
It has grown to be one of the most popular, reliable,
and user-friendly commercial sites.
eBay.com facilitates online auctions.
Shopee
Lazada
Zalora
Traditional brick-and-mortar businesses have also
established web sites for their company.
Change and Unexpected Developments
E-commerce and trust concerns
When people sell stuffs on social media, how do you
decide that this seller is trustworthy?
Profile picture?
Language? Bagi salam, etc?
Testimonials?
Reviews
Change and Unexpected Developments
Collaboration
Wikipedia: The online, collaborative encyclopedia
written by volunteers.
Edit war
Informalcommunities of programmers create and
maintain free software.
Watch-dogs on the Web: Informal, decentralized groups
of people help investigate crimes.
Controversial: emotionally involved
Change and Unexpected Developments
Free stuff
Examples:
Email accounts, browsers, software for viewing
documents, software to edit photos and videos etc.
Phone services using VOIP such as Skype, Whatsapp
University lectures
In order for companies to earn ad revenue, many free
sites collect information about our online activities and
sell it to advertisers.
Free games, free apps. What do they get from it?
Change and Unexpected Developments
Free stuff (cont.)
Advertising pays for many free sites and services, but not
all.
Wikipedia funded through donations.
Businesses provide some services for good public relations
and as a marketing tool.
Generosity and public service flourish on the Web. Many
people share their expertise just because they want to.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Artificial Intelligence
A branch of computer science that makes computers
perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence.
Researchers realized that narrow, specialized skills were
easier for computers than what a five-year-old does:
recognize people, carry on a conversation, respond
intelligently to the environment.
Many AI applications involve pattern recognition.
Speech and face recognition is now a common tool.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Robots
Mechanical devices that perform physical tasks
traditionally done by humans.
Can operate in environments that are hazardous for
people.
Robots could:
inspect undersea structures and communication cables
searchfor survivors in buildings collapsed by bombs or
earthquakes
explore volcanoes and other planets
Change and Unexpected Developments
Smart sensors, motion, and control
Motion sensing devices are used to give robots the ability
to walk, trigger airbags in a crash, and protect laptops
when dropped.
Sensors can detect leaks, acceleration, position,
temperature, and moisture.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Tools for disabled people
Assistive technology devices help restore productivity and
independence to people with disabilities.
Researchers are experimenting with chips that convert
brain signals to controls for leg and arm muscles.
Change and Unexpected Developments
Old problems in a new context: crime, pornography,
violent fiction
Adapting to new technology: what changes we need to
implement because of new technologies
Global reach of Net: ease of communication with distant
countries
Trade-offs and controversy: Increasing security means
reducing convenience.
Patriot Act – after 9/11
Perfection is a direction, not an option.
