While the use of traditional technologies and processing of information has always provided controllers with the capability to do real harm in society, the move into the digital space has exacerbated this potential for harm in new and unexpected or unanticipated ways. Hence professionals in this area need to be familiar with tools to identify and address these potential harms.
Digital ethics deals with the impact of digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on individuals, our societies and the environment at large. It covers a wide spectrum of societal and ethical impacts including issues such as data governance, privacy and personal data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithmic decision-making and pervasive technologies.
The prevalence of reporting ethics scandals in the tech sector has increased substantially. Unethical businesses are losing favour with consumers with a variety of evidence highlighting how consumers stop buying from brands they deem to be unethical. This module will look at ethics and its applicability to technology in areas such as artificial
intelligence, data science, robotics, algorithms and usability.
This module addresses a number of objectives:
(a) To educate learners on the ethical challenges inherent in rapidly developing technologies.
(b) To provide learners who are employed as lecturers with the knowledge and confidence to be able to incorporate ethics into the design of their learning and learning activities.
(c) To provide learners who are employed as professionals in the Information and Communications technology industry with the knowledge to lead and disseminate in the area of ethics in technology.
The module is intended to motivate learners to critically assess technologies from the perspective of the major ethical frameworks. Learners who successfully complete the module will be prepared to enhance their own practice and guide others in the development of ethical practices in the design, implementation and use of digital technology.
Introduction to Ethics:
• Major ethical frameworks and their application to digital or computer ethics• Range of ethical theories, approaches, and perspectives• Argumentation and Rational Thinking• Introduction to ethics in technology.• Sustainability and Ethics
Main laws regulating technology:
• Legal ethics• GDPR• EU legislation• Data Protection legislation.• Regulation of artificial intelligence
Professional Ethics & General Code of Ethics:
• Corporate Governance & Regulations• Human Resources, Finance• Professional boundaries• Professional negligence• Professional responsibility• Examples of Codes of Ethics
Ethical Frameworks:
• Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (ACM/IEEE-CS)• Computer Ethics Institute (CEI) 10 commandments• ACM Code of Ethics and Conduct• Ethical guidelines for Trustworthy AI• BCS Codes of Conduct and Practice• Electronic Frontier Foundation• Responsible AI
Data Ethics:
• Bias in Data• Confidence in Data (Dataset size)• Visualisation biasing• Data privacy• Statistical biasing• Unacknowledged data collection (GPS tracking, microphone, and camera activation without the user’sconsent)• Undertaking a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Algorithmic Ethics:
• Bias in algorithms (racism, sexism, etc.)• Lack of explainability of some algorithms• Value-based development• Software Testing as an ethical imperative• Computer security as an ethical imperative• Selective Censorship of WWW content• Personalisation of WWW content.
EU and International legislation and frameworks on data, AI, human rights and equality
Data – (EU GDPR, US COPPA, HIPPA)AI – ( EU Proposal for Regulation on Artificial Intelligence)EU Human Rights Legislation (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014)Equality - Equal Status Acts 2000–2018 (the ‘Acts’); European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public SectorBodies) Regulations 2020Explore strengths and limitations of existing law
Audits and Assessments
Data ProtectionSecuritySafetyEquality and Inclusion
It is envisioned that this module will be delivered in a range of different contexts, and specifically the content has been designed with two specific approaches in mind:
1. Traditional Classroom Delivery (Full Semester): This approach will mean that the module is delivered in one semester in a classroom. Contact hours will be 3 hours per week which will be used to cover both theoretical content and practical sessions, with a two hour lecture and one hour lab.
2. Blended Delivery (Full Semester): This approach will mean that the module is delivered over one semester, with the majority of the teaching content being delivered on-line (with three weeks of lectures and labs being delivered in the classroom).
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |