Professional Responsibility (49)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 5 min
- MIT Technology Review
- 2019
Humans take the blame for failures of AI automated systems, protecting the integrity of the technological system and becoming a “liability sponge.” It is necessary to redefine the role of humans in sociotechnical systems.
- MIT Technology Review
- 2019
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- 5 min
- MIT Technology Review
- 2019
When algorithms mess up, the nearest human gets the blame
Humans take the blame for failures of AI automated systems, protecting the integrity of the technological system and becoming a “liability sponge.” It is necessary to redefine the role of humans in sociotechnical systems.
Should humans take the blame for algorithm-created harm? At what level (development, corporate, or personal) should this liability occur?
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- 3 min
- TechCrunch
- 2020
This short article details a pledge inspired by the practices of the French government for tech monopolies to be more responsible in the areas of taxes and privacy. As of 2020, many have signed onto this initiative.
- TechCrunch
- 2020
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- 3 min
- TechCrunch
- 2020
Dozens of tech companies sign ‘Tech for Good Call’ following French initiative
This short article details a pledge inspired by the practices of the French government for tech monopolies to be more responsible in the areas of taxes and privacy. As of 2020, many have signed onto this initiative.
What does accountability for tech monopolies look like? Who should offer robust challenges to these companies, and who actually has the power to do so?
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. Lawrence, the CEO of the tech monopoly which created the Feed, explains to his son Tom that the newest model of the Feed is a quasi-organic implant which automatically appears in the makeup of an infant’s brain; they are born with it, having no say in whether or not it should be there and being unable to remove it. Lawrence and Tom then debate the pros and cons of this approach.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Genetic Implants and Choice
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. Lawrence, the CEO of the tech monopoly which created the Feed, explains to his son Tom that the newest model of the Feed is a quasi-organic implant which automatically appears in the makeup of an infant’s brain; they are born with it, having no say in whether or not it should be there and being unable to remove it. Lawrence and Tom then debate the pros and cons of this approach.
Which side presented here do you tend to agree with more? Does Lawrence have a point in stating that the opportunity for anyone to innately have this implant might solve problems such as inequity and chaos? Does Tom have a point in stating that agency and autonomy of all people are at risk in this new imagination of society? Does one of these viewpoints outweigh the other? Should tech monopolies be able to determine what “societal progress” means, even if they have the means to achieve their specific vision? Can tech monopolies alone be trusted to make progress in trying to make the world a more equitable place?
The Feed: Lawrence's Justification-
- 2 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. In this clip, Meredith must seek help from the leader of a developing country without the Feed network, because the Feed has become hacked and is bringing down infrastructure with it.
- Kinolab
- 2019
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- 2 min
- Kinolab
- 2019
Technological Superhighways and Monopolistic Control
In an imagined future of London, citizens all across the globe are connected to the Feed, a device and network accessed constantly through a brain-computer interface. In this clip, Meredith must seek help from the leader of a developing country without the Feed network, because the Feed has become hacked and is bringing down infrastructure with it.
How integrated should our advanced technology be into our daily lives and basic amenities? Does it pose risks if the tech is hacked? What risks exist with technology monopolization, besides economic inequality? Should nearly all service be reliant on a small number of platforms with highly centralized control? Is the developing country of COM better off now because it never had the technology to begin with, and is therefore uncorrupted now?
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2010
On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room as a small site among friends soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history… but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications.
- Kinolab
- 2010
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2010
Facebook Origins and Control Over Photos
On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room as a small site among friends soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history… but for this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal complications.
With increased sophistication of hacking, are anyone’s photos ever private in a digital space? When personal photos are uploaded to digital platforms for one purpose, how can users ensure that they are not used for another purpose? Has Facebook truly evolved beyond its roots of using photos to make binary judgements about people, or will this “hot or not” program always be a part of its character? How are women in particular targeted and impacted by privacy of photos? How does this narrative highlight some of the problems with the use of Facebook today? How did Facebook’s “coolness,” along with its apparent lack of cost for use, help it corner markets and make unfathomable profits?
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 1997
Dr. Ellie Arroway is a scientist who has been chosen to make contact with the first confirmed extraterrestrial life. However, as contact with the start system Vega advances, religious fanatics and other extremist groups prepare for the moment of interaction. This moment in the film juxtaposes how Ellie, an atheist scientist, only looks forward to the scientific progress toward extraterrestrial contact while others, including the religious extremists, fear it. In general, this clip explores how technology can have diverse social impact and the hysteria that it can foster as it shatters preconceived notions. Later, one such religious terrorist sabotages the transport of Dr. Drumlin in the new machine through a suicide bombing, killing them both.
- Kinolab
- 1997
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- 8 min
- Kinolab
- 1997
Technology Versus Religious Fanaticism
Dr. Ellie Arroway is a scientist who has been chosen to make contact with the first confirmed extraterrestrial life. However, as contact with the start system Vega advances, religious fanatics and other extremist groups prepare for the moment of interaction. This moment in the film juxtaposes how Ellie, an atheist scientist, only looks forward to the scientific progress toward extraterrestrial contact while others, including the religious extremists, fear it. In general, this clip explores how technology can have diverse social impact and the hysteria that it can foster as it shatters preconceived notions. Later, one such religious terrorist sabotages the transport of Dr. Drumlin in the new machine through a suicide bombing, killing them both.
How might technological advancement challenge preconceived notions of the world, especially religious ones? Are science, computer science, and innovation sorts of religions in their own right? In an increasingly networked world, how do extremist enclaves rally together to pose a threat to humanity? How can ignorance be combatted in an age where information can be accessed quickly and technology changes the landscape of society?