Ethics in Technology
Ethics is the philosophical study of morality. There are many theories around morality, many of which were initially derived from traditional and religious beliefs. Governments and other ruling bodies enact laws due to disagreements regarding ethical issues. Technology is a scientific tool, designed without regard to ethics or morals. It simply exists, and those who use it will do so in accordance with their own ethical beliefs. When considering digital technology, who decides the ethics of its use, how it is utilized, and how they are enforced?
When the internet was initially developed, it was primarily intended for communication and research purposes. The goal was to create an instant communication pathway for governments and researchers, enabling faster innovation and collaboration. As the internet developed, with the introduction of the World Wide Web and commercial growth, it took on a life of its own. It enables people and companies to reach broader audiences. These companies accumulated data to track what their customers and clients wanted, and the companies were able to tailor their products to meet those needs.
Conceptually, this isn’t a bad idea. For a company or government to be able to anticipate what is desired has potential for great good, but it also opens up avenues for risk to those whom it can aid. Personal data requires security. Otherwise, it runs the risk of allowing criminal elements access to levels of information that can be staggeringly disruptive, if not dangerous.
As the internet continued to develop, intense algorithmic work was conducted to influence spending habits, opening up an even larger Pandora’s Box for all of us. If people can be influenced to buy, they can also be influenced to think or interact with others in specific ways. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does offer the opportunity to abuse the public trust.
I know I am running the risk of sounding like an old man yelling at clouds. I’m actually in favor of all of this innovation. I believe that the ability to communicate and collaborate is essential for the advancement of humankind. My concern is not with the use of technology, but instead its ethical use.
Some of the most significant issues I have seen in my career are:
Who regulates these technologies?
How do they enforce those regulations?
What ethical standards must we all follow when interacting with technology?
I put the “Who” part at the top because it is typically the governments of the world that create rules and regulations around digital technology. This isn’t a bad thing, but they do not always agree with each other. They also do not always follow those rules when it comes to their agendas and interests. Additionally, many of the individuals creating the laws may not fully comprehend what they are regulating. They often receive information from larger groups with specific interests that do not align with the goals of the smaller interest groups.
For instance, requiring expensive security software to protect data is fine for a large mega-corporation, but what about the smaller business just getting started? Wouldn’t it make more sense that if a security standard is set, there are avenues for everyone to use at a modest price, even if it requires some level of subsidy for smaller companies?
While open-license organizations exist, they are also held to a certain level of self-regulation, often referred to as a “police your own” mentality. They are usually valid options for smaller businesses. Still, they do not eliminate the need for regulators to possess the technical knowledge necessary to properly and objectively determine the regulations required for everyone. The individuals responsible for creating rules should be knowledgeable about the technology they are regulating in the first place.
Enforcement is another matter. Different geographies have different rules. Despite the internet being referred to as the World Wide Web, not all of the rules are universal. Yes, standards have been established by various organizations, such as the W3C, but these are not the rules governing usage. How do you enforce rules for an entire interconnected world?
Finally, there come the ethical standards. As I mentioned, different countries have different rules. Do we have an agreed-upon ethical usage of the internet, though? I don’t feel like we do. Everyone has a different understanding of what it can be used for and how the technology is applied in various scenarios. The digital frontier is still evolving, but it lacks a guiding hand, in my opinion. Also, are we continuing to record and archive its development for historical purposes? I know there are archives for old web pages and applications. I believe it would be beneficial for future generations to understand the decisions we made and why, so they can determine if these decisions still make sense as technology evolves. The potential of quantum computing and artificial intelligence, for instance, is already raising new challenges that our governments can’t even identify, let alone regulate.
My only hope is that we, as a species, will devise a way to modernize our rules and regulations, enabling a better understanding of how we approach technology in the years to come. As we cultivate that evolved mindset, we need to be mindful of creating frameworks that everyone can follow, enforcing them at the same level globally, and enabling everyone to utilize the unlimited potential we have in front of us.
Currently, our technology is limited to the world we live in and a limited sphere around it. Someday, we will very likely be speaking with others throughout our solar system, and if Gene Roddenberry is to be believed, beyond. It would be beneficial if we reached a form of understanding now, as the complexity will increase as our technology advances.
Notably, when I discuss ethical considerations, I primarily refer to the use of information and technology, rather than speech, interests, discussion, and the like. This is not what I am talking about, and I am not here to debate your personal ethics as they revolve around religion, sexuality, etc.
