Ethics in Computing

In this chapter we focuses on the issues that arise out of the relationship between the developer and the buyer, including claims, user expectations, and the legal ramifications that may follow an unhealthy relationship. The discussion touches on standards, reliability, security, safety, quality of software, quality of service of software products, causes of software failures, developer and buyer protection, and techniques for improving software quality. Causes of software failures or poor performance of a software product are discussed attributing the causes to a variety of reasons but most notably human error, the nature of software itself, and the environment in which software is produced and used. Finally historic examples of software caused accidents are given including the Therac–25, the Space Shuttle Challenger, the Indian Bhopal chemical accident and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power accident. Both consumer protection and techniques for improving software quality are also discussed.

This chapter surveys the history and examples of computer crimes, their types, costs to society, and strategies of detection and prevention. In the discussion, it is noted that a great number of computer attacks fall into two categories, penetration and denial-of-service attacks, and these are discussed in depth. Attack motives are also discussed. Are nations, businesses, and individuals prepared for computer attacks? Are they ready to pay the price? We look for answers to these questions as we ponder the costs and consequences of computer crimes. We note also that although it is difficult to estimate the actual costs of e-attacks on physical system resources, progress is being made for better and more accurate estimates. An in-depth discussion of the social and ethical consequences that include psychological effects, moral decay, loss of privacy, and loss of trust follows. We end the chapter with recommendations for educating users of computing devices in computer ethics. The need to educate the user to be aware of possible sources of computer crimes and what to do if and when one becomes a victim of these crimes is stressed. It is noted that education can go a long way in reducing computer crimes if the users take crime preventive steps every time they use the computer and computer-related technologies.

Artificial Intelligence discusses the new frontiers of ethics in the new artificial intelligent (AI) technologies, virtualization and virtual reality and cyberspace. The chapter explorers how these new frontiers are affecting the traditional ethical and social values. Our discussion is on based on the premise that artificial intelligence technologies create possibilities to understand and extend human knowledge to create intelligent agents perhaps with a human–value base, intended to help solve human problems. We further look at virtualization and virtual reality technologies and how they inform our behavior based on our traditional moral and ethical values through the mediation of interaction through with electronic media. Our discussion of the social and ethical implications and consequences of virtualization is centered on two issues. One is that the anticipated benefit to society of virtualization as it extends known and relatively managed humanity’s social spheres and social networks in an unprecedented way through opening up of virtual domains of social interactions. The second benefit of virtualization to society is to avail tools and make it possible for those in society who want to create new virtual social networks out of the old and dismantle old ones. Finally we discuss a global mesh of interconnected computer networks, commonly referred to as cyberspace, which makes it possible for anyone using a point of entry device like a computer, smartphone or any other internet-enabled electronic device to reach anyone else, with the potential to access the mesh, through a one-on-one, one-to-many and many-to-one communication capabilities or through broadcasting via the world wide web. Cyberspace, because of immerse and telepresence capabilities and global reach, creates a potentially dangerous environment where one can do anything with no elegance, no accountability and no to limited.

This chapter—Ethical, Privacy and Security Issues in the Online Social Network EcoSystem discusses the new realities of global computer online social network ecosystems, including moral and ethical dynamisms. Because we believe that a sound and details discuss of online social networks is based on a good understanding of the underlying network infrastructure, we start the chapter with a brief discussion of the computer network infrastructure. Based on this communication infrastructure we define a social network and its subset, the online social network. We discuss the types of social networks, their historical development and the different and changing services of online social networks. After discussing the basics of online social networks, we them focus on ethical, social and privacy issues in the online social network noting that while online, we inevitably give off our information to whomever asks for it in order to get services. We note that routinely information collected from online community members, however, is not always used as intended. It is quite often used for unauthorized purposes, hence an invasion of privacy. We discuss known ways we give off vital personal information while online in social networks. We further discuss ways to protect personal privacy. On the central point of ethical implications of life in the social network, we note that unlike in the traditional network, governance is not centralized, but community based with equally shared authority and responsibility by all users. But the mechanisms are not yet defined, and where they are being defined, it is still too early to say whether they are effective. The complexity, unpredictability, and lack of central authority is further enhanced by a virtual personality, anonymity and multiple personality. These three characteristics are at the core of the social and ethical problems in online social networks in particular and cyberspace in general; the larger and more numerous these communities become, the more urgent the ethical concerns become.

This chapter—Ethical, Privacy and Security Issues in the Mobile Ecosystems begins by presenting rather a frightening and quickly evolving mobile telecommunication and computing technologies, their unprecedented global reach and inclusion, unparalleled social, financial and cultural prowess and the yet to be defined social, moral and ethical value systems. We discuss the crucial role of the mobile operating system and survey the current mobile devises and their anchoring mobile operating systems. The discussion then settles on the main themes of the book, that is the ethical and security issues in the mobile ecosystem. We focus on the most troubling issue of the mobile ecosystem, the location –based tracking system (LTS). This technology, in three types, is troubling because it is being used by merchants, law enforcement agencies and almost everyone else who needs to know where you and your smart electronic device are. We note that while users of smart devices may not be aware, these technologies have huge ethical and privacy implications to users of these devices. In our discussion, we focus on the security and threat to individual privacy, for even in public places individuals deserve some privacy, through the collection, aggregation and centralization of personal information, without user consent of the user, and also on the absence of applicable laws. Use of LTS technologies increases the risks to the privacy and security of individuals. On security issues in the ecosystem, we note that mobile devices are increasingly holding and storing more private data like personal and business and they are roaming in public spaces on public networks with limited security and cryptographic protocols to protect the data. Also because of the fact that these devices have the ability to roam on several networks, there is a wider sphere of attack beset by geographical, legal and moral differences. We note that the penetration trend of these smart mobile devices is not limited to far away rural places but more scaring is their rapid penetration on enterprise IT spaces where security is paramount for any device.