Module 5: Principles of data ethics

Question 1

Ethics

Answer 1

• is the study of morality. Morality is a subject that pertains to right and wrong actions
• In the branch of ethics called normative ethics, we try to arrive at well-founded views about morality
• Normative ethics relates to using, applying and developing digital and online tools
• the types of normative ethics includes
  1. data ethics
  2. digital ethics

Question 2

Why do we need data and digital ethics

Answer 2

• there is an international consensus that ethics is vital to the development, application, and use of digital and online technologies
• While digital and online technologies offer remarkable benefits, they also pose risks of significant harms to privacy, security, autonomy, fairness and transparency

Question 3

Aims of moral theories

Answer 3

1. theoretical aim: to explain what features of actions make them morally right or wrong
2. Practical aim: to offer practical guidance in making morally correct decisions

Question 4

Three moral theories

Answer 4

1. Utilitarianism: an action is morally right when it would likely produce at least as much well being as would any other action one might perform instead. Otherwise the action is wrong
2. Virtue ethics: an action is morally right, when it is what a virtuous person would do in the circumstances. Otherwise, the action is wrong
   - Commonly recognised virtues include honesty, courage, justice, temperance, beneficence, humility, loyalty and gratittude
3. Immannuel Kant’s deontological ethics: an action is morally right when it treat person (including oneself) as ends in themselves and not merely as a means. Otherwise, the action is wrong

Question 5

Principles of data ethics

Answer 5

• moral theories are meant to provide very general explanations and guidance concerning what we morally ought to do
• While moral theories have the advantage of comprehensiveness, it can be difficult to deduce what they would prescribe in a particular context
• read integrity and professionalism part

Question 6

What is cyberbully

Answer 6

• It is the use of the internet or digital devices to inflict psychological harm on a person or group
• read examples, prevalence and effects

Question 7

Informational privacy

Answer 7

• digital and online technologies have major impact on one’s ability to secure privacy
• a right to privacy is recognized in all international and regional human rights instruments
• read article 12 the universal declaration of human rights

Question 8

Whistle blowing

Answer 8

• in large organisation, it can be difficult to hold people accountable for unethical or illegal act
• law enforcement and regulators are not able to constantly monitor the internal operations of organisations. Such constant surveillance isn’t even desirable
• A whistle-blower is someone who breaks ranks with an organization in order to make an unauthorized disclosure of information about a harmful situation after attempts to report the concerns through authorized organization channels have been ignored or rebuffed

Question 9

When should one whistle blow

Answer 9

1. The firm will do or has done serious and considerable harm to employees or to the public
2. once employees identify a serious threat to the user of a product or to the general public, they should report it to their immediate superior and make their moral concern known
3. If one’s immediate supervisor does nothing effective about the concern or complaint, the employee should exhaust the internal procedures and possibilities within the firm
4. the whistle blower must have or have accessible, documented evidence that would convince a reasonable, impartial observer that one’s view of the situation is correct
5. The employee must have good reason to believe that by going public the necessary changes will be brought about. The chance of being successful must be worth the risk one takes and the danger to which one is exposed