Flashcards · 7517 · Topic 8

Consequences of uses of computing flashcards

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Why do computers raise new moral, ethical, legal and cultural issues?: They can collect, store, analyse and share huge amounts of personal data quickly and cheaply, so decisions by software developers can affect very many people.
Why is it hard for legislation to keep up with computing?: Technology changes faster than laws are made, and the internet crosses national borders, so it is hard to decide which country’s laws apply and to enforce them.
What are the arguments about monitoring behaviour online?: For: helps prevent crime and terrorism. Against: invades privacy, can be misused, and data can be leaked or used without consent.
How can algorithms embed bias?: If they are trained on biased data or designed with biased assumptions, automated decisions (e.g. in recruitment or credit) can treat groups unfairly, often without anyone noticing.
Who is responsible when software causes harm?: A key ethical question: developers, the organisations that deploy software and users all bear some responsibility, which is why professional codes of conduct and testing matter.