On Call Article:
“Information has gone from scarse to superabundant. that brings huge new benefits, but also big headaches” – Kenneth Cukier.
With the birth of the internet ushering in an new age, the Information Revolution, and the subsequent data overload that has come along with it has forced us to re-examine how we handle everything from data security and integrity to the ethical questions of free data flow on the internet.
This influx of information has brought along with it new challenges, many of which don’t have answers: The flow of information in exceeds the available storage space, how do we ensure only extraneous information is lost? Data security and privacy is a major concern of the public, and as information is continually shared more widely around the world it is getting harder and harder to secure. Who is responsible for monitoring this new space, for establishing policy? How do we moderate the exchange of our personal information? What ethical considerations are their? Who really owns the data that is collected in these new robust information systems?
“The way that information is managed touches all areas of life.” Data can reveal information that was not intended to be shared. Cukier gives a great example, the the city of Oakland, California, released information on the arrestes that were being made in the last few weeks. They then uploaded the information to a private website, Oakland Crimespotting. Anyone who cared to noticed realized that the police swept the streets every night, except Wednesday for prostitutes in the streets, details they never intended to share. The point is that the sharing of data can result in unintended consequences.
James Moor discusses the Computer Revolution at length in his article “What is Computer Ethics”. He claims that the revolution will occur in two major waves. The first has been occurring over the last forty years, the creation and refining of electric computers. We are now gradually entering the second wave. He says that it is in this phase that our society will be dramatically transformed by the computer, and become an integral part of institutions throughout society. Part of this second wave is the increased flow of information, we are entering a time coined the “Information Age.” And with all the benefits and connivence this increased data flow has brought, Moor poses some really tough questions. Can we trust the invisible calculations made by these computer systems? What should the policy’s be regarding these calculations? What is the social impact of these decisions?
See you all in class 🙂
The article below was posted after the fact, but I thought it was really interesting and pertained directly to our class: Will the FDA Regulate Social Media