Papers by frances grodzinsky
In this paper, we analyze some controversial aspects of blogging and the blogosphere from the per... more In this paper, we analyze some controversial aspects of blogging and the blogosphere from the perspective of privacy. In particular, we focus on Helen Nissenbaum’s theory of privacy as “contextual integrity ” and apply it to personal blogs, in general, and the case of the “Washingtonienne ” blogger, in particular. We examine the question of whether personal blogs that are not password protected can be considered “normatively private contexts ” according to Nissenbaum’s principles of privacy. We argue that they cannot. Using Nissenbaum’s original model, we conclude that privacy expectations for those who disclose personal information in such blogs are unrealistic. We also suggest that Nissenbaum’s expanded theory (see Nissenbaum, 2010) can inform the contemporary debate about privacy and blogging in a wide variety of newer technological contexts, in addition to personal blogs, and we encourage researchers to apply Nissenbaum’s model in those contexts.
The present essay is organized into five main sections. We begin with a few preliminary remarks a... more The present essay is organized into five main sections. We begin with a few preliminary remarks about “cloud computing, ” which are developed more fully in a later section. This is followed by a brief overview of the evolution of Helen Nissenbaum’s framework of “privacy as contextual integrity. ” In particular, we examine Nissenbaum’s “Decision Heuristic ” model, described in her most recent work on privacy (Nissenabum 2010), to see how it enables the contextual-integrity framework to respond to privacy challenges posed by new and emerging technologies. We then apply that heuristic device to questions surrounding one aspect of cloud computing – viz., “cloud storage ” technology. In particular, we focus on current practices affecting Google Docs as an instance of a cloud-storage system.
Building successful on-line learning communities across
grodzinskyJ~sacredheart.edu Abstract: Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking ... more grodzinskyJ~sacredheart.edu Abstract: Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philo-sophically trained, exposing them to action-guiding theories, presenting them with the codes of ethics of several companies and professional organizations and asking them to make ethical deci-sions in scenario-based cases. This approach is deliberately action-based and focuses on doing. "What would you do? " is the traditional question we ask our students. While this pedagogical methodology forces them to examine situations and argue from a particular point of view, it does little to influence their character. They see the utilitarian or deontologist as someone other than themselves. There seems to be very little internalization of these action-based theories. Virtue Ethics offers character-forming theory that has been more successful with my students than the action-based theories of computer ethics texts. Why? Virtue Ethics is directed toward charac...
Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philosophically t... more Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philosophically trained, exposing them to action-guiding theories, presenting them with the codes of ethics of several companies and professional organizations and asking them to make ethical decisions in scenario-based cases. This approach is deliberately action-based and focuses on doing. "What would you do?" is the traditional question we ask our students. While this pedagogical methodology forces them to examine situations and argue from a particular point of view, it does little to influence their character. They see the utilitarian or deontologist as someone other than themselves. There seems to be very little internalization of these action-based theories. Virtue Ethics offers character-forming theory that has been more successful with my students than the action-based theories of computer ethics texts. Why? Virtue Ethics is directed toward character development. The focus is on being ra...
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
This paper applies social-relational models of moral standing of robots to cases where the encoun... more This paper applies social-relational models of moral standing of robots to cases where the encounters between the robot and humans are relatively brief. Our analysis spans the spectrum of non-social robots to fully-social robots. We consider cases where the encounters are between a stranger and the robot and do not include its owner or operator. We conclude that the developers of robots that might be encountered by other people when the owner is not present cannot wash their hands of responsibility. They must take care with how they develop the robot’s interface with people and take into account how that interface influences the social relationship between it and people, and, thus, the moral standing of the robot with each person it encounters. Furthermore, we claim that developers have responsibility for the impact social robots have on the quality of human social relationships.
In this paper, we analyze some controversial aspects of blogging and the blogosphere from the per... more In this paper, we analyze some controversial aspects of blogging and the blogosphere from the perspective of privacy. In particular, we focus on Helen Nissenbaum's theory of privacy as "contextual integrity" and apply it to personal blogs, in general, and the case of the "Washingtonienne" blogger, in particular. We examine the question of whether personal blogs that are not password protected can be considered "normatively private contexts" according to Nissenbaum's principles of privacy. We argue that they cannot. Using Nissenbaum's original model, we conclude that privacy expectations for those who disclose personal information in such blogs are unrealistic. We also suggest that Nissenbaum's expanded theory (see Nissenbaum, 2010) can inform the contemporary debate about privacy and blogging in a wide variety of newer technological contexts, in addition to personal blogs, and we encourage researchers to apply Nissenbaum's model in those contexts.
Many organizations within society have reinvented themselves using Information Communication Tech... more Many organizations within society have reinvented themselves using Information Communication Technology (ICT). Consequently their internal operations and the potential global reach of their activities have dramatically changed. This has been particularly evident in the field of ...
Science and engineering ethics, Apr 26, 2016
In this paper we address the question of when a researcher is justified in describing his or her ... more In this paper we address the question of when a researcher is justified in describing his or her artificial agent as demonstrating ethical decision-making. The paper is motivated by the amount of research being done that attempts to imbue artificial agents with expertise in ethical decision-making. It seems clear that computing systems make decisions, in that they make choices between different options; and there is scholarship in philosophy that addresses the distinction between ethical decision-making and general decision-making. Essentially, the qualitative difference between ethical decisions and general decisions is that ethical decisions must be part of the process of developing ethical expertise within an agent. We use this distinction in examining publicity surrounding a particular experiment in which a simulated robot attempted to safeguard simulated humans from falling into a hole. We conclude that any suggestions that this simulated robot was making ethical decisions were...
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2007
The development of on-line research practice across international boundaries is now a viable prop... more The development of on-line research practice across international boundaries is now a viable proposition using available asynchronous technologies such as computer conferencing. As has been reported in previous papers (Grodzinsky, et al, 2002; Griffin, et al, 2002) such use has proved to be extremely valuable for supporting the teaching of computing and ethics. However, asynchronous computer conferencing not only offers new opportunities for teaching and for supporting students, it also offers a valuable resource to researchers. Taking advantage of such opportunity must, of course, address a number of issues. Prime amongst these are concerns as to how to overcome the variety of barriers that are likely to be encountered in establishing effective research collaboration within a text-based virtual environment. This paper will, therefore, outline how such research collaboration was initiated across international boundaries as well as providing an overview of the activity undertaken. The primary goal of this paper is, therefore, to illustrate both the challenges and benefits of undertaking on-line research collaboration.
ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society
It has been a decade since Computer Ethics came into prominence within the field of computer scie... more It has been a decade since Computer Ethics came into prominence within the field of computer science and engineering, changing not only the profession but the classroom as well. The commercialization and globalization of the World Wide Web has impacted us all, both producers and consumers alike. What was once the province of the few has become the virtual society of the multitudes. Ethical issues concerning security, privacy, information, identity, community and equity of access once contained and localized, have assumed additional complexity in the global environment. Every day, the front pages of our newspapers and magazines report violations of one sort or another. This paper will address two questions: As we move into the 21 't century, how can we shape 'ethical' information communication technology (ICT) professionals? And, is our vision of an 'ethical' global on-line society a realistic one?
Engineering requires tradeoffs [23]. When engineering computer applications, software engineers s... more Engineering requires tradeoffs [23]. When engineering computer applications, software engineers should consider the costs and benefits to humans as an integral part of the software development process. In this paper we focus on reliability, a central aspect of software quality, and the influence of relationships and various software development contexts on the software developer.
ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, 2008
This essay expands upon an earlier work (Grodzinsky and Tavani, 2005) in which we analyzed the im... more This essay expands upon an earlier work (Grodzinsky and Tavani, 2005) in which we analyzed the implications of the Verizon v RIAA case for P2P Networks vis-à-vis concerns affecting personal privacy and intellectual property. In the present essay we revisit some of the concerns surrounding this case by analyzing the intellectual property and privacy issues that emerged in the MGM Studios v. Grokster case. These two cases illustrate some of the key tensions that exist between privacy and property interests in cyberspace. In our analysis, we contrast Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Interoperability and we examine some newer distribution models of sharing over P2P networks. We also analyze some privacy implications in the two cases in light of the theory of privacy as contextual integrity (Nissenbaum, 2004).
The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics, 2008
ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, 1999
Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philosophically t... more Traditionally the study of computer ethics involves taking students who are not philosophically trained, exposing them to action-guiding theories, presenting them with the codes of ethics of several companies and professional organizations and asking them to make ethical decisions in scenario-based cases. This approach is deliberately action-based and focuses on doing. "What would you do?" is the traditional question we ask our students. While this pedagogical methodology forces them to examine situations and argue from a particular point of view, it does little to influence their character. They see the utilitarian or deontologist as someone other than themselves. There seems to be very little internalization of these action-based theories.Virtue Ethics offers character-forming theory that has been more successful with my students than the action-based theories of computer ethics texts. Why? Virtue Ethics is directed toward character development. The focus is on being rat...
ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 1996
As Internet use pervades our personal and professional lives, organizations have become increasin... more As Internet use pervades our personal and professional lives, organizations have become increasingly concerned about employee use of the Internet for personal reasons while at work. This has prompted the restriction of the Internet or the limitation of the Internet during work hours. Monitoring of employee Internet and email is another result of this trend. Legitimate business functions such as employee performance appraisal and progress toward goals are served by monitoring. However, poorly designed and communicated monitoring practices can be negative and have perverse effects on employee morale and productivity. Monitoring of employees erodes trust and n lay be considered an invasion of privacy. In this paper ethical issues surrounding Internet monitoring are explored from two perspectives: university and business use. Survey results from the university perspective are compared with computer monitoring in a business setting. Students feel an invasion of privacy when a university setting monitors computer use; however, they consider the practice of monitoring the workplace an acceptable invasion of privacy. Reasons cited for unethical monitoring at a university or business setting include: payment for the computer, personal property and possession by the student, and limitations of personal freedom, rights, trust and privacy. Reasons cited for the ethical use of monitoring include: academic use of the Internet, workplace requirements and payment for work,
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Papers by frances grodzinsky