Download Module 5.2 Crime, Security and the Boyer Case

Objectives:

Gain Knowledge about Security Issues with
Computers

Investigate ethical considerations with crime
and security
List of Activities:
 Please view this presentation in slide show to see
the animations.
 There are Blue Questions throughout the
presentation that you will need to answer.
 Please submit your Blue Question answers in
class.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Ethics is the study of



moral,
legal, and
social issues
PP1. Give your FIRST ethical values and
who/how did you learn them –
Remember if 3 students share then we
don’t have to write it down.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Phase Time Period
Technological Features
Ethical
Challenges
1
1950s-1960s
Stand-alone machines (large mainframe
computers)
?
2
1970s-1980s
Minicomputers and PCs interconnected via
privately owned networks
?
3
1990s-Present
Internet and World Wide Web
?
4
Present to
Near Future
Convergence of information and
communication technologies with
nanotechnology research and genetic and
genomic research, etc.
?
PP2. Give one ethical challenges associated
to each phase.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Three distinct perspectives of applied ethics (as
applied to computing):
1.
2.
3.
Professional Ethics
Philosophical Ethics
Descriptive Ethics
PP3. Let’s find examples of each:
Professional Ethics; Philosophical
Ethics; and Descriptive Ethics in
your own words. Read the next
slides to help you.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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 This
is the field that identifies and analyzes
issues of ethical responsibility for computer
professionals.
Consider a computer professional's role in
designing, developing, and maintaining computer
hardware and software systems.
Suppose a programmer discovers that a software
product she has been working on is about to be
released for sale to the public, even though it is
unreliable because it contains "buggy" software.
Should she "blow the whistle?"
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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 This is the field of philosophical analysis and
inquiry that goes beyond professional ethics.
...the analysis of the nature and social impact of
computer technology and the corresponding
formulation and justification of policies for the
ethical use of such technology.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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1) Identify a particular controversial practice
as a moral problem.
2) Describe and analyze the problem by
clarifying concepts and examining the
factual data associated with that problem.
3)Apply moral theories and principles to
reach a position about the particular moral
issue.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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


The professional and philosophical
perspectives both illustrate normative inquiries
into applied ethics issues.
Normative inquiries or studies are contrasted
with descriptive studies.
Descriptive investigations report about "what is
the case“; normative inquiries evaluate
situations from the vantage-point of the
question: "what ought to be the case."
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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



Scenario: A community’s workforce and the
introduction of a new technology.
Suppose a new technology displaces 8,000
workers in a community.
If we analyze the issues solely in terms of the
number of jobs that were gained or lost in that
community, our investigation is essentially
descriptive in nature.
We are simply describing an impact that
technology X has for Community Y.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Amy Boyer case of cyberstaking raised ethical and social issues
In Oct. 1999, twenty-year-old Amy Boyer was murdered by a young man
who had stalked her via the Internet. The stalker, Youens, was able to
carry out mort of the stalking activities that eventually let to Boyer’s
death by using a variety of tools available on the Internet. Using
standard online search facilities available to any Internet user, Youens
was able to gather personal information about Boyer. And by paying a
small fee to docusearch.com, an online information company, Youens
was able to find where she worked, lived, and so forth. Youens was
also able to use another kind of online tool that was available to
Internet users to construct two Web sites, both dedicated to his
intended victim. On one site he posted personal information about
Amy Boyer as well as a photograph of her. And on the other Web site
Youens described, in explicit detail, his plans to murder Boyer.

A.
B.
C.
D.
Give your thoughts on the four issues below:
What were the Privacy and Security rights of Boyer?
Did Youens have a right to Free speech? Should there be a
censorship in the Web sites?
What is the Moral responsibility of the viewers of the Web sites?
What are the Legal liability for docusearch.com?
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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0


Descriptive vs. Normative Claims
Consider three assertions:
◦ (1) "Bill Gates served as the Chief Executive Officer of
Microsoft Corporation for many years.”
◦ (2) "Bill Gates should expand Microsoft’s product
offerings.“
◦ (3) “Bill Gates should not engage in business practices that
are unfair to competitors.”
 Claims (2) And (3) are normative, (1) is
descriptive; (2) is normative but nonmoral,
while (3) is both normative and moral.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Descriptive
Normative
(Report or describe what is the case)
PP5. Give examples:
a. Descriptive claim,
b. Normative claim (nonmoral)
c. Normative claim (moral)
using Amy Boyer’s Case
(Prescribe what ought to be the case)
Non-moral
Moral
Prescribe or evaluate
in matters involving
standards such as art and sports
(e.g., criteria for a good painting
or an outstanding athlete).
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
Prescribe or evaluate
in matters having to
do with fairness and
Obligation (e.g., criteria
for just and unjust
actions and policies).
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Type of Perspective
Associated Disciplines
Issues Examined
Professional
Computer Science
Engineering
Library/Information Science
Professional Responsibility
System Reliability/Safety
Codes of Conduct
Philosophical
Philosophy
Law
Privacy & Anonymity
Intellectual Property
Free Speech
Descriptive
Sociology
Behavioral Sciences
Impact of cybertechnology
on governmental/financial/
educational institutions and
socio-demographic groups
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Transparent Features
Morally Opaque Features
Known Features
Unknown Features
Users are aware of
these features but do
not realize they have
moral implications.
Users are not even
aware of the
technological features
that have moral
implications
Examples can
include:Web Forms
and searchengine tools.
Examples can
include:Data mining
and Internet cookies.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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1. disclosure
level,
2. theoretical level,
3. application level.
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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Level
Disciplines Involved
Task/Function
Disclosive
Computer Science
Social Science (optional)
Disclose embedded
features in computer
technology that have
moral import
Theoretical
Philosophy
Test newly disclosed
features against
standard ethical
theories
Application
Computer Science
Philosophy
Social Science
Apply standard or newly
revised/ formulated
ethical theories to the
issues
Module 5.2 Crime, Security, and the
Boyer Case
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