Assignment M2A2 Ethics

Thank you to Prof. Virgina Dignum, Umeå Univ. for suggesting this assignment.

This task is to fulfill the following subgoals of the course

Students should

Have reflected on and discussed ethical issues related to AI, autonomous systems and software and their own research

In this assignment you will work in a group defined by the teachers of 3-4 people. You can see which group you belong to by clicking on Groups in the leftmost blue menu (between Courses and Calendar). The groups are called WASP_AS2_M2A2 LiU1, etc.

You will work with an exercise referred to as the ethics canvas https://www.ethicscanvas.org. Links to an external site.You can download the canvas here Links to an external site. and there is a handbook here. Links to an external site.

The handbook gives a good introduction to the issue which is quoted below.

Today: Currently, “ethics” in research and innovation is a very top-down process that relies on compliance. Researchers apply for ethics clearance, which is a bureaucratic process.

Problem: This model fits badly in the rapidly changing context of technological innovation. Ethics requirements differ greatly between jurisdictions and institutions, while our technological infrastructure is increasingly global and connected. Moreover, ethics is not simply about compliance, but requires active reflection during the design process.

Technological change: Technological innovations are changing the world faster than ever. At the same time, people are increasingly concerned about the ethical impacts of technologies. This has led to a damaged image of the tech-sector and rising concerns for policy makers.

Solution: The Ethics Canvas provides a tool that can be part of the solution to the problems that ethics in research and innovation faces. It allows researchers to reflect on the ethical impacts of their work.

Task

Handin 1:

All groups work through the ethics case of a location based service for people tracking 24/7 simply by adding a small tag to the person. The product is marketed for tracking your small kids so that you know where they are.

Due: At Norrköping session November 23 (one in the group should submit here)

Handin 2:

Work through the ethics canvas for one research project each in the group. It could be your entire phd project or a research/industrial project you take part in. Document this with a photo or electronic version for each of the resulting canvases.

Due: December 14 (one in the group should submit here)