DATA ETHICS FOR REGULAR
DEVELOPERS:
WHAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT DATA
ETHICS BY PRETENDING TO NOT KNOW
WHAT PRINGLES ARE ONLINE
COLIN FLEMING
@RIDETHECATBUS
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CONTENT WARNING
● DISCUSSION OF DEATH
● DISCUSSION OF ABORTION
CARE
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IMAGINE AN INVENTION THAT
MAKES TELEPORTATION
POSSIBLE
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BUT THERE IS
A COST
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SURPRISE!
THE INVENTION IS
CARS
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DOUBLE SURPRISE!
PEOPLE’S DATA IS
FUEL
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HMM WHAT’S IN THE NEWS TODAY
OH DEAR:
● EXPERIAN BREACH?
● FACEBOOK/GOOGLE BREACH OF
THE MONTH??
● PALANTIR ROBOCOP
ALGORITHMS???
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REGULAR DEVELOPERS
STARE DOWN THESE
ETHICAL QUESTIONS ALL
THE TIME
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OUR ROADMAP FOR THIS TALK:
● CRASH COURSE IN ETHICAL
REASONING
● IDENTIFYING OUR VALUES
● A FEW CASE STUDIES
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ETHICS IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN
A WAY INFORMED BY
SHARED AND PERSONAL
VALUES
(MORE OR LESS)
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No content
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PROGRAMMER CODES OF
ETHICS (LIKE THE
ASSOCIATION FOR
COMPUTING MACHINERY’S)
ARE A THING!
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ACM ETHICS SUMMARY:
● EVERYONE IS A STAKEHOLDER IN
COMPUTING
● AVOID HARM AND PROTECT
PRIVACY
● AVOID YOLO-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT
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THE DC ABORTION FUND’S VALUES
(ROUGHLY):
● EMPOWER CLIENTS TO CARRY OUT
THEIR CHOICES
● ASKING SLIGHTLY INTRUSIVE
QUESTIONS IS OKAY IF IT COULD
IMPROVE HOW WE WORK
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OUR VALUES AS AN ENGINEERING
TEAM:
● COLLECTING DATA IS RISKY SO
DO IT CAREFULLY
● AVOID DOING MAD SCIENCE
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THREE CASE STUDIES:
● ASKING FOR DATA IN THE FIRST
PLACE
● TRACKING IMMIGRATION STATUS
● PREDICTIVE MODELING
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ETHICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK:
● IS THIS IN LINE WITH OUR VALUES?
● DOES THIS PUT PEOPLE IN HARM’S
WAY?
● WOULD THIS SURPRISE SOMEONE?
● WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BLOW IT?
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FIRST:
THE POWER DYNAMICS
OF ASKING FOR DATA IN
THE FIRST PLACE
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FIRST:
ASKING FOR DATA:
DOES IT PUT PEOPLE IN
HARM’S WAY?
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FIRST:
ASKING FOR DATA:
WOULD THIS SURPRISE
SOMEONE?
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FIRST:
ASKING FOR DATA:
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE
BLOW IT?
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FIRST AND A HALF:
THE POWER DYNAMICS
OF ASKING FOR DATA IN
THE FIRST PLACE (AS A
FOR PROFIT BUSINESS)
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SECOND:
TRACKING DANGEROUS
DATA LIKE IMMIGRATION
STATUS
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TRACKING IMMIGRATION
STATUS BECAUSE IT’S
HELPFUL FOR SERVING
PATIENTS
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NOT TRACKING
IMMIGRATION STATUS
BECAUSE I.C.E. IS A
THING NOW
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SECOND AND A HALF:
TRACKING DANGEROUS
DATA LIKE IMMIGRATION
STATUS (AS A FOR
PROFIT BUSINESS)
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THIRD:
THE ALGO AND
PREDICTIVE MODELING
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THIRD AND A HALF:
THE ALGO AND
PREDICTIVE MODELING
(AS A FOR PROFIT
BUSINESS)
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I’M OUT OF STUFF TO TALK ABOUT:
● PREPARE TO WORK THROUGH
ETHICAL QUESTIONS
● THINK HARD ABOUT YOUR
VALUES AND POWER
● CHARGE IN HEADFIRST
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THANKS
●JAMEY, ETHICAL
DECISIONS TRACK
CURATOR
●SOUND PERSON
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I AM:
COLIN FLEMING
MY EMAIL:
[email protected]
MY TWITTER:
@RIDETHECATBUS