Data Ethics – A Virtual Session
Data Ethics – A Virtual Session
Anthony Asher, Adam Druissi, Seth Lazar, and Tiberio Caetano presented the online seminar ‘Data Ethics — A Virtual Session’ on the 13th of October 2020.
Seminar Abstract: In the age of ever more wide-spread and pervasive use of AI – from facial recognition to prevent crime, voice recognition to predict deception, monitoring of heart-rate and motions to detect fatigue, algorithmic prediction of exam results for high school leavers during the pandemic – many ethical dilemmas and questions are raised. What are the considerations for determining what is ethical in a situation where technology introduces novel challenges? In recent years many data ethics failures have shone a spotlight on what can go wrong if ethical considerations and resultant potential impacts are not adequately assessed. Think: RoboDebt, VW’s diesel-gate and Cambridge Analytica in the US as a few examples.
From the outside in, it is easy to criticise and make demands: fairness, privacy, do no harm, and so on. But is this actually as simple as it sounds? Are the failures we have seen caused by laziness, low moral standards, or honest mistakes made while dealing with a complex issue in an emerging field – and if so, what lessons can these mistakes teach.