Ethical Issues in Computer Science

CSCI 328, Fall 2013Session 8

Ethics in IT Societies II

Virtual Reality and Role Playing Games

•In VR and RPG's, people interact using avatars.•Avatars are software generated images of characters in the games.•Avatars are controlled by people using keyboard input.•Avatars interact with other people's avatars. They may establish a relationship over time.

Ethical issues?How should we relate avatar behavior to human behavior?

Friendship and Social Networking

•Modern friendship is a socio-technical system.•Friendship is mediated by: Facebook, email, chat rooms, IM, etc.

•Can true friendship be formed online?•The limitations of online friendship may prevent true friendship.•The internet environment distorts what people reveal about their character (Cocking and Matthews).•IT structures our online identity. Example: Facebook

•Most commonly friendships are maintained both online and offline.

•The internet allows connections to be maintained more easily over long distances.

Social Networking in the News

Form 3 groups.

Each group reads news article(s).

For the class:

1) Summarize the article(s)

2) What does it say about the internet and society or the internet and friendship?

3) What ethical issues are raised (if any)?