Reflections on Cyberethics Education for Millennial Software Engineers
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Reflections on Cyberethics Education for Millennial Software Engineers Claudia de O. Melo Thiago C. de Sousa Faculty of Technology Urbanism and Technology Center University of Bras´ılia State University of Piau´ı Bras´ılia, Brazil Teresina, Brazil Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Abstract—Software is a key component of solutions for challenges to educating millennial software engineers, which 21st Century problems. These problems are often “wicked”, requires continuous innovation in educational systems and complex, and unpredictable. To provide the best possible solution, curricula delivery [2], [7]. millennial software engineers must be prepared to make ethical decisions, thinking critically, and acting systematically. This Moreover, the design of software systems comes with reality demands continuous changes in educational systems and a special set of responsibilities to society that are much curricula delivery, as misjudgment might have serious social broader than those described in existing codes of ethics for impact. This study aims to investigate and reflect on Software computing professionals [8]. While the potential return on Engineering (SE) Programs, proposing a conceptual framework investment in technology is usually high, the increasing pace for analyzing cyberethics education and a set of suggestions on how to integrate it into the SE undergraduate curriculum. of technological innovation raises ethical questions about its development and use [9]. Information and Communications Keywords-cyberethics; millennial software engineer; Technologies (ICT) bring ‘predictable’ and ‘less predictable’ undergraduate degree program; curriculum guideline. ethical issues [10]. Unintended consequences of technology [11] need to be investigated and a precautionary principle [12] I. INTRODUCTION applied. The current technological revolution, being a critical engine Do millennial software engineers, the current dominant of the digital transformation of the economy, is impacting all generation of workers, understand the ethical choices and disciplines and industries. The so-called “Digital Economy” related unintended consequences that the solutions for the 21st is considered the single most important driver of innovation, century might generate? Are they prepared to investigate and competitiveness and growth of countries [1]. In this context, co-design solutions with other stakeholders to ensure better it is also a consensus among nations that taking advantage solutions for all? From algorithms, data science, AI, cloud of technology to advance social and economic inclusion, and computing to digital business models and services design, to promote sustainability and peace, is paramount and will there are a number of ethical decisions a software engineer demand a “transformation of societies” [2]. is (or not) going to make while designing systems. Software engineers investigate problems, and propose and This paper aims at investigating these questions about how develop software to tackle such societal challenges. They are millennial software engineers are trained to deal with computer creating the foundations that enable and govern our online and ethics issues. We developed a conceptual framework based increasingly our offline lives, from software-controlled cars to on Brey’s “disclosive” method for cyberethics, as it provides arXiv:1703.00619v1 [cs.SE] 2 Mar 2017 digital content consumption. In fact, software helps shape, not the major components for cyberethics decision-making, and just reflect, our societal values [3]. the most important 21st Century cybertechnologies to support Software is a key component of solutions for 21st Century our investigation. We analyze the ACM/IEEE Software problems [4]. These problems are complex and unpredictable, Engineering Guidelines and the curricula of the top two which is typical of “wicked” problems [5]. They are difficult Brazilian SE undergraduate programs. We end the paper to define and are never entirely solved, as improvements can with a set of suggestions that might be integrated into the always be made [6]. SE undergraduate curriculum, as well as conclusions and To be able to work on problems not seen before, recommendations for future studies. while applying the right knowledge and judgment, software II. CYBERETHICS engineers must think and act more systemically and more adaptively, so they can build up experience over time to make A. Global and Regional contexts sense of world challenges. Edward Snowden’s revelations on the Five-Eyes mass As the complexity of problems continues to increase, surveillance alliance, starting in 2013, are examples of how the complexity of software intensive systems or systems technology can be used to concentrate economic power and of systems also increases [7]. Therefore, there are serious create global monopolies [13]. These revelations had profound impacts on society’s possibilities for human action generated by cybertechnology perception of ethical issues in the digital age, increasing the also introduce “conceptual muddles” [16]. In these cases, importance of cyberethics. Despite that technology has great we must first eliminate the muddles by clearing up certain potential of freeing people from manual and repetitive labor, conceptual confusions before we can frame coherent policies it also brings other troubling concerns, requiring from human and laws [17]. understanding and accountability [14]. In addition, Brey [20], [21] believes that because Considering this context, countries are launching large-scale of embedded biases in cybertechnology, the standard initiatives focused on addressing cyberethic issues. For applied-ethics methodology is not adequate for identifying and instance, in the United States, several foundations and funders acting on cyberethics issues. Brey argues that the standard recently announced the Ethics and Governance of Artificial ethics method tends to focus almost solely on the uses of Intelligence Fund, which will support interdisciplinary technology [17]. The standard method fails to pay sufficient research to ensure that AI develops in a way that is ethical, attention to certain features and practices involving the use of accountable, and advances the public interest [14]. cybertechnology that have moral import but that are not yet The European Union is currently discussing the creation known [20]. of a European agency for robotics and AI. They aim Many practices involving computer technology are to preserve human dignity and integrity while developing morally nontransparent because they include operations of artificial intelligence and robots. [15]. technological systems that are very complex and difficult to In Brazil, Marco Civil (the Brazilian civil rights framework understand for laypersons and that are often hidden from view for the Internet) aims to protect human rights, including for the average user [21]. They also involve distant actions ensuring freedom of speech and expression, protecting privacy over computer networks by system operators, providers, and personal data, ensuring equitable access to information, website owners and hackers and remain hidden from view and promoting an open, competitive online marketplace, partly from users and from the public at large [21]. by guaranteeing net neutrality [13]. C. Making cyberethics decisions: Brey’s “disclosive” method B. What is cyberethics? To address aforementioned caveats on cyberethics According to Moor [16], computer ethics is the “analysis decision-making, Brey proposes a “disclosive” method for of the nature and social impact of computer technology and cyberethics [20]. The aim of disclosive ethics is to identify the corresponding formulation and justification of policies for such morally opaque practices, describe and analyze them, so the ethical use of such technology”. as to bring them into view, and to identify and reflect on any Tavani [17] argues that cyberethics is a more appropriate problematic moral features of cybertechnologies [21]. and accurate term, connoting the social impact of computers Brey describes the methodology for computer ethics: it and cybertechnology in a broad sense and not merely the must first identify, or “disclose”, features that, without proper impact of that technology for computer professionals. He probing and analysis, would go unnoticed as having moral defines cyberethics as the “study of moral, legal, and social implications. Therefore, we need computer scientists (or issues involving cybertechnology.” Cybertechnology, in turn, software engineers) because they better understand computer comprises the entire range of computing and communication technology (as opposed to philosophers and social scientists) systems, from stand-alone computers to privately owned [20]. networks and to the Internet itself. Social scientists are also needed to evaluate system designs Moor [16] explains that computers are essentially a and make them more user-friendly. Philosophers can determine malleable, universally applicable tool, so the potential whether existing ethical theories are adequate to test the newly applications for human action and consequent ethical issues disclosed moral issues or more theory is needed. Finally, are novel and almost limitless [17], [18]. Some of these actions computer scientists, philosophers, and social scientists must might generate what Moor calls “policy vacuums”, because cooperate in applying ethical theory in deliberations about we have no explicit policies or laws to guide new choices that moral issues