There has been a lot of talk on the Ethical issues existing in the AI systems. We try to cover and explain few of them in the following two documents, detailed versions of which are present as pdf in this repository.
In the digital sphere, privacy refers to the right to have control and freedom for the use of one’s own data. Privacy with respect to data is of great importance to users as it is linked to the values of (i) autonomy as in the control of what happens to one’s information, how much information should be provided, and (ii) dignity as in people don’t want everyone to know everything about them, which can make them vulnerable. Even with positive steps in this direction to conserve user control on their information, it is seen that people still have a sense of insecurity when it comes to providing information, even for many useful and genuine purposes. This also can be linked to anxiety, paranoia and an overall adverse impact on user behavior. We try to look upon the main reasons or actions which cause this insecurity and the reactions from users. This helps us to consider the problematic aspects while designing and developing any system that has a significant reliance on user data. These reasons can also be seen as a user feedback to understand what things are most important for a data-based system. Moreover, a byproduct of this analysis would be a development which will not only increase any user’s trust in technology, but will also assist in taking a step towards more ethical systems which don’t adversely impact user psychology.
Living in the era of datafication where along with harnessing the benefits of vastness of data, we are also gradually encountering the related issues. One of these topics is Digital Surveillance, which refers to the collection of information of an individual. There are ethical issues related to unauthorized monitoring and privacy of users. We discuss about the relevance of such systems, and address the issues with possible ways to improve upon them.