Computer Ethics assignment

Tavani, chap 11

Social-psychological research on identity:

Normal

•       not fixed over time

•       not one-dimensional

•       somewhat distributed/elastic over roles and contexts

Destructive

•       Identity conflict

Pathological

· multiple personalities

· Jim Blascovitch:  Virtual Identity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgEA4iM8CHc

Manifestations of virtual identity

 Virtual identity as

1.    role playing

2.    parallel life

3.    arrested development of RL persona

4.    inappropriate transfer to RL

5.  Body image -   Pro Ana groups

6.  Cyberbulling --  False relationships and Deceptions

7.  Virtual Reality -- Brey and VR environments

         How can the way we treat virtual characters ultimately influence the way we treat each other?

          Rape in Lamda Moo   Julian Dibble 20 years later   http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/07/the-original-internet-abuse-story-julian-dibbell-20-years-after-a-rape-in-cyberspace.html

VL and RL

 What is Virtual Reality?

. According to Brey:  " a three dimensional,

1. interactive computer generated environment that incorporates

1. a first person perspective"  --  suggests immersion in the world.

1. Tavani  p. 344 figure 11.1

. Ethical Issues in VR

2. Active engagement vs  passive viewing

2. Simulates reality:   what would it be like to do this in this environment?

2. Avatars

2. MMOG or MMORPG-- massively multiplayer online games  e.g.  World of Warcraft;  Second Life

What kinds of morally objectionable behavior can you find in these games?

1. Is virtual murder the same as real murder?  How about pedophilia?   Are virtual outlets beneficial?

1. Is virtual harm equivalent to an "unreal" harm?

1. Rape in Cyberspace:  p. 242  scenario  11.1

1. Rape in Lamda Moo   Julian Dibble 20 years later   http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/07/the-original-internet-abuse-story-julian-dibbell-20-years-after-a-rape-in-cyberspace.html

1. p. 347:   Argument from moral development:  Kant's argument for the treatment of animals.  Treating animals kindly can influence how we treat humans.  We have no obligation to treat them kindly, but we should.

5. Similarly, the way we treat virtual characters may affect how we treat people.  Raping in cyberspace may desensitize us to the way we view rape in physical space.

1. Argument from psychological harm:  the way we refer to certain characters that represent a group:  e.g. women, minorities, may cause harm to actual members of the group.  Rape of a virtual woman might cause psychological harm to a real woman even though she is not the object of the rape.  

1. Misrepresentation and biases: figure 11.2  p.  350

Individuals can assume an online identity or identities in virtual reality (VR), e.g., chat, MUD, and gaming, dramatically different than the identity they display in real life (RL).

· Neeley Article Questions:

. Since virtual communities differ from traditonal ones, what effect does anonymity have on our online actions and representations?

. Neely states that responsibility and punishment do not necessarily require physical presence.  Should punishment be enacted in the physical world for actions online, or should there be a virtual punishment?

. What is the difference between 'weak anonymity' and 'strong anonymity'?  Which is the more desirable option?

. Should on line anonymity be reduced to a point where all users are more traceable?

Biometric Identity

 Biometrics and Identity:  Response to the call for new ways of maintaining order and providing security

1.

a. Digital representation of physical features unique to an individual—fingerprint, retina, voice pattern, patterns of the iris , veins of the hand

b. This is turned into a template that is stored in a centalized database.  When it is accessed, it is compared to a second biometric image for a match.  The same algorithm converts it.  If the match is ok, the person is recognized.

c. Can also store it on a chip card.  You provide the chipcard and body part for identification.

A. What are the differences between this and asking for id cards, passports, ss#’s?

a. What are the problems

i. Easy to falsify…there is a low integrity of data.  A mistake can be propagated from document to document.

ii. Lots of paper

iii. Biometrics is a solution that will get rid of paper, forgotten pin #’s.

1-The human body becomes the universal id card.

2-Who would want to use it?

                 B. What is involved in Biometric identity?

1.

a. Originally: we are trying to verify identity:1 to 1 match rather than looking at ‘self-knowledge’ which is expressive

i. When we verify identity , we are asking “what makes this person the same as herself through space and time?

ii. Self-knowledge is really about the beliefs and values that make a person unique and different from others:1 to many comparison

b. Now the concept is a little broader than just what I have described above.

i. Many systems are being introduced by government social agencies who are not interested in a 1-1 match, but rather 1 to many to look for double dippers—to catch people using fake id’s in order to receive > 1 welfare payment

ii. checks identity against an already enrolled client population---against a database containing a collection of centrally stored biometric data.So this retinal scan belongs to Jane Doe of Arkansas.Who does it match?

iii. e.g. super bowl and terrorist data base

1. So biometric schemes recognize both sameness and differences

2. Here body is important to identity. It is inseparable from the technology that created it. Biometric body readable by machine.