Digital Media Ethics. Charles Ess

Digital Media Ethics - Charles  Ess


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      The Pew Research Center. www.pewinternet.org/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying.

      Given the realities of young peoples’ experiences online (which, be sure to notice, vary considerably from country to country), does it seem to you that more popular coverage provides a much needed and useful service in calling our attention to the sorts of social and ethical problems that new media make possible? And/or: do you see any risks here of such coverage falling into a “moral panic” style of reporting? Either way, the key point is to provide evidence – including examples (carefully cited, please) that support your claims and observations.

      (A) How do you respond to this set of problems? That is, does it sometimes seem justified for groups such as Anonymous to intervene in such cases – i.e., when the legal authorities initially appeared to lack the technical sophistication needed to track down stalkers such as the one who pursued Amanda Todd? And/or: might the risks of such “trial by Internet” – beginning with the erroneous accusation of the wrong person – outweigh its possible benefits (such as – occasionally – getting the right person when the authorities can’t)?

      Again, the key point is to provide support for your claims and observations, beginning with evidence (e.g., how often does a group such as Anonymous succeed where others fail?) and arguments that will hold up to critical scrutiny.

      (B) In January 2014 (slightly over a year after her suicide in October 2012), Dutch police arrested Aydin Coban. Amanda Todd is alleged to be but one of his more than 30 victims; following Coban’s trial and conviction in the Netherlands on charges of internet fraud and blackmail, he is to be extradited to Canada to face charges related to the Amanda Todd case (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Amanda_Todd).

      We – meaning everyone who makes use of, and is dependent upon, such digital technologies – are thereby confronted with a staggering range of ethical issues. This is to say: these issues – whether cyberbullying and pornography or foundational threats to privacy and democracy – present us with possible conflicts with our basic ethical norms, values, or principles; they thereby urge us to consider one or more alternative choices or routes of action in order to resolve the conflict. Many of these issues require the insight and assistance of professionals such as computer and data scientists, ICT designers, and philosophers specialized in these matters: but life in a (post-)digital era means that all of us are confronted with such issues, as inevitably catalyzed by our technologies.


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