The Ethical Dilemmas Today's Programmers Face

Posted by samzenpus on Monday April 21, 2014 @10:15AM from the do-the-right-thing dept.

snydeq (1272828) writes "As software takes over more of our lives, the ethical ramifications of decisions made by programmers only become greater. Unfortunately, the tech world has always been long on power and short on thinking about the long-reaching effects of this power. More troubling: While ethics courses have become a staple of physical-world engineering degrees, they remain a begrudging anomaly in computer science pedagogy. Now that our code is in refrigerators, thermostats, smoke alarms, and more, the wrong moves, a lack of foresight, or downright dubious decision-making can haunt humanity everywhere it goes. Peter Wayner offers a look at just a few of the ethical quandaries confronting developers every day. 'Consider this less of a guidebook for making your decisions and more of a starting point for the kind of ethical contemplation we should be doing as a daily part of our jobs.'"

1 of 183 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Software "Engineers" Have it Easy by Anonymous Coward · 2014-04-21 11:08 · Score: 0, Troll

Software "Engineers" can rest easy. None of the responsibility of "real" engineers, but still can call themselves "engineers".
No need to worry about liability insurance, errors and omissions insurance, tort law, etc. Just program your little easter eggs, and everything will be fine.
Software comes WITHOUT WARRANTY, or even FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, and is supposed to CONTAIN KNOWN DEFECTS.
Don't worry about maiming anyone, they can get a refund for the software, and a free upgrade!