Viewpoints | Ethics and Technology

Why the “Hands-off” Approach to Automated Driving Systems?

Michael J. Quinn. June 9, 2021. It is naïve to expect that companies will always do the right thing, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s nonregulatory approach has led to unnecessary injuries and deaths.

Shaped by Modern Tools

Eric R. Severson. April 29, 2021. Considering the invisible ways that technology shapes those who wield it.

Examining Digital Ethics at Seattle University

Nathan R. Colaner, Michael J. Quinn, Jeffery Smith, and John O'Brien. January 8, 2021. Three leaders in Ethics and Technology at Seattle University talk about digital ethics and their work in the intersection between technology and ethics.

Data Privacy and Contact Tracing

Jeffery Smith and Eva Sedgwick. May 14, 2020. Is it appropriate to track those infected with the Coronavirus using mobile devices? Center Director Jeffery Smith and Associate Professor of Law Eva Sedgwick examine the tradeoffs between privacy and public health.

Data Privacy and Opportunity Lost in Toronto

Noah Lombardini-Parker. May 8, 2020. As Google's plans to create a smart-city in Toronto are shut down by the public over data privacy concerns, we must stop to consider - what are the ethics of NOT sharing our data?

Deepfakes and the Value-Neutrality Thesis

Nathan Colaner and Michael J. Quinn. February 10, 2020. The creator of FakeApp says it would be wrong to condemn the technology. How could we not?

Imperfect Perfect AI

Alex Gorton. January 28, 2020. AI has the ability to create a lot of positive impacts in our world, but we need to remember that our responsibility to one another cannot be off-loaded onto machines. In our quest for perfect AI, we have to remember that we are trying to use it in an imperfect world. And who knows imperfection better than us humans?

Although We Know How to Make Start-Ups Successful, Do We Know How To Make Start-Ups Ethical?

Alex Gorton. January 8, 2020. Something has happened while we’ve been enamored with the glitz and glamour of Silicon Valley and the technology industry at large. We’ve neglected to ask the question, “Although we know how to make start-ups successful, do we know how to make start-ups ethical?”

The Grapes of Wrath (Reprise): Rideshare and Food-delivery Services

Michael J. Quinn. November 25, 2019. The rideshare economy is characterized by a glut of workers and falling wages. We’ve seen this happen before. Should the government intervene?