Assigned Date: Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
Due Date: 11:59pm, Friday, Jan. 17
Assignment
Identify an ethical case involving computing – a story reported in the news, to which the ACM Code of Ethics applies. The more pronounced, wider-impact, the better.
It must be reported by at least four reputable news sources (i.e., use news networks, or entities, with decades-old infrastructure – such as print / magazine, newspaper, or TV).
- Examples of reputable sources to possibly use include – Fox News, CNN, US News & World Report, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, New York Times, Post & Courier, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post.
- Examples of sources NOT to use include – New York Post, National Inquirer, Sun, or Daily Mail.
NOTE: There are thousands (millions?) of bad sources. Being able to identify reputable sources (regardless of political leaning) is a skill you must develop in this day of abundant posting (anyone and their kitchen sink can post), Photoshoping, story-telling / baiting for advertisement clicks, AI chatbots for creating fake content, and – in general – fake news, or political technology.
Details
Do all the following:
1. Identify an ethical case involving computing, as described above. You need to find a unique case to report on – one that no other classmate has selected.
2. Claim your case (by Due Date). The sooner, the better. You can claim your case on the Ed Discussion board (see link below).
3. Write a general description of the case:
- What is it about?
- Why is it important?
4. Provide four references from reputable news sources (as described above). Provide author name (reporter), title of article, news source, publication date, page numbers (if applicable), and – most important – a permalink / link / URL, so we can find it / read the original.
5. State which principles from the ACM Code of Ethics apply to this case (the more the better).
Grading
Your grade will be based on how well you followed the above instructions, and the depth/quality of your work.
Submissions
Claim your case study (follow above instructions carefully), including the four references, on the Ed Discussion board – here.
