Ethics paper/project

This work is due by 10:30pm on Sunday, 15 April 2018.

With the imminent release of the new ACM Code of Ethics, the ACM Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE) is hoping to spur the development of teaching materials that faculty can leverage as they help their students explore the implications of the code of ethics. At the center of this effort is a quest of case studies that can serve as the center of discussion. Right now, that development is in the preliminary stages. You can find the initial set of draft case studies at https://github.com/kirkpams/ACM-Code.

Your goal is to write a new case study comparable to those already in the repository. However, you have a few additional requirements that are not in the typical case studies.

1. Identify an “interesting” actual case in the media. You might explore issues similar to those in the extant case studies or you might look at new issues. I’m particularly interested in case studies that deal with issues of accessibility, but you should pick a topic that you find interesting or useful.

2. Write a one-paragraph summary of the actual case, with citations to the original sources you’ve used. The summary will appear on the second page of the case study.

3. Write a one-page narrative description of a related imagined case that allows you to highlight particular issues of interest. In doing so, you should reflect on portions of the ACM code of ethics that are likely to be relevant. Your narrative should be about the same length as the extant case studies.

4. Write a dozen or so questions to supplement the basic set of reflective questions. The case on bypassing mobile security provides a reasonable set of sample questions.

5. Write a one- or two-paragraph “instructors guide” that discusses the portions of the ACM code of ethics that you consider most relevant to this case.

While the repository contains some templates, it is likely those will be updated. Hence, you may format these materials as you consider appropriate.

Send your completed set of answers to me with a subject line of [CSC 322 2018S] Ethics Essay/Project.

I anticipate submitting some of the better cases to ACM COPE for broader use. I will ask your permission before doing so. If you believe that your case is worthy of submission (and I hope most will be), feel free to encourage me to submit yours, too.

You may choose to work alone or in a group of two or three students. If you choose to work in a group, you should only submit one copy of the assignment.