scholarly journals Freedom in the Society of Control: Ethical challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 203-220
Author(s):  
Yevhen Laniuk
Keyword(s):  
Gilles Deleuze ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Main Argument ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Philosophical Concept ◽  
Automated Decision Making ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Society Of Control

AbstractThe Society of Control is a philosophical concept developed by Gilles Deleuze in the early 1990s to highlight the transition from Michel Foucault’s Disciplinary Society to a new social constitution of power assisted by digital technologies. The Society of Control is organized around switches, which convert data, and, in this way, exercise power. These switches take data inputs (digitized information about individuals) and transform them into outputs (decisions) based on their pre-programmed instructions. I call these switches “automated decision-making algorithms” (ADMAs) and look at ethical issues that arise from their impact on human freedom. I distinguish between negative and positive aspects of freedom and examine the impact of the ADMAs on both. My main argument is that freedom becomes endangered in this new ecosystem of computerized control, which makes individuals powerless in new and unprecedented ways. Finally, I suggest a few ways to recover freedom, while preserving the economic benefits of the ADMAs.

scholarly journals Ethics of Corporeal, Co-present Robots as Agents of Influence: a Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
AJung Moon ◽  
Shalaleh Rismani ◽  
H. F. Machiel Van der Loos
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Natural Tendency ◽  
Ai Ethics ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose of Review To summarize the set of roboethics issues that uniquely arise due to the corporeality and physical interaction modalities afforded by robots, irrespective of the degree of artificial intelligence present in the system. Recent Findings One of the recent trends in the discussion of ethics of emerging technologies has been the treatment of roboethics issues as those of “embodied AI,” a subset of AI ethics. In contrast to AI, however, robots leverage human’s natural tendency to be influenced by our physical environment. Recent work in human-robot interaction highlights the impact a robot’s presence, capacity to touch, and move in our physical environment has on people, and helping to articulate the ethical issues particular to the design of interactive robotic systems. Summary The corporeality of interactive robots poses unique sets of ethical challenges. These issues should be considered in the design irrespective of and in addition to the ethics of artificial intelligence implemented in them.

scholarly journals Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia through an ethical lens: A study of non-state actors involved in aid distribution

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Melati Nungsari ◽  
Chuah Hui Yin ◽  
Nicole Fong ◽  
Veena Pillai
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
The Impact

Background: Globally, vulnerable populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent responses, such as lockdown measures and mass vaccinations. Numerous ethical challenges have arisen at different levels, be it at the policy-making level or on the ground. For example, policymakers have to contain a highly contagious disease with high morbidity using scarce resources, while minimizing the medium- to long-term social and economic impacts induced by containment measures. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in Malaysia by using an intersectional framework that accounts for overlapping forms of marginalization.   Methods: This study utilizes in-depth qualitative data obtained from 34 individuals and organizations to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia. We utilize four principles of ethics to guide our coding and interpretation of the data – namely beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. We utilize a frequency analysis to roughly understand the types of ethical issues that emerged. Using hermeneutic content analysis (HCA), we then explore how the principles interact with each other. Results: Through the frequently analysis, we found that although beneficence was very prevalent in our dataset, so was a significant amount of harm – as perpetuated through injustice, the removal or lack of autonomy and maleficence. We also unearthed a worrying landscape of harm and deep systemic issues associated with a lack of support for vulnerable households – further exacerbated during the pandemic. Conclusions: Policy recommendations for aid organizations and society to mitigate these ethical problems are presented, such as long overdue institutional reforms and stronger ethical practices rooted in human rights principles, which government agencies and aid providers can then use in the provision of aid to vulnerable populations.

Text Messaging and Private Practice: Ethical Challenges and Guidelines for Developing Personal Best Practices

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sude
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Private Practice ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Message Service ◽  
Impact Of Technology ◽  
The Impact

The impact of technology on mental health practice is currently a concern in the counseling literature, and several articles have discussed using different types of technology in practice. In particular, many private practitioners use a cell phone for business. However, no article has discussed ethical concerns and best practices for the use of short message service (SMS), better known as text messaging (TM). Ethical issues that arise with TM relate to confidentiality, documentation, counselor competence, appropriateness of use, and misinterpretation. There are also such boundary issues to consider as multiple relationships, counselor availability, and billing. This article addresses ethical concerns for mental health counselors who use TM in private practice. It reviews the literature and discusses benefits, ethical concerns, and guidelines for office policies and personal best practices.

scholarly journals Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia through an ethical lens: A study of NGOs and organizations involved in aid distribution

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 263
Author(s):  
Melati Nungsari ◽  
Hui Yin Chuah ◽  
Nicole Fong ◽  
Veena Pillai
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Ethical Practices ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
The Impact

Background: Globally, vulnerable populations have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent responses, such as lockdown measures and mass vaccinations. Numerous ethical challenges have arisen at different levels, be it at the policy-making level or on the ground. For example, policymakers have to contain a highly contagious disease with high morbidity using scarce resources, while minimizing the medium- to long-term social and economic impacts induced by containment measures. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations in Malaysia by using an intersectional framework that accounts for overlapping forms of marginalization.   Methods: This study utilizes in-depth qualitative data obtained from 34 individuals and organizations to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on vulnerable populations in Malaysia. We utilize four principles of ethics to guide our coding and interpretation of the data – namely beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. We utilize a frequency analysis to roughly understand the types of ethical issues that emerged. Using hermeneutic content analysis (HCA), we then explore how the principles interact with each other. Results: Through the frequently analysis, we found that although beneficence was very prevalent in our dataset, so was a significant amount of harm – as perpetuated through injustice, the removal or lack of autonomy and maleficence. We also unearthed a worrying landscape of harm and deep systemic issues associated with a lack of support for vulnerable households – further exacerbated during the pandemic. Conclusions: Policy recommendations for aid organizations and society to mitigate these ethical problems are presented, such as long overdue institutional reforms and stronger ethical practices rooted in human rights principles, which government agencies and aid providers can then use in the provision of aid to vulnerable populations.

Resources and constraints for addressing ethical issues in medical humanitarian work: Experiences of expatriate healthcare professionals

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 261-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Hunt, PT, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Nongovernmental Organizations ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Humanitarian Relief ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Emergency Assistance ◽  
Healthcare Practice ◽  
The Impact

Objective: International nongovernmental organizations frequently provide emergency assistance in settings where armed conflict or natural disaster overwhelm the capacity of local and national agencies to respond to health and related needs of affected communities. Healthcare practice in humanitarian settings presents distinct clinical, logistical, and ethical challenges for clinicians and differs in important ways from clinical practice in the home countries of expatriate healthcare professionals. The aim of this research was to examine the moral experience of healthcare professionals who participate in humanitarian relief work.Design: I conducted a qualitative research study using interpretive description methodology.Participants: Fifteen Canadian healthcare professionals and three human resource or field coordination officers for nongovernmental organizations were interviewed.Results: In this article, I present findings related to expatriate healthcare professionals’ experiences of resources and constraints for addressing ethical issues in humanitarian crises. Resources for ethics deliberation and reflection include the following: opportunities for discussion; accessing and understanding local perspectives; access to outside perspectives; attitudes, such as humility, open-mindedness, and reflexivity; and development of good moral “reflexes.” Constraints for deliberation and reflection relate to three domains: individual considerations, contextual features of humanitarian relief work, and local team and project factors.Conclusion: These findings illuminate the complex nature of ethical reflection, deliberation, and decision-making in humanitarian healthcare practice. Healthcare professionals and relief organizations should seek to build upon resources for addressing ethical issues. When possible, they should minimize the impact of features that function as constraints.

Violence and Public Health Ethics

2019 ◽  
pp. 616-631
Author(s):  
Omrana Pasha ◽  
Myra F. Hyder ◽  
Adnan A. Hyder
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Ethical Practice ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Public Health Practitioners ◽  
The Impact

This chapter discusses the ethical issues and impact of interpersonal and self-directed violence on the health of the global population. Interpersonal and self-directed violence (self-harm) are leading causes of death and disability globally, and international guidelines recommend provision of services to those affected by violence, research into the prevalence of violence, and advocacy and training to prevent violence. Importantly, public health practice and research on violence present both global and context-specific ethical challenges. This chapter describes the impact of violence on public health, the role of public health practitioners in addressing violence, fundamental ethical principles and guidelines for public health workers to address violence, and ethical challenges for research and programs dealing with violence, including fair approaches to violence screening and response, safe means of collecting data about violence, reducing risks when resources are limited, and autonomy versus paternalism in suicide management. The chapter concludes by suggesting strategies for the ethical practice of public health in the context of violence.

scholarly journals Five Questions for Digital Migration Studies: Learning From Digital Connectivity and Forced Migration In(to) Europe

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 205630511876442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koen Leurs ◽  
Kevin Smets
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
The Political ◽  
Refugee Crisis ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Migration Studies ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact

This Special Collection “Forced migration and digital connectivity in(to) Europe” historicizes, contextualizes, empirically grounds, and conceptually reflects on the impact of digital technologies on forced migration. In this introductory essay, we elaborate digital migration as a developing field of research. Taking the exceptional attention for digital mediation within the recent so-called “European refugee crisis” as a starting point, we reflect on the main conceptual, methodological and ethical challenges for this emerging field and how it is taking shape through interdisciplinary dialogues and in interaction with policy and public debate. Our discussion is organized around five central questions: (1) Why Europe? (2) Where are the field and focus of digital migration studies? (3) Where is the human in digital migration? (4) Where is the political in digital migration? and (5) How can we de-center Europe in digital migration studies? Alongside establishing common ground between various communities of scholarship, we plea for non-digital-media-centric-ness and foreground a commitment toward social change, equity and social justice.

Ethical Issues in Digital Information Technology

2011 ◽  
pp. 455-464
Author(s):  
Konrad Morgan ◽  
Madeleine Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Information Communications Technology ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Digital Information Technology ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Vast Network

Since the inception of the Internet in the late 1960´s, technological advances in the field of Information Communications Technology (ICT) have created an ever-expanding digital arena for the development of human innovation, education, expression, communication and interaction. However, the creation and use of this vast network of knowledge, whether it is for educational, commercial, entertainment or creative purposes, has also produced its own set of ethical challenges. This paper discusses the ethical implications associated with the topics of veracity, identity and ownership and the impact of these fundamental ethical issues on human behaviour in emerging digital technologies.

Discussant: Ethical challenges

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S36-S36
Author(s):  
M. Kastrup
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
The Impact

Europe has undergone considerable economic changes that have an impact on mental health of its citizens; have consequences for the organization of mental health services; and raise ethical issues, such as the distribution of wealth, and equity in access to care. Furthermore, Europe is current undergoing serious economic problems that will produce adverse effects on the mental health of its citizens, among them increase in substance abuse related disorders as well as an increase in suicide.The consequences that economic changes have on mental health relate to the conditions of the particular country, as countries with better health security nets would be less likely to experience adverse effects. Different policy measures may reduce the impact on mental health not only within the health sector, but other sectors of society have to be engaged in the process.The symposium will consider these problems from different selected perspectives.An overview of the impact of economic policies on health services will be followed by a presentation of the important role of international organizations like EPA in outlining the problem and finally a presentation of the initiative Choosing Wisely that focuses on communication between health professionals and patients with recommendations of decisions about the most appropriate care based on the patient's individual situation.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

Research Participation Experiences of Informants of Suicide and Control Cases

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W. C. Wong ◽  
Wincy S. C. Chan ◽  
Philip S. L. Beh ◽  
Fiona W. S. Yau ◽  
Paul S. F. Yip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Research Participation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
The People ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Background: Ethical issues have been raised about using the psychological autopsy approach in the study of suicide. The impact on informants of control cases who participated in case-control psychological autopsy studies has not been investigated. Aims: (1) To investigate whether informants of suicide cases recruited by two approaches (coroners’ court and public mortuaries) respond differently to the initial contact by the research team. (2) To explore the reactions, reasons for participation, and comments of both the informants of suicide and control cases to psychological autopsy interviews. (3) To investigate the impact of the interviews on informants of suicide cases about a month after the interviews. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used for the informants of both suicide and control cases. Telephone follow-up interviews were conducted with the informants of suicide cases. Results: The majority of the informants of suicide cases, regardless of the initial route of contact, as well as the control cases were positive about being approached to take part in the study. A minority of informants of suicide and control cases found the experience of talking about their family member to be more upsetting than expected. The telephone follow-up interviews showed that none of the informants of suicide cases reported being distressed by the psychological autopsy interviews. Limitations: The acceptance rate for our original psychological autopsy study was modest. Conclusions: The findings of this study are useful for future participants and researchers in measuring the potential benefits and risks of participating in similar sensitive research. Psychological autopsy interviews may be utilized as an active engagement approach to reach out to the people bereaved by suicide, especially in places where the postvention work is underdeveloped.

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