Putting Information Ethics to Work Rafael Capurro Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences COST/TIST Conference, June 28, 2005, Vitznau Switzerland

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 2 IT and Information Ethics  „In designing tools we are designing ways of being“ (Winograd/Flores 1986, xi)  Designing ways of (well) being is the matter of ethics  Conclusio: In designing (good) (IT) tools we are dealing (implicitly) with ethics.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 3 Shannon & Weaver (Source:

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 4 Shannon & Weaver Three levels of communication problems (Shannon/Weaver 1949/1972, 4):  Level A. How accurately can the symbols of communication be transmitted? (The technical problem)  Level B. How precisely do the transmitted symbols convey the desired meaning? (The semantic probem)  Level C. How effectively does the receiver meaning affect conduct in the desired way? (The effectiveness problem)

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 5 Shannon & Weaver  „The effectiveness problem is closely interrelated with the semantic problem, and overlaps it in a rather vague way; and there is in fact overlap between all of the suggested categories of problems.“ (Shannon/Weaver 1972, 5-6)

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 6 Message Society  Digital Networks  Global & Local = „glocal“  Interactivity  Sustainable (IT) development  Human-centered and inclusive information society

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 7 Lawrence Lessig: „Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace“ CODE MARKET LAW MORALITY

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 8 Infoethics: Morality & IT Morality Code Ethics Infoethics

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 9 „Code is law“ (L. Lessig)  What kind of (moral) code? Human dignity Freedom of speech Privacy Autonomy Cultural diversity Freedom of scientific research

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 10 Information Ethics Information ethics deals with ethical questions in the field of digital production and reproduction of phenomena and processes such as the exchange, combination and use of information.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 11 Information Ethics Fields of research:  Development of moral standards, norms or values  Critical appraisal on the creation of (new) power structures  Critical appraisal of information visions and myths  Critical appraisal of hidden contradictions and intentionalities in information theories and practices

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 12 Putting Information Ethics to Work Promoting Reflection and Sustainability at:  Macro-Level: WSIS: Overcoming the Digital Divide Ethics Committees (EGE, National Ethics C.)  Meso- und Microlevel: Creating spaces of ethical reflection Codes of ethics Decision support groups Ethics counseling

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 13 Putting Information Ethics to Work  Sustainable IT Processes: Legal, economic, ecologic, social, ethical  Self-awareness (individual, institutions)  Which information should be communicated with whom, how far, how long…?  Transparency, data protection („habeas data“)  Open Source, Free Software, Open Access

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 14 Putting Information Ethics to Work Coaching information values:  Sustainability  Solidarity  Responsibility  Fairness  Integrity  Privacy  Security  Confidentiality

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 15 Putting Information Ethics to Work  Managing Information Ethics: Promoting  Reflection  Local and global awareness  Responsibility and Accountability  Identity and diversity  Cultural awareness Best Practices

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 16 The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE)  The EGE is an independent, pluralist and multitisciplinary body which advises the European Commission on ethical aspects of science and new technologies in connection with the preparation and implementation of Community legislation or policies.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 17 EGE Members Prof. Göran HERMERÉN (Sweden), President, Philosopher, Professor of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University. Prof. Linda NIELSEN (Denmark), Vice-President, Professor of Law, Rector of the University of Copenhagen. Prof. Nicos C. ALIVIZATOS (Greece), Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Athens. Prof. Rafael CAPURRO (Germany), Professor of Information Management and Information Ethics at University of Applied Sciences. Prof. Inez DE BEAUFORT (The Netherlands), Professor of Health Care Ethics at the Medical Faculty of the Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Prof. Yvon ENGLERT (Belgium), Head of Fertility Clinic, Free University of Brussels (ULB), Professor of Medical Ethics and Deontology, ULB. Prof. Catherine LABRUSSE-RIOU (France), Centre de recherche en droit privé, Université de Paris. Dr. Anne McLAREN (United Kingdom), Geneticist, Research Associate at Wellcome CRC Institute, Cambridge. Prof. Pere PUIGDOMÈNECH ROSELL (Spain), Research Professor at the Department for Molecular Genetics, Director of Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, CSIC Prof. Stefano RODOTA (Italy), Professor of Civil Law, University of Rome, Chairman of the Italian Data Protection Authority, Chairman of the European Group of the Data Protection Authorities. Prof. Günter VIRT (Austria), Professor of Theology, Institute of Catholic Moral Theology, University of Vienna. Prof. Peter WHITTAKER (Ireland), Biologist, Professor of Biology, Institute of Environment, Philosophy and Public Policy, University of Lancaster, Furness College.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 18 EGE Members

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 19 EGE Secretariat Dr. Michael D. Rogers, European Commission, BERL 10/345, rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium. EGE-Website: europa.eu.int/comm/european_group_ethi cs europa.eu.int/comm/european_group_ethi cs EGE-Newsletter "Ethically Speaking": providing also information on the activities of the National Ethics Committees.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 20 EGE Opinions  Opinion n. 16 (2002) Ethical aspects of patenting inventions involving human stem cells  Opinion n. 17 (2003) Ethical aspects of clinical research in developing countries  Opinion n. 18 (2003) Ethical aspects of genetic testing in the workplace  Opinion n. 19 (2004) Ethical aspects of cord blood stem cells banks  Opinion n. 20 (2005) Ethical Aspects of ICT implants in the human body (2005)

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 21 Ethics and Public Policy  Ethics councils within the sphere of public policy have the function of reflecting on the moral and legal foundations of specific controversial issues without being itself neither a legal nor a moral authority.  Their task is reflection, not decision- making or dogmatic proclamation.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 22 Ethics and Public Policy  They should counterbalance ethical arguments and give an opinion on matters that remain controversial and subject to revision.  Today’s public policy has a need for such counsels particularly with regard to new developments in science and technology

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 23 Ethics and Public Policy  Although they might look for consensual opinions, consensus should not be a conditio sine qua non of their proposals. It is also not their function to make public policy ‘more moral,’ but to encourage ethical reflection within the public sphere

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 24 National and International Ethics Committees  Most European and non-European national and international ethics committees have been created in the nineties.  UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee (IBC) was created in The Steering Committee on Bioethics of the Council of Europe dates from  US President George W. Bush created The President’s Council on Bioethics on the basis of the Executive Order from November 28, 2001 (  Most national and international ethics committees are in fact (until now) committees on bioethics. The EGE is the first international committee with a broader scope.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 25 Bibliography  Capurro, Rafael: Ethics and Public Policy within a Digital Environment. In: I. Alvarez, T. W. Bynum, J.A. de Assis Lopes, S. Rogerson (Eds.): The Transformation of Organisations in the Information Age: Social and Ethical Implications, ETHICOMP 2002, Lisboa 2002, Online:  Capurro, Rafael: Ethics Between Law and Public Policy. In: Journal of International Biotechnology Laws (JIBL) Vol. 1, Issue 2 / 2004, Online: m m

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 26 Bibliography  Lessig, Lawrence: Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace. New York 1999  Shannon, Claude E. / Weaver, Warren: The Mathematical Theory of Communication. Univ. of Illinois Press 1949/1972, 5th ed.  Winograd, Terry / Flores, Fernando: Understanding Computers and Cognition. A New Foundation for Design. New Jersey 1986.

Capurro: Putting Information Ethics to Work 27 Portals & Journals  World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS):  ICIE (International Center for Information Ethics):  IRIE (International Review of Information Ethics):  EIT (Ethics and Information Technology)  ICES (Journal of Information, Communiation and Ethics in Society)