1. Raphael Cohen-Almagor University of Hull 24.05.20151

2. Lecture Plan Section I -- Introduction Section II -- moral and social responsibility. Section III -- responsibility of Net agents. 24.05.20152

3. Introduction The Internet is a macro system of interconnected private and public spheres: household, literary, military, academic, business and government networks. The mix of open standards, diverse networks, and the growing ubiquity of digital devices makes the Internet a revolutionary force that undermines traditional media and challenges existing regulatory institutions based on national boundaries. 24.05.20153

4. The Internet The Internet contains the best products of humanity 24.05.20154

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7. Worse of Humanity Unfortunately, the Internet also contains the worse products of humanity: Child Pornography, Pedophilia Terror Racism, Hate speech and Holocaust denial Crime-facilitating speech Cyberbullying 24.05.20157

8. Relevant Factors History Culture Morality Law 24.05.20158

9. The Object of this Paper The object of this Paper is to discuss moral and social responsibility of people who utilize the Internet for their own vile purposes. The Paper addresses the ethical problems rooted in technology in response to potential risks on the Internet. The Internet is not the problem. The problem arises where it is utilized to undermine our well-being as autonomous beings living in free societies. 24.05.20159

10. Moral and Social Responsibility Legal responsibility refers to addressing the issue by agencies of state power. In moral responsibility, the personal responsibility of the agent to conscience is at issue, with appeals to moral consideration. Social responsibility relates to the societal implications of a given conduct. 24.05.201510

11. Aristotle Only a certain kind of agent qualifies as a moral agent and is thus properly subject to ascriptions of responsibility, namely, one who possess a capacity for decision. Choice is important, to have desirable ends and relevant means to pursue the end. By moral responsibility it is meant that autonomous agents have the understanding of the options before them, have access to evidence required for making judgments about the benefits and hazards of each option, and able to weigh the relative value of the consequences of their choice. 24.05.201511

12. William J. FitzPatrick all cases of moral responsibility for bad actions must involve a strong form of akrasia, i.e. acting against one’s better judgment. If an agent does something bad, either she does so in full knowledge that she should not be doing it, which is clear-eyed akrasia, or she is acting from ignorance. In the former cases she will be held responsible. In the latter case whether she is responsible or not will depend on whether or not her ignorance is culpable. 24.05.201512

13. Online/Offline In the Internet age, an interesting phenomenon emerged that confuses the concept of moral and social responsibility. In the offline, real world, people know that they are responsible for the consequences of their conduct, speech as well as action. In the online, cyber world, we witness responsibility shake-off. You can assume your dream identity and then anything goes. 24.05.201513

14. Online/Offline The freedom allows language one would dread to use in real life, words one need not abide by, imagination that trumps conventional norms and standards. The Internet has a dis-inhibition effect. 24.05.201514

15. Agent's Responsibility An agent will be held blameworthy for her bad conduct when she clearly aims at doing bad or when she can be held culpable for her ignorance in making bad choices. As Aristotle said, an autonomous agent is aware of what she was doing. 24.05.201515

16. Power of Words Words can wound. Words can hurt. Words can move people to action. The anonymity of the Internet is most convenient for spreading unfounded allegations, for backstabbing, for malicious rumours, for pushing people to conduct harmful actions to others as well as to themselves. 24.05.201516

17. JuicyCampus.com JuicyCampus.com became a focus of attention in recent years as it was used to ruin the name of young people. The site described itself as “the world's most authentic college website, with content generated by college students for college students. Just remember, keep it Juicy! JuicyCampus closed down on February 5, 2009. 24.05.201517

18. The Megan Meier Affair Lori Drew, 49, her daughter Sarah, who was then 13, and Ashley Grills, 19, a family friend and employee, created on the computer mediated community, MySpace, a fictitious teenage boy “Josh Evans” to communicate with Sarah’s nemesis, Megan Meier, who was 13 and had a history of depression and suicidal impulses. 24.05.201518

19. The Megan Meier Affair Online affair with “Josh”. Suddenly, he broke relations with her. The distraught Megan tried to understand why “Josh” no longer wanted to be her friend, involving her MySpace friends in a discussion. The query escalated into a barrage of insults and fierce exchanges. 24.05.201519

20. The Megan Meier Affair Megan received other e-mails from “Josh” in which he called her “fat” and “slut,” and that “You're a shitty person, and the world would be a better place without you in it.” “You’re the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over.” 24.05.201520

21. Moral Responsibility Lori Drew and her co-conspirators are blameworthy and morally culpable for their involvement in this tragedy, for playing on Megan’s emotions in a crude and cynical way without thinking which way this game might lead. They were fully aware of what they were doing. No one coerced them to take this crude path. They chose it freely, exhibiting a strong form of clear- eyed akrasia, acting against their adult better judgment. 24.05.201521

22. The Megan Meier Affair parental responsibility 24.05.201522

23. Cyberbullying Research shows that almost one in four children between the ages of 11 and 19 have been the victim of cyberbullying. Teens who share their identities and thoughts on social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, are more likely to be targets than are those who do not use social networking sites. 24.05.201523

24. What Can Be Done? Stories like that of Megan Meier should be brought to classes and discussed openly and fervently. People, especially young people, should be made aware of the power of the word and settle the confusion between online and offline responsibility. Sites like www.netsmartz.org and http://kids.getnetwise.org/tools/ are instrumental in providing information and promoting awareness regarding the possible harms of social networking forums on the Net. http://kids.getnetwise.org/tools/ 24.05.201524

25. What Can Be Done? We need to teach our children that silence, when others are being hurt, is not acceptable. Safety should be maintained online and offline and studies should be carried out about the connections between the two. As stopcyberbullying.org holds, the task is to create a generation of good cybercitizens, controlling the technology instead of being controlled by it. 24.05.201525

26. Suicide suicide pills and "exit bags” "save the planet, kill yourself” Notwithstanding the extent of the agents' liberalism, they should consider the prudence of such postings given the vulnerability of the people that such sites might attract. 24.05.201526

27. Suicide In mid-2004, Internet Service Providers, police, academics and NGOs in Japan discussed what actions should be taken regarding suicide chatrooms and prevention of online suicide pacts. ISPs should continue to develop and embrace initiatives designed to protect users, especially children. These include technological tools as well as educational campaigns. 24.05.201527

28. Conclusion The Internet does not have any borders but it does have limits. Aristotle’s Rule of the Golden Mean. Net users should act responsibly. Readers should use tip lines and alert the authorities upon encountering dangerous, anti-social content. 24.05.201528

29. From Alberto Ríos/In Us This Day Sometimes, we are brutal and dark green. We are the fishhook thorns on the wild cactus. But sometimes as well, we are the sky itself, That great blue living room filled with endless space In every direction there is to see. We are, As things turn out, the answer and the problem both. Every day we must choose our suit of clothes. 24.05.201529

30. Thank you 24.05.201530