Ethical and Virtuous Technology Explained
An excerpt from my book in development entitled: Age-Appropriate Design Governance
This excerpt is from my book, currently in development under the working title "Age-Appropriate Design Governance.
While I was in the middle of a research project for one article, this question hit me, what do people mean when they say ethical technology?
I hope you enjoy and find this very useful in your work.
Ethical Technology
Ethical technology can be described as the development, deployment, and use of technology in a manner that aligns with ethical principles, values, and considerations. It involves ensuring that technology respects and upholds fundamental human rights, promotes fairness and justice, protects user privacy and data security, and considers the broader societal and environmental impacts.
Here are some key characteristics of ethical technology:
1. User Privacy and Data Protection: Ethical technology prioritizes the privacy and data protection of users. It involves implementing robust security measures, obtaining informed consent for data collection and usage, and providing transparent information about how user data is handled.
2. Transparency and Accountability: Ethical technology promotes transparency by providing clear information about how technology operates, its potential benefits, and any associated risks. It also emphasizes accountability, holding technology creators and operators responsible for their actions and the impact of their products.
3. Fairness and Equality: Ethical technology aims to minimize bias and discrimination, ensuring fair and equal treatment for all individuals. It involves avoiding algorithmic biases, discriminatory practices, and unjust outcomes that may arise from technology's design or use.
4. Social and Environmental Impact: Ethical technology considers the broader social and environmental consequences of its existence and operation. It strives to minimize negative impacts, such as environmental harm, job displacement, or exacerbating existing inequalities. It also seeks to promote positive social change and contribute to sustainable development.
5. Accessibility and Inclusivity: Ethical technology aims to be accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities or background. It emphasizes inclusive design practices that consider diverse user needs and preferences, making technology usable and beneficial for everyone.
6. Ethical Governance: Ethical technology involves establishing ethical frameworks, guidelines, and regulations to govern its development, deployment, and use. It encourages collaboration between technology creators, policymakers, and other stakeholders to ensure responsible and ethical practices throughout the technology lifecycle.
Overall, ethical technology seeks to prioritize human well-being, foster trust, and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future. It recognizes that technology should be a tool for positive impact and advancement, guided by ethical considerations and societal values.
While ethical technology serves as an important foundation for responsible technological development, there exists a realm of possibilities that extends beyond mere adherence to ethical principles. It is in this space that the concept of virtuous technology emerges, offering a transformative vision for the application of technology. I read and see many CEO’s and founders discuss the constructs of virtuous technology, but none have outlined such as this.
Virtuous technology transcends the boundaries of ethical considerations and delves deeper into the realm of virtuous principles and qualities. It represents a paradigm shift that moves beyond simply aligning technology with ethical standards and instead strives for technology that embodies selflessness, compassion, and the pursuit of the greater good. In essence, virtuous technology presents itself as the evolution of ethical technology, offering a more profound and holistic approach to technological development that holds the potential to uplift individuals, foster social harmony, and inspire positive change in our world.
Virtuous Technology
While the term "virtuous technology" is not commonly used, it can be understood as technology that embodies and promotes virtuous principles and qualities. Virtuous technology refers to the application of technology in a manner that aligns with selflessness and contributes to the greater good of individuals and society as a whole. The concept of virtuous technology can encompass various ethical dimensions, including:
1. Human Flourishing: Virtuous technology aims to enhance human well-being and promote the flourishing of individuals. It seeks to create tools, systems, and applications that support personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment.
a. As the parameterization of one’s likes, dislikes, and, for a placeholder of nobleness, dreams, is achievable, technology will have an ability to understand more deeply what it is that drives you to accomplish the things you wish to achieve in life. It will have “an understanding” of why it is you are motivated in such ways. This might be akin to knowing ones value’s. Think of this like your personal Jiminy Cricket, on your shoulder nudging you in the ways you wish to be nudged, without outside negative influences. When Jiminy says, “Let your conscious be your guide,” virtuous technology truly could become this.
2. Ethical Conduct: Virtuous technology is characterized by ethical conduct and integrity. It involves adherence to moral principles, honesty, transparency, and respect for the rights and dignity of users and stakeholders.
a. Virtuous technology operates on the foundational principle of ethical tech, recognizing its intrinsic value and significance.
3. Empathy and Compassion: Virtuous technology demonstrates empathy and compassion towards users and the broader community. It recognizes and addresses their needs, concerns, and emotions, striving to create inclusive and supportive technological experiences.
a. This will be transformative. Development of EQ in tech, and to “see” others and begin to place itself in their shoes will become profound. But in order for this to become a reality, there must be trust in the system. Guardrails must not only be written but must be followed. Those in power must begin to understand their own ethical blindness and their loss of objectivity in the creations they create and find those to keep them in check.
4. Social Impact: Virtuous technology considers its broader social impact and seeks to make a positive contribution to society. It aims to address societal challenges, reduce inequalities, and promote social justice through the application of technology.
5. Environmental Stewardship: Virtuous technology incorporates environmentally responsible practices, striving to minimize its ecological footprint. It embraces sustainability principles and considers the long-term environmental consequences of technological development and usage.
a. This centers on building sustainable systems, nothing more sinister than that. Today many businesses were built that cannot continue operating in the fashion that currently exists.
b. For those that live on or very near coastal waters, it is in your self-interest to understand how to build better homes, infrastructure, and communities that will be resilient to the ravages of the sea and weather. Your energy would be best used to stop thinking about “climate whatever” and start thinking about how to adapt to the environment you currently exist in and may live in tomorrow.
6. Collaboration and Cooperation: Virtuous technology encourages collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders. It fosters partnerships, inclusivity, and collective decision-making to ensure that technology serves the common good and respects diverse perspectives.
a. Future success involves gathering more perspectives on how something could become outstanding.
b. Stakeholder engagement is often viewed as an ongoing process that involves soliciting and considering numerous opinions, potentially hindering the ability to reach a definitive decision. However, gathering perspectives from those directly affected by your actions is an invaluable endeavor. Some time ago, while working on a project involving a Public Benefits Corporation, I came across (although regrettably, I can no longer find the reference) a minimum stakeholder equity threshold of three percent that was suggested for engagement. This threshold was deemed low enough to capture valuable insights without succumbing to the influence of every fringe group or outlandish idea. While it may seem that radical, outlandish, or far-fetched ideas are a futile use of time, they may actually hold the key to the innovative solutions needed to address the problem at hand. Ultimately, it is up to you to judge their worth, and having a framework to guide such decisions can prove immensely valuable.
Through the embodiment of virtuous qualities and the promotion of positive values, the concept of virtuous technology aims to create a technological landscape that uplifts individuals, fosters human connection, and contributes to a more just and harmonious society. While there is not yet universal acceptance of this definition, its essence lies in recognizing the ethical and moral dimensions of technology. As technology becomes increasingly pervasive in our lives, it is crucial to have a guiding framework that enables us to harness its potential for the greater good.
I present these definitions to all of you in the hope that the few visionaries who have contemplated this concept, feeling perhaps isolated in their thoughts, realize that they are not alone in recognizing the immense potential it holds.
However, bringing virtuous technology to fruition and establishing VT requires more than just a hypothetical exercise; it demands a well-structured plan and a robust risk management framework. Such a framework already exists, and I have had the privilege of contributing to its development. I draw inspiration from notable documents like the Children's Codes in the UK and California, which serve as valuable references.
You see, when you take a principle, be that a legal or a moral one, and think about how one may go about trying to put that into action, you begin thinking differently. You begin to see how others might act that out. You also begin to ask others how they see themselves acting this out, and you get a collaborative effect taking shape.
When you take a principle, whether legal or moral, and contemplate how to translate it into action, your perspective shifts. You begin to not only envision how others may embody those principles and act upon them, but how others are impacted by those decisions. Engaging in collaborative discussions with others further enriches this process, as diverse perspectives contribute to a collective endeavor.
In our pursuit of virtuous technology, let us come together and forge a future where innovation, ethics, and governance converge. For these are not limits of creativity, but the tuning to make what is good; great. It is up to each of us to champion the values we hold dear and actively contribute to a technological landscape that empowers, connects, and uplifts. Together, let's shape a world where technology serves as a force for greatness, inspiring positive change and fostering a more compassionate and equitable society.