BOSTON COLLEGE, June 4-5, 1999

The Fourth Annual Ethics and Technology Conference was co-hosted by Boston College Law School, Boston College Carroll School of Management, Loyola University, Chicago, and Santa Clara University.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1999:

"Differential Access to the Information Superhighway"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060402 - Dara V. O'Neil, “Ubiquitous Access to Telecommunications Technologies: Is Access a Positive Freedom?” -- Discusses the importance of Internet access for all citizens. Promotes equal access as an important means of reducing inequalities, but not as a cure-all for larger societal problems.

"Standards to Come and the Current Software Engineering Code of Ethics"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060403 - Dr. Donald Gotterbarn and Dr. Keith Miller, “Maturing Standards and the Current Software Engineering Code of Ethics” -- The authors were part of the executive committee of the IEEE-CS/ACM joint task force on Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practices (SEEPP). This task force produced the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (Gotterbarn et al., 1997). This code was adopted by both the ACM and the IEEE Computer Society, and is distinctive in part because it was developed for a profession, rather than for a particular organization or society. The paper describes some themes that proved important in the design of the code, and some of the practical and philosophical challenges encountered during the implementation of that design. It goes on to describe how the maturation of the discipline of software engineering affects the code.

"Ethical Implications of Professional Practice on the Internet"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060404 - Catherine Keyes, “Professional Responsibility in the Practice of Medicine on the Internet” -- Reviews concerns regarding the practice of medicine on the Internet.

"Whistleblowing on the Web"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060405 - James E. Fisher, William B. Gillespie, Ellen F. Harshman, and Fred C. Yeager, “Whistleblowing on the Web” -- This paper summarizes the research and discussion of a panel of Saint Louis University scholars examining how information technology and the emergence of the Internet have provided new dimensions along which to consider the phenomenon of whistleblowing. The following sections, representing the various contributions of the panelists, focus on (1) the ethics of whistleblowing, (2) Internet resources for whistleblowers, (3) actual websites developed or inspired by individual whistleblowers, and (4) how law firms now prospect for whistleblowing clients to file under the False Claims Act.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1999:

"Privacy and the Internet"
2000 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 041901 - Herman T. Tavani, “Privacy and the Internet” -- This paper examines Internet-specific privacy concerns and Internet enhanced privacy concerns and discusses questions raised by the public vs. private nature of certain kinds of personal information currently accessible on the Internet.

"Ethics, the Internet and the Common Good"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060501 - Laetus O K Lategan, “Will the overemphasis on technology within a technological university lead to an ideology?” -- The paper looks into various manifestations of technology within the technological university and questions the role that technology is playing here.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060502 - Dan L. Burk, “Cyberlaw and the Norms of Science” -- The author proposes the idea that the current values embodied in the structure of the Internet are largely those of the scientific community, and argues that the Internet as an artifact reflects the value judgments of its designers, principally the values of the scientific research community. The author further argues that the current legal controversies regarding the Internet may be viewed as cultural clashes between the norms embedded in the network and those entailed in its current use.

"Intellectual Property Issues"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060503 - Michael C. McFarland, SJ, “Intellectual Property, Information, and the Common Good” -- The paper examines property rights in the electronic age and proposes a different way of looking at the problem of protecting these rights, using traditional natural law ethics.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060504 - Richard A. Spinello, “Web Site Linking: Right or Privilege” -- In this paper, the author seeks to explore some of the moral dimensions of web sites linking. The author defends the position that web sites are property. The author further advocates that web site "owners" should have the prerogative to control who links to that site and how they do so, so long as arbitrary or excessive restrictions are not employed.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060505 - Shelly Warwick, “Is Copyright Ethical? An Examination of the Theories, Laws and Practices Regarding the Private Ownership of Intellectual Work in the United States” -- This paper examines the relationship between intellectual property rights and ethics, focusing for the most part on copyright. The focus is on two key questions : 1) what is the relationship between ethics and copyright law and practice in the United States; and, 2) is the concept of private ownership of intellectual property inherently ethical?

"Anonymity and Digital Identity"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060506 - Dr. Ronald J. Kizior, “Lurking on the Internet” -- The purpose of this paper is to convince the reader of two things. First, the author advocates that the term lurking when used in conjunction with the Internet should not automatically connotate its "dark" side meaning. Second, the author argues that "lurking" should not even be used as a description in conjunction with the Internet.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060507 - Adam White Scoville, “Text is Self: The Merger of Property and Identity” -- This paper explores some of the different paradigms of identity which may exist on the Internet, and examines both the metaphysics of the identity thereby formed, and the treatment of attacks on that identity under the major legal regimes: the right of privacy, the right of publicity, (briefly) trademark law, unfair competition (the Lanham Act section 43a), and finally copyright.

"Genetic Data and Privacy Issues"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060508 - Andrea Vicini, SJ, “The Use of Genetic Information: Autonomy and the Common Good” -- This paper focuses on the use of human genetic information on individuals which will be made available by the HGP by testing the ethical resources available to guide the potential uses of this information.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060509 - Marcia J. Weiss, “Should Genetic Information Be Protected? An Ethical and Legal Dilemma” -- This paper outlines the ethical and legal considerations that must be balanced in order to reach a determination concerning disclosure or protection of genetic information and some inherent difficulties involved.

"Equity Issues in Cyberspace"
1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060510 - Daniel J. Davied, James E. Fisher, Mark Arnold, and David Johnsen, “Usage Profiles of Users of Interactive Communication Technology: An Empirical Investigation Into the Significance of Selected Individual Attributes” -- This paper explores the usage of household communication technologies and the theoretical relationship of usage intensity, usage context, occupational prestige, and other household characteristics.

1999 B.C. Intell. Prop. & Tech. F. 060511 - Patrick Flanagan “Spam: Not Just for Breakfast Anymore - Unsolicited Email in the Business Environment” -- This paper introduce the reader to what spam is and then shows how businesses have successfully used automated tools to flood the internet with spam. It considers what motivates a business to practice “spamming” as opposed to the more conventional types of advertising. Then, the paper identifies the economic costs involved in this new marketing technique. The discussion is framed by the legislative bills and grassroots efforts that comprise the legal environment. And, finally, it considers the ethical issues that surface with this hotly debated business practice.