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Finding Responsibility by Caleb Thompson In 2011, with a team of interns at a Department of Defense contractor, I created a Wi-Fi geolocation app to locate hotspots. It could find the location in 3D space of every hotspot near you in seconds. We made formulas to model signal strength and probable distances. We used machine learning to optimize completion time and accuracy. I was so caught up in the details that it took me months to see it would be used to kill people. What do we do when we discover that we're building something immoral or unethical? How can we think through the uses of our software to avoid this problem entirely?
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The video titled 'Finding Responsibility' by Caleb Thompson, presented at RubyConf 2017, focuses on the ethical responsibilities of software developers when creating technology that can have harmful implications. **Key Points:** - **Introduction and Distracting Topics:** Thompson opens with a warning regarding disturbing content and explains how he previously titled the talk 'Finding Responsibility' but changed it to 'Don't Get Distracted'. The core theme is the distraction developers face from technical challenges that may mask ethical considerations. - **Internship Experience:** Caleb shares his early career experience as an intern at a Department of Defense contractor, where he built a Wi-Fi geolocation application. Initially, he focused on the technical aspects and the excitement of developing a novel tool without considering its potential misuse. - **Technical Details:** The software utilized algorithms to locate Wi-Fi signals based on signal strength and the phone's location, ultimately optimizing performance through machine learning, but Thompson repeatedly emphasizes that the software was intended for lethal purposes. - **Realization of Ethics:** Eventually, he realizes that the technology could aid in locating and targeting individuals, leading to calls for reflection on ethical practices within tech development. - **Case Studies:** Thompson cites other ethical dilemmas in software development, such as the consequences faced by fellow developers and companies, like Uber's 'Greyball' tool, which was designed to circumvent law enforcement. - **Moral vs. Ethical Frameworks:** He distinguishes between ethics, imposed by society, and morals, which are personal beliefs. This distinction is crucial for developers to navigate their responsibilities in their work. - **Call to Action:** At the conclusion, Thompson urges developers to consider the implications of their work, prioritize ethical considerations, and actively think about potential misuses of their software. He calls for a culture where developers critically assess the purpose of their projects and the potential harm they may cause, advocating for safeguards against misuse. - **Final Thoughts:** He reflects on how even when developers are distracted by intriguing technical problems, it is essential to ask critical questions about the ultimate goals of their projects. Thompson stresses that as technology increasingly impacts lives, developers hold a significant responsibility to ensure their creations do not cause harm or serve malevolent purposes.
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