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We don't sell that software because it is the consensus of those qualified to judge that it's a good idea, we sell it because we live in a market economy, it is
by YawningAngel 6y ago
We don't sell that software because it is the consensus of those qualified to judge that it's a good idea, we sell it because we live in a market economy, it is legal, and institutions want to buy it. The problem here is with the law and the institutions.
- jimktrains2 6y agoYou blame companies and the market economy, but is that to mean that engineers are supposed to turn a blind eye to ethical issues in the products their employers sell? Other engineering disciplins whole-heartedly disagree. My point is that either the statement that it's widely held that software can be biased is wrong (or more generously that the concern is not considered), or software engineers are complicit in unethical uses of their software because of known biases.
- YawningAngel 6y agoI think individual engineers absolutely have a duty to act ethically, and that that duty includes not working on unethical things. However, I don't think that stating that the behaviour is unethical and that people shouldn't do it helps solve the problem, whereas I do think that we could ban bullshit ML woo or reform our institutions so that they don't use it to spy on people