Department of Computer Science City College of New York City College of New York Spring 2006 Copyright © 2006 by Abbe Mowshowitz CSc 375 SOCIAL ISSUES IN COMPUTING

TOPIC 1. ACCOUNTABILITY A.Special Responsibility 1. Expert’s special knowledge implies special responsibility as citizen Obligation to raise public awareness Clarify technical issues

ACCOUNTABILITY A.2. Counter the influence of special interests Tobacco lobby and health policy Oil interests and energy policy Defense contractors and defense policy Equipment makers and electronic voting Government officials may get inaccurate information from the bureaucracy, and are influenced by lobbies.

ACCOUNTABILITY A.3. Computer professional: vital link in technology chain Computer is essential to critical infrastructure such as missile delivery system [‘locksmith’] Some things should not be done [‘horror point’]

ACCOUNTABILITY A.3. Computer professional: vital link in technology chain Ethically weak positions – “If I don’t do it someone else will.” – “My part is so small as to be insignificant.” [Berkeley’s “argument of the beard”]

ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS: What issues involving critical infrastructure confront computer professionals today? - CARNIVORE - ECHELON

ACCOUNTABILITY B. Responsibility for Computer Systems 1. Examples of malfunctions a.Aircraft and systems (i) December 2004: 1100 Comair (Delta subsidiary) flights cancelled (ii) August 2004: US Airways flights delayed several hours due to “keystroke error” (iii) July 2004: 120 Northwest flights cancelled (power failure knocked out computer)

ACCOUNTABILITY B.1.a. Aircraft and systems (iv) July 2002: Mid-air collision - Russian passenger plane (Tu 154) and DHL cargo jet (Boeing 757) - Lake Constance over Swiss-German border - 80 passengers & 13 crew killed - cause: faulty collision avoidance system

ACCOUNTABILITY B.1.b. Power Distribution August 2003: Widespread power failure from Ohio to East Coast affected 50 m. people - First Energy Corp. in Ohio failed to get real- time data for a few hours before the failure - workers unaware of a generator failure and lack of power on several lines - Malicious hacker, virus or worm could have been responsible

ACCOUNTABILITY B.1. Examples of Malfunctions c. Rocket launch March 2000: European Space Agency Zenit rocket crashed in Pacific ocean - cause: software error - payload: communications satellite d. Intelligence Summer 1999: US Intelligence unable to process images from spy satellites: “computer error”

ACCOUNTABILITY B.1. Examples of Malfunctions e. Medical devices (FDA data on safety incidents) : 4484 events in radiological depts deaths, 1039 serious injuries malfunctions (many computer) f. Election problems - numerous incidents with paper balloting systems - recent problems with electronic voting

ACCOUNTABILITY B.1. Examples of Malfunctions g. Military systems 1991 (during Gulf War): Patriot anti-missile system failed to intercept incoming scud missile - US barracks in Saudi Arabia hit - 28 killed, 98 wounded - cumulative timing fault in Patriot software - system designed to operate no more than few hours after which clock would be reset - time discrepancies accumulated with continuous operation

ACCOUNTABILITY C. Organizational Accountability 1. Fault-based approach: seller should pay for defective product/inadequate service (a) Simple definition of “defective”: “failure to meet specifications” - Problem: a product (program) that satisfies specifications might still malfunction (e.g., crash a hard disk)

ACCOUNTABILITY C.1. Fault-based approach - Law could define “defect” as any aspect of a program that makes it unfit for use but must then clarify: -- for whom? -- what use? -- when? -- what makes program unfit?

ACCOUNTABILITY C.1. Fault-based approach b. Definition of competence: - Not clear how to do it for software development - Licensing discussion underscores this problem c. Cannot assure software with 0 defects

ACCOUNTABILITY C. Organizational Accountability 2. Risk management approaches (a) Technological risk management - put burden on those in a position to manage risk - make companies responsible for fixing bugs - similar to current approach in automobile industry

ACCOUNTABILITY C. Organizational Accountability 2. Risk management approaches (b) Commercial risk management - apportion financial responsibility for defects - agree on who pays rather than on responsibility for reducing risk (as in p[roduct recalls) - works for relatively equal contracting parties (none can dominate the others)

ACCOUNTABILITY D. Individual Accountability SHOULD SOFTWARE ENGINEERS BE LICENSED?