Final report: technologist code of ethics roundtable
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2023-04
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CEPI FGV Direito SP hosted a one-and-a-half-day event on December 15th and 16th, 2022, with the participation of several stakeholders (e.g., representatives of private companies, public sector, academia, and organized civil society) involved in the debate of ethics and technology in Brazil. Here are some of the key takeaways from the debate on the creation of a global code of ethics: Need of justification. The need for a global code of ethics for technologists is not self-evident. It must be justified to ensure that people from different backgrounds, both in the Global North and South, feel covered; Concepts and definitions. The definition of “technologists” may vary, and since there is not a single approach to ethics, the discussion could benefit from exploring different conceptions of ethics, such as biocentric, virtue, deontological, consequentialist, and others. For example, it would be possible to have a list of virtues that one should develop in the technology sector; Past experiences. . The creation process of a global code of ethics could benefit from previous experience with international cooperation in standards-setting processes, such as those that have taken place within the UN or organizations that look after the Internet (ICANN, IETF, etc.); Ethics by design. Ethics must be infused into individuals and organizations, since “ethics is within people, not within codes”. Such a code should be accompanied by proposals to promote a culture of ethics by design within companies; Culture of error. Following the discussion on a culture of ethics by design, participants highlighted the importance of constant feedback and making room for mistakes. Technologists should be able to openly discuss errors and solutions; Multisectoral structures. The code should highlight the importance of multisectoral structures in the organizations, such as ombudsman offices or ethics committees, and also promote diversity within these structures;Measure and visibility of value. The discussion on a global code of ethics could benefit from studies that quantify and evaluate the value generated by compliance and ethics policies in technology projects in companies. The participants were unaware of comparative and extensive research on the subject; Vulnerable population. Organizations must be mindful of the impact of technology on vulnerable populations. Technology severely impacts children and adolescents, for example. Thus, they and other vulnerable groups should have a voice in the process of creating a global code of ethics; Contact between fields of knowledge. Technologists should have more contact with professionals from the Humanities in their training and daily work, while their autonomy and freedom of judgment should be preserved; Diversity. A global code of ethics should strive for diversity both at the top and at the bottom of the organizations’ structure. It would benefit from suggestions of initiatives such as seals, scholarship programs, and others; Leadership engagement. In addition to the engagement of all stakeholders, leaders need to enforce the code in their workplaces and support its implementation.