As the technology industry pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, many firms are expressing growing interest in ethical decision making, recognizing the need for greater ethical foresight in the development and deployment of their products and services. This has created an exciting opportunity for the Ethics Center and is generating increasing demand for its Ethics in Technology Practice materials. The compendium was first launched in 2018 and funded by a grant from the Omidyar Network’s Tech and Society Solutions Lab.
The materials are designed specifically for practice-oriented ethics training programs within the tech industry, and members of the Center’s staff have been deploying them in workshops at some of the world’s most innovative companies.
These materials and workshops aim to help technologists scope out the multifaceted ethical issues that arise in their work, and then to apply specific tools and techniques to respond to them. As a society, amid rising concerns, we are at a critical juncture to ensure that technology is a force for good. Based on this, interest in the program is expected to grow in the coming year.
“We’re seeing growing interest from tech firms to help them incorporate ethics into the development of their new products and technologies. Our Ethics in Technology Practice materials have been met with great appreciation every time we’ve presented them. Word has been spreading, and more and more organizations are hosting our presentations or customizing our materials into their own organizational culture. We’re making a real impact.”
