During a recent talk to computer science students and faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Fla., I closed with thoughts about ethics for people who create software. The inclusion of "backdoors" into a Web browser, the capability to track people who use cellphones, and the use of facial-recognition programs raise ethical issues. How much intrusion should consumers put up with, and what are the ethical responsibilities of the people who create these applications?
During the question-and-answer session, several people asked me how much intrusion I will put up with. I answered, "Not much." I refuse to show a photo ID when I make an in-person credit card purchase, I have no Facebook page, I rarely use "affinity" cards in stores, and my driver's license uses an ID number instead of my Social Security number. My family and I take other privacy measures, too.
In some situations, though, we cannot try to protect our privacy until we know someone has violated it. Suppose you slip and fall on spilled liquid in a grocery store and must sue the store chain to recover damages. Because you use an affinity card to get discounts, the store knows how much beer and wine you purchase, and threatens to reveal the quantities and dates at trial. Perhaps then the jury will think you had too much to drink and lost your balance. You thought your records of purchases remained private, and the store never told you otherwise.
I have heard stories about insurance companies investigating food purchases to determine the type of diet an applicant follows and whether that diet includes a lot of fatty or high-calorie food. So you might get denied life insurance because your grocery purchases reveal an "unhealthy" lifestyle. The software doesn't know you buy two dozen donuts each Saturday for your kid's soccer team.
The process of gathering information about you and then using it for a purpose unknown to you raises ethical issues for the people who create such systems. Thus, programmers and software designers must revisit the ethics of their profession and consider them carefully.
Frankly, I don't really mind showing a photo ID to small, local businesses, but few ask. Mostly they want to examine a credit card and key in the last four digits on it. Small businesses can have a difficult time with fraudulent purchases, so I sympathize. Years ago I was in their shoes.
Jon, I can't remember where I last got asked for my ID, or which card I used in that purchase. But to Rob's point, it was definitely in a small, local store.
That's a good thing to know about showing ID, Jon. I still get asked often. Usually it's from a small shop. Not at the grocery stores of major retailers. Next time I'll balk.
Ann, if you have a Staples or Macy's credit card you might have to show a photo ID. But Mastercard and VISA have agreements with merchants that govern requests for a photo ID.
The latest info I have for VISA: "Although Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID, merchants cannot make an ID a condition of acceptance. Therefore, merchants cannot refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a cardholder refuses to provide ID. Visa believes merchants should not ask for ID as part of their regular card acceptance procedures. Laws in several states also make it illegal for merchants to write a cardholder's personal information, such as an address or phone number, on a sales receipt."
I believe Mastercard specifically prohibits merchants from asking for a photo ID.
I agree, Chuck. I"m so used to doing that it's second nature. OTOH, if you are making a credit card purchase the store may require it because your credit card company requires it.
"The process of gathering information about you and then using it for a purpose unknown to you raises ethical issues for the people who create such systems. Thus, programmers and software designers must revisit the ethics of their profession and consider them carefully" . I think this summarises it well
Good advice on notifying the credit card company when you travel, Jon. A few years ago I received a call from a Discover rep who asked whether I had been in Mexico over the past three days. I said, "No." The rep told me my card had been maxed out in electronics stores in Mexico. Discover removed the charges and sent me a card with a new number.
Jim, the GOOD NEWS is one of the things that we can give away, knowing that we still have ours. Other information is really not other peoples business, although they certainly do try to pry. I can pay cash at most grocery stores and not present any card and not much information is available then. When they ask for a phone number, rattling off the one for the local hospital is always good. But as the recent "world News" scandal shows us, a few organizations do not posess any moral standards at any level. And we all areb aware that some will do anything for money.
The only way that a law could prevent snooping would be to remove all potential profit from it, which would require fines many orders of magnitude greater than those at present. Unfortunately our government is unable to have the courage to pass such laws. So we are sort of "out of luck" for the present.
You are right to speak boldly, but also right to be cautious.While sharing the Good News is the greatcommission, [ ,,,to the ends of the Earth,,,] its necessary to do so with wisdom and gentle words.Blogs are not the best venue for such, and can get explosive and quickly misunderstood, so it's a tricky task. However, a debate on ethics certainly invited it,,,,so, Kudos to you.
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