Computer ethics

[4] The concept of computer ethics originated in the 1940s with MIT professor Norbert Wiener, the American mathematician and philosopher.

[1] In 1976, medical teacher and researcher Walter Maner noticed that ethical decisions are much harder to make when computers are added.

This article identified and analyzed technical and non-technical biases in research on social issues present in computing.

During 1978, the Right to Financial Privacy Act was adopted by the United States Congress, drastically limiting the government's ability to search bank records.

[11] In 1985, James Moor, professor of philosophy at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, published an essay called "What is Computer Ethics?

[17] Security risks have been identified with cloud-based technology with every user interaction being sent and analyzed to central computing hubs.

[20] also In July 2019, Facebook reached a $5 billion settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for violating an agreement with the agency to protect user privacy.

[21] A whole industry of privacy and ethical tools has grown over time, giving people the choice to not share their data online.

[23] The effects of infringing copying in the digital realm, particularly studied in computer software and recorded music industries, have raised significant concerns among empirically-oriented economists.

While the software industry manages to thrive despite digital copying, the recorded music sector witnesses a sharp decline in revenues, especially with the rise of file-sharing of MP3 files.

As simple as the question seems—the extent to which unpaid consumption of recorded music cannibalizes paid consumption—the answer is rather difficult to establish empirically, for two reasons.

The emergence of cyberlockers and rapid technological changes further complicate the analysis of revenue impacts on content industries, highlighting the need for ongoing research and a nuanced approach to copyright policy that considers user welfare effects and rewards distribution to artists and creators.