Social Issues of Computing

--------------------------------------

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND WORK/USE OF AND
CONTEXT OF COMPUTERS


Computers -- Do they improverish people's work?


Our fears about technology.  Are they warranted?



Topics to be discussed:


Human Values and the Future of Technology

Quality of Work Life

Effects on Cognitive Performance

Gender Bias in Computing

Privacy

Ethics

Code of Professional Conduct (ACM)





HUMAN VALUES AND THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY

(See Shneiderman, ACM, 1991)

"We must learn to balance the material wonders of technology
with the spiritual demands of our human nature."
                 John Naisbitt (1982).


We can guide and raise the conciousness of designers by stating
our high level goals and values.

By improving interfaces, what are the potential benefits?




























"COMPUTERS DON'T CONTAIN 'BRAINS' ANY MORE THAN
STEREOS CONTAIN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS....MACHINES
ONLY MANIPULATE NUMBERS; PEOPLE CONNECT THEM
TO MEANING."

      Penzias (1984)
      Ideas and Information
      Simon and Schuster Publishers

















QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

The concept of upskilling and deskilling -- Dunlop/Kling, 1991

"Intellectual Assembly Lines" -  Judith Perrolle, 1986

The downside to upskilling and deskilling:

      The work world has two categories:

      1.  owners and managerial representatives
      2.  workers of various kinds

            Owners and managers seek to maximize their profits --
             -- reducing the costs of labor

             -- reducing the skills required for jobs -- hire
                 less expensive workers.

            -- hiring "application generators" to reduce costs
                 of professional programmers

The upside to upskilling:

            -- opportunity for personal growth

            -- increase productivity






THE ELECTRONIC COTTAGE (Toffler, "The Third Wave")

      -- People working at home via their computers.

What are the implications of working at home?

Pros and Cons


























COMPUTERS AND THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF WORK
(Jackson, 1987)

1.  The concept of computerized monitoring.

            Are computers our supervisors??????


2.  Decision making


3.  Sustained performance

4.  Effects on cognitive performance



















GENDER ISSUES IN COMPUTING

      People don't use software in a social vaccum

      People think about computers in conjunction with how they
            view the world and life.

Some studies on gender and computing
























PRIVACY


The questions of what personal data is required to effectively conduct
business affairs can be considered by asking:

1.  what personal data is actually required?
2.  how will such data be obtained?
3.  under what circumstances will this data be released?

What information handling practices and managerial actions are likely
to be perceived as privacy violations by employees?



Data Regulation

What about privacy in networks?

Dataveillance













ETHICS

      -- Student Code of Computer Ethics -- Nova U.
            
      -- Code of Professional Conduct -- ACM

Ethical dilemmas for computer professionals and users.

What are our ethical responsibilities as computer users, as
professionals?