GEO 567 Responsible GIS Practice: Ethics for Future Geospatial Professionals

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GEO 567Responsible GIS PracticeEthics for
Future Geospatial Professionals
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Overview

• Course objectives
• Defining some terms
• Core activities
• Introductory case study, student survey

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Educational Objectives

• Recognize ethical implications of geographic
  technologies
• Develop stronger, more sophisticated reasoning
  skills
• Understand moral ecologies of various
  organizations and institutions
• Feel free to talk about ethics in the workplace

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Attributes of a Profession
(Pugh as reported in Obermeyer)

• Specialized body of knowledge
• Mission
• Formal organization
• Common language
• Specialized training
• Culture and lore
• Code of ethics
• Licensing/Certification

Pugh, D.L. 1989. Professionalism in public
administration, Public Administration Review, 49
1-8. Obermeyer, N. J. 1993. Certifying GIS
professionals Challenges and alternatives, URISA
Journal, 5(1).
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Ethics

• The branch of philosophy that deals with the
  nature of right and wrong. A theory or set of
  standards that inform moral practice.
• Realm of APPLIED ETHICS

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Ethics is not what you do, but why you do it.
VS.
Not a front-line of defense against wrong-doing.
Touchstone for professionals to identify and
resolve ethical dilemmas that they encounter in
their work
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Morals tied to what you actually do.

• Value judgements applied to conduct
• Tied to a specific culture (while ethics are more
  universal)
• Ethically, people being together is good.
• In some cultures this is implemented via arranged
  marriages.
• Ethically, women should cover themselves.
• In some cultures women must cover all but the
  eyes.

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Sidebar What is legal may not be ethical/moral.
LEGAL
ILLEGAL
Onsrud, H., 1995. Identifying unethical conduct
in the use of GIS, Cartography and Geographic
Information Systems, 22(1) 90-97.
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Why a Code of Ethics?

• Deters unethical behavior
• Provides a support system for members
• Serves as an enabling document
• Acts as a basis for adjudicating disputes
• Enhances a professions reputation
• Acts as a source for public evaluation
• Aids with professional socialization

Frankel, 1989
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Based on Deontological Principles

• Treat others as ends,
• never as means

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Obligations (duty) to

• Society
• Employers
• Colleagues and the Profession
• Individuals at Large

Always treat others with respect and never
merely as means to an end
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Society

• Do the best work possible
• Be objective
• Practice integrity
• Be aware of consequences, good and bad
• Contribute to the community to the extent
  possible, feasible, and advisable
• Make data findings widely available
• Speak out on issues
• Call attention to unprofessional work
• Admit when a mistake has been made fix it

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Employers

• Deliver quality work
• Keep current in the field
• Document work (including metadata)
• Have a professional relationship
• Hold information confidential
• Avoid conflicts of interest (disclose if there)
• Accept decisions unless illegal or unethical
• Be honest in representations
• Complete work with requested resources
• State limitations of data, software, methods, etc.

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Colleagues and the Profession

• Respect the work of others
• Accept and provide fair comments on work
• Honor property rights (esp. software, data)
• Respect existing working relationships
• Contribute to the discipline
• Publish results so others can learn of them
• Volunteer time to professional activities
• Support colleagues in professional development.
  Special attention to underrepresented groups
  whose diverse backgrounds will add to the
  strength of the profession

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Individuals

• Respect privacy
• Protect individual privacy, esp. about sensitive
  information.
• Be esp. careful with new information
• Respect individuals
• Encourage individual autonomy
• Be truthful when disclosing individual data
• Treat all individuals equally, without regard to
  race, gender, or other personal characteristic
  not related to the task at hand.

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Next Steps for GISCI Add Meaning

• Discussion guide function, interpretation, etc
• Case studies (our NSF project/course)
• Lesson plans (our NSF project/course)
• Develop a course (from our NSF project)
• Web resources e.g.
• Poynter Center - www.indiana.edu/poynter/
• Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions
• www.iit.edu/departments/csep/
• Conference sessions

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Exercise to become fit
Case Studies
170 lbs.
135 lbs
Example from Will Craig, U-Minnesota Photos from
http//www.musclegaintips.com/
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Moral Dilemma

• Classic Example
• Keep your promises
• Borrow a weapon
• Promise to return
• Dilemma
• Accessory to murder
• Violate promise
• What would you do?

Jungle Theater Playbill for Lobby Hero, 2003
Will Craig, U-Minnesota
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Moral Dilemma

• Jim needs to choose
• Qualified friend
• Another candidate
• Factors to consider
• Friendship
• Impartiality
• What would you do?

Jungle Theater Playbill for Lobby Hero, 2003
Will Craig, U-Minnesota
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Moral Dilemma

• Environmental impact of development
• Obligations to
• Client
• Community
• What would you do?

International Federation of Surveyors
Will Craig, U-Minnesota
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Moral Dilemma

• GIS department has quality system
• Promised it would be self-supporting
• Users demand new/improved data
• Private sector duplicates data
• Citizen groups squeezed out
• What would you do?

co.hennepin.mn.us
Harlan Onsrud
Will Craig, U-Minnesota
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Tough Choices

• Is there a problem?
• Maybe 2 right actions are in conflict
• Society is paramount
• What about other philosophies?
• Talk to people (perpetrator, colleagues, friends)
• Is it worth taking radical action?
• Act
• Reflect

Kidder, 1995, How Good People Make Tough Choices
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7 Step Process for Ethical Decision-Making

• Step 1 State the problem.
• Theres something about this decision that makes
  me uncomfortable. Do I have a conflict of
  interest?
• Step 2 Check the facts.
• Many problems disappear upon closer examination
  of a situation, while others change radically.
• Step 3 Identify relevant factors.
• Persons involved, laws, professional code, other
  practical constraints

Davis, 1999, Ethics and the University, London
Routledge
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7 Step Process for Ethical Decision-Making

• Step 4 Develop list of options.
• Be imaginative, try to avoid dilemma, not yes
  or no but whom to go to, what to say
• Step 5 Test options.
• Harm test Does this option do less harm than
  alternatives?
• Publicity test Would I want my choice of this
  option published in the newspaper?
• Defensibility test Could I defend my choice of
  option before a Congressional committee or
  committee of peers?
• Reversibility test Would I still think my choice
  of this option good, if I were adversely affected
  by it?
• Step 6 Make a choice based on step 1-5.
• Step 7 Review steps 1-6
• Would could you do to make it less likely that
  you would have to make such a decision again?

Davis, 1999, Ethics and the University, London
Routledge
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Questions for you

• Does GISCI certification matter?
• Whats missing from the GISCI Code of Ethics or
  Rules of Conduct?
• Can you describe a GIS dilemma?
• How would you know its a dilemma? How would you
  resolve it?
• Should violators be sanctioned? How?

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Case Studies and Interviews

• Examine/discuss existing case studies
• IRB consent forms
• Report and evaluation of interview
• Write original case studies
• Some may result from interviews

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Power of Case Studies(Learning Outcomes)

• Ethical sensitivity
• Ability to identify and discrimate among ethical
  issues
• Ethical knowledge
• Familiarity with codes of ethics, rules of
  conduct
• Ethical creativity
• Ability to see beyond the dillema
• Judgment
• Increased likelihood that youll act appropriately

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Case Study Example

• Mapping Muslim Neighborhoods in LA