If we want to talk
about information ethics,
why talk about libraries and archives at all?
ethics
?
information
+
Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.
(Source: Velasquez et al, Issues in Ethics)
ethics
?
What are the most important institutions & organizations that deal with information?
information
+
(made w/ CryptPad)
Google
Facebook
Amazon
Verizon
Libraries
& Archives *
obligations
(+ to whom?)
Duty to advance the charitable purpose of the organization
Duty to maximize shareholder value
ALA Code of Ethics, 1939-Present
(made w/ DataBasic)
ALA Code of Ethics
It is the librarian’s obligation to treat as confidential any private information obtained through contact with library patrons.
We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
Why?
• Take a character + read
• With a partner, compare your characters' privacy concerns.
• Using two different colors, mark:
- Color 1: Common elements
don't have to be identical, just
related
- Color 2: Unique elements
Privacy is not about technology -
it's about people.
Episode #81: They're
Watching Us
Being POC online
Episode #1735: Whose
Country 'Tis of Thee?
High-tech surveillance and immigration
Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness
Simone Browne (2015)
Duke University Press
Note to Self | Episode: What We Learned from Grandpa's FBI File
Surveillance politics, past and present
So...what can you do?
1. Protect your browsing history
Three extensions that visualize and block tracking websites
• Privacy Badger
• Disconnect
• Ghostery
2. Walk through your data trail
Learn about different steps you can take
What else can you do?
Directory of alternative tools
that respect your privacy:
• Alternative App Centre (Tactical Technology Collective)
Deepen your understanding of how
the web works:
Sources
Manuel Velasquez, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer. (2010 [1987]). What is Ethics? A definition of ethics in terms of standards such as rights and fairness. Issues in Ethics, 1:1. https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/