Tech Ethics

How can we make ethics an advantage, not an afterthought? Leaders that prioritize responsible decision making for emerging technology products are set to excel in both the short and the long term, and those that do not understand the risks will face commercial and regulatory pitfalls. Data sits at the center of technology products. And data is no longer big, it’s colossal. 90% of all data ever created (in terms of bytes) was generated in the last 2 years alone. Users produce more data than they ever have historically while companies and open-source institutions are making that data much more accessible. And most, if not all, digital products seek to leverage data to deliver quality, useful and personalized experiences. This course will explore the ethical considerations surrounding how data is gathered, accessed and deployed when building products. We will cover the prominent issues in technology products today, including user privacy, AI based algorithms, and how data can be used to shape individual & collective behavior. We will leverage examples from case studies and current evolving events, providing students with frameworks for how to address the complex tradeoffs at the intersection of business and society.