Most of our class readings and discussions to date have dealt with the issue of ethics and ethical behavior. Various philosophers have made contributions to jurisprudence including how to apply ethical principles (codes of conduct?) to ethical dilemma.

Your task is to watch the Netflix documentary ‘The Social Dilemma.’ If you cannot currently access Netflix it offers a free trial opportunity, which you can cancel after viewing the documentary. Should this not be an option for whatever reason, then please email me and we will create an alternative ethics question.

DUE DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 by noon

SEND YOUR NO MORE THAN 5 PAGE DOUBLE SPACED RESPONSE TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS. LATE PAPERS SUBJECT TO DOWNGRADING

As critics have written, the documentary showcases ways our minds are twisted and twirled by social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google through their platforms and search engines, and the why of what they are doing, and what must be done to stop it.

After watching the movie, respond to the following questions in the order given. Use full sentences and paragraphs, and start off each section by stating the question you are answering. Be succinct.

1. What are the critical ethical issues identified?
2. What concerns are raised over the polarization of society and promulgation of fake news?
3. What is the “attention-extraction model” of software design and why worry?
4. What is “surveillance capitalism?”
5. Do you agree that social media warps your perceptions of reality?
6. Who has the power and control over these social media platforms – software designers, artificial intelligence (Ai), CEOs of media platforms, users, government?
7. Are social media platforms capable of self-regulation to address the political and ethical issues raised or not? If not, then should government regulate?
8. What other actions can be taken to address the basic concern of living in a world “…where no one believes what’s true.”