UNESCO on the Ethical implications of Emerging Technologies

Given the interest in ethics at SIS, this report, produced by UNESCO, might be of interest. From the report's Foreword and Introduction:

The quickening speed of technological evolution leaves little time to decision-makers, legislators and other major stakeholders to anticipate and absorb changes before being challenged to adapt to the next wave of transformation. Lacking the time for lengthy refl ection, the international community is often faced with immediate policy choices that carry serious moral and ethical consequences: Increase public infrastructure or permit preferential use by investors? Allow the market to oblige people to participate in digital systems or subsidize more traditional lifestyles? Let technology develop as it will or attempt to programme machines to safeguard human rights?

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To that end, this survey analyzes certain UNESCO goals in light of emerging technologies that will usher in the future Information Society – in particular:

1. The Semantic Web and Other Metadata – Metadata, or data about data, enables greater automated analysis of information; the Semantic Web promises to use metadata to create an environment in which computers can serve as intelligent agents rather
   than mere tools.
   
2. Digital Identity Management and Biometrics – Digital identity management allows the amassing and automatic processing of personal data; biometrics provides means by which human beings can be uniquely identified.
   
3. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Sensors – These technologies monitor the physical world, using communications technology to distribute information about a specific location.
   
4. The Geospatial Web and Location-Based Services – Both of these technologies serve to associate digital data with physical locations.
   
5. Mesh Networking – Mesh networking facilitates the formation of networks across areas without existing communications infrastructures. As such, it can help connect underserved areas.
   
6. Grid Computing – This technology may allow the world’s computing power and data storage resources to be pooled for people to access as needed.
   
7. New Computing Technologies – Combined with the technologies listed above, a powerful mix of optics, quantum computing, and other new technologies has potential to bring about a “global brain.”
   

Because choices in their design and use carry moral consequences, these technologies pose significant infoethics challenges.

This survey considers these choices in the light of key UNESCO infoethics goals - in particular:

1. Fostering the application of human rights and fundamental freedoms in cyberspace;
   
2. Extending the public domain of information;
   
3. Enabling diversity of content in information networks; and
   
4. Promoting access to information and means of communication.
   

Taking these objectives as a given, the survey employs them as measures in assessing likely consequences of different technological choices.

While considering the moral and ethical aspects of emerging technologies has value, to do so in the absence of consideration of commerce and prosperity (implied by the second question in the first paragraph) can lead to faulty conclusions, in my opinion.