Call For Papers
The ETHICOMP conference series was launched in 1995 by the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility (CCSR). Professor Terry Bynum and Professor Simon Rogerson are the founders and joint directors. The purpose of this series is to provide an inclusive forum for discussing the ethical and social issues associated with the development and application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Conferences are held about every 18 months. There have been ten previous conferences in Europe and beyond. Delegates and speakers from all continents have attended. Over 700 papers have been presented.
As Alvin Toffler wrote "change is non-linear and can go backwards, forwards and sideways. ETHICOMP 2010 has the overall theme of "The backwards, forwards and sideways changes of ICT". Society has changed dramatically over the last sixty years with the advent of ICT. Some ICT-related changes have been good and have moved society forward, others were bad and caused harm, while some appear to have had no ethically relevant effect at all, simply moving us sideways. In developing and adding ICT, the ethical dimension must be considered so the potential positive, negative and neutral impacts on society, organisations and individuals can be understood and appropriate action taken.
It is this overall theme which will be considered at ETHICOMP2010. Under this theme, papers, with a social/ethical perspective, within the following areas are particularly welcomed.
SOCIAL - How ICT has impacted the way in which we spend our time. To include, for example:
- computer and video games
- tourism
- social networks
- virtual education
- privacy
GOVERNMENT - How governments use and control ICT to provide services to the public. To include, for example:
- e.government
- e.democracy and e.voting
- regulation and legislation
- health and welfare
- inclusion
BUSINESS - How businesses utilise technology to realise goals in an ethically acceptable manner. To include, for example:
- e.commerce
- workplace monitoring
- virtual workforce
- computer-controlled automation
TOOLS - What are the implications of advances in technology tools and approaches? To include, for example:
- forensic computing
- robotics and cyborgs
- artificial intelligence
- development methodologies
- security
Papers covering one or several of these perspectives are called for from business, government, computer science, information systems, law, media, anthropology, psychology, sociology and philosophy. Interdisciplinary papers and those from new researchers and practitioners are encouraged. A paper might take a conceptual, applied, practical or historical focus. Case studies and reports on lessons learned in practice are welcome.