Being an ethical software engineer
summary
Argues that engineers shape apps, AIs, and hold gigabytes of sensitive data and gives concrete examples: VW’s softwareed defeat device, image models freezing watch faces at 10:10, Instagram blocking #Democrats, and an observability SDK that stops network calls in battery‑saver mode and refuses an opt‑out. Cites a 2018 survey where ~40% would code for an “ethical” request and ~80% blame managers for unethical code. Recommends don’t trust AI blindly and leave the codebase better than you found it.
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chapters (11)
- 0:00Introduction
- 3:55Defining ethics
- 7:09Moral philosophy
- 11:02Ethical pitfalls
- 16:39User ethics
- 22:46Product ethics
- 24:10Codebase ethics
- 27:47AI ethics
- 33:29Human rights in tech
- 37:19Ethical mindset
- 41:09Conclusion and Q&A
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