Introduction to Data Science

Data Ethics Readings

Author

Joanna Bieri
DATA101

Important Information

Data Ethics Readings

Data ethics is about the choices we make when we collect, analyze, and share data, and who is helped or hurt by those choices. We start Data Ethics on Thursday 10/22 (Day 13).

Explore some articles to see what people are saying about ethics in data science. The articles are grouped by topic, so start with a topic that interests you. You are also welcome to find your own article!

Whether you pick from the links below or find your own, make sure to take note of:

  1. The Date of Publication
  2. The Author of the Article
  3. The Source/Publisher (who owns the website)
  4. The Purpose - why was the article written? Is there possible bias or conflict of interest?

NOTE - Articles marked (may need an account) come from sites that only give you a few free articles, or ask you to sign in before you can read. If you hit a paywall, pick a different article or come ask me. Articles marked NEW were added this semester.

Getting Started - What is Data Ethics?

Start here if you are not sure what data ethics even means.

Privacy - Who Owns Your Data?

Companies collect a lot of data about you. Who gets to see it, sell it, or delete it?

Bias in Algorithms - Policing and Hiring

What happens when a computer helps decide who gets arrested or who gets a job?

Bias in Health Care

Medical devices and algorithms are built from data. If the data leaves people out, the tools can work worse for them.

Generative AI - Art, Writing, and Who Gets Paid

Chatbots and image generators learn from huge amounts of writing and art made by real people. Did those people agree to it?

The Environmental Cost of AI

Data centers use a lot of electricity and water. Who pays for that?

Research with Communities - Consent and Indigenous Data

Who gets to decide how data about a community is collected and used?

The Big Picture - AI and Society

How do people feel about AI, and who is trying to set rules for it?