Lack of ethics education for computer programmers shocks expert; Stuff, July 2, 2017

Madison Reidy, Stuff; 

Lack of ethics education for computer programmers shocks expert

"Computer coders will face more ethical dilemmas as people's trust in technology strengthens, but one expert is shocked that IT students are not being taught to uphold morals.

Most of New Zealand's computer science university degrees do not include papers or courses that cover ethics.

Auckland University computer science associate professor Ian Watson, said this was a problem because the mostly 20-something-year-old, caucasian males creating apps were making race and gender divides worse.

Their narrow world view meant they did not consider the impact their digital creations could have on society, Watson said. 

[Computer scientists] have become extremely arrogant and rather naive and are completely overlooking what their code might end up doing."

Watson said Auckland University's computer science course did not teach its students about the ethical implications their future jobs and creations could have on society, but that had to change.

Ethics was a problem for all software developers and their educators needed to consider teaching it, he said.