EPER ethics

ABSTRACT

Intelligent agents are personified as epers, electronic personas. Epers can take on various roles as business representatives, financial agents, game players, teachers or civil servants. The ethical deployment of epers requires that they be accountable to their originators, who, in turn, are responsible to the cyberspace communities in which they are involved.Epers must maintain integrity of information, carry out tasks as directed and report accurately on task status. Epers can be custodians of the truth, responsible for certifying that data has not been altered. Public service epers could chair electronic meetings, collect and validate votes on local issues and referee online “flame” wars.Epers' rights include those of privacy, autonomy and anonymity. They could decline to produce information aside from key identifiers and have the right to be protected from arbitrary deletion. Ethical issues include privacy protections, maintenance of appropriate access restrictions, and carrying out business in a secure and trustworthy manner.

REFERENCES

• 1: BRrgcss, John "Calling Agent 486," The Washingon P0#, 3/6/94, H1, 4, 5.
• 2: Chaum, David "Achieving Electronic Privacy," Scientific Americ_.._...#, August 1992, 96-101.
• 3: Kamow, Curtis "The Encrypted Serf: Fleshing Out the Rights of Electronic Personalities." Paper prepared for Computers, Freedom & Privac# !94 conference. Chicago, IL. March 1994.
• 4: Leo, John "The Junking of History," U.S. News & World #, Feb. 16, 1994.
• 5: Quittn#r, Jo3h "The War Between alt.tasteless and rec.pet.cats." Wired, May 1994, 46-53.
• 6: Schrage, Michael "E-mail Stamps, Software Filters Could Help Keep Cyberspace Clean," The Washington Post, 4/22/94, G3.
• 7: Schwarlz, John "A Terminal Obsession," The Washingt~n P~st' 3/27/94, F 1, 4.
• 8: Lindsy Van Gelder, The strange case of the electronic lover, Computerization and controversy: value conflicts and social choices, Academic Press Professional, Inc., San Diego, CA, 1991

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.7 THE COMPUTING PROFESSION
      K.7.m Miscellaneous
          Subjects: Ethics**

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.1 MODELS AND PRINCIPLES
      H.1.2 User/Machine Systems
          Subjects: Human factors

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.1 Public Policy Issues
          Subjects: Privacy

General Terms:
Human Factors, Security

Keywords:
accountability, agents, anonymity, epers, ethics, privacy, rights