This reflection has two parts. In total, you should submit two paragraphs - one for part 1 and one for part 2. For both parts, responses must be original. They may not be copied verbatim from the videos or anywhere else, nor should they be generated by AI tools. As stated in the syllabus, you may use such tools to improve the language of your responses, but if you do, please include your original words beneath your revised submission. Reflections submitted late through Wednesday at 11:59pm will have a maximum grade of 80%. Reflections submitted more than 24 hours late will have a maximum grade of 60%.
Part 1:
SCENARIO: You are part of a team developing an app that can predict disease outbreaks using data collected from online sources. The team decides to gather large datasets from social media, public websites, and forums to train a machine learning model that will help identify health trends. However, some of this data includes personal information, like location details or personal health stories that people may not have explicitly agreed to share for such purposes.
The app is designed to benefit society by helping predict and prevent the spread of diseases, potentially saving lives. But the data was scraped from the internet without the explicit consent of the individuals involved.
Write a paragraph reflecting on the ethical implications of deploying this app. You may address questions such as:
Was it ethical to gather this data without permission, even though the goal is to use it for a positive cause?
If the data is publicly available, does that justify using it without explicit consent?
What steps could be taken to ensure that data collection respects individual privacy while still enabling beneficial uses of the information?
What alternative methods could be used to gather the necessary data while respecting people's privacy and consent?
Part 2:
Reflecting on the content of this module (including all videos and reading), write a paragraph (5–10 sentences) that includes one or more of the following:
Insightful questions;
Clarification questions about ambiguities;
Comments about the relation of the content to previous content;
Solutions to problems or exercises posed in the readings or videos;
Critiques;
Thoughts on what you would like to learn about in more detail;
Possible extensions or related studies;
Thoughts on the topic's importance; and
Summaries of the most important things you learned.
Part 2 of this reflection is designed both to encourage you to engage with the videos before Thursday class and also to allow us to incorporate some of your responses into the Thursday class discussions.