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Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

washingtonpost.com

41–50 of 172 posts

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#41
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

Has an ethics class ever stopped someone from accepting a 6 figure salary?

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#42
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if you sell an exploit and it's used in a crime you should be held accountable as if you sold a weapon to an enemy.

Would you want people who develop encryption algorithms held accountable if those algorithms are used to hide illegal activities?

Like comparing a gun safe to a gun

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#43
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

People's ethics are all over the spectrum regardless of career path. The root problem is that we need to worry about the ethics of our politicians. Overall, they seem like a pretty bad bunch!

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#44
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

Lol. Sure dude, it's the programmers who are the bad guys, not the people funding the israel/palestine war or in this case the owners of the company who decide to make software that helps assasinate people.

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#45
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

Has an ethics class ever stopped someone from accepting a 6 figure salary?

Yes.

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#46
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No

How is it different? They are tools that can be used for both legal and illegal means. If you put legal responsibility on one toolmaker to ensure their tools are not used in an illegal fashion, why wouldn't you do the same for other toolmakers?

Isn't that obvious?

An exploit is to encryption as a sword is to a shield.

We don't regulate shields.

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#47
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

People's ethics are all over the spectrum regardless of career path. The root problem is that we need to worry about the ethics of our politicians. Overall, they seem like a pretty bad bunch!

Politicians aren’t the ones writing spyware, though.

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#49
post #40

I know it's not a foolproof solution but perhaps there should be a greater focus on ethics in Computer Science curricula? The Israeli developers who wrote this software may not even have been exposed to the moral and ethical questions writing such software ought to raise. Perhaps there should be trade associations for developers that calls out software companies that writes immoral software? With great power comes gr…

Lol. Sure dude, it's the programmers who are the bad guys, not the people funding the israel/palestine war or in this case the owners of the company who decide to make software that helps assasinate people.

Where is parent saying that these other people are not also bad guys?

Re: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists

#50
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol. Sure dude, it's the programmers who are the bad guys, not the people funding the israel/palestine war or in this case the owners of the company who decide to make software that helps assasinate people.

Where is parent saying that these other people are not also bad guys?

It doesn't matter. You need to prioritize the issues you discuss by their impact: in this case, Israeli government oversight of these companies. It's dishonest to misdirect away from the real ethical issue which is what the parent is doing. He doesn't have to say anything for me to point out that it's moving the focus away from the real problem.
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