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0 pointsIG_Semmelweiss2y ago0 comments

Every app should have a signature that includes the devs that worked on it, the business manager that requested it, and the IT leadership that oversaw its use.

This is already done for financial statements.

If you put out software that is actively causing harm, you should know your fingerprints are on it

Employees like devs would be protected by professional insurance. That would cause bad management to shape up, or otherwise lose inaurance coverage.

0 comments

djbusby2y ago

Not the devs, they have no agency in the decision. Management, for sure, post their name and LinkedIn profile.

ncallaway2y ago

> they have no agency in the decision

Everyone has agency. “Just following orders” is not an excuse.

If someone asks you to implement something that crosses an ethical line for you, you ALWAYS have the agency to refuse. It’s hard, but it’s critical that we never give away our own agency and control of our own actions.

You may not be able to stop an implementation from going forward, but you ALWAYS have the ability to not contribute to such an implementation.

djbusby2y ago

I'm not going the "following orders" mindset. I'm going with many times a junior contributor can't even see the (bad) outcome.

1 more reply

johnnyanmac2y ago

>Everyone has agency. “Just following orders” is not an excuse.

depends on your safety barrier. In some very high profile cases, depends on your life. I commend people like Snowden but I certainly wouldn't choose to spend my entire life running from the US government in an attempt to be ethical. I have too many selfish personal goals to try and attempt to sway the masses like that.

1 more reply

mecha_ghidorah2y ago

Eh. The problem is that people can change software too easily. Say I work on an app as a major contributor and then later on a colleague makes an update to it which makes it do something unethical. Now my name is attached to this unethical app

ipaddr2y ago

It's against your benefit in many cases. It has no actual benefit towards your goal of stopping it. Why pay the personal cost for misguided guilt unless it's to add to a personal brand?

BurningFrog2y ago

This would make it easy to intimate or bribe the people who can commit fraud for you in that app.

onionisafruit2y ago

I don’t think these decisions are happening in apps.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsIG_Semmelweiss2y ago0 comments

Every app should have a signature that includes the devs that worked on it, the business manager that requested it, and the IT leadership that oversaw its use.

This is already done for financial statements.

If you put out software that is actively causing harm, you should know your fingerprints are on it

Employees like devs would be protected by professional insurance. That would cause bad management to shape up, or otherwise lose inaurance coverage.

0 comments

djbusby2y ago

Not the devs, they have no agency in the decision. Management, for sure, post their name and LinkedIn profile.

ncallaway2y ago

> they have no agency in the decision

Everyone has agency. “Just following orders” is not an excuse.

You may not be able to stop an implementation from going forward, but you ALWAYS have the ability to not contribute to such an implementation.

djbusby2y ago

I'm not going the "following orders" mindset. I'm going with many times a junior contributor can't even see the (bad) outcome.

1 more reply

johnnyanmac2y ago

>Everyone has agency. “Just following orders” is not an excuse.

1 more reply

mecha_ghidorah2y ago

ipaddr2y ago

It's against your benefit in many cases. It has no actual benefit towards your goal of stopping it. Why pay the personal cost for misguided guilt unless it's to add to a personal brand?

BurningFrog2y ago

This would make it easy to intimate or bribe the people who can commit fraud for you in that app.

onionisafruit2y ago

I don’t think these decisions are happening in apps.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse