ETHICOMP 2010

The "backwards, forwards and sideways" changes of ICT

Rovira and Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain

Wednesday 14 April to Friday 16 April 2010

Call for Papers to the 11th ETHICOMP conference

The ETHICOMP conference series was launched in 1995 by the Centre for Computing 
and Social Responsibility (CCSR). Professor Terry Bynum and Professor Simon 
Rogerson are the founders and joint directors. The purpose of this series is to 
provide an inclusive forum for discussing the ethical and social issues 
associated with the development and application of Information and 
Communication Technology (ICT). Conferences are held about every 18 months. 
There have been ten previous conferences in Europe and beyond. Delegates and 
speakers from all continents have attended. Over 700 papers have been 
presented.

As Alvin Toffler wrote "change is non-linear and can go backwards, forwards and 
sideways. ETHICOMP 2010 has the overall theme of "The backwards, forwards and 
sideways changes of ICT". Society has changed dramatically over the last sixty 
years with the advent of ICT. Some ICT-related changes have been good and have 
moved society forward, others were bad and caused harm, while some appear to 
have had no ethically relevant effect at all, simply moving us sideways. In 
developing and adding ICT, the ethical dimension must be considered so the 
potential positive, negative and neutral impacts on society, organisations and 
individuals can be understood and appropriate action taken.

It is this overall theme which will be considered at ETHICOMP2010. Under this 
theme, papers, with a social/ethical perspective, within the following areas 
are particularly welcomed.

SOCIAL - how ICT has impacted the way in which we spend our time. To include, 
for example:
# computer and video games
# tourism
# social networks
# virtual education
# privacy

GOVERNMENT - how governments use and control ICT to provide services to the 
public. To include, for example:
# e.government
# e.democracy and e.voting
# regulation and legislation
# health and welfare
# inclusion

BUSINESS - . How businesses utilise technology to realise goals in an ethically 
acceptable manner. To include, for example:
# e.commerce
# workplace monitoring
# virtual workforce
# computer-controlled automation

TOOLS - What are the implications of advances in technology tools and 
approaches? To include, for example:
# forensic computing
# robotics and cyborgs
# artificial intelligence
# development methodologies
# security

Papers covering one or several of these perspectives are called for from 
business, government, computer science, information systems, law, media, 
anthropology, psychology, sociology and philosophy. Interdisciplinary papers 
and those from new researchers and practitioners are encouraged. A paper might 
take a conceptual, applied, practical or historical focus. Case studies and 
reports on lessons learned in practice are welcome.

How to submit

As in previous ETHICOMP conferences, papers written in English and not 
published nor submitted elsewhere will be accepted on the basis of an extended 
abstract of between 800 and 1000 words after a careful review by Programme 
Committee members. Whilst more than one paper from an author or co-authors is 
welcomed the final decision on which papers are accepted will probably lead to 
no more than three papers from a given author being accepted. This will give 
more opportunity for as many people as possible to participate in ETHICOMP 
2010.

The first page of each submission must include the title, all of the authors' 
names, affiliations, complete mailing addresses including email, telephone 
numbers, and a statement of commitment that one of the authors will present the 
paper at ETHICOMP 2010 in Spain.

A submission lacking any of the above information or outside the range of 
800-1000 word limit may not be considered by the Programme Committee for 
inclusion in the conference programme.

Please make submissions in the electronic form via email as embedded plain text 
or an attachment in RTF format.

Abstracts must be submitted no later than 24 July 2009 to [log in to unmask] 
Authors will be informed of the decision of the Programme Committee by 28 
September 2009.

Important Dates

1 April 2009 - Call for papers
24 July 2009 - Latest date to submit abstracts to [log in to unmask]
28 September 2009 - Authors informed of programme committee decisions
15 January 2010 - Last date for receipt of full papers from authors (electronic 
version)
14 April to 16 April 2010 - ETHICOMP 2010, Rovira and Virgili University, 
Tarragona, Spain