please respond to daqaun with 150 words no plagiarism, no ai no chat bots

Discussion: Hair Evidence in a Burglary and Assault Case

1. How strong is hair comparison evidence without nuclear DNA in this case? Should it be considered corroborative or merely circumstantial?

Hair comparison evidence without nuclear DNA is generally considered circumstantial rather than definitive evidence. In this case, the microscopic analysis shows that the hair found in the hoodie is consistent in color, thickness, and medulla pattern with the suspects hair, but that does not prove the hair actually belongs to the suspect. Many people can share similar hair characteristics, and without a follicle there is no nuclear DNA that can uniquely identify the individual. Because the mitochondrial DNA testing was also inconclusive, the hair evidence cannot directly link the suspect to the crime scene. Instead, it should be viewed as corroborative evidence at best, meaning it may support other stronger evidence but should not be relied on alone to prove guilt. Historically, microscopic hair comparison has led to wrongful convictions when experts overstated the certainty of their conclusions. Therefore, while the hair evidence may suggest a possible connection, it should be treated cautiously and considered alongside other investigative findings.

1. What risks of confirmation bias exist once investigators know the suspect lives nearby and has a criminal history?

Confirmation bias is a major risk in this scenario because investigators may begin to focus on evidence that supports their belief that the suspect committed the crime while ignoring evidence that might contradict that belief. Once investigators learn that the suspect lives only three blocks away and has a prior burglary arrest, they may unconsciously interpret the evidence in a way that confirms their suspicions. For example, they may view the hair found in the hoodie as stronger evidence than it actually is because it seems to support their theory. At the same time, they might overlook alternative suspects or other explanations for the hair evidence. This bias can also affect forensic examiners if they are aware of the suspects background or the investigators expectations. To reduce confirmation bias, forensic analysts should ideally conduct examinations blind to the suspects identity or criminal history and rely strictly on the physical evidence rather than investigative assumptions.

1. Should microscopic hair comparison be admitted in court today? Why or why not, given past issues with overstated forensic conclusions?

Microscopic hair comparison can still be admitted in court today, but it should be presented with strict limitations and clear explanations about its reliability. In the past, some forensic experts testified that hair evidence could positively identify a person, which we now know is scientifically inaccurate. Reviews by organizations such as the FBI and the Department of Justice have revealed that hair comparison testimony was sometimes overstated in criminal trials. Because of this history, modern courts require experts to clearly state that microscopic hair comparison can only determine whether hairs are consistent or inconsistent with a persons hair, not that they definitively came from that person. When presented honestly and cautiously, hair comparison can still provide investigative value, especially when used with other evidence. However, it should never be treated as conclusive proof of identity.

1. If you were the defense attorney, how would you challenge the hair evidence during cross-examination?

If I were the defense attorney, I would challenge the hair evidence by emphasizing its limitations and lack of certainty. During cross-examination, I would ask the forensic expert whether microscopic hair comparison can uniquely identify a person. The expert would likely have to admit that it cannot. I would also highlight that the hair had no follicle, meaning nuclear DNA testing could not be performed, and that mitochondrial DNA testing was inconclusive. Additionally, I would question how many people could potentially have hair with similar characteristics and whether the examiner knows the statistical probability of a match. I might also bring up the historical issues where hair comparison evidence was overstated in past criminal cases. By doing this, the defense could raise reasonable doubt about whether the hair actually belongs to the suspect or simply shares common characteristics with many other individuals.

1. What are at least two innocent ways the suspect’s hair (or a similar hair) could have ended up on the hoodie?

There are several innocent explanations for how the suspects hair, or a similar hair, could have ended up on the hoodie. One possibility is secondary transfer, which occurs when hair is transferred indirectly through contact with another person or object. For example, if the hoodie had previously been worn or handled by someone who had been near the suspect, the hair could have transferred onto the fabric without the suspect ever wearing it during the crime. Another possibility is that the hair came from someone else with similar hair characteristics, since microscopic analysis cannot uniquely identify an individual. Many people may have similar brown head hair with the same thickness and medulla pattern. A third possibility is that the hoodie could have been previously worn or owned by someone else before being left at the scene. Because hairs are easily shed and transferred in everyday environments, their presence alone does not necessarily prove that a specific individual committed.

Please respond to makayla with 150 words no plagairism, no ai no chat bots

Hair Evidence

1. How strong is hair comparison evidence without nuclear DNA in this case? Should it be considered corroborative or merely circumstantial?

• Hair comparison evidence in this case is weak without any nuclear DNA. This is purely because there was only one hair collected from the scene, when in fact, multiple confirmed hair samples are needed to make a meaningful comparison. With this case, the single hair that was collected from the scene does not contain a follicular tag; one of the most important aspects of nuclear DNA that could pinpoint the perpetrator. One hair, containing no conclusive DNA, found at the crime scene is not enough substantial hair evidence to make a confident comparison of the hair obtained and the hair of the detained suspect. Furthermore, without the hoodie even containing conclusive mitochondrial DNA, any evidence procured would be merely circumstantial.

2. What risks of confirmation bias exist once investigators know the suspect lives nearby and has a criminal history?

• Because the suspect lives nearby and has a relevant criminal history to the crime being investigated, a bias that can be formed is that this suspect doubtlessly committed the assault against the victim. The investigators of this case might be led to only observe evidence that is incriminating or even try to obtain evidence that would dictate this suspect as being the true perpetrator of the crime at hand. Additionally, this bias can make it harder to view evidence from a broader perspective. If one gets it in their head that an individual did something without a doubt, it is easy to overlook factors that would prove their innocence. All these elements can lead to the biggest risk that comes with having a confirmation bias; an individual being convicted of a crime they did not commit and being served with consequences that do not belong to them all while the real perpetrator roams free.

3. Should microscopic hair comparison be admitted in court today? Why or why not, given past issues with overstated forensic conclusions?

• Microscopic hair evidence comparison should not be admitted in court today. However, in the case that it is admitted, it should be made aware to the jury that hair evidence does not generally serve much relevance if nuclear DNA is not found within a hair sample. Given past issues with overstated forensic conclusions, it has been deduced that all microscopic hair comparisons must be valued as presumptive in nature, and any positive confirmations must be backed with DNA. Given there was only one strand of hair containing no DNA evidence collected from the crime scene, a confident comparison of standard/reference samples cannot be made. These factors would make for a futile argument on the persecutions part unless given to the jury as a form of background knowledge.

4. If you were the defense attorney, how would you challenge the hair evidence during cross-examination?

• If I were the defense attorney in this case, during cross examination I would challenge nearly every aspect of the hair evidence presented. To start, the hair embedded in the hoodie only contains class evidence; the color, thickness and medullae patterns do not write off the possibility of the suspect being innocent. This is especially evident as there is no nuclear DNA to be found on the strand or any conclusive mitochondrial DNA. Hair evidence in this case would only be relevant in finding similarities between the suspect and the hair found at the crime. It must be stressed that hair evidence without DNA backing is only relevant in terms of finding similarities between hair samples. Even then, a strong comparison can only be made when more than one hair is being subjected to comparison; this is not the case with the evidence collected from the crime scene.

5. What are at least two innocent ways the suspect’s hair (or a similar hair) could have ended up on the hoodie?

• Two innocent ways that the suspects hair, or a similar hair, could have ended up on the hoodie are 1. If the suspects hoodie was stolen by the true perpetrator and 2. This similar hoodie has been mass produced in the area in which the suspect and victim reside. Discussing the first point, it would make sense for the suspects hair to be embedded in the hoodie if it belonged to them but was stolen and then left at the scene. Equally important, it is expected that one would shop in the same center that their neighbors and community would. It is very likely that the suspect, the perpetrator, and even the victim would share similar garments of clothing made up of the same mass-produced fibers. Considering the hair evidence found does not have any individual characteristics, the similarities in the evidence and the suspect’s own hair could stem from the suspect and perpetrator being of the same race and/or ethnicity; or are from the same general area due to any chemical fingerprints left on the hair made by the drinking/use of the local water. So, if the hoodies are similar because of the fibers in which they are made of and the hair embedded has no individual characteristics, these factors could possibly make a question of the suspect detained.

India has two or more than tiers of government. Each government has its own area of jurisdiction. No one can exercise their power unilaterally

Because India has two or more than two tier of government,every level of government has its own area of jurisdiction

You will need to copy and paste these questions into a Word document and type in the answers. Use as much space as you need, and please do not put one sentence answers. Make sure you fully answer the question and answer ALL parts of the question.Please use the ch 11,12,13 powerpoints ,and videos provided

Assignment

Chapter 11: Hairs and Fibers

Chapter 12: Drugs

Chapter 13: Forensic Toxicology

1. What is the follicular tag and why is it important to forensic scientists studying hair?
2. Why are most hair specimens collected at crime scenes not good sources of DNA?
3. What type of hair specimens are potentially the richest source of nuclear DNA and why?
4. What aspect of the hair cortex is most important for the criminalist and why?
5. What is mitochondrial DNA and why is it useful in analyzing hair samples?
6. How has mass production limited the value of fiber evidence?
7. In comparing two hair samples, what aspects of the hair is the criminalist particularly interested in matching? What other features of the hair are important to compare?
8. How can excess use of depressants cause death?
9. Name TWO club drugs that are associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault, rape, and robbery. Why are these drugs relatively easy to administer to an unsuspecting victim?
10. What is the most widely used illicit drug in the US? Under what class of drugs is it listed and what are its short-term physical and psychological effects at low to moderate doses?
11. Name the TWO most commonly abused illegal stimulants and the smokable forms of each. Why does smoking provide a more intense drug experience than inhaling or “snorting” stimulants?
12. What is the source of most narcotic drugs? From what plant is this substance derived?
13. List at least THREE factors that determine the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream.
14. What is a divided attention task? Name and describe two divided attention tasks often administered during field sobriety tests.
15. At what blood alcohol level is a typical driver in the US considered legally intoxicated? At what blood alcohol level is a commercial truck or bus driver in the US considered legally intoxicated?

*****You are a part of a forensic review team assisting investigators on a residential burglary that escalated into an assault*****

The Scenario:

A victim reports being attacked in their garage late at night. During the struggle, the victim grabs the suspect’s hoodie. The suspect flees on foot.

At the scene, investigators collect the following:

• A dark hoodie left behind
• One brown hair found embedded in the hoodie fabric
• No blood, fingerprints or usable DNA from the victim or suspect
• The garage has no surveillance cameras

A suspect is later arrested based on:

• Living 3 blocks away
• Having a prior burglary arrest
• Owning a hoodie similar to the one found at the scene.

The hair recovered from the hoodie is analyzed. Results show:

• It is human head hair
• It is microscopically consistent in color, thickness, and medulla pattern with the suspect’s hair
• The hair does not contain a follicle, so nuclear DNA testing is not possible
• Mitochondrial DNA testing is inconclusive

The prosecutor wants to use the hair comparison as supporting evidence to place the suspect at the scene.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (please answer ALL parts of the question in detail):Use the powerpoint and Video provided Please no plageriasm,no ai no chat bots.

1. How strong is hair comparison evidence without nuclear DNA in this case? Should it be considered corroborative or merely circumstantial?
2. What risks of confirmation bias exist once investigators know the suspect lives nearby and has a criminal history?
3. Should microscopic hair comparison be admitted in court today? Why r why not, given past issues with overstated forensic conclusions?
4. If you were the defense attorney, how would you challenge the hair evidence during cross-examination?
5. What are at least two innocent ways the suspect’s hair (or a similar hair) could have ended up on the hoodie?

Introduction to Social Sciences

Response Question Four

Texts: Harrison, Brigid C. 2017. Power and Society: An Introduction to the Social Sciences. 14t

Ed., Boston, MA, Cengage Learning

You are required to answer four response questions throughout the course. The questions are designed for

you to apply your course learning and sociological perspective to real-life situations and to improve your

college-level writing skills. Each response question is worth 25 points and counts as 10% of your final

grade. Responses should be no more than two pages double space. Follow APA writing guidelines. Make

sure to use references where appropriate. LATE response papers will not be graded. Answer each question

in a clear and organized manner. You chose which of the following four questions you want to answer for

your response questions.

Discuss how power can be abused, and what are the consequences of such abuse? 450 words

Introduction to Social Sciences

Response Question Four

Texts: Harrison, Brigid C. 2017. Power and Society: An Introduction to the Social Sciences. 14t

Ed., Boston, MA, Cengage Learning

You are required to answer four response questions throughout the course. The questions are designed for

you to apply your course learning and sociological perspective to real-life situations and to improve your

college-level writing skills. Each response question is worth 25 points and counts as 10% of your final

grade. Responses should be no more than two pages double space. Follow APA writing guidelines. Make

sure to use references where appropriate. LATE response papers will not be graded. Answer each question

in a clear and organized manner. You chose which of the following four questions you want to answer for

your response questions.

How can individuals use their power to advocate for social justice? 450 words

Choose one of the following ACM Code of Ethics case studies: Please no Plagiarism, No AI. no chat bots original response please

In your post:

• State which case you chose.
  Provide a brief summary of the situation in your own words.
• Identify one or two ACM Code of Ethics principles that apply.
  Explain why these principles are relevant to the case in 4 sentences.
• Create three guiding questions that will help your classmates analyze the case.
  • Technical question: Focus on design decisions, system configuration, or implementation.
  • Ethical question: Focus on professional responsibility or competing values.
  • Stakeholder-impact question: Focus on who benefits, who might be harmed, or whose interests may be overlooked.

Example question types (do not copy):

• Technical: What design or configuration decision increased risk in this case, and what alternative approach might reduce that risk?
• Ethical: Which ACM Code principle should take priority in this situation and why?
• Stakeholders: Which group of stakeholders may experience the greatest impact from this decision?

Spring 2026 Term

Week Five: Readings

Week Five Reading

Ethics for Tech Developers and Tech Consumers

This week, we focus on ethical responsibilities from two connected perspectives: technology consumers and technology professionals. You will read about issues such as privacy, data collection, informed consent, intellectual property, bias, environmental impact, professional codes of conduct, and everyday ethical decision-making. By the end of the reading, you should be able to explain how ethical responsibilities apply not only to developers and IT professionals, but also to ordinary users of technology in daily life.

Reading Tips

Use the guiding questions to support your reading.
The guiding questions are there to help you focus on key ideas, not just memorize examples. Use them to:

• Identify where the reading explains the ethical responsibilities of both tech consumers and tech professionals.
• Notice how the reading connects personal choices, professional codes, and larger social impacts.
• Prepare for discussion by considering how your own experiences with technology shape your ethical views.

Other reading strategies you can include:

• Preview the reading before diving inscan headings and key terms first.
• Engage criticallyask yourself: What responsibilities do I have as both a user and possible creator of technology?
• Relate the material to real lifethink about apps, devices, online platforms, or services you already use.
• Take notes in your own words so you can better track how consumer ethics and professional ethics overlap.
• Use this to help you take notes.

Week 5 Reading: Ethics for Tech Developers and Tech Consumers

Tech Consumer Responsibilities

Considering the typical audience for this course, nearly everyone reading this reading is a consumer of technology. Think about how many digital tools you interact with throughout a typical day. You may check your smartphone for messages, browse social media, stream music or video, play games, complete schoolwork on a laptop, collaborate using cloud-based tools, or track health data through wearable devices. Technology is embedded in how people communicate, learn, work, and entertain themselves.

Because technology is so deeply integrated into everyday life, consumers also face ethical questions. The reading introduces several key areas where consumers should think critically about their responsibilities and choices.

• Protecting personal privacy and data Do you know where your personal information is stored and who has access to it? Does every service that collects data truly need that information?
• Awareness of data collection Do users have meaningful control over what data companies collect and how it is shared, sold, or analyzed?
• Informed consent When you accept terms of service, are you knowingly agreeing to what happens to your information? Can you change your mind later?
• Recognizing unethical companies Do you ever investigate whether companies engage in discriminatory or unfair practices, and does that influence whether you support them?
• Respecting intellectual property Do actions such as pirating software, music, or games have ethical implications? Does it matter whose work is being copied?
• Social and environmental impacts What happens to devices when they are replaced? Does consumer demand contribute to electronic waste or environmental harm?
• Technology and bias Some digital systems, such as facial recognition or recommendation algorithms, may amplify bias or exclude certain groups. How might everyday user behavior reinforce these patterns?

Thinking about these questions helps individuals move beyond passive technology use and become more thoughtful digital citizens who understand the broader consequences of their choices.

Key Idea

Consumers influence the technology ecosystem through the platforms they use, the companies they support, the data they share, and the behaviors they normalize online.

Technology Career Roles and Professional Ethics

For students entering technology careers, ethical concerns expand beyond consumer behavior. If you choose to pursue a technology career, you may work in roles such as:

• Software Engineer
• Data Scientist
• Cybersecurity Analyst
• Systems Administrator
• Network Architect
• Cloud Architect
• UI/UX Designer
• DevOps Manager
• AI Computer Scientist
• IT Support Specialist

In these roles, your work may affect customers, coworkers, vendors, employers, and the general public. That means ethical responsibility becomes part of your daily professional practice. In these roles, professionals have ethical relationships with employers, customers, coworkers, vendors, and the wider public.

When working in these careers, you will interact with many different people who each bring their own expectations and perspectives. Conflicts can arise when these perspectives clash or when different groups prioritize different outcomes. A company may prioritize secrecy, efficiency, or profit, while customers may prioritize truthfulness, safety, and trust. Ethical practice therefore requires more than technical skill. It requires judgment, reflection, and the willingness to evaluate competing interests carefully.

Think of all of the people that you will have an ethical relationship with as a part of your technology-based profession. This diagram represents some of the main relationships you will experience in your IT careers.

Often, the details of these relationships may be spelled out (at least partially) via various relationship agreements. These agreements can take many forms (i.e. contracts, non-disclosure agreements, license agreements, professional codes of conduct, etc.) with many of these forms having both ethical and legal ramifications. But at other times, the details of the relationships are not spelled out at all! And, as a result, conflicts can certainly arise when it becomes evident that there are competing interests being considered and viewed through conflicting personal lenses.

Reviewing the is great starting point for considering the additional ethical responsibilities of a tech. This document attempts to codify the ethical responsibilities of tech professionals. Such codes helps practitioners think more intentionally about public welfare, honesty, transparency, privacy, accountability, competence, and fairness.

Case Study: Apple Batterygate

Let’s explore these tensions through the Apple Batterygate case. In 2020, Apple agreed to pay $113 million to settle consumer fraud lawsuits related to older iPhones being slowed down or shutting off unexpectedly. Apple later said the performance changes were intended to preserve battery life, but many consumers believed the company had not been honest about what it was doing and that the changes pushed users toward buying newer devices.

This case raises ethical questions about transparency, planned obsolescence, corporate responsibility, and environmental harm. From the companys perspective, the pressure to maintain sales growth may encourage decisions that benefit profits. From the customers perspective, the issue may look like deception, loss of trust, and unnecessary electronic waste. From the employees perspective, the case introduces deeper professional questions: what should a developer, marketer, customer service worker, or salesperson do if they are asked to participate in practices they believe are unethical?

Key Idea

The same technology decision can look very different depending on whether it is viewed through the lens of executives, employees, customers, or the broader public.

Think About It

If you worked at a company and were asked to support a practice that was legal but felt deceptive or harmful, what factors would shape your response? Would your answer change depending on your role in the organization?

Different Perspectives in the Apple Case

When looking at the Apple “Batterygate” situation, the ethical issues can look very different depending on a person’s role. Thinking about these perspectives helps you understand why technology ethics often involves competing priorities.

Apple Executive Perspective
An executive may focus on maintaining product sales and market growth. If older devices continue working well, fewer customers may purchase newer models. From this viewpoint, decisions may prioritize company strategy, intellectual property protection, and long-term competitiveness.

Apple Customer Perspective
A customer may see the issue differently. If a phone suddenly becomes slow or shuts down, the user may feel misled or believe the company intentionally degraded the product. Customers may expect transparency, reliability, and honesty about how their devices function.

Technology Employee Perspective
Employees inside the company may face difficult ethical decisions. Developers might be asked to build software that intentionally slows devices. Marketing teams might be asked to promote upgrades even if the messaging feels exaggerated. Customer service staff may be expected to provide explanations they know are incomplete. These situations can create tension between workplace expectations and personal ethical values.

Think About It

If you were working at a technology company and discovered a practice that felt deceptive or harmful to users, what options would you have? Would your response depend on your role or your job security? Review the policies from or any other company to help you understand thier ethical practices.

Stockholders vs. Stakeholders

In technology organizations, a common ethical conflict appears between: the difference between stockholders and stakeholders. Stockholders, or shareholders, own part of a company and are mainly concerned with financial returns such as stock value and dividends. Stakeholders are a broader group that includes employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities, all of whom are affected by company decisions even if they do not own shares.

These groups do not always want the same things. Stockholders may prioritize short-term profitability, while stakeholders may be more concerned with product quality, long-term stability, ethical treatment, privacy, job security, environmental responsibility, and social impact. The reading suggests that corporate leaders often prioritize stockholder interests, even when those priorities conflict with the well-being of other groups.

Understanding this distinction helps explain why ethical conflicts arise so frequently in technology organizations. It also shows why professional codes and personal ethics matter: they can provide guidance when business incentives push individuals toward choices that may harm others.

Company Codes of Conduct

In addition to professional codes such as the ACM Code, many organizations adopt their own internal codes of conduct. The as an example of a company that publicly shares its code of conduct and clearly defines expectations for employees, customers, and vendors.

Topics covered in such codes often include leadership obligations, intellectual property, conflicts of interest, gifts, bribery, insider trading, anti-corruption laws, and harassment. Importantly, company codes may also define procedures for reporting concerns through supervisors, human resources, ethics committees, hotlines, or anonymous reporting tools.

These policies matter because they make ethical expectations more visible and provide practical ways for people to respond when problems arise. Comparing a company code of conduct with a broader professional code can also help individuals see where the two align and where they differ.

Why This Matters

A code of conduct is not just a formal document. It can shape workplace culture, clarify expectations, and provide real pathways for reporting and resolving ethical concerns.

Company Codes of Conduct

Many organizations publish their own codes of conduct to define expectations for employees and business partners. These documents explain ethical standards, professional responsibilities, and procedures for reporting concerns.

The code of conduct published by the company behind Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo. Their code outlines expectations related to leadership behavior, conflicts of interest, intellectual property, harassment policies, anti-corruption laws, and insider trading.

Enterprise also provides multiple ways for employees to report ethical concerns, including supervisors, human resources, ethics committees, and a confidential ethics hotline that is available 24 hours a day.

Example Resource:

Why This Matters

Codes of conduct make ethical expectations visible and provide clear pathways for employees to report concerns. Comparing company policies with professional codes such as the ACM Code of Ethics can help you understand how organizations attempt to translate ethical principles into real workplace practices.

Everyday Decision-Making and Personal Ethics

Think about what all of this means for everyday life. Ethical choices in technology are not limited to famous scandals or corporate policy documents. They also appear in ordinary moments: what services we support, how we treat others online, how we respond to questionable requests, and how consistently we live according to our values.

What about your own personal code of ethics. What values guide your decisions? Which areas of your ethical thinking feel clearly defined, and which feel uncertain or situational? What happens when your own values conflict with expectations from school, work, family, religion, culture, or community? Can a person change their ethical position over time, and if so, under what conditions?

The reading does not provide one fixed answer. Instead, it invites intentional reflection. Its purpose is to help you become more aware of the principles, conflicts, and responsibilities that shape ethical decision-making in both personal and professional interactions with technology.

Pause and Reflect

If you were to write your own personal code of ethics for technology use and professional practice, what principles would you include first? Which principles might be hardest to apply consistently?

Key Terms

• ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct A widely recognized professional code that outlines ethical responsibilities for computing professionals.
• accessibility Designing technology usable by people of varied abilities.
• accountability Being responsible for decisions and outcomes.
• anti-corruption laws Laws designed to prevent bribery, fraud, and unethical influence in business and government.
• audit trail A record of actions taken within a system.
• bias Systematic error that unfairly influences results.
• bribe Something of value offered to influence a decision or action for the givers benefit.
• conflict of interest A situation in which personal interests interfere with the ability to make fair and unbiased decisions.
• fairness Ensuring equitable treatment and outcomes.
• gift Something of value given without an expectation of return or influence.
• harassment Unwelcome conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
• informed consent Knowing and voluntarily agreeing to how information, rights, or choices are handled.
• insider trading Buying or selling securities based on material, nonpublic information.
• integrity Honesty and trustworthiness of data and systems.
• intellectual property Creations of the mind that are legally protected, such as software, music, writing, inventions, or designs.
• personal code of ethics An individuals own set of guiding principles for making moral and professional decisions.
• planned obsolescence Designing products to become outdated, undesirable, or less functional over time so consumers will replace them.
• privacy A persons right to control information about themselves.
• professional code of conduct A formal set of ethical standards that helps guide the behavior of members of a profession.
• stakeholder Any person or group affected by a companys decisions, including employees, customers, suppliers, and communities.
• stockholder A person or institution that owns shares in a company and is primarily concerned with financial return.
• tech consumer A person who uses digital devices, apps, platforms, or online services in daily life.
• transparency Clear explanation of what a system does and why.
• whistleblower Someone who reports wrongdoing despite personal risk.

please respond to hayden

I have chosen to discuss Dark UX Patterns, as I feel that’s a relatively prevalent issue with apps today. Dark patterns are essentially actions and design choices made by one or many people to guide users towards a preferred option, even if that wasn’t the user’s intent or first pick. I’d argue this infringes upon sections 1.3 and 3.1, but it’s a bit hard to pin it down given the variety in situations and context that are applicable. 1.3 is to be honest and trustworthy, which some UX is blatantly not as it opens links on it’s own, leads users down a false path, or selects the most expensive options by default. These same things also conflict with 3.1, which is simply the idea that public good should be the core of how it’s designed, which these patterns do not align with.

Let’s use Steam as an example platform. Steam, for those who don’t know, is an online digital retail platform providing a front to sell games, software tools, and in rare cases, gaming hardware. It also provides a swath of community tools such as forums, dedicated pages for exploring user-created modifications for software, and a library to explore what you’ve purchased. By default, when Steam is ran for the first time after a PC restart, shutdown, or just exiting the application, it loads into the storefront, dazzling the user with whatever big sale is currently going on, software recommended for them, and things that are being played by friends. It also pops up a separate window showing new releases, steep discounts, and upcoming things to pre-order. This, I feel, is a clear but subtle push to get the user to purchase something by displaying these, well, ads by default.

Ethically, as according to the previously mentioned principles, it’s not really for the public good. Sure, they’re merely informing users of new things they might like, or discounts on what they want, but they’re a retailer, they need to make that money. There’s also the issue of the store being the default page you get sent to, as there are actually setting for changing that to any other page, as well as turning off the pop-up window, but they’re buried in settings and poorly-labeled, which perhaps isn’t the most honest decision.

It’s privately-owned, not really stakeholders to impact. Gabe Newell, the owner of Valve, which is the company behind Steam, would maybe get a dent put in his income, but that’s the most that would happen as far as I understand.