A preview of this full-text is provided by Springer Nature.
Content available from Science and Engineering Ethics
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Vol.:(0123456789)
Science and Engineering Ethics (2023) 29:30
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-023-00450-4
1 3
ORIGINAL RESEARCH/SCHOLARSHIP
Caring inanAlgorithmic World: Ethical Perspectives
forDesigners andDevelopers inBuilding AI Algorithms
toFight Fake News
GalitWellner1,3 · DmytroMykhailov2
Received: 18 August 2022 / Accepted: 6 July 2023 / Published online: 9 August 2023
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2023
Abstract
This article suggests several design principles intended to assist in the development
of ethical algorithms exemplified by the task of fighting fake news. Although numer-
ous algorithmic solutions have been proposed, fake news still remains a wicked
socio-technical problem that begs not only engineering but also ethical considera-
tions. We suggest employing insights from ethics of care while maintaining its spec-
ulative stance to ask how algorithms and design processes would be different if they
generated care and fight fake news. After reviewing the major characteristics of eth-
ics of care and the phases of care, we offer four algorithmic design principles. The
first principle highlights the need to develop a strategy to deal with fake news on the
part of the software designers. The second principle calls for the involvement of var-
ious stakeholders in the design processes in order to increase the chances of success-
fully fighting fake news. The third principle suggests allowing end-users to report
on fake news. Finally, the last principle proposes keeping the end-user updated on
the treatment in the suspected news items. Implementing these principles as care
practices can render the developmental process more ethically oriented as well as
improve the ability to fight fake news.
Keywords Ethics of care· Fake news· Algorithmic design· Philosophy of
technology· Stakeholders· Human involvement
* Galit Wellner
galitw@HIT.ac.il
1 The Interdisciplinary Program inHumanities, Tel Aviv University, TelAviv, Israel
2 School ofHumanities, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
3 Present Address: School ofMulti-Disciplinary Studies, Holon Institute ofTechnology (HIT),
Holon, Israel
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.