The Social Responsibilities of Scientists and Technologists in the Digital Age

What responsibilities do digital scientists and professionals have in serving society and the public, beyond doing “purely” “fundamental” scientific, technological, or academic inquiry alone? Now that “the digital” has become pervasive in society, even in normal people’s lives, these are pressing questions that call for answers. They go beyond individual ethical considerations or professional codes of conduct, as society-systemic aspects heavily come into play. We explore some of the complex historical and contemporary relationships between technology and society as a way to formulate useful insights for digital ethics and governance of digital technologies today.