2022 SILS Symposium on Information for Social Good
AGENDA 8:30 - 8:45
Opening Remarks
9:00 - 9:45
Session 1 In Person: Consent and Collecting Remote: I EA Solutions for LIS Environments
10:00 - 10:45
Session 2 In Person: Archives – Access and Equity Remote:
igitizing/Archiving
11:00 - 11:55
Keynote address from
12:00 - 1:00
Lunch
1:15 - 2:00
Session 3
r. Anna Lauren Hoffman
In Person: Youth and Ethics Remote: Wellness and Addiction 2:15 - 3:00
Session 4 In Person: VR, Metadata, and Informatics – Oh My! Remote: Toxic Technology
WELCOME 8:30 - 8:45 am Welcome and Opening Remarks Carolina Union 3409; Zoom A
from Dr. Gary Marchionini Dean of the School of Information and Library Science
SESSION ONE 9:00 - 9:45 CONSENT AND COLLECTING Data Collection, Uses, and Implications
Carolina Union, 3203 Presenters: Jesse Bethany, Cas Saroza, Emma Hauck, DeAnna Mcentire, Zoey Ralston, Reid Dickie This panel will discuss the ethics of consent and implied consent in a public context. This includes public surveillance, internet, data gathering practices, and physical public spaces. We will explore what it means to give meaningful consent to being surveilled, having our data gathered/stored, or our activity used for purposes of which we are not necessarily aware.w
Issues in Workplace Surveillance
Carolina Union, 3205 Presenters: Sam Dalsheimer, Hagen Mendrykowski, Elizabeth Ranatza, Sean Rogers, Gabriela Santana, Delia Wegner ue to rapidly changing digital technologies over the past decades, and our ever-increasing complacence with their ubiquity, workplace monitoring and surveillance systems are being harnessed to harvest an immense amount of personal data on worker behavior and performance. From biometric tracking systems to software that records a multitude of worker-computer interactions, these systems possess a depth and “always-on” character that has never existed before. The abuse and misuse of these systems is rife with tensions and ethical concerns, most notably when regarding rights-based ethical perspectives. We will apply several ethical theories to case studies to better understand the moral dilemmas at play. This panel will show that the relationship between workers, management, organizations and monitoring systems does not need to be one of dominance, paranoia and mistrust. In closing we will offer several recommendations to lessen the ethical harms that stem from pervasive workplace monitoring; these recommendations include regulatory reform, unions and collective bargaining, participatory design, and a call for localized best practices.
Consumer Consent to Data Collection and Use
Carolina Union, 3209 Presenters: Ruihan Chen, Zixin Li,Vamsy Marni, Ziyue Wang, Yuang Yang, Xiaohan Yu Big data technology requires the freedom, openness and sharing of data. We have entered the era of data sharing, but we are also constantly exposed to “third eye” surveillance. The constant collection and analysis of our data brings with it concerns about the protection of personal privacy and the misuse of data by some organizations. As a result, human freedom in the era of big data may be violated and brings new challenges to traditional ethical views. In order to reflect ethical values in the development of information in the era of big data, it is necessary to make certain ways and means to embed ethical values into data and information, and to help more developers and users to clearly recognize and reflect on the ethical rules they should hold on to and maintain in this process. To this end, data collectors need to make sure that the information is used where it is supposed to be used, to eliminate data misuse, and to ensure that the collected person is given sufficient information and choice. We have selected two sections that have a large impact on us to analyze, namely social media and medical.
Representation in the Library
Carolina Union, 3408 Presenters: Laura England, Kaye Marie Ferguson, Brandi Jackson, Jiaqing Pan, Gabby Rodriguez Libraries hold information that includes, involves, and impacts marginalized or underrepresented groups of people. The diversity of information materials is growing, but there are challenges that still need to be overcome in order to provide better representation to these populations. We will be addressing current methods in practice and accessibility, highlighting areas in need of particular attention to improve equity in libraries, including cataloging and description; relationships between problematic subject headings for LGBTQ+ material and where one can access them in the stacks; the role of less gendered language in promoting inclusive spaces; ensuring representations are accessible to stakeholders with disabilities; and striving to give voice to underrepresented populations through highlighting indigenous representation and oral histories.
Poster Presentations - Carolina Union, 3409
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REMOTE: IDEA SOLUTIONS FOR LIS ENVIRONMENTS Creating Trauma-Informed LIS Spaces
Zoom B Presenters: Emily Arnsberg, Yiran Chen, Stacey Fox, Paul Schissel, Margaret Steitz, Martha Wyrsch Our panel seeks to reframe the notion of trauma, establishing solutions-based approaches to concepts within different LIS spaces that affect archivists, librarians, museum curators and workers involved in memory-making organizations. We will explore trauma within these different LIS spaces and will take special interest in the ways that libraries and archives af-fect marginalized communities, including those with disabilities, racial minorities, and LGBT communities, as well as the staff working in libraries. Our panel will focus on the following aspects of trauma in LIS spaces: one, trauma in school libraries, and how to make libraries approachable to mitigate past experiences of harm; two, trauma in the case of library work-ers and ways to ensure there exists trauma-informed care for library staff; three, trauma in archival records and materials, and how imagined records can help fill in gaps in records that document traumatic events; four, trauma in physical spaces, and ways to use archives to navigate trauma; five, ways to present trauma-related materials in objective aspects and how to eliminate secondary victimization; and six, the trauma of war in ecological collapse and its relationship to ‘embodied’ archives. In outlining these issues, we will also offer potential trauma-informed solutions. By understanding the various user communities and staff within libraries and archives, we can only strengthen our institutions in ways that better support individuals and communities dealing with various types of traumas, as well as our own library and archive workers that may have experienced trauma in their workplace.
Iterations of IDEA in Collections: Empowering Patrons through Inclusive Excellence Zoom C Presenters: Matthew Berdon, Aria Princehorn, Hannah Southern, María Tudela, Michael Wells
This panel will explore inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible (I EA) collection theories and practices in libraries, archives, and museum spaces. We will use concepts of neutrality and intersectional feminism as apparatuses to situate iterations of I EA in collections and examine underlying power dynamics within information systems. Our panelists will then ex-plore practical methods of application of these praxes within information spaces, including critical cataloging and ethical descriptive text, LGBTQIA+ collection policies, assessments of access and disability accommodation, and current museum and archival repatriation prac-tices. I EA principles allow information professionals to empower their patrons through crit-ical and ethical collection practices, the prioritization of minority needs, and the prioritization of diverse collections.
SESSION TWO 10:00 - 10:45 ARCHIVES – ACCESS AND EQUITY Accessibility in Archives and Libraries
Carolina Union, 3203 Presenters: Sara Barclay, Callie Beattie, A r wen Downs, Shaina Leverett, Danny Woomer Libraries and archives ought to be accessible spaces that serve diverse communities, but myriad factors contribute to this goal being unrealized. Our panel will address four factors of accessibility in these spaces: economic, physical, psychological, and technological. Special attention will be paid to physical accessibility in archives.
Aligning Library/Archives Assets With Community Needs
Carolina Union, 3205 Presenters: Matt Boone, Amanda Breeden, Alanna Natanson, Natalie Perez, Connor Smith, Georgie Wilkins Information centers such as libraries and archives have lots of assets that they offer community members, from space to materials to services. These assets, however, are informed by explicit decisions made by people in charge of the information centers. Officials in all branches of libraries and archives manage competing priorities when making impactful decisions, and those decisions influence the represented communities. We want to bring to light the ways in which this power structure can negatively impact the communities served by information institutions. This panel focuses on the factors that determine what a library or archives offers to its users. It explores how those institutional choices affect who does and does not benefit from the assets of the information center. Finally, the panel explores how users respond to and advocate for altering the assets that information centers offer. We discuss these issues in the context of academic library users and nonusers, diverse collections in youth services, representative reflection of the memory of underrepresented communities, access to specific historical collections, community archives, and little free libraries. We hope to foster further conversation about centering identity and community values in the decision-making process for information centers.
The Right to be Forgotten
Carolina Union, 3209 Presenters: Chris Eastin, Joseph Han Oh, Josh Kutac, Lianza Reyes, Lilyth Shepard, Libby Soucaze Since the rise of the digital media, the issue of privacy, ranging from its maintenance, protection, and scope, has continued to rise. One manifestation of privacy is termed the Right To Be Forgotten (RTBF). This is the right for an individual or group to request that information about them be removed from the internet, between searches and some directories. We will address several RTBF topics, including the permanence of digital footage and how it impacts an individual’s reputation; corporations removing parts of their past from the Internet; data awareness, as it relates to article 15 and 17 of the General ata Protection Regulation (G PR); and obligations of guardians and the government in managing the online identities of minors.
Ethical Issues and Considerations in Collection Development
Carolina Union, 3408 Presenters: Rachael Brittain, Yee Wing Chan, Molly Dignam, Lawrence Liu, Mary Isabela Tibbits, Ziyu Xia By exploring the most common types of collecting bodies: archives, public libraries, academic libraries, museums, and private collections, this panel will address questions of both diversity and intellectual freedom in collection development. Economic, political, community, preservation, ownership, and accessibility issues, and ethical responsibilities involved in making strategic collection development decisions will also be considered. The panel will conclude with a question-and-answer exchange with the audience to identify future areas of research.
Poster Presentations - Carolina Union, 3409
REMOTE: DIGITIZING/ARCHIVING Ethics of Digitized and Digital Materials
Zoom B Presenters: Cade Carlson, Hannah Chapman, Tatiana Hargreaves, Drew Keener, Rachel Lyons, Caroline Vaverek This panel will discuss ethical questions related to making digital and digitized materials more easily accessible online. Our topics include but are not limited to access and handling of Indigenous archives, digitization and streaming of audiovisual materials, transitioning physical materials to a digital space, archiving social media, modification of content post-publication, and preservation of born-digital news. We will be questioning the decisions made regarding access in a digital landscape defined by open-accessibility. How do we balance expanded access with potential privacy concerns, and who gets to make those decisions? What frameworks address the removal or restriction of access to digitized materials that individuals, organizations, and communities may wish not to exist online? We hope to, through these conversations, contextualize the ethical implications that surround their existence and accessibility.
Silence in the Archives
Zoom C Presenters: Flannery Fitch, Heather Donnelly, Bobbie Shreiner, Michelle Witt, Chris Koester, Lev Rosenberger Beginning in the 1960s, archival theory has attempted to spur archives scholars to consider their professional role as active rather than passive participants in historical collection and archives stewardship. To this day, the idea of archival activism has had difficulty gaining traction, and it has led to cultures and peoples being misrepresented or ignored, as well as challenges in access and restrictions. All these factors result in gaps and an inability to represent the past accurately. This panel will explore a few of the instances of archival
KEYNOTE ADDRESS 11:00 - 11:55 “Ethical Tech” and the Politics of Potential, or: Algorithms Are Kid Stuff Anna Lauren Hoffman, PhD Carolina Union, 3409; Zoom A r. Hoffman is an assistant professor with The Information School at the University of Washington. She is a senior fellow with the Center for Applied Transgender Studies and a founding member of the UW iSchool’s AfterLab, a research center dedicated to critical information, data, and archival studies. Her work has appeared in New Media & Society, Review of Communication, and Information, Communication, & Society. Technological discourse s—formations of sy mbols , statement s , and other semiotic element s for repre senting and knowing “ technology ”— make technology po s sible in par t by imbuing it with soc ial and political meaning. Today, the se po s sibilitie s are e vident in debate s over the fraught potentials and ethic s of AI, machine learning, and other data technologie s and the kinds of worlds created in their wake. For some , this potential is interpreted as progre s sive and world-transformative , advanc ing sc ienti fic re search and under writing new soc ial identi fications and economic oppor tunitie s . For others , this potential is more ominous , perpetuating discriminator y or e ven eugenic ideals that inf lic t rac ialized, gendered, and other forms of violence. Ethicall y navigating this tension, we are told, require s the cultivation of framework s and prac tice that allow us to max imize data technologie s ’ potential bene fit s while minimizing or eliminating it s mo st harmful tendenc ie s . In this talk , Anna L auren Hoffmann seek s to criticall y undermine this tension by turning to the per vasive bu t underex amined idea of potential it sel f within discourse s on data technologie s and their ethic s . Though often pre sented as an innocuous marker of data technologie s ’ generic capac itie s prior to their enrollment in any sy stem of moral or political value , she shows how appeals to potential do political work , staking ou t a moralized space within discourse s of techno sc ienti fic progre s s and human de velopment that have long under written various mani fe stations of eugenic and populationist thought More provocativel y, she argue s that this political work has imbued popular projec t s of “ethical tech” with a kind of sentimental moral rationalit y that figure s data technologie s in the same re gister as the white child—that is , as the fu tural and perpet-
BOX LUNCH 12:00 - 1:00 Carolina Union 3409
SESSION 3 1:15 - 2:00 YOUTH AND ETHICS Control, Protection, and Surveillance: Studies For and Against the Policing of Information for School-Aged Children
Carolina Union, 3203 Presenters: Ebtehal Alhashem, Press Browne, Ross Herman, Brianne Estes, Sarah Throm, Sarah Yarborough
This panel will provide differing points of view on the policing of information resources for youth in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Case studies—on the banning of Maus in Tennessee public schools and comparative access to sex education materials within Virginian boarding schools’ libraries—will be presented on academic institutions’ control of their students’ access to information. To discuss children’s internet protections, panelists will address the effects online media’s targeted advertising has on children and will also take a closer look at how school-provided devices and networks are utilized to ensure student safety and work-efficiency. Finally, institutional surveillance will be investigated in an exploration of the ethics of high-stakes testing and report cards in public schools, as well as through a look at the conflict that arose between Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations and the public health initiatives of the COVI -19 pandemic.
Exploring Ethical Resources for Children and Young Adults
Carolina Union, 3205 Presenters: Mya McCoy, Chelsea Romero, Kelly Bullard, Maggie O’Sullivan, Katie Jones, Amy Vincent This panel explores youth experience in relation to discrimination and articulates a critical examination of current children and youth services in order to suggest solutions for radical change. Topics include censorship in children’s collections, ethical representation and resource selection in primary education, display techniques as a form of readers advisory, discriminatory policies in schools, and information access in alternative schools and juvenile detention centers.
A Preemptive Framework of Ethical and Legal Considerations for the Design of Artificial Intelligence Carolina Union, 3209 Presenters: Zachary Boyce, Patrick Conway, Jiamu Ding, Doss Hill, Yan Tang
We offer a combination of Ethical and Legal considerations to made in the design of Artificial Intelligence. From our perspective, ethical considerations for the design of Artificial Intelligence may include a measure of HCI sustainability, the scope of a user’s meaningful consent, and the nature of information collected. Legal considerations may include a history of social impacts resulting from technological advancements, past, present, and future legal implications of the development of a technology, and the political implications surrounding the invention of a given piece of technology. These considerations are relevant before and after such a technology is designed and users become exposed to it. Ultimately, we would suggest that a preemptive approach be adopted in future design endeavors in the interest of privacy concerns, meaningful user consent, data security, and therefore, the public good.
Ethical Design in Human-Computer Interaction
Carolina Union, 3408 Presenters: Erin Winter, Justin Pfeifer, Wenchenghao Pian, Chi Xu, Yuyu Zhang, Laney Sheehan As technology has become increasingly ubiquitous in society, how do we evaluate the ethicality of the software, social media platforms, and devices many rely on? For whom are these tools intended? How do we make them more equitable for marginalized groups? How can aggregators of high-risk data protect user privacy? We will examine accessibility, user experience design, artificial intelligence, and mobile computing in our exploration of the intriguing interdisciplinary field of human-computer interaction
Poster Presentations - Carolina Union, 3409
REMOTE: WELLNESS AND ADDICTION Digital Wellness
Zoom A Presenters: Zoe Flores, Brianna Thompson, Haoyu Xin, Chloe Cheng, Olaitan Bamgbade, Jamie Kovacs igital wellness has many forms but it is often defined as making mindful decisions about technology. This includes successfully navigating time spent, privacy, and interpersonal relationships (Feerrar 2020). igital wellness is performed by individual actors, groups, and the larger technology system. These technology systems can either support or deteriorate digital wellness. An actor’s digital wellness is subject; what is “healthy” behavior for one person may not be healthy for another. In our panel, we aim to define digital wellness along two axes: positive/negative actions and actor driven/imposed actions (Figure 1). We define positive digital wellness as actions that promote positive behaviors or outcomes in human-technology interaction. Negative digital wellness is the prevention of negative behaviors or outcomes. Actor-driven digital wellness is defined as actions solely controlled by the individual. Imposed digital wellness is forced on the actor, possibly without them knowing; it may be urged by the technology system (for example when an application sends automatic “time for a break” messages).
UX & Addiction
Zoom B Presenters: Xuhesheng Chen, Yi Tsung Chen, Chance Foley, Zihan He, Zhaohui Wang, Ivan Yang In recent years software development companies have faced a significant degree of public ire regarding the addictive qualities of their applications. An abundance of scholarly work has linked various internet-based platforms to negative mental and physical health outcomes in their users, usually related to the way the design of the interface or user experience exploits human psychological tendencies and vulnerabilities. This research, and direct personal experience, have led many to question the advisability of engaging with these platforms and the ethical suitability of these companies that create and distribute them. Here we will discuss these issues by reviewing the research regarding several popular applications and their addiction potential.
Outside
Zoom C Presenters: Amber Artis, Tonya Black, Luzita Francis, Nerie Garcia, Darvin Heo, Kelly Jones Librarians and information professionals work tirelessly to serve the patrons and clients that walk through their doors. In this panel, we will turn our eyes to the world outside; outside the building, outside the community, or outside the dominant culture. How can we reach out to groups that have been historically excluded? iversity and inclusion efforts tend to focus on characteristics that end up excluding individuals further. An alternative approach exists where a broader spectrum of facets of individual diversity are considered and valued, while providing a framework for action, metrics and accountability. We will look at how to bring minority cultures into the library and into the community. How can we bring our services outside to meet patrons where they are, including the homeless and at-risk teens? As public libraries are increasingly the last free services in many communities, they face the challenge of caring for those who “fall through the cracks.” And in an increasingly connected world, how can the library shield its patrons from prying “outside eyes”? As information professionals, privacy is a pillar of our code of ethics, but in an increasingly digital world that standard is constantly being challenged both by private corporations and by the government. How we respond to these challenges sets a precedent across society.
SESSION 4 2:15 - 3:00 VR, METADATA, AND INFORMATICS – OH MY! Ethical Considerations in the Field of Health Informatics Carolina Union, 3203 Presenters: Ethan Glattfelder, Shannon Harvey, Wesley Leonhardt, Deirdre McLeod, Sophie Nachman
This panel considers issues related to the accuracy, security, and ethical use of personal and public health information, as well as the financial motivations and entanglements, private and public, in the fields of health data governance and research. What is the role of the librarian in the curation and distribution of health information online? Who controls our medical devices and personal informatics? Can open sourcing those devices help? Once collected by private biobanks, who owns human genetic material, and who gets to learn the information contained within it? With protected health information (PHI) becoming digitized in online patient portals, how can we ensure that PHI is responsibly managed and secure? o patient portals make PHI less protected? Taking the two-decade freeze on federal spending on research into the causes of gun violence as a case study, how do policy and funding decisions shape public health data collection and research?
Ethical Issues in Virtual Reality Technology
Carolina Union, 3205 Presenters: Shuang Du, Hao Liang, Ziqiao Ma, Pengxuan Wang, Tianyi Wang, Jiaxin Yang Currently, Virtual Reality technology has come into people’s lives. People can easily access VR products and experience an amazing virtual world in various applications. The fast-expanding VR industry may lack supervision, and there are also many ethical issues related to VR that are worth discussing for us. In this panel, our group will talk about ethical issues of VR and cover a range of topics including psychological effects, user privacy, regulations, and potential virtual crimes.
Privacy-Aware Design of Online Services
Carolina Union, 3209 Presenters: Yunbing Bai, Yuxuin Ding, Binhang Li, Hangyu Wang, Qian Yu, Chao Yuan In today’s highly data-driven world, people are experiencing the convenience of data all the time. However, the disadvantages are becoming apparent at the same time: people’s information is not secure. We have all had the experience of signing up for a store membership or a social media account and clicking “Next” and “I have read and accepted the terms and conditions. “These terms and conditions may make privacy and information security no longer exist. Software developers often collect a lot of private information. These terms and conditions are listed in the complex language in obscure places in user agreements, making it difficult for users to notice that the app is stealing their privacy. We will talk about how those scientists make predictions by big data and what they can predict. Some safety and privacy problems during the data collection. From some business companies’ perspective, how do they deal with this data collected from users?
Beyond the Catalog: Ethics of Metadata Creation
Carolina Union, 3408 Presenters: Sophie Hollis, Annie Maisel, Rolando Rodriguez, Hope Riffee, Zoe Dilles, Olivia Reich From the U.S. census to Netflix content programming, metadata is everywhere—and it has a significant impact on how we interact with technology, media, and each other. This panel examines how contemporary metadata is made and applied and how those processes impact our everyday lives. Whereas traditional library and information science(LIS) metadata debates focus on the complications of top-down controlled terminology and organization of library catalogs, our panel will consider different metadata frameworks and practices outside of libraries and academic spaces. Collectively, we will look at a selection of examples that demonstrate how different groups, organizations, and corporations use metadata. These case studies, which include dating apps, fanfiction moderation, popular websites, and other culturally-focused examples, will show the impossibility of using neutral terminology in systems of metadata, necessarily leading to bias and harm in the way we categorize. Furthermore, the results of these practices have wider implications for user privacy, corporate use of data, content moderation, censorship, and more. As such, we will present the issues created by our existing metadata authorities and use the critiques to open up a discussion about what a better organization might look like.
Poster Presentations - Carolina Union, 3409
REMOTE: TOXIC TECHNOLOGY Data Violence
Zoom A Presenters: Tim McGuire, Jolie Tingen, Ian Elliott, Chul Yen Park, Madison Evans, Shaun Mcguire According to mathematician Cathy O’Neil, “Algorithms are opinions embedded in code.” There are many recognizable benefits to aggregating data about individuals and groups and using machine learning and artificial intelligence to make decisions based on that data. Even with the best of intentions, an algorithm, along with the datasets collected or produced, can cause real harm. Through the lenses of intention, implementation, and impact, this panel will explore how certain technologies can inject violence into many facets of our lives: the US Census, healthcare, politics, job searches, and emerging platforms. The panel will conclude with an exploration of ‘ ata Justice’ frameworks, highlighting new areas of research and processes for addressing injustices of data violence.
Workplace Cultures Breed Inequity
Zoom B Presenters: Anna Allen, Allison Beatty, Claire Kozak, Gabriel Israel, Marissa Pearson, Michael Vavlitis Workplace culture and practices, particularly those of tech firms, have a downstream impact on the employees and users who are subject to their effects in the form of externalities. These consequences manifest themselves as inequities, some of which are directly evident while others are more pernicious. In many cases the development of technology has outpaced the corresponding ethical development guidelines and considerations, particularly when profit is the primary incentive for a company’s operations and expediency is paramount to “success”. The scope of our panel extends beyond the United States (Silicon Valley) and encompasses workplace cultures that exist around the globe where the technology industry is prominent.
Our Distance from Good and Evil: The Misuse of Technology
Zoom C Presenters: Zhidi Zhang, Hanzhong Ye, Vernnica Tseng, Xinmeng Sun, Tian Qiu, Yunwei Cao As a tool, technology is supposed to be a helpful assistant for us. For instance, meeting friends who share common interests, gaining some insights and inspiration from others, facilitating our lives,etc. Instead, people are not using it correctly. Technology itself does not do anything that is harmful for society, it is the misuse of technology that threatens society. And the misuse of technology may lead to severe ethical issues. We will discuss inappropriate use of technology from three perspectives: privacy, cyberbullying, and fraud.