Ethical dilemma scenarios and emerging technologies

Abstract

This paper posits that ethical dilemma scenarios are a useful instrument to provoke policy‐makers and other stakeholders, to including industry, in considering the privacy, ethical, social and other implications of new and emerging technologies. It describes a methodology for constructing and deconstructing such scenarios and provides four such scenarios in an orthogonal relationship with each other. The paper describes some different, but closely related scenario construction–deconstruction methodologies, which formed the basis for the methodology adopted in the European Commission-funded PRESCIENT project. The paper makes the point that in ethical dilemma scenarios, it is not immediately apparent what choices policy‐makers should select. Hence, there is a need for undertaking a privacy and ethical impact assessment and engaging stakeholders in the process to identify and discuss the issues raised in the scenarios. • New and emerging technologies often raise privacy, ethical and social issues. • Ethical dilemma scenarios can be used to considering such issues. • In such scenarios, the correct course of action is not apparent. • Such scenarios highlight the need for impact assessments. • Engaging stakeholders should improve decision-making.