Last Line of Defense

30 Nov 2017

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There is something about being the last line of defense that shouts strong. The last line of defense needs to be something that can withstand the worst and still be standing. It wouldn’t be a very strong last line of defense if it couldn’t stand up to difficult challenges. Yet something can’t be a good last line of defense if it doesn’t know that it has that role.

The role of the programmer has quickly morphed into the last line of defense for human safety and well being. In a world where the internet has more credibility than ever before, the importance of accurate information is evident. It is a ethical concern to have misinformed, or inaccurate information in online applications that concern public well-being and safety.

There is a good article on this topic outlined by Bill Sourour that can be found here. He mentions that he had never thought that programmers can be a source of false advertisement for people. Especially since the internet is such a credible source of information something like false advertising on a health forum could be fatal.

The time frame where Bill’s article was placed was in the dot com era where the biggest influence was in HTML and CSS. In today’s world we have programmers creating impactful technology such as AI and autonomous vehicles where a few non-ethical code practices can cause danger for thousands of lives. For example, if Alexa or Google began telling their customers curated medical answers based on company investments, then multiple people could become subject to medical malpractice.

While this is worrisome for the future of programming there is some hope. As programmers we need to make sure that we keep accountable for others. Making sure to question all instructions and think carefully about any assignment. As an engineer, I have sworn to ensure ethical practices are carried out while working. As long as we keep each other accountable, we should be prepared.