DALL-E
This tech product, along with AI image generators in general, has come under fire in the last few years due to many people considering it plagiaristic. Since AI uses a vast amount of learning data, it is assumed that any images created through DALL-E are made by combining the efforts of many other artists’ existing work into a single image, without giving any credit to those original artists. If true, this practice seems unethical. The problem most likely stems from the software engineers, because DALL-E seems to be intentionally designed to produce images using this method. However, the software itself may be at fault since there are probably ways of preventing this data theft through different code, such as the program just using existing works as very broad references. If this is already how DALL-E is implemented, then there is no problem at all.
Sources: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/is-ai-art-stealing-from-artists
Temu
The company Temu, which is a platform similar to Amazon.com that allows people to buy and sell merchandise, was found to have been taking user data from customers’ phones without their knowledge. This is unethical because the users were unaware of this exchange and it was not mentioned in the terms and conditions of the app. This problem originates from the software engineers who purposely coded the app to steal personal data without notifying the users.
Sources: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/lawsuit-claims-temu-app-access-phone
Social Media Algorithms
Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter often use recommendation algorithms to suggest content to users based on their history of interactions and behaviors. However, these algorithms are being criticized for promoting sensationalist and/or polarizing content that can contribute to the spread of misinformation and societal division. This unethical behavior comes from both the software engineers who design the algorithms, and the functions performed by the software itself. While engineers may consciously choose to prioritize engagement metrics over content quality or social impact, the algorithms themselves are made to optimize for user engagement without considering societal consequences. So, both the behavior of the engineers and the inherent functions of the software cause this problematic situation, which places short-term user engagement over long-term societal well-being.
Sources: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-shouldnt-trust-social-media-algorithms-how-kaminskaya-mba/