Dear Ethicist— Which FaceTime/Skype apps are the most HIPAA compliant? I am a therapist and have had clients request these type of sessions. However, I’m worried about privacy and heard…
Geek Ethicist: YUCK! Maybe Not
“Dear Ethicist– A couple of months ago I was sitting in a waiting room, flipping through magazines when I found an article that said smartphones (and tablets!) have more germs…
Geek Ethicist: Love’s Liars Online
“Dear Ethicist– What’s wrong with “sculpting” the truth on online dating sites? Women get breast implants, which is essentially false advertising (or “falsies advertising”) but men fall for that. So…
Geek Ethicist: Robot Wives and Android Prostitutes
“Dear Ethicist– How come I don’t have a robot wife yet? Sincerely– Still Waiting” Dear SW, You won’t have to wait long. “Lovotics” Robot Love is already in the geek…
Geek Ethicist: Murphy’s Law of Email
“Dear Ethicist– I recently received a long, personal email from a complete stranger. The email was not addressed to me, so I can only guess that they misspelled the email…
Geek Ethicist: Stealing Ethically
“Dear Ethicist– I am an artist and a graphic designer. Lately I’ve been thinking about “derivative works,” mostly due to the press surrounding Shepard Fairey’s Obama photo and the recent…
Geek Ethicist: Friend your Spouse?
“Dear Ethicist– Perhaps this is a question for the Internet Miss Manners, but I have yet to find her. So I’m asking you. Here’s my question: Should spouses be friends…
Geek Ethicist: Moral Shortcuts and Property Rights
“Dear Geek Ethicist, Do apps that promote ethical behavior diminish our ability to make just decisions? Signed- Librarian At Large” Dear LAL, Yes. They do. But no more than any…
Geek Ethicist: Harm and Fortune
“Dear Ethicist: I was asked a couple of years ago if I could help a company who had some profitable apps for a prominent social network. They needed to bill…
Geek Ethicist: Apples and Classes
“Dear Ethicist– I have been an enthusiastic Apple customer for over a decade now. I use Apple products in my work and have been very satisfied with their performance, design…
“Dear Ethicist, I have a new business and I need someone to host my website. A close friend just started a web hosting business and wants me to use her…