Dr. Jean-Claude Franchitti

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Understand cyber economics
Relate to responsible computing
Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to Internet web/mobile solutions
Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to cloud solutions
Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to smart ecosystems solutions
Understand how cyber economics and responsible computing apply to supersociety solutions
See what cyber economics and responsible computing means to supporters and careers in IT

Optimizing the quality of cloud-based solutions, smart ecosystems, and supersociety solutions is quite difficult. The previous section focused on cybersecurity assurance and illustrated how difficult it is to protect IT solutions against undesirable use. In this section, we will look at cyber economics and understand the importance of responsible computing.

Cyber Economics

The sectors of the economy driven by digital information and the need for cybersecurity are referred to as cyber economics. This includes the risks of online economic transactions and the need for regulatory oversight to govern cybersecurity and cyber economics.

In cyber economics, at least three crucial aspects of cybersecurity require policy and legislation to help mitigate risks. The first is online identity theft, which refers to the illegal possession and use of an individual’s PII. Identity theft is the primary way cybercriminals steal money from consumers. The second is industrial espionage, which is the process of spying on an organization to steal trade secrets. The third is critical infrastructure, which refers to the network of utilities, roadways, railroads, and buildings necessary to support our transportation, commerce, and other systems vital to sustain daily life.

Organizations worldwide, including government agencies, are concerned about cyber economics and the associated risks. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Risk Economics project, under the Science and Technology Directorate, supports research to study cyber economics and look at the vulnerabilities and existing, as well as needed, controls.⁴⁰ The International Monetary Fund also published a paper examining cyber threats worldwide and concluded that the global financial system is facing increasing cyberthreats, and global cooperation is required to manage the threats.⁴¹ Regrettably, thus far, the U.S. and other nations have taken limited actions to address cyber economics risks.

Global Issues in Technology

Global Cyber Strategies

The Center for Strategic and International Studies maintains an index of each country and territory’s global cyber strategies. The strategies cover overarching national doctrines, military strategies, digital content regulations, privacy laws, critical infrastructure strategies, commerce laws regarding internet services, and strategies/regulations regarding cybercrime.

Of 253 countries and territories in the world, 114 have guidance for commerce and 113 for privacy; 91 countries and territories cover crime, while 78 have national overarching strategies, and critical infrastructure is addressed by 63. The military is a focus for 31 countries and territories, while 35 have digital content regulations. The countries and territories with strategies in all areas is a short list that includes China, France, Germany, and Russia. The United States does not have digital content regulations, but all other areas are covered to some extent.

Responsible Computing Basics

Despite the lack of guidance from governments and other institutions, organizations can use responsible computing, a systemic approach addressing current and future challenges in computing, including sustainability, ethics, and professionalism, to help protect against cyber threats. On May 10, 2022, the responsible computing consortium set forth a definition of responsible computing created by the Object Management Group (OMG) with IBM and Dell as founding members.

Link to Learning

You can read the definition of responsible computing from OMG, IBM, and Dell.

Although the initial idea of a responsible computing ladder rapidly turned into the familiar hexagon diagram framework (refer to Figure 14.2), the core principles and guiding questions have remained the same throughout its development and implementation.

For several years, IBM’s Academy of Technology (AoT) has worked on various aspects of Responsible.Computing(), detailing the framework dimensions, validating initial ideas and concepts with the client council, and jointly developing the Responsible.Computing() manifesto. The manifesto—the first outcome and deliverable—includes the six values of technologies and innovations, exclusive systems, data, conscious code, efficient use, and data centers. It also includes the principles of sustainability, circularity, openness, inclusivity, authenticity, and accountability.

Responsible computing is a systemic approach addressing current and future challenges in computing, including sustainability, ethics, and professionalism. It stems from the belief that we need to start thinking about our organizations differently regarding their impact on people and the planet. Some examples of responsible computing include designing data centers with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, emphasizing green energy and improving the handling and disposal of chemicals, toxic materials, and rare metals, responsible data usage providing high-quality inputs for computing systems, taking a holistic approach to decision-making, among others. Following is a discussion of each pillar of responsible computing.

Think It Through

Global Cooperation on Cyber Economics and Cybersecurity

A major stumbling block to implementing responsible computing is the lack of cooperation and coordination among the world’s governments and institutions. How can we resolve this? Who should be in charge of regulating cyber economics and global cybersecurity efforts? Why? How do we develop a global plan and implement regulations that benefit everyone equally worldwide?

Responsible Data Center

The first pillar of responsible computing is responsible data centers, which should be designed and operated with an emphasis on sustainability. They rely on a technology infrastructure that emphasizes green energy, focusing on reducing technology’s carbon footprint. This includes using green energy sources and tracking the energy required for cooling. Responsible data centers also strive to minimize water usage.

Responsible Infrastructure

The second pillar of responsible computing is responsible infrastructure, which considers the physical resources needed for a system, including hardware, software, and other network components. The infrastructure is designed to use as little energy as possible while relying on more sustainable components, with less waste going to landfills.

Responsible Code

With responsible code, the third pillar of responsible computing, organizations make conscious code choices that optimize environmental, social and economic impacts over time. This includes practices such as ensuring that code is efficient and results in fewer HTTP requests and smaller page sizes.

Technology in Everyday Life

Dealing with Ethical Programming Issues

Try it yourself:

You have achieved your goals. You have secured an entry-level programming position at TechWorks. Your first day on the job, your boss brings you in the project development meeting, and the new software package is set to be finalized this week. As a new team member, you are asked to be part of the quality assurance team and test the software of functional performance and are given the test plan. You are told that there are four levels of bug reporting:

Bug level 1: Critical functionality is missing or not present in the software
Bug Level 2: Critical functionality is not working correctly
Bug Level 3: Non-critical functionality is either not present or is not working properly
Bug Level 4: Cosmetics and other user functionality issues

During your analysis, you found several Bug Level 3 issues and several Bug Level 4 issues that were all programmed by one programmer at the company. When you bring this up to the lead developer of the team, they say, “that’s OK, the customer didn’t expect that part of the software to work anyways. We will be able to bill them for more hours to fix the software.” You know from the development meeting that if the product doesn’t ship, your company will be liable for a breach of contract. How do you handle reporting this to your supervisor? What suggestions do you have for fixing the problems? What lessons can you learn from this type of experience for future use?

Responsible Data Usage

Responsible data usage is the fourth pillar of responsible computing, and this relates to using data securely in ways that drive transparency, fairness, and respect for the users. Initiatives like Data Augmentation for Discrimination Prevention and Bias Disambiguation, Social Media and Freedom of Speech, and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are related efforts that try to promote responsible data usage by ensuring that such usage is not discriminatory and does not cause harm to users.

Responsible Systems

The fifth pillar of responsible computing is responsible systems, which are inclusive systems that address bias and discrimination to promote equality for all, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, age, gender, and disability. This relates to parallel efforts being conducted in areas like explainable AI, large language models regulation, and human-centered computing in the metaverse, which strive to ensure that algorithms are based on trustworthy data. This includes efforts by the World Economic Forum to transform from Society 4.0 to Society 5.0 (Figure 14.54).

Diagram comparing society 4.0 to society 5.0 with categories of economies of scale, uniformity, concentration, vulnerability, high environmental impact and mass consumption of resources, problem solving and value creation, diversity, decentralization, resilience, sustainability and environmental harmony.

Figure 14.54 The World Economic Forum’s goals are to create a society that enables anyone from any background to use their abilities to create value. (attribution: modification of work from “Social Media Usage by Different Generations as a Tool for Sustainable Tourism Marketing in Society 5.0 Idea” by B. Hysa, et al./Sustainability, CC BY 4.0)

Concepts In Practice

From Society 4.0 to Society 5.0

Transforming from Society 4.0 to Society 5.0 is more than just words on paper. Japan is actively striving to create Society 5.0, with some objectives slated to be reached by 2030. This includes providing clean and sustainable energy, making advanced health care available to everyone, and optimizing food production and availability. While it remains to be seen whether Japan will achieve these and other goals, the nation is progressing.

Responsible Impact

The final pillar of responsible computing is responsible impact, which refers to using technologies and innovations that drive positive impact for society and making efficient use of available and future technology. This is related to the World Economic Forum’s goals for Society 5.0/Industry 5.0, which considers the fact that while technology can bring about improvements, such as higher standards of living and greater convenience, it also can have negative effects, such as detrimental impacts on employment, as well as growing disparity and unequal distribution of wealth and information.

Cyber Economics and Responsible Computing for Internet Web/Mobile Solutions

Taking shortcuts for cyber economics and other reasons typically causes harm to society and the planet. This applies to any networked software solution when organizations take shortcuts to limit investments in software security, common cyber threat defenses, and software solutions assurance methodologies. Internet solutions are particularly affected by organizations taking shortcuts in the various layers of their solutions to limit costs or other quality enforcement measures at the infrastructure, application frameworks, applications, and information levels. In addition, responsible computing requires that when organizations use the Internet, they should do things like verify information before they post it and make every effort to protect users’ privacy.

Cyber Economics and Responsible Computing for Cloud Solutions

When organizations operate in the cloud, responsible computing should guide their efforts to ensure they have responsible data. Particularly since the cloud is often used to share data, organizations must take particular care to protect data privacy while maintaining transparency.

Cyber Economics and Responsible Computing for Smart Ecosystems Solutions

Organizations often rely on third-party providers when using smart ecosystems solutions that involve platform services to support activities such as 3-D modeling, AR/VR, IoT, blockchain, AI/ML, and 3-D/4-D printing. It can be tempting to take shortcuts in implementing these services to limit costs or other quality assurance measures, such as software security, cyber threat defenses, and metaverse smart ecosystems platforms’ cybersecurity assurance methodologies. To comply with responsible computing expectations, organizations should make every effort to be diligent about cybersecurity.

Industry Spotlight

Responsible Computing in Health Care

Responsible computing is important in every industry today. Can you elaborate on how useful it is in the health-care industry specifically? (Hint: Think about the combined use of IoT, ML, and XR to analyze and diagnose patients’ medical issues and their possible negative impact and how responsible computing can help.)

Cyber Economics and Responsible Computing for Super-Society Solutions

Finally, responsible computing should be a priority in super-society solutions that involve platform services supporting autonomous systems, advanced robotics, nanotechnology, super-compute, and autonomous super-systems. High-performance computing (HPC), AI, and quantum computing systems have the potential to help humanity make progress against some of the most complex scientific problems facing the planet, including climate change, food insecurity, and new treatments for diseases. Unlocking the full potential of these computing technologies requires global collaboration among public and private institutions with responsible use at the center of their development and deployment. The recently launched Open Quantum Institute or OQI is an example of the importance of global collaboration bridging science, diplomacy, industry, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to realize this vision of inclusivity in technology and its applications. The responsible development of nanotechnology tackles environmental, health, and safety implications of nanotechnology and ethical, legal, and societal implications of nanotechnology—and embraces new ideas, including an emphasis on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, the responsible conduct of research, product stewardship, and the circular economy.

What Cyber Economics and Responsible Computing Means to Supporters and Careers in IT

Responsible computing is creating jobs as organizations recognize the need for change. This includes positions in computer science and information security and jobs in law, public policy, and other disciplines that support responsible computing. An important part of responsible computing is ethics. To be responsible, organizations must be ethical, and some organizations offer positions focused on ethics in technology, such as the ethics of artificial intelligence.⁴²