Traditional computer science education primarily focuses on developing technical solutions for specific problems, often overlooking the broader societal impacts of these innovations. With each technological leap, especially in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, we witness the emergence of novel systems, unprecedented tools, and new forms of data collection. These advancements frequently outpace our existing regulatory frameworks, ethical guidelines, and legal structures. The full societal implications of such technological innovations often remain obscured until years after their implementation.
Addressing this critical gap, the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) initiative at the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing has launched an innovative case studies series. This collection examines contemporary social, ethical, and policy challenges in computing, aiming to cultivate responsible "habits of mind and action" among technology creators and implementers. The series represents a significant step toward integrating ethical AI development principles into mainstream computing education.
"Computing advances have fundamentally transformed our daily lives and work environments. Understanding and incorporating broader social context has never been more crucial," explains Daniel Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. "This case study series serves as a foundation for meaningful discussions in classrooms and beyond, addressing social, ethical, economic, and other implications. Our goal is to empower students and researchers to pursue technological development across domains in a holistic manner that confronts these vital issues head-on."
A Flexible Educational Framework
Designed with adaptability in mind, these case studies are concise and modular, enabling educators to customize content according to diverse pedagogical requirements. Series editors David Kaiser and Julie Shah, who serve as associate deans for SERC, have structured these materials primarily for undergraduate instruction across various disciplines and fields of study.
"Our objective was to create a seamless integration method for instructors to incorporate cases into existing courses or combine multiple cases to support comprehensive course modules," notes Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics. "Educators can also utilize these cases as foundational elements for designing new courses that specifically address the social and ethical responsibilities of computing."
Shah, an associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics and a roboticist specializing in human-machine collaboration systems, anticipates that these cases will appeal to audiences beyond academia, including computing professionals, policy experts, and general readers. "In curating this series, we interpret 'social and ethical responsibilities of computing' broadly, emphasizing perspectives from both technology users affected by various innovations and the designers and engineers creating these systems," Shah explains.
The case studies embrace diverse formats, ranging from magazine-style feature articles and Socratic dialogues to interactive choose-your-own-adventure narratives and role-playing scenarios grounded in empirical research. While each case study remains concise, it includes comprehensive notes and references to facilitate deeper exploration of the subject matter. The series also welcomes multimedia submissions. "Our primary objective is to present important, research-based material in engaging ways that resonate with broad audiences of non-specialists," Kaiser emphasizes.
The SERC case studies are specially commissioned from scholars conducting cutting-edge research on each topic. Kaiser and Shah have recruited researchers from both MIT and other academic institutions to ensure a diversity of voices across a spectrum of subjects. Some cases focus on specific technologies or cross-platform trends, while others examine social, historical, philosophical, legal, and cultural dimensions relevant to critical thinking about current computing and data science initiatives.
The inaugural issue presents readers with various scenarios that challenge them to contemplate the social and ethical implications of computing technologies. These include examinations of how social media platforms and surveillance tools are constructed; racial disparities that may emerge from deploying facial recognition technology in unregulated, real-world environments; biases inherent in risk prediction algorithms within the criminal justice system; and the political implications of data collection practices.
"Most of us agree that computing should serve social good, but which good? Whose good? Whose needs, values, and worldviews are prioritized, and whose are overlooked?" questions Catherine D'Ignazio, an assistant professor of urban science and planning and director of the Data + Feminism Lab at MIT.
D'Ignazio's case, co-authored with Lauren Klein, an associate professor at Emory University, introduces readers to the concept that while data can be valuable, it is rarely neutral. "These case studies illuminate the unequal histories that shape our technological systems while examining their disparate outcomes and effects. They represent an exciting step toward holistic, sociotechnical thinking and creation," D'Ignazio adds.
Rigorous Academic Review Process
To ensure academic excellence, Kaiser and Shah established an editorial board comprising 55 faculty members and senior researchers from 19 MIT departments, labs, and centers. They implemented a rigorous peer-review policy modeled after specialized academic journals. Editorial board members also assist in commissioning topics for new cases and identifying appropriate authors for specific subjects.
For each submission, series editors collect four to six peer reviews, primarily from editorial board members. To ensure balanced perspectives, half the reviewers for each case represent computing and data science fields, while the other half come from humanities, arts, and social sciences disciplines. This approach maintains topic diversity and presentation balance both within individual case studies and across the entire series.
"Having participated in the academic review process for over two decades, I've become somewhat skeptical, but I was genuinely impressed by the care and thoughtfulness invested in these reviews," remarks Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley with appointments in both the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and the School of Information. "The constructive review process significantly strengthened our case study."
Farid's case, "The Dangers of Risk Prediction in the Criminal Justice System," co-authored with Julia Dressel, a former Dartmouth College computer science student, is one of four commissioned pieces featured in the inaugural issue.
Additionally, undergraduate volunteers review each case, helping series editors assess submissions for balance, accessibility across multiple fields of study, and potential adoption in specific courses. These students also collaborate with editors to develop original homework assignments and active learning projects to accompany each case study, further facilitating the integration of these materials across various undergraduate subjects.
"I volunteered to work with this group because I believe it's essential for computer science professionals to consider ethics not as an afterthought but as an integral part of every step and decision," says Annie Snyder, a mathematical economics sophomore and member of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing's Undergraduate Advisory Group. "While addressing ethical considerations in computing is a massive undertaking, this project represents an incredible opportunity to begin building an ethical culture among MIT's talented students, who will hopefully carry these principles into their future projects and workplaces."
New case study sets, produced with support from the MIT Press' Open Publishing Services program, will be published biannually on the Knowledge Futures Group's PubPub platform. The SERC case studies are freely available through open access under Creative Commons licensing terms. Authors retain copyright, enabling them to reuse and republish their work in more specialized scholarly publications.
"It was crucial for us to approach this project inclusively and reduce barriers to accessing this content," Shah concludes. "These are complex issues that demand our attention, and we hope that by making these cases widely available, more people will engage with social and ethical considerations as they study and develop computing technologies."
