| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision |
| report:eth [2026/06/14 12:49] – [6.2 Engineering Ethics] team5 | report:eth [2026/06/14 14:44] (current) – [6.4 Environmental Ethics] team5 |
|---|
| |
| ==== 6.1 Introduction ==== | ==== 6.1 Introduction ==== |
| This chapter examines the ethical, deontological, and legal dimensions of the Connect installation. It evaluates the project's impact on public transport users, ensuring that the design choices align with principles of privacy, inclusivity, and social responsibility. | This chapter examines the ethical, deontological, and legal dimensions of the CONNECT and share installation. It evaluates the project's impact on public transport users, ensuring that the design choices align with principles of privacy, inclusivity, and social responsibility. |
| |
| It covers: | It covers: |
| |
| - Engineering Ethics: An analysis of passenger interaction and consent, focusing on data privacy (the non-collection of personal data in Phase 1 versus audio storage in Phase 2) and accessibility concerns. | - Engineering Ethics: An analysis of passenger interaction and consent, focusing on data privacy (the non-collection of personal data in Phase 1 versus message storage in Phase 2) and accessibility concerns. |
| |
| - Sales and Marketing Ethics: An evaluation of the project's funding models (public interest versus commercial sponsorship), highlighting the need for transparency and the protection of user-generated content from commercial exploitation. | - Sales and Marketing Ethics: An evaluation of the project's funding models (public interest versus commercial sponsorship), highlighting the need for transparency and the protection of user-generated content from commercial exploitation. |
| |
| ==== 6.3 Sales and Marketing Ethics ==== | ==== 6.3 Sales and Marketing Ethics ==== |
| Although Connect originates as a student project within the European Project Semester at ISEP, it is developed and presented as a real product concept with potential for deployment in public transport systems. This framing means that ethical considerations around commercialisation are relevant. The IEEE Code of Ethics requires that engineers act in a manner that avoids | Although CONNECT and share originates as a student project within the European Project Semester at ISEP, it is developed and presented as a real product concept with potential for deployment in public transport systems. This framing means that ethical considerations around commercialisation are relevant. The IEEE Code of Ethics requires that engineers act in a manner that avoids |
| deceptive acts and maintains honesty and integrity in all communications [(ieee2020ethics)].\\ | deceptive acts and maintains honesty and integrity in all communications [(ieee2020ethics)].\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Potential customer types**\\ | **Potential customer types**\\ |
| Two types of customers have been identified. One is a municipality or public transport authority adopting Connect in the public interest represents a relatively unproblematic relationship: the installation's stated goal to reduce social isolation in public spaces aligns with the mandate of public institutions. A commercial sponsor introduces more complex considerations. If a private entity funds the installation, it is important that the sponsor's interests do not conflict with or overshadow the project's original purpose. Passengers should not be exposed to undisclosed commercial influence.\\ | Two types of customers have been identified. One is a municipality or public transport authority adopting CONNECT and share in the public interest represents a relatively unproblematic relationship: the installation's stated goal to reduce social isolation in public spaces aligns with the mandate of public institutions. A commercial sponsor introduces more complex considerations. If a private entity funds the installation, it is important that the sponsor's interests do not conflict with or overshadow the project's original purpose. Passengers should not be exposed to undisclosed commercial influence.\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Transparency toward passengers**\\ | **Transparency toward passengers**\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Data and commercial interests in Phase 2**\\ | **Data and commercial interests in Phase 2**\\ |
| In Phase 1, no user data is collected, which eliminates the risk of data monetisation. In Phase 2, voice messages are submitted voluntarily by users and constitute personal data subject to the GDPR [(gdpr2016)]. A commercial sponsor must not have access to this content for marketing purposes. The team's position is that user-generated content in Phase 2 belongs to the platform and is used solely for the purpose of the installation, and not for commercial exploitation.\\ | In Phase 1, no user data is collected, which eliminates the risk of data monetisation. In Phase 2, messages are submitted voluntarily by users and constitute personal data subject to the GDPR [(gdpr2016)]. A commercial sponsor must not have access to this content for marketing purposes. The team's position is that user-generated content in Phase 2 belongs to the platform and is used solely for the purpose of the installation, and not for commercial exploitation.\\ |
| ==== 6.4 Environmental Ethics ==== | ==== 6.4 Environmental Ethics ==== |
| |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Electronic components**\\ | **Electronic components**\\ |
| The system uses a WEMOS C3 Mini microcontroller (ESP32-C3-based), WS2812B addressable LED strips, MCP2551 CAN bus transceivers, and velostat pressure-sensing sheets, which are all electronic components. Their manufacture involves energy processes and can involve rare materials. As the system contains electronic components, it falls within the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2012/19/EU), which requires that electronic waste is collected and processed through certified facilities rather than disposed of as general waste [(weee2012)].\\ | The system uses a WEMOS C3 Mini microcontroller (ESP32-C3-based), WS2812 addressable LED strips, MCP2551 CAN bus transceivers, and velostat pressure-sensing sheets, which are all electronic components. Their manufacture involves energy processes and can involve rare materials. As the system contains electronic components, it falls within the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2012/19/EU), which requires that electronic waste is collected and processed through certified facilities rather than disposed of as general waste [(weee2012)].\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Phase 2 infrastructure**\\ | **Phase 2 infrastructure**\\ |
| ==== 6.5 Liability ==== | ==== 6.5 Liability ==== |
| |
| Because Connect is installed in a public transport environment and involves direct physical contact by passengers, liability is a relevant concern. The following considerations apply to both phases of the project.\\ | Because CONNECT and share is installed in a public transport environment and involves direct physical contact by passengers, liability is a relevant concern. The following considerations apply to both phases of the project.\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Physical safety (Phase 1)**\\ | **Physical safety (Phase 1)**\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **User-generated content (Phase 2)**\\ | **User-generated content (Phase 2)**\\ |
| The introduction of a voice message platform in Phase 2 raises the question of liability for user-generated content. Passengers may submit messages that are harmful, offensive, or distressing to other users. Voice messages are transcribed and reviewed through automated content moderation tools prior to being made available on the platform. The platform must also comply with the GDPR regarding storage, access, and retention of voice data [(gdpr2016)]. While automated moderation reduces risk, it does not eliminate it entirely. What kind of content that is not permitted need to be defined clearly for the user.\\ | The introduction of a message platform in Phase 2 raises the question of liability for user-generated content. Passengers may submit messages that are harmful, offensive, or distressing to other users. Messages are reviewed through LLM content moderation API prior to being made available on the platform. The platform must also comply with the GDPR regarding storage, access, and retention of data [(gdpr2016)]. While automated moderation reduces risk, it does not eliminate it entirely. What kind of content that is not permitted need to be defined clearly for the user.\\ |
| \\ | \\ |
| **Sponsor and operator responsibility**\\ | **Sponsor and operator responsibility**\\ |