GeoTechE: Geotechnology Ethics

The introductory module introduces you to the realm of geodata technology and some of its applications. You will learn how geodata technology is being employed to solve a host of problems but also be introduced to the idea that this technology is not value-neutral.  

The next units will introduce you to ethics. By describing different ethical frameworks from around the world and seeing how they can be applied to a single example, you will understand how approaches to ethics can differ from one another. You will also learn how ethics is distinct from other areas – specifically, law.  

Next, you will see how ethics can be applied to technology. Using an example, you will see how ethical choices need to be made in the design of a technology and what kinds of questions this thinking can generate. In the second part of the lecture, we will apply ethical thinking to geodata technology in particular.  

In the final part of the module, you will be introduced to the geodata technology life cycle. This is a way of understanding the journey of geodata and provides a framework to anticipate ethical issues at each stage of the cycle.  

This module introduces an emerging field that challenges the objectivity of remotely sensed data and explores its social and ethical implications.  

The first unit explains why a critical perspective is essential, recognizing the political nature of satellite data production and analysis.   

You will examine the "Satellite Gaze" and how biases can shape the data lifecycle and reinforce power imbalances.  

The Political Economy of Remote Sensing delves into the key players involved in satellite data production and the inequalities in data access.   

In the Reading against the Pixel unit, you’ll explore alternative perspectives on satellite data and ways to engage other forms of knowledge. 

The final unit covers the practices, applications, and ethics of Critical Remote Sensing, focusing on how to use satellite data to expose injustices and empower marginalized communities.  

 By completing this module, you'll understand how remote sensing is tied to power dynamics and gain the tools for critical analysis. 

This module will guide you through some of the many ways geodata is acquired and applied in a range of technologies and contexts.  

The first unit will show you how ethics and a critical perspective can help us think about the use of drones for conservation monitoring and how they can empower communities.  

In the next unit, explore the use of geoinformation technologies and artificial intelligence for humanitarian purposes, including slum mapping and emergency situations like COVID-19.  

Next, you will gain insight into the tensions between the accuracy of land-use maps and their meaningfulness and how socio-technical practices influence the process of creating them.  

Finally, learn how ethics can act as a compass and help us address the common assumptions underlying geospatial technologies and the Sustainable Development Goals.  

This module explores ethical issues related to geographic data and consumer technologies.  

The first unit addresses key ethical concerns, highlighting how data impacts society unevenly. It explores how user geographic data is valued in the marketplace, targeted advertising, and the role of users as data producers. Here you will learn some different ways to engage with the technology as an individual.   

The second unit focuses on collective engagement, examining data regulation, the concept of 'drifting'—exploring space to foster solidarity—and the use of detournement to repurpose data for political purposes. It also introduces the idea of data strikes to challenge corporate practices.  

The final unit describes how mapping can be used to empower individuals and communities traditionally on the margins of power. It presents both digital and analogue methods to enact social and environmental change to challenge traditional narratives, as well as some of the ethical concerns that need to be considered.  

Throughout, the course encourages reflection on how privilege and status affect engagement strategies. By the end, participants will have a deeper understanding of the power dynamics and ethics surrounding everyday geodata use.