Assignments 8.1 and 9.1: Ethical Issues

8.1. Ethical issues: identify any potential hazards in the proposed design, e.g., foreseeable misuses

1. Privacy Concerns:

• Misuse: Cameras could inadvertently capture individuals in the parking lot, potentially violating their privacy. 

2. Surveillance and Tracking:

• Misuse: The system could be used to track individuals' movements within the parking lot beyond just detecting available spots.

3. Data Security:

• Misuse: Unsecured data could be accessed by unauthorized parties, leading to privacy breaches or misuse of information.

4. Misuse of Data for Profiling:

• Misuse: Data collected from the system could be used to profile individuals' behaviors or habits.

9.1. Ethical issues: provide solutions to eliminate hazards identified in Assignment 8.1, e.g., foreseeable misuses

1. Privacy Concerns:

• Solution: Implement strict data anonymization techniques. Ensure that the system only detects vehicles and parking spots, not individuals. Use blurring or masking techniques to obscure identifiable information.

2. Surveillance and Tracking:

• Solution: Design the system to focus solely on parking spot availability and avoid storing unnecessary data about vehicles or individuals. Limit data retention periods to the necessary minimum.

3. Data Security:

• Solution: Employ strong encryption methods for data transmission and storage. Implement access controls and regular security audits to protect against unauthorized access.

4. Misuse of Data for Profiling:

• Solution: Implement clear policies on data usage and disclosure. Ensure that data collected is used solely for the purpose of managing parking availability and not for other purposes without explicit consent.