Final Evaluation: Nudging for Change

Final Evaluation: Nudging for Change
Worth 30%
1000 words (1250 maximum excluding works cited)

Research a particular social issue that touches on bioethical, environmental or broader social issues (some examples include inequality and discrimination, abuse, pollution, health problems that go beyond simple fitness or calming exercises, etc). Design a technological nudge to encourage the public to modify their behaviour to reduce or eradicate the problem.
One example is a chatbot. Woebot, is a good example of a nudge that uses new technology. Keep in mind there are other nudges as well—you can be a little inventive and are not limited to the chatbot format. You can propose new forms of technology not yet invented even. One of the requirements of the assignment is to do something that hasn’t been done already so don’t just propose a therapy bot or a fitness app—modify it in some way so that it is designed to address the particular issue you select.
Using the appropriate readings (see list below) evaluate the ethics involved in nudging for change–is it ethical? Why or why not? You should support your answer with a position informed and supported by the ethical frameworks and the specified course readings (see below). You also need to do academic research (academic books or journal articles) to find sources related to the particular issue you are studying.

Required sources
1. Use the academic databases (Ebsco, JStor) to find minimum 2 peer-reviewed sources addressing the particular issue you are studying. Remember the issue has to deal with bioethical, environmental or broader social issues—you are not developing a nudge to sell people stuff. You are trying to encourage an improvement in people’s lives in more fundamental ways that will benefit the society as a whole.
2. Apply the nudging readings:
Borenstein & Arkin reading: “Nudging for good: robots and the ethical appropriateness of nurturing
empathy and charitable behavior.” AI & Society, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 499–507.(P.277 in course pack)
AND
Paldan, K., Sauer, H., & Wagner, N. F. (2018). Promoting inequality? Self-monitoring applications and the problem of social justice. AI & Society, 1-11.
3. Apply a minimum of two ethical framework (use the relevant course readings rather than just the slides). Use the ethical frameworks rigorously in tandem with the required nudging readings to assess if your nudge is ethical or not.