Can computing professionals be the unintentional architects of evil information systems?

Abstract

While computing professionals are admonished to do no harm, the technical-rational paradigm that is the foundation of organizational problem solving frames the context of practice and separates computing professionals from the ultimate action created by the information systems that they design. This paper discusses how the technical rational paradigm supports the creation of systems that embody administrative evil. Unlike the typical notions of harm created by malevolent and unethical individuals, the processes and structures that create administrative evil rely on good people acting within their professional roles to design the systems [1]. This is a research-in-progress to determine if information systems can harm or be evil, the frequency of harm, and response to harm by designers and users.