CS Forum: Jordan Fischer, Drexel University "Law & Ethics in Technology"

Law & Ethics in Technology

Jordan L. Fischer, Esq.
Teaching Professor of Law  
Thomas R. Kline School of Law, Drexel University

Abstract:

With the explosion of technology, and its corresponding massive increase in the collection of data, technology is driving industry and society today at an increasing rate. Individuals are impacted in ways that are not even imaginable or calculable today, and the consequences of technology will play out for years and decades to come.

At the center of this rapid evolution of technology are private companies directing the growth, expansion, and development of technology of all sizes: Internet of Things, Big Data, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence. But, the increasing role of technology in industry corresponds to an equally compelling debate: just because we can do something, does that mean we ​should ​do something?

This presentation will explore the boundaries of ethics in technology, and the ways in which the law can help to define when and where technology can be a solution, when technology ​should be the solution, and when technology has gone too far. The law can be used to encapsulate the societal restrictions that can or should be used to define the boundaries of technology. These laws take many forms: cybersecurity requirements, notification requirements, data protection regulations, contractual provisions, etc. We will discuss case studies to illuminate the ways in which these laws have been used to place a check on technology development, and help to define, what continues to be, a blurry line between ethics and technology.

Bio:

Jordan Fischer focuses her research on data privacy and cybersecurity, bringing an interdisciplinary approach to her teaching. Professor Fischer explores the convergence of the law and technology, researching the practical implications of regional data protection regulations within a backdrop of the global economy. Professor Fischer applies her experience working with multinational companies to better understand the evolution of security and privacy within changing regulatory and legal frameworks to balance consumer and end-user rights with enterprise innovation and efficiencies.

Professor Fischer clerked at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg for Koen Lenaerts, who is now the president-judge of the court.

In addition to teaching, Professor Fischer is a co-founder and managing partner at XPAN Law Group, LLC, a certified Women’s Business Enterprise and a certified Women Owned Small Business. She focuses her practice on international data privacy, cybersecurity and cross-border data management, with an emphasis in European Union data privacy. Professor Fischer’s background in business and technology enables her to provide critical legal guidance to balance business growth and development with data management.

Host:

Professor Tuomas Aura, Department of Computer Science