Service

Our Approach

Housed within UMBC, a reputed public university, the ESL operates independently of the software industry’s profit-driven motives. Our certification process scrutinizes software and hardware alike, offering an unbiased assessment of ethical compliance. Additionally, we demystify terms of service agreements, making it easier for everyone to understand their rights and what they’re agreeing to when using software. We adhere to a set of rigorous standards that define what makes software ethical. These standards are designed to protect users, promote transparency, and ensure software integrity.

Below are the Seven Attributes that every piece of software must meet to be considered ethical in our evaluation:

1. It only does what it says it does: Software must be honest and transparent in its functions and operations, avoiding any deceptive practices.
2. It protects the user’s privacy: User privacy is paramount, and software must safeguard personal information diligently.
3. It does not use hardware or software to monitor the user environment: Respect for user autonomy means no unauthorized surveillance or monitoring.
4. It does not fingerprint their software or hardware ID without their consent: Users must have control over their digital identities, with consent being a prerequisite for personal identification.
5. It doesn’t use their data for profit without their consent: Ethical software respects the ownership and privacy of user data, requiring explicit user consent for its use in profit-making activities.
6. It does not consume their computational resources without need or consent: Software should use system resources judiciously, with a clear necessity or user permission.
7. It consumes computational resources in an energy-efficient and sustainable way: Beyond efficiency, ethical software also commits to sustainability, minimizing its environmental impact.

These attributes guide our certification process, ensuring that software not only serves its intended purpose but does so in a way that aligns with our ethical standards. Through this approach, we aim to elevate the standard for software development and usage, making ethics a central pillar of the digital age.

 

Experience the future of ethical software certification by using our beta service. This initiative offers a glimpse into how the ESL evaluates software’s ethicality. Your feedback will be instrumental in refining our methodologies, shaping a future where digital ethics are not only transparent but equitable and universally applied.

We are located on the fourth floor of the College of Engineering and IT (COEIT) in ITE 454.

For inquiries, support, or more information, please contact us at esl@umbc.edu  or eslresearch-support@proton.me.