Why We Don"t Sell Websites to Bikies in Melbourne!
Great! Now that I have your attention, I'd like to write a very brief synopsis about the ethics of website design and development.
Firstly, this article doesn't actually have anything to do with bikies, but whilst i'm on the topic - no I wouldn't make a website for a bikie gang, nor would I make a website for anyone who makes a living from exploitation, drugs or any other criminal activity. This article is about morals and ethics - something that has gone out the window in the online world over the last 10-15 years.
If a large multi-national asks for a new website with a budget of $100k to replicate it's existing site with some additional pages, a new design/look & some conversion optimisation attached, then hey, great! You will put to the test, work under the pump to a timeframe and overall profit both financially and also probably from the experience. But if someone asks you to build a site that sells narcotics online, and also offers you $100k (for what you know might only cost you $30k worth of resources in 8 weeks), then this is a lot harder to get away from - who walks away from $70,000 in 2 Months for not too much work?
I do.
Just because we, as programmers, computer scientists, search engine specialists and application developers know how to work the online system, doesn't give us a right to promote it for the greater evil. There are many loopholes online that people can exploit if they wish - this is much for flimsy and flexible to that of the physical world. If the major drug cartels & criminal organisations get a hold of the online market through these 'legitimate businesses', then it is not going to be a good thing for society.
I am very worried that we are headed down this road. Criminals are getting more sophisticated, approaching technical guys to work within their organisations and starting to weave their little net online.
A couple of Months ago the FBI finally caught up to Ross Ulbricht or 'Dread Pirate Roberts', the person who created Silk Road, a marketplace for drugs, guns, murder for hire & anything illegal that you can think of. Ulbricht somehow managed to get a small army of staff who were happy to do his dirty work, maintain the site and ensure its safeguard - what would drive someone to protect a site that offer gunman for fire? $$$$$$$
Until people start remembering the word 'ethics', It's only a matter of time before 'Silk Road' becomes a dime a dozen site, and then we are all doomed.
Firstly, this article doesn't actually have anything to do with bikies, but whilst i'm on the topic - no I wouldn't make a website for a bikie gang, nor would I make a website for anyone who makes a living from exploitation, drugs or any other criminal activity. This article is about morals and ethics - something that has gone out the window in the online world over the last 10-15 years.
If a large multi-national asks for a new website with a budget of $100k to replicate it's existing site with some additional pages, a new design/look & some conversion optimisation attached, then hey, great! You will put to the test, work under the pump to a timeframe and overall profit both financially and also probably from the experience. But if someone asks you to build a site that sells narcotics online, and also offers you $100k (for what you know might only cost you $30k worth of resources in 8 weeks), then this is a lot harder to get away from - who walks away from $70,000 in 2 Months for not too much work?
I do.
Just because we, as programmers, computer scientists, search engine specialists and application developers know how to work the online system, doesn't give us a right to promote it for the greater evil. There are many loopholes online that people can exploit if they wish - this is much for flimsy and flexible to that of the physical world. If the major drug cartels & criminal organisations get a hold of the online market through these 'legitimate businesses', then it is not going to be a good thing for society.
I am very worried that we are headed down this road. Criminals are getting more sophisticated, approaching technical guys to work within their organisations and starting to weave their little net online.
A couple of Months ago the FBI finally caught up to Ross Ulbricht or 'Dread Pirate Roberts', the person who created Silk Road, a marketplace for drugs, guns, murder for hire & anything illegal that you can think of. Ulbricht somehow managed to get a small army of staff who were happy to do his dirty work, maintain the site and ensure its safeguard - what would drive someone to protect a site that offer gunman for fire? $$$$$$$
Until people start remembering the word 'ethics', It's only a matter of time before 'Silk Road' becomes a dime a dozen site, and then we are all doomed.
Source...