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        riddles >> general problem-solving / chatting / whatever >> when is it ok to lie?
        
(Message started by: amichail on Sep 15^th, 2006, 1:21am)

Title: when is it ok to lie?
Post by amichail on Sep 15^th, 2006, 1:21am

Hi,

It is sometimes useful for a computer application to lie.

For example, the ESP game uses prerecorded play sometimes when there are few players and also to prevent cheating. See http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~biglou/ESP.pdf.

If someone is working on a social web app, then creating fake data to make the site look busy will attract more users. The fake data could then gradually go away when the site becomes sufficiently popular.

Is this unethical? Would it be better if the app told you that it may lie at various points? Is it then acceptable?

Amir

Title: Re: when is it ok to lie?
Post by towr on Sep 15^th, 2006, 3:25am

Is it a lie, or just omitting the truth?
Any examples of actual malicious deception?

Title: Re: when is it ok to lie?
Post by amichail on Sep 15^th, 2006, 3:27am

on 09/15/06 at 03:25:26, towr wrote:

Is it a lie, or just omitting the truth?
Any examples of actual malicious deception?

If you look at the esp game, I think there is a clear expection that you will be playing with another player live, not through a prerecorded session:

http://espgame.org

Title: Re: when is it ok to lie?
Post by Icarus on Sep 15^th, 2006, 3:02pm

My personal standard is lying is wrong when it is to someone else's detriment or strictly for my personal advantage.

How that applies here, I'm not sure.

Title: Re: when is it ok to lie?
Post by amichail on Sep 16^th, 2006, 6:18am

Maybe lying can be considered a resource just like time and space. And just like time and space, you could provide lower and upper bounds on this resource for your programs.