Amoral Development
Amoral Development is a software development approach that intentionally disregards ethical considerations, focusing solely on technical efficiency, functionality, and business objectives without moral constraints. It prioritizes achieving goals such as speed, profit, or market dominance, even if the methods or outcomes might be harmful, deceptive, or exploitative. This contrasts with ethical frameworks that advocate for responsible innovation, user welfare, and societal impact.
Developers might encounter or consider this approach in high-pressure environments where short-term gains are prioritized over long-term consequences, such as in competitive tech startups, aggressive marketing tools, or surveillance systems. However, it is generally discouraged as it can lead to legal risks, reputational damage, and negative societal effects; instead, ethical development practices like responsible AI or privacy-by-design are recommended to build sustainable and trustworthy software.