Professional Ethics & Code of Ethics.pdf
- 1. Professional Ethics & Code of Ethics Lecture 02
- 2. ● Law: The system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties. ● Moral: the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties. ● Ethics: Ethics examines the rational justification for our moral judgments; it studies what is morally right or wrong, just or unjust. In a broader sense, ethics reflects on human beings and their interaction with nature and with other humans, on freedom, on responsibility and on justice.
- 3. Code of Ethics ● A code of ethics sets out an organization's ethical guidelines and best practices to follow for honesty, integrity, and professionalism. ● For members of an organization, violating the code of ethics can result in sanctions including termination. ● The main types of codes of ethics include a compliance-based code of ethics, a value-based code of ethics, and a code of ethics among professionals. ● A focus on climate change has become an integral part of companies' codes of ethics, detailing their commitment to sustainability.
- 4. Cont. ● When making individual decisions, it is essential to align them with specific goals. Examples of such goals in the context of computer science professionals include privacy, professional quality, fairness, liability, confidentiality, software risk management, conflicts on the internet, and prevention of unauthorized access to computer systems. ● Privacy Protection ○ Uphold individuals' right to privacy in all technological endeavors. ○ Implement robust measures to safeguard sensitive data from unauthorized access. ● Professional Quality ○ Strive for excellence in software development, ensuring products meet high standards of performance, reliability, and usability. ○ Pursue continuous learning and professional development to enhance skills and stay abreast of industry advancements.
- 5. Cont. ● Fairness in Computing ○ Foster an inclusive and unbiased computing environment, avoiding discrimination based on race, gender, or any other factors. ○ Design and deploy algorithms that prioritize fairness and equity. ● Liability Awareness ○ Acknowledge and take responsibility for the consequences of technological solutions. ○ Communicate transparently about potential risks and work to mitigate them proactively. ● Confidentiality Commitment ○ Safeguard confidential information and respect the confidentiality agreements associated with technological projects. ○ Prioritize the trust and confidentiality of users and stakeholders.
- 6. Cont. ● Software Risk Management ○ Identify and assess potential risks associated with software development and deployment. ○ Implement robust risk management strategies to minimize the impact of unforeseen issues. ● Addressing Conflicts on the Internet ○ Promote constructive and ethical behavior in online spaces. ○ Mitigate conflicts on the internet by encouraging respectful communication and understanding diverse perspectives. ● Preventing Unauthorized Access ○ Develop and implement security measures to prevent unauthorized access to computer systems. ○ Stay vigilant against potential cyber threats, adopting best practices in cybersecurity.
- 7. Difference between in Code of ethics & code of conduct Code of Ethics: ● Guiding Principles: Code of ethics outlines the fundamental beliefs and values that individuals or professionals within a specific field should uphold. ● Morality and Values: Focuses on the moral principles and values that guide decision-making and behavior within a profession or organization. ● Broad and General: Generally broader and more overarching, providing a framework for ethical decision-making in various situations. ● Long-Term Guidance: Typically serves as a long-term guide for professionals, emphasizing the overall moral compass of the profession. Code of Conduct: ● Behavioral Expectations: Code of conduct specifies the expected behavior and actions of individuals within a particular organization or profession. ● Rules and Regulations: Focuses on specific rules, regulations, and standards of behavior that individuals must adhere to in their day-to-day activities. ● Specific and Detailed: Often more specific and detailed, providing clear guidelines for acceptable and unacceptable behavior. ● Immediate Application: Immediate and practical application in governing daily activities and interactions within the organization or profession.
- 8. IEEE Code of Ethics
- 9. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a globally recognized professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. One essential aspect of IEEE's commitment to responsible and ethical technology development is encapsulated in its Code of Ethics. This Code serves as a set of principles to guide IEEE members in their professional conduct, ensuring that their work aligns with the highest ethical standards. ● Actions: In terms of actions, ethical considerations manifest in two dimensions: one concerning the public, and the other involving clients and employers. ● Public: Software Engineers are obligated to conduct themselves in a manner that serves the public interest. ● Client and Employer: Software Engineers are expected to perform their duties in a way that ensures satisfaction for both clients and employers.
- 10. Cont. ● Product: Software Engineers must guarantee that their products adhere to professional and elevated quality standards. ● Hierarchy: The hierarchy within software development is determined by two factors—judgment and management. ● Judgment: When performing their tasks, software engineers should exercise unbiased judgment, free from the influence or pressure of any external parties, including political entities, ensuring the best decisions are made based on merit alone. ● Management: Those responsible for the management of software engineering teams must adopt an ethical approach in overseeing the development and maintenance processes, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in all aspects of software development.
- 11. Cont. ● Peers: Interactions with peers should be grounded in professionalism and collaboration. Software Engineers are obligated to treat their colleagues and clients with fairness, ensuring consistency in values both within the professional community and in dealings with the public. The profession's conduct must reflect fairness and consistency in all interactions with clients. ● Self: Software Engineers commit to executing professional tasks while concurrently engaging in ongoing learning and practice. This continuous commitment aims to cultivate an ethical approach within the profession, promoting personal and collective growth.
- 12. Principles of IEEE Code of Ethics ● Act in public ● Act in interest of client and employer ● Produce quality product ● Maintain independent judgement ● Manage ethically ● Protect integrity of profession ● Support colleges ● Pursue lifelong learning
- 13. ACM Code of Ethics General moral imperatives: “As an ACM member i will..” ● Contribute to society and human well being ● Avoid harm to others ● Be honest and trustworthy ● Be fair and take action not to discriminate ● Honor property rights including copyrights and patents ● Give proper credit for intellectual property ● Respect privacy of other ● Honor confidentiality
- 14. Cont. Specific professional responsibilities: “As an ACM computing professional I will..” ● Strive to achieve the highest quality, effectiveness and dignity in both the process and products of professional work ● Acquire and maintain professional competence ● Know and respect existing laws pertaining to professional work ● Accept and provide appropriate professional review ● Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer system and their impacts, including analysis of possible risks. ● Honor contracts, agreements, and assigned responsibilities. ● Improve public understanding of computing and its consequences ● Access computing and communicating resources only when authorized to do.
- 15. Cont. Organization leadership imperatives: “As an ACM member and an organizational leader, I will…” ● Articulate social responsibilities of members of an organizational unit and encourage full acceptance of those responsibilities. ● Manage personnel and resources to design and build information systems that enhance the quality of working life. ● Acknowledge and support proper and authorized uses of an organization’s computing and communication resources. ● Ensure that users and those who will be affected by a design have their needs clearly articulated during assessment and design of requirements. ● Articulate and support policies that protect the dignity of users and other affected by computing systems.
- 16. Ethical Decision Making: Case 01 - Ali is a database programmer working on a big statistical project for his company. The company encourages sharing work, but Ali is stuck on a tough problem. His manager, not realizing how complex the issue is, insists on a quick solution within a few days. - Remembering that a colleague shared their work's source listings and having an early version of commercial software from another company, Ali looks into them. After studying these programs, he finds two sections of code that could be directly used in his own project. - He uses segments of code both from his coworker and from commercial software.He does not tell anyone or mention in documentation. How does code of ethics help us to understand this case?
- 17. Case 02 ● Ayesha’s company hsa been hired by a client to build a security system. Beacuse of cost overruns, client has decided to opt for less secure system. ● Ayesha belives information they will store is extremely sensitive. With weak security system, Employees on work station could figure out how to access thisdata. ● Ayesha feels strongly that system should be much more secure. She tries to explain the risk. ● What should ayesha do? Should she refuse to build system as they request?
- 18. Case 03 ● A contractor is determining requirements for an employmeny agency. Client describes what is needed when displaying applications whose qualifications appear to match those for particular job. ● Client further states that names of white applicants should be displayed ahead of nonwhites. And name of male applicants shold be displayed ahead of female applicants.
- 19. Case 04 ● Software developnent company has just produced a new software package. It incorporates new tax, laws, and prepare both individual and small business tax returns. ● The president of company knows that the program has a number of bugs. He also believes the first firm to put this kind of software on the market is likely to capture the largest market share. Company widely advertises package. ● When program is shipped, it includes a disclaimer of responsibility for erors resulting from the use of program. ● Company expects it will receive a number of complaints, queries andsuggestions for modification. President says this is general industry policy. But users filed incorrect tax returns and were penalized.