1. Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering
Professional Ethics
Lorraine Staehr
Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering
La Trobe University

2. Outline Is there a need for professional ethics?
Are computer professionals “professionals”?
Professional relationships
Professional codes of ethics
The law and ethics
Psychological components of moral behaviour
Guidelines for recognizing an ethical dilemma

3. Introduction Is there a need for professional ethics?
Professional roles sometimes have special rights and responsibilities
"Efficacy" of professionals - power to affect the social and physical environment

4. Are Computer Professionals “Professionals”?
Characteristics associated with professions:
Require mastery of a body of knowledge, usually acquired through higher education.
Typically have a good deal of autonomy in their work.

5. Are Computer Professionals “Professionals”?
Characteristics associated with professions:
A professional organisation controls admission to the profession and sets standards for practice.
Professions fulfil an important social function or are committed to a social good.

6. Professional Relationships
Employer-Employee
The Law Report 8 January 2002: Employment law, intellectual property and the new economy
APESMA (
Client-Professional
Agency
Paternalism
Fiduciary

7. Professional Relationships
Example 1
An IT professional involves the client in the design of the new system, gives several options on the security features of the system and the client chooses the least secure system because the system is going to cost more than the client planned. Due to the sensitive nature of the data stored in the system a more secure option is warranted.
Example 2
An IT consultant has taken on the job of evaluating software proposals for a small hospital. He carefully evaluates each of the three proposals and chooses what he thinks is the best product. However the IT professional is a co-owner in the software company that sells this product.

8. Professional Relationships
Society-Professional
A social contract with society
Professional-Professional
Adherence to standards of conduct that will enhance the reputation of the profession

9. Conflicting Responsibilities
Issues of professional ethics often arise from conflicts between responsibilities to different parties

10. Professional Codes of Ethics
IEEE Code of Ethics
IEEE-CS/ACM Software Engineering Code Of Ethics And Professional Practice
ACS Code of Ethics

11. Professional Codes of Ethics
What is the aim of codes of conduct?
Who are they written for?
The Public
Members of the profession

12. What a Code of Ethics is Not
Not laws
Not complete ethical frameworks or algorithms
Not exhaustive checklists

13. Law and Ethics Actions may be classified as Ethical and legal
Ethical but not legal
Not ethical but legal
Not ethical and not legal

14. Psychological Components of Moral Behaviour (Rest, 1994)
Moral sensitivity
Moral judgment
Moral motivation
Moral character

15. Informal Guidelines for Recognizing an Ethical Dilemma
Is there something you or others would prefer to keep quiet?
The Mum test
The TV test
The Market test
Does your instinct tell you that something is wrong?

16. Formal Guidelines for Recognizing an Ethical Dilemma
Does the act violate corporate policy?
Does the act violate corporate or professional codes of conduct or ethics
Does the act violate the Golden Rule?

17. Psychological Components of Moral Behaviour (Rest, 1994)
Moral sensitivity – recognizing a moral dilemma exists
Moral judgment – have the ability to make a morally justifiable decision
Moral motivation – place moral values above other values
Moral character – strength of character to act

18. References
Bynum, T.W. and Rogerson, S. (2004) Computer Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Johnson, D. G. (1994) Computer Ethics, 2nd Ed., Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Kallman, E.A. and Grillo, J.P. (1996) Ethical Decision Making and Information Technology, 2nd. Ed., Singapore: McGraw-Hill.
Reynolds, G. (2003) Ethics in Information Technology, Boston: Thompson.
Rest, J. (1994). Background: Theory and Research. In Rest, J. and Narvaez, D. (Eds.) Moral Development in the Professions: Psychology and Applied Ethics, (pp. 1-26). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.