1. Ethics

2. Computer Ethics Category of professional ethics
Examples of other professions with ethics issues:
Medical
Legal
Accounting
Most of the people affected by the devices, systems, and services of professionals do not understand how they work and cannot easily judge their quality and safety.
This creates special responsibilities for the professional
Thus, computer ethics includes ethical issues faced by a computer professional as part of the job.
Includes relationships and responsibilities toward customers, coworkers, employees, employers, others who use one’s products, and others whom they affect
Includes people who manage, select, or use computers in a professional setting
How are these other professions different from computer professionals as far as code of ethics?
Have to have license to practice (medical or legal) or past an exam to practice
Several of these groups can be brought up before an ethics board for their profession and be censored for unethical behavior  we don’t have that in computer profession

3. Computer Ethics
Special Responsibilities Facing Computer Professionals and Users
Maintaining relationships with and responsibilities toward customers, clients, coworkers, employees, and employers.
Making critical decisions that have significant consequences for many people.
Determining how to manage, select, or use computers in a professional setting.
Most of the people affected by the devices, systems, and services of professionals do not understand how they work and cannot easily judge their quality and safety.
This creates special responsibilities for the professional
Thus, computer ethics includes ethical issues faced by a computer professional as part of the job.
Includes relationships and responsibilities toward customers, coworkers, employees, employers, others who use one’s products, and others whom they affect
Includes people who manage, select, or use computers in a professional setting

4. Computer Ethics Example scenario
Suppose you are a manager and discover that many of your employees are spending a lot of time visiting sports, stock, and entertainment Web sites while at work.
Will you install monitoring software that records what sites each employee visits and how much time he/she spends there?
Will you inform employees first?
You are confronting practical and legal issues – and ethical ones.

5. Ethics The study of what it means to “do the right thing”
Behaving ethically includes
Being honest.
Keeping promises.
Doing your job well.
Not stealing.
Ethical rules are rules to follow in our interactions with other people and in our actions that affect other people.
Most ethical theories attempt to achieve the same goal: to enhance human dignity, peace, happiness, and well-being.
Ethical rules apply to all of us and are intended to achieve good results for people in general and for situations in general – not just for ourselves and not just for one situation.

6. Ethics Views Reaching the Right Decision
There is no formula to solve ethical problems.
The computer professional must consider trade-offs.
Ethical theories help to identify important principles or guidelines.
Ethical theories help to identify important principles or guidelines
Ethical theories do not completely settle difficult, controversial issues
They help to identify important principles or guidelines
They remind us of things to consider
They can help clarify reasoning and values

7. Ethics Views Some Important Distinctions Right, Wrong, and Okay
acts may be ethically required, ethically prohibited, or ethically acceptable
Distinguishing wrong and harm
Causing harm
Some acts may cause harm to others but are not necessarily unethical
Lack of harm is not sufficient to conclude that an act is ethically acceptable
1) Right, Wrong, and Okay
In situations with ethical dilemmas, there are often many options that are ethically acceptable, with no specific one ethically required
Therefore, it is misleading to divide all acts into ethically right or ethically wrong
2) Distinguishing wrong and harm
Carelessly and needlessly causing harm is wrong, but it is important to remember that harm alone is not a sufficient criterion to determine that an act is unethical
Some acts may cause harm to others but are not necessarily unethical
Opening a Walmart may put many small local businesses out of business but it is not unethical
Accepting a job offering knowing that someone else wanted the job and needed it more than you do isn’t unethical
Writing a great program that will put competitors out of business completely and cause many people to lose their jobs isn’t unethical
Lack of harm is not sufficient to conclude that an act is ethically acceptable
A hacker breaking into computer systems without authorization but without doing harm to the computer systems is unethical (even though no harm was done)

8. Ethics Views Some Important Distinctions
Personal preference and ethics
Some issues we disapprove of because of our dislikes, rather than on ethical grounds
Law and ethics
Some acts are ethical but illegal
Other acts are legal but unethical
It might be difficult to draw a line between what we consider ethically wrong and what we personally disapprove of.
If a company which advocates some policy you deeply think ethically wrong (example: abortion rights group or an anti-abortion group) wants to hire you to build software (example: membership database, mailing-list program, etc)
The company is acting ethically (based on freedom of speech)
You declining the assignment is also acting ethically (the company’s freedom of speech does not impose an ethical obligation on you for assistance)
Ethics precedes law in the sense that ethical principles help determine whether or not we should pass specific laws.
Some laws enforce ethical rules (e.g., against murder and theft)
Some acts are ethical but illegal
Example: Is it ethical to prohibit marijuana use by terminally ill people?
Other acts are legal but unethical
Example: Is it ethical to sell mailing lists based on customer purchasing history?

9. Special Aspects of Professional Ethics
Computer Professionals
Are experts in their field
Know customers rely on their knowledge, expertise, and honesty
Understand their products (and related risks) affect many people
Follow good professional standards and practices
Maintain an expected level of competence and are up-to-date on current knowledge and technology
Are experts in their field
Be it computer science or medicine
An expert in a field that most customers know little about
2) Know customer rely on their knowledge, expertise, and honesty
A professional “advertises” his or her expertise and thus has an obligation to provide it
The products of many professionals (e.g., bridges, investment advice, surgery protocols, computer systems) profoundly affect large numbers of people
A computer professional’s work can affect the life, health, finances, freedom, and future of a client or members of the public
A professional can cause great harm through dishonesty, carelessness, or incompetence
Often the victims have little ability to protect themselves
many are not the direct customers of the professional and have no direct control or decision-making in choosing the product or making decisions about its quality and safety
Thus, computer professionals have special responsibilities not only to their customers, but also to the general public, to the users of their products, regardless of whether they have a direct relationship with the users

10. Ethical Guidelines for Computer Professionals
Code of professional conduct
Provides a general statement of ethical values expected of the people in that profession
Provides reminders about specific responsibilities
Code of professional conduct
Many professional organizations have such codes
Provide valuable guidance for new or young members of the profession who want to behave ethically but do not know what is expected of them

11. Ethical Guidelines for Computer Professionals
Professional Codes
ACM and IEEE CS
Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
ACM
ACM Code of Ethics
Main organizations in the computing field
Q: How does a software engineer “learn” to be ethical?

12. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Principle 1 PUBLIC Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:
Accept full responsibility for their own work.
Moderate the interests of the software engineer, the employer, the client, and the users with the public good.
Approve software only if they have a well-founded belief that it is safe, meets specifications, passes appropriate tests, and does not diminish quality of life, diminish privacy or harm the environment. The ultimate effect of the work should be to the public good.
Disclose to appropriate persons or authorities any actual or potential danger to the user, the public, or the environment, that they reasonably believe to be associated with software or related documents.

13. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Principle 1 PUBLIC Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:
Cooperate in efforts to address matters of grave public concern caused by software, its installation, maintenance, support or documentation.
Be fair and avoid deception in all statements, particularly public ones, concerning software or related documents, methods and tools.
Consider issues of physical disabilities, allocation of resources, economic disadvantage and other factors that can diminish access to the benefits of software.
Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to good causes and to contribute to public education concerning the discipline.

14. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Principle 2 CLIENT AND EMPLOYER Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer, consistent with the public interest.
Principle 3 PRODUCT Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
Principle 4 JUDGMENT Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.

15. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Principle 5 MANAGEMENT Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance.
Principle 6 PROFESSION Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.
Principle 7 COLLEAGUES Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.

16. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
Principle 8 SELF Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession. In particular, software engineers shall continually endeavor to:
Further their knowledge of developments in the analysis, specification, design, development, maintenance and testing of software and related documents, together with the management of the development process.
Improve their ability to create safe, reliable, and useful quality software at reasonable cost and within a reasonable time.
Improve their ability to produce accurate, informative, and well-written documentation.
Improve their understanding of the software and related documents on which they work and of the environment in which they will be used.
Improve their knowledge of relevant standards and the law governing the software and related documents on which they work.
<<others>>

17. Ethical Considerations
Some Ethical Issues for Consideration
Negative/Positive Impacts of New Technology
Themes
Privacy
Communication
Trust in Computers
Freedom of Speech
Intellectual Property

18. Impacts of New Technology
Negative
Unemployment. Alienation, Crime, Loss of Privacy, Errors.
Positive
Convenience, New types of jobs,
More options for transactions,
Improvements in crime-fighting,
Small error rate

19. Privacy Privacy and Personal Information
The Impact of Computer Technology
“Big Brother is Watching You”
Consumer Information
More Privacy Risks
Protecting Privacy: Education, Technology, and Markets
Protecting Privacy: Law and Regulation

20. Trust Can We Trust the Computer? What Can Go Wrong?
Increasing Reliability and Safety
Perspectives on Failures, Dependence, Risk, and Progress

21. Trust Freedom of Speech The First Amendment
Protects Citizens From Government
Prohibits restriction of speech, press, peaceful assembly, and religion.
Freedom of Speech In Cyberspace
Changing Communications Paradigms
Offensive Speech and Censorship in Cyberspace
Anonymity
Spam
Ensuring Valuable and Diverse Content

22. Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property and Changing Technology
Copyright Law
Copying Music, Movies, Software, and Books
Solutions (Good and Bad)
Free-Speech Issues
Free Software
Issues for Software Developers

23. Intellectual Property
Computer Crime
Introduction
Hacking
Online Scams
Fraud, Embezzlement, Sabotage, Information Theft, and Forgery
Crime Fighting Versus Privacy and Civil Liberties

24. Professional Ethics Special Aspects of Professional Ethics
Computer Professionals:
Are experts in their field,
Know customers rely on their knowledge, expertise, and honesty,
Understand their products (and related risks) affect many people,
Follow good professional standards and practices,
Maintain an expected level of competence and are up-to-date on current knowledge and technology, and
Educate the non-computer professional.

25. Professional Ethics Professional Codes ACM and IEEE CS ACM
Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
ACM
ACM Code of Ethics
Ethical Behaviors Expected of the Computer Professional:
Honest and fair; respects confidentiality; maintains professional competence; understands relevant laws; respects and protection of personal privacy; avoids harming others; and respects property rights.

26. Computer Ethics Analyzing scenarios
List all the people and organizations affected.
List risks, issues, problems, and consequences.
List possible actions, and consider the impact of each action.
List responsibilities of the decision maker.
Consult a code of professional ethics.
1) List all the people and organizations affected.
These are the stakeholders
Identify their rights
2) List risks, issues, problems, and consequences.
3) List possible actions.
In cases where there is not a simple yes-or-no decision, but rather one has to choose some action.
Analyze consequences, risks, benefits, harms, costs, costs for each action considered.
4) List responsibilities of the decision maker.
Consider responsibilities of both general ethics and professional ethics.
5) Look at the related sections of the ACM Code or Software Engineering Code.

27. Computer Ethics Scenario
You are a computer system manager. An employee is out sick and another employee requests that you copy all files from the sick person’s computer to his so he can do some work.
Invasion of privacy
The sick employee might have personal files stored on the computer
The sick employee could have files related to secret or proprietary company information to which other employees are not supposed to have access
However, the employee making the request and the company might suffer if important work is not completed on time.
Solution:
Call the sick employee and ask permission to copy the files
If sick employee is not reachable
Request authorization from the manager of the project on which the employees are working
Only copy specific files if given the filenames
If you do transfer the file, it is a good idea to make a list of the files copied and give it to the sick employee later
Informing the employee acknowledges that copying files may have some privacy implications and alerts the employee in case you copy anything inappropriately
The right thing to do depends in large part on the policies, practices, and expectations at the particular company.
If there is a strong policy against personal use of the computer system, if it is routine practice for employees to share files while working on a project, and if it is reasonable to believe that all the files to be copied are related to the project the employees are working on
Then there might be no ethical problem with copying files

28. Computer Ethics Scenario
Suppose you are a member of a team working on a computer-controlled crash-avoidance system for automobiles. You think the system has a flaw that could endanger people. The project manager does not seem concerned and expects to announce completion of the project soon. Are you ethically obligated to do something?
Given the potential consequences: YES.
Solutions:
First, at a minimum, discuss your concerns with the project manager
Voicing your concerns is admirable and obligatory
It is also good for your company  internal “whistle blowing” can help protect the company, as well as the public, from all the negative consequences of releasing a dangerous product
2) If the manager decides to proceed as planned with no examination of the problem, your next option is to go to someone higher up in the company.
3) If no one with authority in the company is willing to investigate your concerns, you have a more difficult dilemma.
You have the option of going outside the company (customer, news media, or government agency)
Personal risk: might lose your job
Also ethical issue of the damage you might do your company if the negative policy kills the project altogether
May want to double check your view of the entire situation by talking with other professionals
You may conclude that management was correct and drop the issue
If you determine it is worth the risk, you go further

29. Computer Ethics Scenario
Your company has about 25 licenses for a computer program. You discover that it has been copied onto 80 computers.
Solution:
The first step is to inform your supervisor that the copies violate the license agreement.
If your supervisor is not willing to take any action, you can bring the problem to the attention of higher level people in the company.
If no one cares, there several possible actions:
Give up (you have done your best to correct the problem)
However, if your name is on the license and you signed the agreement about the use of the software, you are obligated to honor it.
Call the software vendor and report the offense
Call the Software and Information Industry Association and report the offense
Quit your job