Transcript Recipe for Disaster: IT Without Ethics

Recipe for Disaster:
IT without Ethics
Dr. C. Dianne Martin
Professor and Chair
Computer Science Department
Cyber Security Policy and Research Institute
The George Washington University
Welcome to the
Moral High Ground!
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
The Chernobyl Lesson
This
was no accident!
Modern disaster lesson:
• Highly intelligent engineers
and scientists
• Advanced technologies
• Unethical decisions
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Why Ethics in IT?
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Unique Aspects of Information
Technology with Ethical Issues
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Intangible nature of electronic information
Increasing dependency of society
Separation of information from the medium
Mixture of information on same media
Plunging costs: value is on data, not media
Huge volume: hard to monitor, audit path
Speed: point of irretrievability is sooner
Complexity: approaching chaos?
Impact of a single electronic transaction
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Ethics Defined
 Study
of human morality
 Determining values in human conduct
 Deciding the “right thing to do” - based
upon a set of norms
 In IT:
• dealing with colleagues
• dealing with clients
• dealing with employees
• dealing with “users’
• dealing with public
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Why Focus on Ethics?
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Raise awareness - ethics radar
Make decisions – make the right choice
Take action – do the right thing
Personal integrity and self-respect
# 1 element of professional reputation
Good Ethics -> Good Business!
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Is IT a Profession?
 Examples
of professionals: doctors,
nurses, teachers, lawyers, engineers,
accountants, professors!
 What about plumbers, actors, writers,
artists, bricklayers, builders?
 What is the difference?
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
IT as an Ethical Profession
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What is a Profession?
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Special expertise
Shared moral values
Dependent public
Self-regulation
Promote, protect right actions
The responsibility to be ethical
 The right to be ethical
 Values embedded in technology
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Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
ACM Code of Ethics and
Professional Conduct (1992)
1. General Moral Imperatives
2. Specific Professional
Responsibilities
3. Organizational Leadership
Imperatives
4. Compliance with Code
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
1. General Moral Imperatives
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
Contribute to society
Avoid harm to others
Be honest and trustworthy
Be fair and not discriminate
Honor property rights
Credit intellectual property
Respect privacy of others
Honor confidentiality
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
2. Specific Professional
Responsibilities
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
Strive for quality in work
Maintain professional competence
Respect for laws on professional work
Facilitate professional review
Evaluate impacts and risks
Honor contracts and agreements
Improve public understanding of IT
Access data only when authorized
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
3. Organizational
Leadership Imperatives
3.1 Encourage social responsibility
3.2 Manage personnel and resources to
enhance quality of life
3.3 Support proper computer uses
3.4 Ensure user input in design of systems
3.5 Protect dignity of users
3.6 Create learning opportunities
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
4. Compliance with Code
4.1 Uphold and promote principles
of this Code
4.2 Treat violations of this Code as
inconsistent with membership in
ACM
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Functions of an Ethics Code

Enabling document
 Source of public evaluation
 Professional socialization
 Enhance reputation of profession
 Deterrent to unethical behavior
 Support system to members
 Adjudication of controversies
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
You as an “ethical” being:
The six stages of moral reasoning
development (Kohlberg)
 Stage 1) Punishment and obedience orientation
Stage 2) Instrumental relativist orientation
 Stage 3) Interpersonal concordance of good/bad
orientation
 Stage 4) Law and order orientation
 Stage 5) Social-contract legalistic orientation
 Stage 6) Universal ethical principle orientation
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DEVELOPING YOUR ETHICS RADAR
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
3 Ethical “What’s”
(Keith Miller, 1996)
What?
Aware
So What? Analyze
Now What? Act
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
The Ethics Trail….
Opportunity
Intention
Relationships
Actions
Consequences
Sliding down the slippery slope occurs
one step at a time….
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Prepare to Be Assimilated!
From the “Lone Stranger”…
To Join a New Collective –
The Cyber “Knights” Corps!
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
So Why Bother With Ethics?
Special
knowledge
Involved in decision-making
Computing pervades society
BOTTOM LINE: Practicing IT professionals
are more apt to get into trouble as a result
of a failure to properly anticipate and handle
ethical problems rather than as a result of
technical mistakes!
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Results of the Ethics Equation
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
 Quality
products
 Conservation of
resources
 Pride in work
 Public safety
 Timeliness
 Good business
 National Security
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR
 Shoddy
products
 Waste, fraud,
greed
 Abuse of expertise
 Guilt, fear
 Lack of safety
 Cutting corners
• poor design
• rushed testing
 DISASTERS!
Ethics will be THE issue
of the 21st Century
Modern
recipe for disaster:
• Highly intelligent IT professionals
• Advanced technologies
• Unethical decisions
 Remember
Chernobyl, Challenger,
Pinto, Robert Morris computer virus,
Mars lander.....
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004
Copyright Statement
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004.
This work is the intellectual property of the
author. Permission is granted for this material
to be shared for non-commercial, educational
purposes, provided that this copyright
statement appears on the reproduced
materials and notice is given that the copying
is by permission of the author. To disseminate
otherwise or to republish requires written
permission from the author.
Copyright C. Dianne Martin, 2004