Transcript professional ethics - United International College

Technology and Society.Ethics
Thanks to Dr. Joseph Ng from HKBU
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Technology and Society
Ethics
◦ Ethics vs. Law
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Computer Ethics
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Code of Professional Ethics
◦ Example topics
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Do you like technology?
How has technology affected your life?
How has technology improved society?
Has technology harmed society?
How has technology affected privacy?
How will technology affect society in the
future?
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Ethics
◦ A branch of philosophy that studies morality
 Morality: a system of rules for guiding human
conduct, and principles for evaluating those
rules.
◦ Development of reasonable standards for
deciding what is morally right and wrong
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Ethics
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Highest level of behavior
Right behavioral standards
backed up by community
sanction
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Law
◦ Minimum level of
behavior
◦ Right behavioral
standards backed up by
civil/criminal sanction
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Computer ethics
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Why study computer ethics?
◦ Analysis of the nature and social impact of
computer technology and the corresponding
formulation and justification of policies for the
ethical use of such technology
◦ Four key technology trends that raise ethical
issues
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Rapid advances in computing power
Advances in data storage
Advances in data mining
Advances in telecommunications
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Ownership and Intellectual Properties
Security and Computer Crime
Liability and Reliability
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Computer Ethics – Example Topics (Cont)
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Ownership and Intellectual Properties
◦ Intellectual property rights -- Bundles of
exclusive rights over creations of the mind, both
artistic and commercial
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Copyright
Patent
Trademark
Trade secret
◦ Protection of intellectual property rights protects
creativity
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Security and Computer Crime
◦ Computer crime -- criminal activity where a
computer or network is the source, tool, target,
or place of a crime (Wikipedia)
 crime that is directly targeted at the computer or
computer system
 crime that uses the Internet
 crime that involves the retrieval of digital data of
evidential value
◦ Offending related laws
◦ Moral obligation to ensure the IT system to be
properly secured.
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Liability and Reliability
◦ Given that it is impossible to deliver a bug-free
program…
 Should a company or a person be accountable for an
incident caused by the program?
 Should he/she be responsible, deserve blame, or be liable
to punishment?
◦ Examples
 Customer blames bankruptcy on IBM IT failure
 “Vaporware” – software/hardware products announced and
promoted well in advance of release; products brought to
the market prematurely without adequate testing
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American LaFrance (ALF), the “leading
brand of custom-made fire fighting, fire
rescue vehicles, ambulances, and heavyduty work refuse vehicles,” has declared
bankruptcy, blaming IBM and a failed
ERP implementation.
… Almost immediately upon the
changeover to the ERP System, ALF
recognized serious deficiencies with the
system that had a crippling impact on
ALF’s operations.
… ALF is currently analyzing potential
causes of action against IBM based upon
services provided by IBM in connection
with the problem-riddled transition to
the ERP System.
Software engineers shall adhere to the
following Eight Principles:
 1. PUBLIC – Software engineers shall act
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consistently with the public interest.
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.
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PRODUCT - Software engineers shall
ensure that their products and related
modifications meet the highest
professional standards possible.
 4. JUDGMENT - Software engineers
shall maintain integrity and
independence in their professional
judgment.
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3.
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5. MANAGEMENT - Software engineering
managers and leaders shall subscribe to
and promote an ethical approach to the
management of software development and
maintenance.
6. PROFESSION - Software engineers shall
advance the integrity and reputation of the
profession consistent with the public
interest.
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7. COLLEAGUES - Software engineers shall
be fair to and supportive of their
colleagues.
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.
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Identify and formulate the basic ethical issues
in each case.
Consider the legal issues and see if there is a
conflict between law and morality
Check with your moral intuition
Consult appropriate guidelines (e.g., ACM)
Analyze the issues from viewpoints of
different ethical theories
Come up with normative conclusion
(organization’s and individual’s course of
action)
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www.isworld.org
www.ethicsweb.ca/codes
http://www.acm.org/about/se-code
ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics
and Professional Practice,
G Walshham, Ethical Theory, Code and Ethics and
IS Practice, Information Systems Journal, pp. 6981, 1996
D G Johnson, Computer Ethics, Prentice Hall,
2001
Richard A. Spinello, Case Studies in Information
and Computer Ethics, Prentice Hall, 1997
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