Ethics refers to the principles of right and wrong that individuals, acting as free moral agents, use to make choices – moral ethics does not depend on the majority: what is good is good even if nobody is doing it, and what is wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it. Computer ethics refers to standards of good conduct applied within the use of computers, defining principles for judging computing acts as good or bad.
A code of ethics and professional conduct sets the standards expected of a profession – promises professions make to regulate themselves in the general interest of society, encouraging IT professionals to behave ethically and responsibly with the tools and information in their control. Such codes are promulgated by associations including the British Computing Society (BCS), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the IEEE.
The BCS Code of Ethics
Sets out the professional standards required as a condition of membership, applying to members of all grades, students and affiliates. Its principles cover:
- The public interest: carrying out work with due care and diligence in accordance with relevant requirements and the interests of system users, and having regard for public health, safety and the environment.
- Duty to relevant authority: avoiding conflicts of interest, and disclosing them immediately if they arise; never disclosing information for personal gain.
- Duty to the profession: upholding the reputation of the profession, and acting with integrity towards other members and professions.
- Professional competence and integrity: upgrading your knowledge and skill, never claiming a level of competence you don’t possess, and accepting responsibility for your own work and that of supervised colleagues.
The 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 not discriminate; honour copyrights and patents; give proper credit for intellectual property; respect the privacy of others; and honour confidentiality.
More Specific Professional Responsibilities – as an ACM computing professional, I will: strive for the highest quality in my work; acquire and maintain professional competence; know and respect laws pertaining to professional work; accept and provide appropriate professional review; give thorough evaluations of systems, including risk analysis; honour contracts and assigned responsibilities; improve public understanding of computing; and access computing resources only when authorized.
The IEEE Code of Ethics
As members of the IEEE, in recognition of the importance of technology to quality of life, members commit to: accept responsibility in decisions consistent with public safety, health and welfare; avoid conflicts of interest and disclose them when they exist; be honest and realistic in stating claims; reject bribery in all its forms; improve the understanding of technology and its consequences; maintain and improve technical competence, only undertaking tasks for which qualified; seek and offer honest criticism, crediting the contributions of others; treat all persons fairly regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, age or national origin; and avoid injuring others through false or malicious action.
