Lecture 8 Computing Ethics

Lecture 8: Computing Ethics 1 Introduction Ethics: is a set of moral principles that governs the behavior of a group or individual. Computer Ethics: is set of moral principles that regulates the use of computers. 2 Computer Ethics Some common issues of computer ethics include: 1. Intellectual property rights (such as copyrighted electronic content) 2. Privacy concerns. 3. How computers affect society. 3 Intellectual Property Rights • For example, while it is easy to duplicate copyrighted electronic (or digital) content, computer ethics would suggest that it is wrong to do so without the author's approval. And while it may be possible to access someone's personal information on a computer system, computer ethics would advise that such an action is unethical. 4 Intellectual Property Rights IP is divided into two categories:  Industrial property :which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source.  Copyright :which includes software, literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. 5 Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws to the authors of original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. 6 Standards of Computing Ethics  Various national and international professional societies and organizations have produced code of ethics documents to give basic behavioral guidelines to computing professionals and users including: – – – – 7 – 1) Computer Ethics Institute (CEI) 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) 3) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 4) British Computer Society (BCS) 5) Electronic Crime Law Standards of Computing Ethics 1) Computer Ethics Institute (CEI) – The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics include:           8 1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people. 2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work. 3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files. 4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal. 5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness. 6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid. 7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation. 8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output. 9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing. 10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans. Standards of Computing Ethics 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)  ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, Adopted by ACM Council 10/16/92.  Preamble – –  Contents and Guidelines: – – 9 Commitment to ethical professional conduct is expected of every member (voting members, associate members, and student members) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This Code, consisting of 24 imperatives formulated as statements of personal responsibility, identifies the elements of such a commitment. It contains many, but not all, issues professionals are likely to face. – – 1. General Moral Imperatives. 2. More Specific Professional Responsibilities. 3. Organizational Leadership Imperatives. 4. Compliance with the Code. Standards of Computing Ethics 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)  1. General Moral Imperatives. – As an ACM member I will .... – – – – – – – – 10 1.1 Contribute to society and human well-being. 1.2 Avoid harm to others. 1.3 Be honest and trustworthy. 1.4 Be fair and take action not to discriminate. 1.5 Honor property rights including copyrights and patent. 1.6 Give proper credit for intellectual property. 1.7 Respect the privacy of others. 1.8 Honor confidentiality. Standards of Computing Ethics 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)  2. More Specific Professional Responsibilities. – As an ACM computing professional I will .... – 2.1 Strive to achieve the highest quality, effectiveness and dignity in both the process and products of professional work. 2.2 Acquire and maintain professional competence. 2.3 Know and respect existing laws pertaining to professional work. 2.4 Accept and provide appropriate professional review. 2.5 Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer systems and their impacts, including analysis of possible risks. 2.6 Honor contracts, agreements, and assigned responsibilities. 2.7 Improve public understanding of computing and its consequences. 2.8 Access computing and communication resources only when – – – – – – 11 – Standards of Computing Ethics 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)  3. Organizational Leadership Imperatives. – As an ACM member and an organizational leader, I will .... – 3.1 Articulate social responsibilities of members of an organizational unit and encourage full acceptance of those responsibilities. 3.2 Manage personnel and resources to design and build information systems that enhance the quality of working life. 3.3 Acknowledge and support proper and authorized uses of an organization's computing and communication resources. 3.4 Ensure that users and those who will be affected by a system have their needs clearly articulated during the assessment and design of requirements; later the system must be validated to meet requirements. 3.5 Articulate and support policies that protect the dignity of users and others affected by a computing system. 3.6 Create opportunities for members of the organization to learn the principles and limitations of computer systems. – – – – 12 – Standards of Computing Ethics 2) Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)  4. Compliance with the Code. – As an ACM member I will .... – – 13 4.1 Uphold and promote the principles of this Code. 4.2 Treat violations of this code as inconsistent with membership in the ACM. Standards of Computing Ethics 3) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)  We, the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the importance of our technologies in affecting the quality of life throughout the world, and in accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct and agree: – – – 14 – 1) to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, to strive to comply with ethical design and sustainable development practices, and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public or the environment; 2) to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist; 3) to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data; 4) to reject bribery in all its forms; Standards of Computing Ethics 3) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – – – – – 15 – 5) to improve the understanding by individuals and society of the capabilities and societal implications of conventional and emerging technologies, including intelligent systems; 6) to maintain and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience, or after full disclosure of pertinent limitations; 7) to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others; 8) to treat fairly all persons and to not engage in acts of discrimination based on race, religion, gender, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; 9) to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious action; 10) to assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional development and to support them in following this code of ethics. Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  16 This Code of Conduct provides guidelines for: – 1) Public Interest – 2) Professional Competence and Integrity – 3) Duty to Relevant Authority – 4) Duty to the Profession Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  1) Public Interest – You shall: – a. have due regard for public health, privacy, security and wellbeing of others and the environment. b. have due regard for the legitimate rights of Third Parties* . c. conduct your professional activities without discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, marital status, nationality, colour, race, ethnic origin, religion, age or disability, or of any other condition or requirement d. promote equal access to the benefits of IT and seek to promote the inclusion of all sectors in society wherever opportunities arise. – – – 17 Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  2) Professional Competence and Integrity – You shall: – a) only undertake to do work or provide a service that is within your professional competence. b) NOT claim any level of competence that you do not possess. c) develop your professional knowledge, skills and competence on a continuing basis, maintaining awareness of technological developments, procedures, and standards that are relevant to your field. – – 18 Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  2) Professional Competence and Integrity – You shall: – d) ensure that you have the knowledge and understanding of Legislation and that you comply with such Legislation, in carrying out your professional responsibilities. e) respect and value alternative viewpoints and, seek, accept and offer honest criticisms of work. f) avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious or negligent action or inaction. g) reject and will not make any offer of bribery or unethical inducement. – – 19 – Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  3) Duty to Relevant Authority – You shall: – a) carry out your professional responsibilities with due care and diligence in accordance with the Relevant Authority’s requirements whilst exercising your professional judgement at all times. b) seek to avoid any situation that may give rise to a conflict of interest between you and your Relevant Authority. c) accept professional responsibility for your work and for the work of colleagues who are defined in a given context as working under your supervision. – – 20 Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  3) Duty to Relevant Authority – You shall: – d) NOT disclose or authorise to be disclosed, or use for personal gain or to benefit a third party, confidential information except with the permission of your Relevant Authority, or as required by Legislation e) NOT misrepresent or withhold information on the performance of products, systems or services (unless lawfully bound by a duty of confidentiality not to disclose such information), or take advantage of the lack of relevant knowledge or inexperience of others. – 21 Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  4) Duty to the Profession – You shall: – a) accept your personal duty to uphold the reputation of the profession and not take any action which could bring the profession into disrepute. b) seek to improve professional standards through participation in their development, use and enforcement. c) uphold the reputation and good standing of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. – – 22 Standards of Computing Ethics 4) British Computer Society (BCS)  4) Duty to the Profession – You shall: – d) act with integrity and respect in your professional relationships with all members of BCS and with members of other professions with whom you work in a professional capacity. e) notify BCS if convicted of a criminal offence or upon becoming bankrupt or disqualified as a Company Director and in each case give details of the relevant jurisdiction. f) encourage and support fellow members in their professional development – – 23 Some Ethical Questions Faced by Professionals     37 Is copying software really a form of stealing ? Should the creation of viruses be considered deliberate sabotage and be punished accordingly? Who is responsible for computer malfunctions or errors in computer programs? Is hacking merely a bit of harmless fun or is it a crime equivalent to theft ? Software Engineering Ethics    Software engineering involves wider responsibilities than simply the application of technical skills. Software engineers must behave in an honest and ethically responsible way if they are to be respected as professionals. Ethical behaviour is more than simply upholding the law but involves following a set of principles that are morally correct. 38 Issues of Professional Responsibility  Confidentiality –  Engineers should normally respect the confidentiality of their employers or clients irrespective of whether or not a formal confidentiality agreement has been signed. Competence – Engineers should not misrepresent their level of competence. They should not knowingly accept work which is outwith their competence. 39 Issues of Professional Responsibility  Intellectual property rights –  Engineers should be aware of local laws governing the use of intellectual property such as patents, copyright, etc. They should be careful to ensure that the intellectual property of employers and clients is protected. Computer misuse – Software engineers should not use their technical skills to misuse other people’s computers. Computer misuse ranges from relatively trivial 40 employer’s machine, say) to (game playing on an ACM/IEEE Code of Ethics    The professional societies in the US have cooperated to produce a code of ethical practice. Members of these organisations sign up to the code of practice when they join. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behaviour of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as 41 trainees and students of the profession. Rationale for the Code of Ethics   Computers have a central and growing role in commerce, industry, government, medicine, education, entertainment and society at large. Software engineers are those who contribute by direct participation or by teaching, to the analysis, specification, design, development, certification, maintenance and testing of software systems. Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, to enable others to do good or cause harm, or to influence others to do good or cause harm. To ensure, as much as possible, that their efforts will be used for good, software engineers must commit themselves to making software engineering a beneficial and respected 42 profession. The ACM/IEEE Code of Ethics Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice ACM/IEEE-CS Joint Task Force on Software Engineering Ethics and Professional Practices PREAMBLE The short version of the code summarizes aspirations at a high level of the abstraction; the clauses that are included in the full version give examples and details of how these aspirations change the way we act as software engineering professionals. Without the aspirations, the details can become legalistic and tedious; without the details, the aspirations can become high sounding but empty; together, the aspirations and the details form a cohesive code. Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. In accordance with their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of the public, software engineers shall adhere to the following Eight Principles: 43 Code of Ethics - Principles 1. PUBLIC - Software engineers shall act 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. 3. 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. 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. 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. 44 Ethical Dilemmas    Disagreement in principle with the policies of senior management. Your employer acts in an unethical way and releases a safety-critical system without finishing the testing of the system. Participation in the development of military weapons systems or nuclear systems. 45 References CEI http://computerethicsinstitute.org/publications/tencommandments.html  ACM https://www.acm.org/about-acm/acm-code-of-ethics-and-professionalconduct  IEEE https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/governance/p7-8.html  BCS http://www.bcs.org/category/6030  Sommerville, I., (2015). Software Engineering. 10th Edition, Pearson.   46 Electronic Crime Law http://moict.gov.jo/uploads/Policies-and-StrategiesDirectorate/Legistlation/Laws/Electronic-crime-Law.pdf