Classes Notes

ACADEMIC PROGRAMME: BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

COURSE CODE AND TITLE: SIT 405 – PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN COMPUTING
LECTURER’S NAME: PHILIP BITTOK
LECTURER’S CONTACTS: Phone No.: 0723683409 Email: pbittok@mut.ac.ke

Cnt….
Overview of Whistleblowing
• Whistleblower
– Tries to report harmful situation through authorized channels
– Rebuffed by organization
– Makes disclosure through unauthorized channels
• Whistleblowers punished for their actions
– Lose job or all chances of advancement
– Financial and emotional hardship
Whistleblowing as Organizational Failure
• Whistleblowing harms organization
– Bad publicity
– Ruined careers
– Erodes team spirit
• Whistleblowing harms whistleblower
– Retaliation
– Estrangement
• Organizations should improve communication

THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT

The information security professional and managers involved in information security must possess a
rudimentary grasp of the legal framework within which their organizations operate. This legal
environment can influence the organization to a greater or lesser extent depending on the nature of the
organization and the scale on which it operates.
Types of Law
Civil law embodies a wide variety of laws pertaining to relationships between and among individuals
and organizations.

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Criminal law addresses violations harmful to society and is actively enforced and prosecuted by the
state.
Private law regulates the relationships among individuals and among individuals and organizations,
and encompasses family law, commercial law, and labor law.
Public law regulates the structure and administration of government agencies and their relationships
with citizens, employees, and other governments.
Public law includes criminal, administrative, and constitutional law.

ANALYZING ETHICAL DILEMMAS

Ethical Decision Making: 7 Step Approach
#1: Get the facts
•innocent situations can become controversies if no one bothers to check the facts
#2: Identify stakeholders
•someone who stands to lose or gain from how a situation is resolved and their positions
#3: Consider the consequences of a decision on stakeholders
#4: Weigh various guidelines and principles, legal implications, corporate policies
#5: Develop and evaluate options option you choose
•these should be ethically defensible
#6: Review a decision
•consider POV (Point of View) of stakeholders
#7: Evaluate the results of a decision
•monitor results to see if achieve desired effect

Professional Codes of Ethics

A professional code of ethics states the principles and core values that are essential to the work of a
particular occupational group.
•a law does not provide complete guide to ethical behavior
Main parts:
outlines what the professional organization aspires to become
lists rules and principles by which members of the organization are expected to abide
Benefits for individual, profession, and society
improves ethical decision making

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promotes high standards of practice and ethical behavior

enhances trust and respect from the general public
provides an evaluation benchmark
Professional Organizations
No universal code of ethics for IT professionals No single, formal organization of IT professionals has
emerged as preeminent Professional organizations enable
 building of professional and working relationships
 sharing of useful information (stay up-to-date)
 provides a stamp of adhering to defined standards
The first professional code of conduct was the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians in ancient Greece.
Between 1870 and 1910 many professional institutes of engineering and applied science incorporated
codes of ethics into their professional statutes.
The First Code of Ethics: The Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath of ethics historically taken by physicians. It is one of the most widely
known of Greek medical texts. In its original form, it requires a new physician to swear, by a number
of healing gods, to uphold specific ethical standards. The oath is the earliest expression of medical
ethics in the Western world, establishing several principles of medical ethics which remain of
paramount significance today. These include the principles of medical confidentiality and non-
maleficence. As the seminal articulation of certain principles that continue to guide and inform medical
practice, the ancient text is of more than historic and symbolic value. Swearing a modified form of the
oath remains a rite of passage for medical graduates in many countries.
Rules governing the relations between members of a profession are aimed at maintaining the integrity
and continuity of the profession and minimizing conflict or competition between members of the
profession. Rules governing the relations between the members of the profession and their clients, the
public, are intended to ensure continuing public confidence in the profession and thus to maintain
public use and support for the profession.
MOOR’S LAW
“As technological revolutions increase their social impact, ethical problems increase.”
Rip | Mix | Burn [limits of sampling]
Online simulation [identity and community]
Wikipedia [authority, expertise, accountability]
Digital photo editing [truth, trust, meaning]

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“This phenomenon happens ... because inevitably revolutionary technology will provide numerous
novel opportunities for action for which well thought out ethical policies will not have been
developed.” Moor (2006)
ACM/IEEE code of ethics
A summary of the ACM/IEEE code of ethics is described regarding to groups it addresses.
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. JUDGEMENT
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.

GENERAL CODES OF ETHICS (CoE)

A CoE is a public declaration of the aims, objectives, and standards the public can expect from
members
▪ Also acts as a reminder to the members of the standards and good practices they should
maintain!

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▪ Earliest example of CoE: Hippocratic Oath

▪ Many organizations have a CoE that is not enforceable at law
▪ Following the Code is voluntary. Membership of offenders is terminated

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