Professional

Practices
Naveed Ahmed
Ethics?

• What is it?

• What does it have to do with computing?

• Why are we discussing it?

What is Ethics?

• Ethics: The philosophy of morality.

– Ethics deals with right and wrong behavior. . .

– But who decides what is right or wrong?

 What is Ethics?
The moral guidelines and principles that are followed for the

positive use of a computer system or an information system are

known as computer ethics.

For example, it is unethical to copy a software without the

permission of its owner.

 What is Ethics?
Computing ethics, also known as computer ethics or IT ethics, refers to the ethical principles and guidelines that govern

the behavior and decision-making of professionals in the field of information technology and computer science.

These ethical considerations are essential in ensuring responsible and moral use of technology.

Example: Data Privacy and Security

Scenario: A software engineer is working for a company that develops a mobile app for tracking fitness and health

metrics. The app collects personal information, including users' names, email addresses, age, weight, and exercise

routines. The engineer is responsible for designing the database structure and implementing security measures.
 MORAL GUIDELINE TOTHE USE OF
COMPUTERS
Some moral guidelines to the us of computers are as follows:
1. A computer should not be used to harm or disturb other people.
2. It is totally unethical to access and destroy the data/information of other people.
3. Developing and intentionally spreading viruses in computers in unethical.
4. Reading other people's email messages is unethical. This is attack on their privacy.
5. It is criminal activity to access the bank account of a company or a person illegally
through computer network and transfer money another account.
6. Spreading rumors or false news through the use of computers is also a serious crime.
MORAL GUIDELINE TOTHE USE OF
COMPUTERS
7. Software is an intellectual product. Getting illegal copies
of copyrighted software is ethical wrong.
8. Hacking a computer system or any electronic system is
unethical.
9. Installing a software without the permission of its author
is unethical.
 Computing Ethics Considerations:
1. Data Privacy: The engineer must ensure that users' personal information is kept private and protected from

unauthorized access. They should follow best practices for data encryption and access control.

2. Informed Consent: Users should be informed about what data is collected, how it will be used, and they

should have the option to consent or opt out. Transparency is crucial to ethical data collection.

3. Data Accuracy: It's ethically important to ensure the accuracy of data collected. Inaccurate data can have

serious consequences, especially in healthcare and fitness applications.

4. Data Retention: The engineer should establish clear policies for how long user data will be retained and

ensure that it is deleted when no longer needed. Unnecessarily storing data can be a breach of privacy.
Computing Ethics Considerations:
5. Security Vulnerabilities: Ethical professionals should actively identify and address security

vulnerabilities. This includes timely patching of software and systems to protect user data from

breaches.

6. Ethical Hacking: Employing ethical hackers (white hat hackers) to assess system security can be a

responsible practice to proactively identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

7. Transparency: The company should be transparent about its data handling practices, both in its privacy

policy and in how it communicates with users.

Ethical Decision-Making in Action:
In this example, the software engineer faces a critical ethical decision when designing the database. They must balance

the company's need for user data to improve the app's functionality with the ethical imperative to protect user privacy and

security.

The engineer chooses to:

• Implement robust encryption mechanisms to protect user data.

• Develop a clear and concise privacy policy that informs users about data collection and usage.

• Periodically review and update the app's security measures to address emerging threats.

• Regularly delete user data that is no longer needed for app functionality.
 Professions That Have Ethical Codes
• Medicine

• Law

• Engineering

• Computing

• Others. . . Professions that have the potential for great harm.

 Common Themes of Computer Society
Codes
• Dignity and worth of other people

• Personal integrity and honesty

• Responsibility for work

• Confidentiality of information

• Public safety, health, and welfare

• Participation in professional societies to improve the profession

• Knowledge and access to technology = social power

Case Study # 1
As a computer programmer working at a bank, you discover that you have accidentally been

given write access to payroll data for all bank employees.

Do you give yourself a raise?

No, you should not give yourself a raise or make any unauthorized changes to payroll data,

even if you have been granted accidental write access to it. Making changes to payroll data

without proper authorization is a serious breach of trust, ethics, and potentially the law
 Case Study # 2
As a computer programmer working at a bank, you discover that you have accidentally been
given read access to payroll data for all bank employees. Do you compare your pay to that of
other programmers?
No, as a computer programmer working at a bank, if you discover that you have accidentally
been given unauthorized access to payroll data for all bank employees, it is important to
prioritize ethical and legal considerations.
• Immediately Stop Access
• Report the Issue
• Document the Incident
• Cooperate with IT and Security
 Case Study # 3
As a data base administrator, you have been given read access to personnel data. Do you

search for the private home phone number of the person you would most like to get to

know?

No, as a database administrator with read access to personnel data, it is important to maintain

the highest standards of ethical conduct and respect for privacy. Searching for someone's

private home phone number for personal reasons, especially if it is not related to your job

responsibilities or authorized tasks, is a clear violation of privacy and ethical principles.

Case Study # 4

Your roommate has carelessly left his password where you can

find it. Do you threaten anyone using his account?

Organizations of Computing Professionals That Have
Ethical Codes

• Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)

• Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals

(ICCP)

• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)

• Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

Computer Society

• British Computer Society (BCS)

• Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS)

• Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA)

THANKS