Professional Context of ICT INFO3020

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Professional Context of ICTINFO3020

• Professional Codes of Conduct

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Introduction

• The nature of codes
• Professional Conduct
• BCS Code of Conduct
• A Deontological Code for the Internet
• Addressing the ethical tension
• Conclusion

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The nature of codes

• Holistic view
• Not exhaustive
• Not an ethical algorithm
• Tensions can and will arise
• Judgements concern the health, safety and welfare
  of the public
• Public Interest is central to the code

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Different types of statement

• Aspire to be human
• Share with everyone by virtue of their humanity
• provide vision and objectives intended to direct
  professional behaviour
• Expect to be professional
• Owe special care to those affected by their work
• Demand to use good practices

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5 Objective Codes

• Inspiration
• To inspire members of the profession to act more
  ethically
• Sensitivity
• To encourage members to be sensitive to the moral
  aspects of their job
• Discipline
• To enforce certain rules of the profession on its
  members to achieve integrity

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5 Objective Codes

• Advice
• To provide advice in case of moral complexity and
  ethical dilemma
• Awareness
• To alert employers and clients as to what they
  can expect of the member when they are performing
  their task

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Professional Conduct

• Code of Conduct
• Concerns professional behaviour
• Code of Practice
• Concerns professional competence

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BCS Code of Conduct

• Professional Conduct
• Professional Integrity
• Public Interest
• Fidelity
• Technical Competence
• Impartiality

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Codes of Conduct

• Professional Conduct
• Uphold dignity and reputation of profession (In
  social as well as professional life)
• Professional Integrity
• No unfair advantage over other members
• Integrity to society as a whole
• No misrepresentation of professions view
• No conflict of interest
• Act on trust and good faith

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Codes of Conduct

• Public Interest
• Regard for public interest and rights of third
  parties
• Be aware of and abide by relevant legislation,
  regulation and standards
• Fidelity
• No disclosure of confidential information about
  employer and clients

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Codes of Conduct

• Technical Competence
• Only accept jobs within your technical competence
• Declare your level of competence to the client
• Impartiality
• Declare personal interest that may compromise
  your impartiality

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A Deontological Code for the Internet?

• Freedom of speech and expression must be
  defended
• The interchange of information on the network
  must be regulated by the following criteria
• veracity
• accuracy
• objectivity

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A Deontological Code for the Internet?

• The necessary protection and security of
  information must be respected
• Service to the common, public and social welfare
  must come first
• The privacy and private lives of each person and
  the confidentiality of information, when the
  situation so requires, must be respected

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A Deontological Code for the Internet?

• Intellectual property must be respected and all
  forms of plagiarism must be avoided
• All types of piracy must be avoided
• Access to the Internet must not be discriminatory
• The promotion and distribution of dangerous and
  pornographic material must be discouraged

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A Deontological Code for the Internet?

• Every Internet user must assume the ethical and
  legal responsibilities arising from his or her
  particular use of the network.
• Barroso Weckert
• The Ethics of the Internet in a Digitized
  Society, March 1998

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Eight Principles

• Software engineers shall commit themselves to
  make 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 SEs
  shall adhere to the following

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Eight Principles

• PUBLIC
• Software engineers shall always act consistent
  with the public interest
• CLIENT or EMPLOYER
• SEs shall act in the best interests of their
  client or employer consistent with the public
  interest
• PRODUCT
• SEs shall ensure that their products and related
  modifications are of the highest professional
  standards possible

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Eight Principles

• JUDGEMENT
• SEs shall maintain integrity and independence in
  their professional judgement
• MANAGEMENT
• SE managers and leaders shall subscribe to and
  promote an ethical approach to the administration
  of software development

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Eight Principles

• PROFESSION
• SEs shall advance the integrity and reputation of
  the profession consistent with the public
  interest
• COLLEAGUES
• SEs shall be fair to and supportive of their
  colleagues

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Eight Principles

• SELF
• SEs shall participate in lifelong learning
  regarding the practice of their profession

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Addressing the ethical tension

• A Code of Conduct should influence you to
• consider broadly who is affected by your work
  (Utilitarian)
• examine if other humans are being treated with
  respect (Kantian)
• consider how the public would view your decision
  (publicity test)
• analyse how the least empowered will be affected
  by your decision (Rawlsian)
• Consider if your acts are worthy of the ideal
  computing professional (virtue ethics)

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BCS Code of Practice

• Personal requirements
• Be well informed and up-to-date in
• New techniques
• Practices
• Legal requirements
• Standards
• Train subordinates
• Strive to increase efficiency and effectiveness

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Codes of Practice

• The role
• A formal definition of ideals
• Provide a framework within which to work
• A professions offer in the contract with society
• A means of evaluating/policing services rendered

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Codes of Practice

• Organisation and Management
• Plan and review tasks and objectives
• Match people with tasks
• Ensure full communication
• Be accountable
• Contracting
• Seek expert advice
• Cover all requirements
• Spell out every responsibility

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Codes of Practice

• Privacy, Security and Integrity
• Evaluate all risks
• Ensure appropriate levels of security
• Train staff on security disaster recovery
• Protect confidential information
• Development
• Plan, monitor and report all developments
• Ensure impartial evaluation of all projects
• Ensure standards in documentation and procedures
• Ensure client participation

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Codes of Practice

• Implementation
• Ensure staff training
• Plan, monitor and evaluate
• Keep stakeholders fully informed
• Live systems
• Monitor performance and quality
• Ensure adequate maintenance
• Good liaison with users

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Codes of Practice

• Advantages
• Full awareness of what is expected of you (Note
  ignorance of the law is no excuse)
• Public assurance about what the profession offers
• Clients confidence in the profession, I.e.
  perceptions of high standards of skills and
  behaviour

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Codes of Practice

• Note
• Behaviour can be inappropriate even though it is
  not illegal (e.g. footballers betting on their
  own matches)
• There is always an alternative view (ref Richard
  Stallmans GNU manifesto)
• See Myers Chapter 2 for a summary of BCS Code of
  Practice Stallmans GNU

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Roles of codes

• Can function as an ethical charter for the
  profession
• can be used to aid decision making
• can be used as a means to educate the public,
  managers, trainees and practising professionals
  about professional standards and professional
  responsibility
• General acceptance provides an explicit standard
  against which current practices can be measured

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Professional profile

• Acceptance of professional norms
• Recognition of role responsibilities
• Awareness of nature of the profession
• Ability to anticipate ethical issues
• Ability to reason from professional standards to
  practical applications
• Ability to solve ethical problems morally or
  technically