Professional Ethics & Codes of Conduct

Case 3
Context

Sana, an employee at government agency assisting individual with alcohol and drug problems, was
assigned to analyze client data for a report. The agency has sensitive client information, including names
and addresses, stored in the mainframe’s computer.

Ethical issues

1. Confidentiality and Privacy: Sana downloaded client data onto personal disks, compromising
client confidentiality and privacy, which is against ethical principles.
2. Inadequate Data Protection Policies: The agency failed to have proper policies in place to
protect client identities, leading to the potential misuse of client information.
3. Unauthorized Data Transfer: Sana transferred data without authorization, violating principles
related to appropriate use of organization resources.

Ethical Principles Violated

• Principle 1.7: deals with privacy.

• Principle 1.8: deals with confidentiality.
• Principle 2.8: constrain access to authorized system.
• Principle 3.3: Organizational leaders have obligations to verify systems.
• Principle 3.5: Appropriate and authorized uses of organization’s resources.

Applying the code (your opinion)

• Government agency should have had policies and procedures to protect identity of its clients
• Agency should have removed identifying information from files Sana was allowed to use.
• Sana, unfortunately, was not attentive to ethical issues ahead of time.

Case 4

Context

A computer company is developing an "efficient accounting system" for government use. The software
engineer in charge assigns different parts of the system to staff members. After installation, the system's
interface is found to be so difficult to use that staff complaints reach upper-level management.

Ethical Issues

• Quality of Professional Work: The system's poor interface quality leads to dissatisfaction and
financial losses.
• User Needs: Failure to articulate and meet user needs regarding system usability.
• Ethical Violation: Lack of adherence to quality processes leads to harm, violating ethical
standards.

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Ethical Principles

• Code of Ethics (2.1): Professionals must strive for the highest quality in both process and
products.
• Principle 3.4: Users' needs must be clearly articulated and met in system development.
• Principle 2.4: Regular reviews, involving peers or users, could have identified interface problems
before implementation.

Applying code

• This case highlights issues involving fairness and discrimination. In this case, system designer is
asked to build a system that, it appears will be used to favor white males and discriminate
against non-whites and females.
• From this is would appear that: system designer should not do what he or she is told and should
also point out the problematic nature of what is being requested and ask client why this is being
done.
• If client answers that they plan to use information to favour white males, then: Computer
professional should refuse to build the system as proposed.

Case 5
Context

A system designer is asked to create a job application display system that favors white males and
discriminates against non-white and female applicants.

Ethical Issues:

• Fairness and Discrimination: The system request promotes discrimination based on race and
gender.
• Ethical Dilemma: The designer faces a conflict between following instructions and upholding
ethical principles of fairness and non-discrimination.

Ethical Principles:

• Code of Ethics (2.3 and 2.5): Designers should not engage in unfair discrimination and must
respect laws that promote equality.
• Principle 4.1: Ethical concerns should be raised if a project promotes discrimination or unfair
treatment.
• Principle 1.4: Upholding fairness in all professional decisions and actions.
• Principle 1.1 and 1.2: Prioritizing the well-being of all individuals and avoiding harm in
professional practices.

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Applying the code

• Refuse Discriminatory Instructions: Decline to build the system as proposed, as it promotes

unfair discrimination.
• Raise Ethical Concerns: Point out the problematic nature of the request, highlighting the ethical
principles of fairness and non-discrimination.

Case 6
Context

A software development company releases a new tax software despite knowing it contains bugs. The
company advertises the product widely and includes a disclaimer about errors. Users who filed tax
returns using the software faced penalties due to the bugs.

Ethical Issues

• Quality and Reliability: Releasing a software product with known bugs compromises its
reliability and quality.
• Transparency: Failing to inform users about the bugs violates transparency and honesty
principles.
• Legal Liability: Users facing penalties due to software errors raises legal and ethical concerns.

Ethical Violations

• Principle 2.1: Failing to strive for the highest quality in software development.
• Principle 2.5: Not being transparent about known issues, denying users the right to make
informed decisions.
• Principle 2.3: Violating legal standards by making disclaimers that do not meet "good
conscience" requirements.

Applying the code

• Disclosure: The company should have disclosed the known bugs to users, allowing them
to decide whether to use the software.
• Quality Assurance: Strive for the highest quality, ensuring products are reliable and do
not harm users.
• Legal Compliance: Adhere to legal standards and provide disclaimers that meet ethical
and legal criteria.

Case 7
Context

A small software company is developing an integrated inventory control system for a large national shoe
manufacturer. James, a Quality Assurance engineer, suspects the inventory functions are insufficiently
tested. The company pressures him to sign off on the software, but he fears the potential risks of
incorrect system behavior.

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Ethical Issues

• Quality and Safety: Concerns about insufficiently tested critical functions that may harm the
client.
• Ethical Dilemma: Balancing company pressure for timely delivery against the potential harm to
the client due to system failures.

Ethical Considerations

• Client Well-being: Upholding the well-being of the client and their employees by ensuring the
software is thoroughly tested and reliable.
• Professional Integrity: Upholding professional standards and ensuring the system functions as
intended to avoid harm to users.
• Ethical Responsibility: Prioritizing ethical responsibility over business pressures to meet
deadlines.

Applying the code: (James should)

• Refuse Delivery: James should not deliver a product he believes to be of inferior quality, aligning
with the ethical imperative to avoid causing harm (Principle 1.1) and uphold professional
integrity (Principle 1.3).
• Inform the Client: James should communicate his reservations to the client honestly,
emphasizing the potential risks associated with the insufficiently tested inventory functions.
• Continue Testing: James should continue testing to ensure the software meets the required
quality standards, fulfilling his ethical responsibility (Principle 2.1) despite the financial
pressures.

Case 8
Ethical Principles

• Principle 2.5: Computer professionals must be perceptive, thorough, and objective when
evaluating and recommending system alternatives.
• Principle 1.3: Professionals must be honest about circumstances that might lead to conflicts of
interest and ensure recommendations are not modified for personal gain.

Ethical Violation

The software consultant fails to disclose her significant stockholding in the company producing the
recommended Traffic Control System (TCS). This omission creates a conflict of interest and violates
ethical principles.

Applying the code

• Full Disclosure: The consultant must disclose her stockholding in the TCS company to the
municipality, ensuring complete transparency about her interests.
• Objective Evaluation: She should reevaluate all available TCS options objectively, taking into
account the municipality's best interests rather than personal financial gain.

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• Avoid Biased Recommendations: Her recommendations should be based solely on the merits of
the TCS systems available, ensuring that personal interests do not influence the choice.

Case 9
Context

Hugo, a student working on a computer science course project, runs out of allotted computer time
enforced by the system. He decides to use his knowledge gained from a previous co-op position to
access the master account and grant himself additional time to complete his project.

Ethical Violation:

• Unauthorized Access: Hugo violates Principle 2.8 by accessing communication resources without
authorization, breaching property rights (Principle 1.5).
• Legal Violation: Hugo disregards existing laws (Principle 2.3) by manipulating computer
resources without proper authorization, which is a breach of ethical and legal standards.

Ethical Violations

• Principle 1.5: Hugo violates property rights by unauthorized access and modification of
computer resources.
• Principle 2.8: Hugo accesses communication resources without proper authorization, breaching
ethical standards.
• Principle 2.3: Hugo fails to respect existing laws and regulations governing computer access,
leading to legal and ethical violations.

Applying the code

• Follow ACM Code: Hugo, as an ACM member, must abide by the code of ethics, even as a
student, ensuring his actions align with ethical principles.
• Respect Property Rights: Hugo should respect the property rights of computer systems,
refraining from unauthorized access and modifications, adhering to Principle 1.5.
• Adhere to Authorization: Hugo must access communication resources only when authorized
(Principle 2.8), ensuring he complies with ethical and legal standards.
• Learn from the Violation: Reflect on the ethical lapse, understand the importance of integrity in
computing, and commit to ethical behavior in future projects.

Summary of 6 cases
The nine cases presented highlight diverse ethical challenges faced by IT professionals. While the code of
ethics doesn't dictate specific actions, it identifies unacceptable decisions, leaving room for professionals
to balance conflicting principles. These decisions often require considering various factors, and
professionals must strive to align with the spirit, not just the letter, of ethical guidelines.

In these cases, individuals operate within constrained situations influenced by institutional

environments. Ethical decisions are significantly impacted by the organizational context, which can either

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facilitate or hinder ethical behavior. Leadership roles within these environments play a pivotal role,
setting the tone for ethical conduct. Problems often stem from a lack of ethical leadership.

Other Applicable Codes: (references)

• Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS): Code of Ethics & Standards of Conduct: CIPS
Ethics Code
• IEEE Computer Society & ACM: Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice:
IEEE/ACM Ethics Code
• Council of Professional Engineers: Guideline on the Code of Ethics: Engineering Ethics Guideline

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