Professional Practices: Computer Ethics

Professional Practices
Computer Ethics
Week 2 Topics Covered
• Computer Issues and Moral and Ethical Problems
• History of Computer Ethics
• Definition of Ethics
• Real World Scenarios
Categories of Computer Issues
• Privacy
• Computers create a false sense of security
• People do not realize how vulnerable information stored on computers are
• Property
• Physical property
• Intellectual property (in both copyright and patent)
• Data as property
• Access
• Access to computing technology
• Access to data
• Accuracy
• Accuracy of information stored
Moral and Ethical Problems
• Hacking, cracking and virus creation

• Serious crimes that cannot be justified
• Attempts at justifying such actions
• Electrons are free- they do not belong to anybody
• Companies have weak protection
• Point out flaws and vulnerabilities in information systems
• Hacking or virus creation is right in a particular country or culture
• Software piracy
• Unauthorized copying of software is stealing
• It is morally wrong as it constitutes a violation of someone else’s rights
History of Computer Ethics
• 1940-1950: Founded by MIT prof Norbert Wiener: cybernetics-
science of information feedback systems.
• 1960s: Donn Parker from California examined unethical and illegal

uses of computers by professionals. 1st code of professional conduct
for the ACM.
• Mid 1970: Walter Maner taught 1st course and starter kit in computer
ethics.
• 1980: Issues like computer-enabled crime, disasters, invasion of
privacy via databases, law suits about software ownership became
public.
• Mid 80s: James Moore of Darmouth, Deborah Johnson of Rensselaer,

Sherry Turkle of MIT, and Judith Perrole published article and books.
• 1990: Interest in computer ethics as a field of research had spread to
Europe and Australia.
• Simon Rogerson of De Montfort University (UK) Terrell Bynum, editor

of Metaphilosophy (USA), initiated international conferences.
• Mid 90s: Beginning of a 2nd generation of computer ethics with more

practical action.
What is Computer Ethics?
• Ethical problems aggravated, transformed or created by computer
technology. (Maner)
• Old ethical problems made worse by computers – e.g. data security/privacy
• others came into existence because of computer technology – e.g. data loss due to malware,
online hacking of bank accounts
• Pose new versions of standards moral problems and moral dilemmas,

exacerbating old problems & forcing to apply ordinary moral norms
in uncharted realms. (Johnson)
How would you compare the above two view points?

Definitions of Computer Ethics
James Moor
• The operation of computer systems and their associated
communications systems are central to the economies of the
developed world.
• The social impact of this technology has been immense, changing the
environment in which computers are used, and in doing so giving rise
to questions of right and wrong.
• Moor defines computer ethics as:
• The analysis of the nature and the social impact of computer technology and the
corresponding formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of such
technology.
• He uses the phrase 'computer technology' broadly to include
computers and associated technology: including concerns about
software as well as hardware and concerns about networks connecting
computers as well as computers themselves.
What is Computer Ethics? (contd.)
• Computer Ethics identifies & analyzes the impact of I.T on such social
& human values
• as health, wealth, work, knowledge, opportunity, freedom, democracy,
privacy, security etc. (Bynum)
• Professional ethics – guide the day to day activities of computing
professional, whoever involved in design & development of computer
artifacts. (Gotterbarn)
Summarized definitions of Computer Ethics
• Maner’s ------ ethical problems transformed into new ones
• Johnson’s-------new version of moral problems
• Moor’s---------- Computer technology including concerns about
software as well as hardware
• Bynum’s------impact of I.T on social & human values
• Gotterbarn’s-----guide day to day activities of computing professionals
Ethical Scenarios
• A good place to start on this course is to look at the reasons why we
should study it at all.
• To facilitate this, we look at a few scenarios.
• Using a software trail version for 12 months, saying that s/he is

evaluating it before deciding to buy it. Whether such conduct is
ethical?
• A catastrophic bug has been identified just a day before deploying a
safety critical software. The QA team has been warned not to report
the bug to avoid delay in deploying software. Is it ethical?
Ethical Scenarios (contd.)
• A software that can predict the radiation of a nuclear system up to
75% accuracy, is to be developed, the software has acquired 74.6%
accuracy. The manager has decided to round it off to meet client’s
requirement.
• Is it ethical?
Scenario: Should I copy software?
 Javid invests a small amount in the stock market.
 Last year he bought and successfully employed a software package to help him
with his investments.
 Recently, he met Mazhar who was also interested in using the software.
 Mazar borrowed the package, copied it and then returns it.
 Both knew that the software was proprietary but did not read up the details.
 Did Javid and Mazhar do anything wrong, if so what? Something to consider:
 Should software package be lent?
 When is it justifiable to break the law?
 Bad law, inappropriate law or if the law is easy to break?
Do your self to find answers

Scenario: Should a company’s Data mine?
Inga sells hardware and software to over 100 000 customers per year.
She has 10 years’ experience. As part of the billing process she keeps information
on customers. She buys and uses a data mining tool to derive useful information
about her client’s information such as zip codes, credit card numbers, ID numbers
etc. Most of this information identifies groups and not individuals. She can then
use the information to market her wares more efficiently. Is this ethical since
customers did not give her the information for this purpose?
Something to consider:
• Should customer be notified?
• Is there a need for establishment of a policy? What should this policy look like?
• Professional responsibility (professional Ethics): Do professionals have a
responsibility to ensure computing serves humanity well?
Do your self to find answers
The ethical values as defined in 1992 by the
Computer Ethics Institute
Assignment
Prepare a report on following topics:
• Computer ethics: Its birth and its future
• Ethical problems in computing
Recommended Reading materials:
• Bynum, Terrell. (2001). Computer ethics: Its birth and its future. Ethics
and Information Technology. 3. 109-112. 10.1023/A:1011893925319.
• https://www.comptia.org/blog/ethical-problems-in-
computing#:~:text=To%20begin%20with%2C%20it%20seems,%2C%20workers%2
C%20and%20customers%E2%80%9D.
Thank you!

Professional Practices: Computer Ethics

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Professional Practices: Computer Ethics

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Professional Practices: Computer Ethics

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Professional Practices

• Hacking, cracking and virus creation

• 1960s: Donn Parker from California examined unethical and illegal

• Mid 80s: James Moore of Darmouth, Deborah Johnson of Rensselaer,

• Simon Rogerson of De Montfort University (UK) Terrell Bynum, editor

• Mid 90s: Beginning of a 2nd generation of computer ethics with more

• Pose new versions of standards moral problems and moral dilemmas,

How would you compare the above two view points?

• Using a software trail version for 12 months, saying that s/he is

Do your self to find answers

You might also like