Professional Ethics Lesson 4 PDF

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS WMSU 1  Professional Ethics The ethical values and principles used to make decisions within a professional organisation Governs relationships with and responsibilities to colleagues and anyone who uses one's professional services or wh...

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS WMSU 1  Professional Ethics The ethical values and principles used to make decisions within a professional organisation Governs relationships with and responsibilities to colleagues and anyone who uses one's professional services or who these services might affect 2  4.1 Are Computer Ethical Issues Unique? No, since all fields have similar problems and issues. There always have been issues of privacy, property, and freedom. The introduction of computers does not necessary introduce new ways of doing things. Often computers increase efficiency but fundamentally, the way of doing the task is still the same. 3  Yes, since a new technology has been introduced that never existed before and there are issues specific to computers such as the precise nature of programming, autonomous action, etc. 4  In the standard form, this argument is: ICT has some unique technological features. ICT has generated some ethical concerns. At least some ethical concerns generated by ICT must be unique ethical concerns. 5  4.1.1 A Three-step Strategy for Approaching Computer Ethics Issues We need to make computer ethics relevant to the typical computer professional: A professional has technical skills but also makes ethical decisions. 6  4.1.1 A Three-step Strategy for Approaching Computer Ethics Issues Step 1. Identify a practice involving information and communications technology, or a feature of that technology, that is controversial from a moral perspective. Step 2. Analyze the ethical issue by clarifying concepts and situating it in a context. Step 3. Deliberate on the ethical issue. 7  4.3 Characteristics of a Profession A profession is an occupation one follows in which one professes to be skilled in. – Any profession involves a mastery of expert knowledge (or esoteric body of knowledge). This is usually possible for each individual by acquiring by a higher education degree. Disciplines generally embrace a division between researchers and practitioners. 8 4.3 Characteristics of a Profession Members of a profession are autonomous in their work. Moreover, disciplines also have standards of practice. 9 4.3 Characteristics of a Profession There are three types of computer professional certification for individuals. In particular, we have vendor-specific, vendor-neutral, and general certification. 10  4.3.1 System of Professions This means that a professional group must: Convince the public of their special knowledge; Show that important social functions are at stake; Convince the public to trust the group (usually by means of code of Ethics) 11  4.3.2 Is Computing a Profession? We compare computing with the five characteristics of profession. Mastery of Expert Knowledge: Many do acquire knowledge through higher educational institutions. This is more true as time goes on. There also exists a division between researchers and practitioners. 12 4.3.2 Is Computing a Profession? Autonomy: This is not strongly differentiated, i.e., there are no jobs that only professionals can do that others can not. Formal organization: There are many such organizations in many countries such as IITPSA (Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa) and the BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT — was British Computing Society). 13 4.3.2 Is Computing a Profession? Code of conduct: There is no single code worldwide but several do exist. Fulfilment of a social function: Computing is a crucial part of society, and it does fulfil a need. It supports a variety of social functions but is not one in itself, in other words it is a (universal) enabling technology. 14 4.4 Professional Relationships Computer professionals may find themselves in a number of relationships within a society. In particular, they can participate in employer–employee, client–professional, society–professional and professional– professional relationships. 15 4.4.1 Employer – Employee Relationships The moral foundation for this relationship is contractual. Neither party should take advantage of the other. All things being equal, an employee should be loyal to his or her employer and vice versa. In working for an employer, an employee may acquire trade secrets or specific knowledge in a field. Such information may be governed by a non-disclosure agreement such as a contract not to reveal these or not to work in this area for period. 16 4.4.2 Client – Professional Relationships There are different models for this kind of relationships: Agency: The professional is the agent and does exactly what the client tells him to do. Paternalistic: The professional makes all the decisions and the client abrogates all decision making. 17 4.4.2 Client – Professional Relationships There are different models for this kind of relationships: Fiduciary: Both parties play a role by working together. The professional offers options while the client decides which one to take. This requires trust on both sides and that the decision process is shared. 18 4.4.3 Society – Professional Relationship This relationship is usually shaped by law, but the law (or people who make them) can not foresee everything, especially in a rapidly moving field such as IT. 19 Special Obligations to Society Some computer corporations may have some special moral obligations to society because of their profound societal impact. For example: Search engine companies have a crucial role in the access to information. Issues include: 1. Search engine bias and no transparency; 2. Privacy, consent, and non-voluntary disclosure of personal information; 3. Monitoring and surveillance; 4. Democracy, censorship, and the threat to liberty and freedom. 20 Special Obligations to Society Developers of autonomous systems and robots are held responsible for “moral-decision making software code” built into them. – Professionals must be convinced of their position; – Professionals must consult managers at different levels first; – If they become whistle-blowers, they might lose their job. Whistle-Blowing refers to revelations meant to call attention to negligence, abuses, or dangers that threaten the public interest. 21 Society and public policy A community is a group of people who share social, economic, or political interests. Groups of this nature also tend to share common ‘universal’ values. A value need not be accompanied or enforced by a law. There are individuals who view the law as simply a collection of norms which are mandatory to all members of the society. 22 4.4.4 Professional – Professional Relationships Many believe that this relationship is self-serving. They see members as only having an obligation to other members. This might create a reluctance to criticize another professional. For a professional society to flourish there must also be advantages to Society from it: – Members to consider what they owe to each other to maintain standards of conduct; – There is a need for disciplinary hearing procedure. 23 4.5 Professional bodies’ codes of conduct and practice A code of ethics is a statement of collective wisdom of the members of the profession that expresses experience and consensus of many members. Its function is to serve and protect the interests of the public and promote worthy practices. 24 Common themes for ethical behavior for computer professionals: Personal integrity / claim of competence; Personal responsibility for work; Responsibility to employer / client; Responsibility to profession; Confidentiality of information / privacy; Conflict of interest; Dignity / worth of people; Public safety, health, and welfare — serving the interests of the Public; Participation in education / professional societies. 25 4.5.1 Code of Conduct: Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa The IITPSA Code of Conduct4 is summarized as follows: Act at all times with integrity; Act with complete loyalty towards a client when entrusted with confidential information; Act with impartiality when purporting to give independent advice and must disclose any relevant interests; 26 4.5.1 Code of Conduct: Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa Accept full responsibility for any work undertaken and will construct and deliver that which has been agreed upon; Not engage in discriminatory practices in professional activities on any basis whatsoever; Not seek personal advantage to the detriment of the Institute, and will actively seek to enhance the image of the Institute. 27 4.5.2 BCS Code of Conduct The body has a code of conduct of which all its members need to abide. These rules of the conduct can be grouped into the principal duties: the public interest, professional competence and integrity, duty to relevant authority, and duty to the profession. 28 The Public Interest You shall: have due regard for public health, privacy, security and wellbeing of others and the environment; have due regard for the legitimate rights of Third Parties; conduct your professional activities without discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, marital status, nationality, color, race, ethnic origin, religion, age or disability, or of any other condition or requirement; promote equal access to the benefits of IT and seek to promote the inclusion of all sectors in society wherever opportunities arise. 29 Professional Competence and Integrity You shall: only undertake to do work or provide a service that is within your professional competence; not claim any level of competence that you do not possess; develop your professional knowledge, skills and competence on a continuing basis, maintaining awareness of technological developments, procedures, and standards that are relevant to your field; ensure that you have the knowledge and understanding of Legislation and that you comply with such Legislation, in carrying out your professional responsibilities; respect and value alternative viewpoints and, seek, accept and offer honest criticisms of work; avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious or negligent action or inaction; reject and will not make any offer of bribery or unethical inducement.30  Duty to Relevant Authority You shall: carry out your professional responsibilities with due care and diligence in accordance with the Relevant Authority’s requirements whilst exercising your professional judgement at all times; seek to avoid any situation that may give rise to a conflict of interest between you and your Relevant Authority; accept professional responsibility for your work and for the work of colleagues who are defined in a given context as working under your supervision; not disclose or authorize to be disclosed, or use for personal gain or to benefit a third party, confidential information except with the permission of your Relevant Authority, or as required by Legislation; not misrepresent or withhold information on the performance of products, systems or services (unless lawfully bound by a duty of confidentiality not to disclose such information), or take advantage of the lack of relevant knowledge or inexperience of others. 31 Duty to the Profession You shall: accept your personal duty to uphold the reputation of the profession and not take any action which could bring the profession into disrepute; seek to improve professional standards through participation in their development, use and enforcement; uphold the reputation and good standing of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT; act with integrity and respect in your professional relationships with all members of BCS and with members of other professions with whom you work in a professional capacity; notify BCS if convicted of a criminal offence or upon becoming bankrupt or disqualified as a Company Director and in each case give details of the relevant jurisdiction; encourage and support fellow members in their professional 32 development. 4.5.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of Professional Codes 33  PROFESSIONAL ETHICS WMSU 34 Scenario 1: Designing-making Systems David works for an investment company. His job is to pick investments for a pension fund. To help him make decisions, he uses an expert system. Each upgrade of the system gives more complex analysis. David is very nervous about the market this week. His personal indicators point to the market going down, while the expert system points to it going up. The system recommends that he puts substantial investments into the market but he does not understand the system’s analysis. He also can not judge if the system is defective. What do you think David should do? Should he go with his own analysis and feeling or go with the expert system? Note that if he makes the wrong choice, he will lose a lot of money for his company. Also consider the following questions: Can David be held responsible if he uses the information of the program and that turns out to be the wrong decision? Can the system’s designer or owner be sued or held responsible if the system is working properly? What about if the system is found to be faulty, should the designer pay back the money lost by the investment company? Scenario 2: Service Provider for Online Forums Milo is a freelance journalist and specializes in Southern African politics. She uses the Internet to keep up to date and uses her computer to write articles, news, as well as taking part in online chat rooms and forums. She has been away and on her return, she is outraged to find postings on a forum attacking her. In these postings, it was claimed that she is a drug dealer and that her stories are filled with lies. In response, she posts a denial and also contacts the forum administrator for names and address of the defamer (All posters are required to register with their real names and address for billing purposes). However, the forum administrator refuses to give her this information. Milo is now suing them because she can not sue the perpetrator. Do you think the forum administrator should be responsible for what is said in the forum? Can the company providing the software be held responsible? If neither, then who should be? If both, in what proportion?