ETHICS FOR COMPUTING

AND ENGINEERING

2024/2025 LECTUR E NOTES

 What is ethics?

 Ethics is, therefore, a study of right and wrong in

human conduct.
 Ethics is a set of beliefs about right and wrong
behavior within a society. Ethical behavior conforms
to generally accepted norms—many of which are
almost universal.
 Robert C. Solomon, in Morality and the Good Life [
2 ], gives a traditional philosophical definition of
ethics as a set of “theories of value, virtue, or of right
(valuable) action.”

 Johnson elaborates on Solomon’s definition by

defining ethics as a set of theories “that provide
general rules or principles to be used in making
moral decisions and, unlike ordinary intuitions,
provides a justification for those rules”.
“Ethics” is currently a general term for concerns
about what people should do.
 Ethics helps us not only in distinguishing between
right and wrong but also in knowing why and on
what grounds our judgment of human actions is
justified.
 The purpose of ethics is to interpret human conduct,
acknowledging and distinguishing between right and
wrong.
 Morality

 Morality is a set of rules for right conduct, a system

used to modify and regulate our behavior. It is a
quality system in human acts by which we judge
them right or wrong, good or bad.
 The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines
moral codes as rules or norms within a group for
what is proper behavior for the members of that
group. The norm itself is a rule, standard, or measure
for us to compare something else whose qualities we
doubt.
 A descriptive definition according to which morality
means a set of rules ( code ) of conduct that governs
human behavior in matters of right and wrong.
 What is computing?

 The Overview Report prepared by a joint committee

of Association for Computing Machinery (ACM),
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE), and Association for Information Systems
(AIS) gives the following definition: "In a general
way, we can define computing to mean any goal-
oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or
creating computers.
 This is a very broad definition that comprises the
development of computer hardware, the use of
computer applications, and the development of
computer software.
 Computing continues

 Computing is the process of using computer

technology to complete a given goal-oriented task.
Computing may encompass the design and
development of software and hardware systems for a
broad range of purposes - often processing and
managing any kind of information - to aid in the
pursuit of scientific studies and creating and using
different media for entertainment and
communication.
 ENGINEERING

 is the study of using scientific principles to design

and build machines, structures, and other things,
including bridges, roads, vehicles, and buildings:
civil/electrical/mechanical engineering
 Engineering is the application of knowledge in the
form of science, mathematics, and empirical
evidence, to the innovation, design, construction,
operation and maintenance of structures, machines,
materials, devices, systems, processes, and
organizations.
 Computer Engineering

 is defined as the discipline that embodies the science

and technology of design, construction,
implementation, and maintenance of software and
hardware components of modern computing systems
and computer-controlled equipment.
 Computer ethics

 is the set of moral principles that regulate the use

of computers.
 Ethics is all about responsibility.
 Ethical Theories

 For centuries, in different societies, human actions

have been judged good or bad, right or wrong, based
on theories or systems of justice developed, tested,
revised, and debated by philosophers and/or elders
in that society.
 The ethical theories widely used are

1. Consequentialism
2. Deontology
3. Human nature
4. Relativism
5. Hedonism
6. Emotivism .
 1. Consequentialism

 In consequentialism ethical theory, human actions

are judged good or bad, right or wrong, depending
on the results of such actions—a desirable result
denotes a good action and vice versa.
 The three types of consequentialism theory

 i. Egoism
 ii. Utilitarianism
 iii. Altruism
 i. Egoism

 This theory puts an individual’s interests and

happiness above everything else. With egoism, any
action is good so long as it maximizes an individual’s
overall happiness.
 The two kinds of egoism:

 a. Ethical egoism: which states how people ought

to behave as they pursue their own interests.
 b. Psychological egoism: which describes how
people actually behave.
 ii. Utilitarianism :

 In contrast to egoism, this theory puts a group’s

interest and happiness above those of an individual,
for the good of many. Thus, an action is good if it
benefits the maximum number of people.
 Forms of utilitarianism
 a. Act Utilitarianism
 b. Rule Utilitarianism
 a. Act Utilitarianism

 Tells one to consider seriously the consequences of

all actions before choosing the one with the best
overall advantage, happiness in this case, for the
maximum number of people.
 b. Rule Utilitarianism

 Tells one to obey those rules that bring the

maximum happiness to the greatest number of
people. Rule utilitarianism maintains that a
behavioral code or rule is good if the consequences of
adopting that rule are favorable to the greatest
number of people.
 iii. Altruism

 In altruism , an action is right if the consequences of

that action are favorable to all except the actor.
 2. Deontology

 The theory of deontological reasoning does not

concern itself with the consequences of the action
but rather with the will of the action. An action is
good or bad depending on the will inherent in it.
 According to deontological theory, an act is
considered good if the individual committing it had a
good reason to do so. This theory has a duty attached
to it.
 3 Human Nature

 This theory considers human beings as endowed

with all faculties and capabilities to live in happiness.
We are supposed to discover and then develop those
capabilities.
 In turn, those capabilities become a benchmark for
our actions, and our actions are then gauged and
judged on how much they measure up to those
capabilities.
 According to the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle,
an individual committing an evil action is lacking in
some capabilities.
 [Link]

 This theory is negatively formulated, denying the

existence of universal moral norms. It takes right
and wrong to be relative to society, culture, or the
individual.
 Relativism also states that moral norms are not
fixed in time.
 5 Hedonism

 Hedonism is one of the oldest ethical theories. It

claims that pleasure is the only good thing in human
life, the end of life as the highest good.
 A hedonist acts only for maximum pleasure, and
whatever he or she does, it is done to maximize
pleasure or minimize pain.
 The two types of hedonism:

 a. Psychological hedonism
 b. Ethical hedonism
 a. Psychological hedonism :

 which claims that in fact what people seek in their

everyday actions is pleasure
 b. Ethical hedonism

 which claims that people ought to seek pleasure, and

that pleasure is the moral good.
 Modern hedonists use the word pleasure to mean
happiness.
 6 Emotivism

 This theory maintains that ethical statements are

neither true nor false and cannot be proven; they are
really only statements about how someone feels.
Philosophers use these theories as engines to help
them to understand and justify human actions.
 Codes of Ethics

 Depending on the domain, ethical codes can take any

of the following forms:
(i) Principles, which may act as guidelines, references.

(ii) Public policies, which may include aspects of acceptable

behavior, norms, and practices of a society or group
(iii) Codes of conduct , which may include ethical
principles.
(iv) Legal instruments, which enforce good conduct
through courts.
 Objectives of Codes of Ethics

Different domains and groups of people formulate

different codes of ethics, but they all have among them
the following objectives:
 1. Disciplinary

 By instilling discipline, the group or profession

ensures professionalism and integrity of its
members.
 2. Advisory

The codes are usually a good source of tips to members

and offer advice and guidance in areas where there are
fuzzy moral issues.
 3. Educational

 Ethical codes are good educational tools for

members of the domain, especially the new ones who
have to learn the do’s and don’ts of the new
profession.
 These codes are also a good source of renewal for the
older members needing to refresh and polish their
possibly waning morals.
 4. Inspirational

Besides being disciplinary, advisory, and educational,

the codes should also carry subliminal messages to
those using them to inspire them to be “good.”
 5. Publicity

 One way for professions to create a good clientele is

to show that they have a strong code of ethics and,
therefore, their members are committed to basic
values and are responsible.
Association of Computing Machinery ( ACM )
Code of Ethics & Professional conduct
 1. GENERAL MORAL IMPERATIVES

 2. MORE SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

 3. ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVES

 1. GENERAL MORAL IMPERATIVES

As a member I will…

1. Contribute to society and human well-being.

2. Avoid harm to others.
3 . Be honest and trustworthy.
4. Be fair and take action not to discriminate.
 morals imperatives continues

5. Honor property rights including copyrights and

patents.
6 .Give proper credit for intellectual property.
7 .Respect the privacy of others.
8 .Honor confidentiality .
 2. MORE SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES

As an ACM computing professional I will…

1 . Strive to achieve the highest quality, effectiveness,

and dignity in both the process and products of
professional work.
2 . Acquire and maintain professional competence.
3 . Know and respect existing laws pertaining to
professional work.
4 .Accept and provide appropriate professional
review.
5 .Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of
computer systems and their impacts including
analysis of possible risks.
8. Access computing and communication resources
only when authorized to do so.
 3. ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
IMPERATIVES
As a member and an organizational leader, I will…

1. Articulate social responsibilities of members of an

organizational unit and encourage full acceptance of
those responsibilities.

2. Manage personnel and resources to design and build

information systems that enhance the quality of
working life.
3. Acknowledge and support proper and authorized
uses of an organization’s computing and
communications resources.

4. Ensure that users and those who will be affected by

a system have their needs clearly articulated during
the assessment and design of requirements; later the
system must be validated to meet requirements.
5. Articulate and support policies that protect the
dignity of users and others affected by a computing
system.

6. Create opportunities for members of the

organization to learn the principles and limitations of
computer systems.
 1. GENERAL MORAL IMPERATIVES

As a member I will…
 1. Contribute to society and human well-being.

 This principle concerning the quality of life of all

people affirms an obligation to protect fundamental
human rights and to respect the diversity of all
cultures.
 An essential aim of computing professionals is to
minimize negative consequences of computing
systems, including threats to health and safety.
 When designing or implementing systems,
computing professionals must attempt to ensure that
the products of their efforts will be used in socially
responsible ways, will meet social needs, and will
avoid harmful effects to health and welfare.
 In addition to a safe social environment, human
well-being includes a safe natural environment.
 Therefore, computing professionals who design and
develop systems must be alert to, and make others
aware of, any potential damage to the local or global
environment.
 2 .Avoid harm to others.

 “Harm” means injury or negative consequences, such

as undesirable loss of information, loss of property,
property damage, or unwanted environmental
impacts.
 This principle prohibits use of computing technology
in ways that result in harm to any of the following:
users, the general public, employees, and employers.
 Harmful actions include intentional destruction or
modification of files and programs leading to serious
loss of resources or unnecessary expenditure of
human resources such as the time and effort
required to purge systems of computer viruses.
 Well-intended actions, including those that
accomplish assigned duties, may lead to harm
unexpectedly.
 In such an event the responsible person or persons
are obligated to undo or mitigate the negative
consequences as much as possible.
 One way to avoid unintentional harm is to carefully
consider potential impacts on all those affected by
decisions made during design and implementation.
 To minimize the possibility of indirectly harming
others, computing professionals must minimize
malfunctions by following generally accepted
standards for system design and testing.
 Furthermore, it is often necessary to assess the social
consequences of systems to project the likelihood of
any serious harm to others.
 If system features are misrepresented to users,
coworkers, or supervisors, the individual computing
professional is responsible for any resulting injury.
 In the work environment, the computing
professional has the additional obligation to report
any signs of system dangers that might result in
serious personal or social damage.
 If one’s superiors do not act to curtail or mitigate
such dangers, it may be necessary to “blow the
whistle” to help correct the problem or reduce the
risk .
 However, misguided reporting of violations can,
itself, be harmful.
 Before reporting violations, all relevant aspects of the
incident must be thoroughly assessed.
 3. Be honest and trustworthy.

 Without trust an organization cannot function

effectively.
 The honest computing professional will not make
deliberately false or deceptive claims about a system
or system design, but will instead provide full
disclosure of all pertinent system limitations and
problems.
 A computer professional has a duty to be honest
about his or her own qualifications, and about any
circumstances that might lead to conflicts of interest.
4. Be fair and take action not to discriminate.

 The values of equality, tolerance, respect for others,

and the principles of equal justice govern this
imperative.
 Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, age,
disability, national origin, or other such factors is an
explicit violation of the policy and will not be
tolerated.
 Inequities between different groups of people may
result from the use or misuse of information and
technology.

 In a fair society, all individuals would have equal

opportunity to participate in, or benefit from, the use
of computer resources regardless of race, sex,
religion, age, disability, national origin, or other such
similar factors.
 5. Honor property rights including copyrights
and patents

 Violation of copyrights, patents , trade secrets, and

the terms of license agreements is prohibited by law
in most circumstances.
 Even when software is not so protected, such
violations are contrary to professional behavior.
 Copies of software should be made only with proper
authorization. Unauthorized duplication of materials
must not be condoned.
6 Give proper credit for intellectual property.

 Computing professionals are obligated to protect the

integrity of intellectual property. Specifically, one
must not take credit for others’ ideas or work, even
in cases where the work has not been explicitly
protected, by copyright or patent.
 7. Respect the privacy of others.

 Computing and communication technology enables

the collection and exchange of personal information
on a scale unprecedented in the history of
civilization. Thus, there is increased potential for
violating the privacy of individuals and groups.
 It is the responsibility of professionals to maintain
the privacy and integrity of data describing
individuals; this includes taking precautions to
ensure the accuracy of data, as well as protecting it
from unauthorized access or accidental disclosure to
inappropriate individuals.
 Furthermore, procedures must be established to
allow individuals to review their records and correct
inaccuracies.
 This imperative implies that only the necessary
amount of personal information be collected in a
system, that retention and disposal periods for that
information be clearly defined and enforced, and
that personal information gathered for a specific
purpose not be used for other purposes without
consent of the individual(s).
 These principles apply to electronic communications,
including electronic mail, and prohibit procedures
that capture or monitor electronic user data,
including messages, without the permission of users
related to system operation and maintenance.
 User data observed during the normal duties of
system operation and maintenance must be treated
with strictest confidentiality, except in cases where it
is evidence for the violation of law, organizational
regulations, or this Code.
 In these cases, the nature or contents of that
information must be disclosed only to proper
authorities.
 8 Honor confidentiality.

 The principle of honesty extends to ‘issues of

confidentiality of information whenever one has
made an explicit promise to honor confidentiality or,
implicitly, when private information not directly
related to the performance of one’s duties becomes
available.
 The ethical concern is to respect all obligations of
confidentiality to employers, clients, and users
unless discharged from such obligations by
requirements of the law or other principles of this
Code.
 2. MORE SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES

As a computing professional I will…

 1. Strive to achieve the highest quality,
effectiveness, and dignity in both the
process and products of professional
work.

 Excellence is perhaps the most important obligation

of a professional. The computing professional must
strive to achieve quality and to be cogni-zant of the
serious negative consequences that may result from
poor quality in a system.
 2. Acquire and maintain professional
competence.
 Excellence depends on individuals who take
responsibility for acquiring and maintaining
professional competence. A professional must
participate in setting standards for appropriate levels
of competence, and strive to achieve those standards.
 Upgrading technical knowledge and competence can
be achieved in several ways—doing independent
study, attending seminars, conferences, or courses—
and being involved in professional organizations.
 3. Know and respect existing laws pertaining to
professional work .

 ACM members must obey existing local, state,

provincial, national, and international laws unless
there is a compelling ethical basis not to do so.
 Policies and procedures of the organizations in which
one participates must also be obeyed.
 But compliance must be balanced with the
recognition that sometimes existing laws and rules
may be immoral or inappropriate and, therefore,
must be challenged.
 Violation of a law or regulation may be ethical when
that law or rule has inadequate moral basis or when
it conflicts with another law judged to be more
important.
 If one decides to violate a law or rule because it is
viewed as unethical, or for any other reason, one
must fully accept responsibility for one’s actions and
for the consequences.
 4. Accept and provide appropriate professional
review .

 Quality professional work, especially in the

computing profession, depends on professional
reviewing and critiquing.
 Whenever appropriate, individual members should
seek and utilize peer review as well as provide critical
review of the work of others.
 5. Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations
of computer systems and their impacts including
analysis of possible risks.
 Computer professionals must strive to be perceptive,
thorough, and objective when evaluating,
recommending, and presenting system descriptions
and alternatives.

 Computer professionals are in a position of special

trust, and therefore have a special responsibility to
provide objective, credible evaluations to employers,
clients, users, and the public.
 When providing evaluations the professional must
also identify any relevant conflicts of interest.
 Any signs of danger from systems must be reported
to those who have opportunity or responsibility to
resolve them to avoid any harm.
 6. Honor contracts, agreements, and assigned
responsibilities.

 Honoring one’s commitments is a matter of integrity

and honesty.
 For the computer professional, this includes
ensuring that system elements perform as intended.
 Also, when one contracts for work with another
party, one has an obligation to keep that party
properly informed about progress toward completing
that work.
 A computing professional has a responsibility to
request a change in any assignment that he or she
feels cannot be completed as defined.
 Only after serious consideration, and with full
disclosure of risks and concerns to the employer or
client, should one accept the assignment.
 The major underlying principle here is the obligation
to accept personal accountability for professional
work.
 7. Improve public understanding of computing
and its consequences .

 Computing professionals have a responsibility to

share technical knowledge with the public by
encouraging understanding of computing, including
the impacts of computer systems and their
limitations.
 This imperative implies an obligation to counter any
false views related to computing.
 8. Access computing and communication
resources only when authorized to do so .

 Theft or destruction of tangible and electronic

property is prohibited by imperative: “Avoid harm to
others.”
 Trespassing and unauthorized use of a computer or
communication system is addressed by this
imperative.
 Trespassing includes accessing communication
networks and computer systems, or accounts and/or
files associated with those systems, without explicit
authorization to do so.
 Individuals and organizations have the right to
restrict access to their systems so long as they do not
violate the discrimination principle.
 No one should enter or use another’s computing
system, software, or data files without permission.
 One must always have appropriate approval before
using system resources, including communication
ports and other system peripherals.
 No one should enter or use another’s computing
system, software, or data files without permission.
 One must always have appropriate approval before
using system resources, including communication
ports and other system peripherals.
 3. ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
IMPERATIVES

 As a member and an organizational leader, I will…

 1
 1 Articulate social responsibilities of
members of an organizational unit and
encourage full acceptance of those
responsibilities.
 Organizational procedures and attitudes oriented
toward quality and the welfare of society will reduce
harm to members of the public, thereby serving
public interest and fulfilling social responsibility.
 Therefore, organizational leaders must encourage
full participation in meeting social responsibilities as
well as quality performance.
 2

 Manage personnel and resources to design

and build information systems that enhance
the quality of working life.
 Organizational leaders are responsible for ensuring
that computer systems enhance, not degrade, the
quality of working life.
 When implementing a computer system,
organizations must consider the personal and
professional development, physical safety, and
human dignity of all workers.
 Appropriate human–computer ergonomic standards
should be considered in system design and in the
workplace.
 3

 Acknowledge and support proper and

authorized uses of an organization’s
computing and communications resources .
 Because computer systems can become tools to harm
as well as to benefit an organization, the leadership
has the responsibility to clearly define appropriate
and inappropriate uses of organizational computing
resources.
 Although the number and scope of such rules should
be minimal, they should be fully enforced when
established.
 4

 Ensure that users and those who will be

affected by a system have their needs clearly
articulated during the assessment and
design of requirements; later the system
must be validated to meet requirements .
 Later the system must be validated to meet
requirements. Current system users, potential users,
and other persons whose lives may be affected by a
system must have their needs assessed and
incorporated in the statement of requirements.

 System validation should ensure compliance with

those requirements.
 5

 Articulate and support policies that protect

the dignity of users and others affected by a
computing system.
 Designing or implementing systems that deliberately
or inadvertently demean individuals or groups is
ethically unacceptable.

 Computer professionals who are in decision-making

positions should verify that systems are designed and
implemented to protect personal privacy and
enhance personal dignity.
 6

 Create opportunities for members of the

organization to learn the principles and
limitations of computer systems .
 Educational opportunities are essential to facilitate
optimal participation of all organizational members.

 Opportunities must be available to all members to

help them improve their knowledge and skills in
computing, including courses that familiarize them
with the consequences and limitations of particular
types of systems.
 The future of the computing profession depends on
both technical and ethical excellence.

 Not only is it important for computing professionals

to adhere to the principles expressed in this Code,
each member should encourage and support
adherence by other members.
 IEEE professional code of conduct

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,

Inc.
 CODE OF ETHICS 2

1. To accept responsibility in making engineering

decisions consistent with the safety, health, and
welfare of the public and to disclose promptly factors
that might endanger the public or the environment
2. To avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest
whenever possible and to disclose them to affected
parties when they do exist.
3. To be honest and realistic in stating claims or
estimates based on available data
4. To reject bribery in all its forms
5. To improve the understanding of technology, its
appropriate application, and potential consequences
6. To maintain and improve our technical competence
and to undertake technological tasks for others only if
qualified by training or experience.
7. To seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of
technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and
to credit properly the contributions of others.
8. To treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors
as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national
origin.
9. To avoid injuring others, their property, reputation,
or employment by false or malicious action
10. To assist colleagues and coworkers in their
professional development and to support them in
following this code of ethics.