Topic 9 – Codes of Practice and Professional Standards

In the exam you are expected to:

·      Discuss the social, moral and ethical issues associated with the introduction and use of information and communication technology systems, which affect a professional working within the industry.

·      Understand that ‘codes of practice’ exist which are separate from any legal requirements with which professional organisations are expected to comply.

·      Understand the need for a code of practice for ICT users in an organisation.

 

Employee code of conduct

·      Understand what is meant by an employee code of conduct, e.g. responsibilities; authorisation; security; penalties for misuse.

·      Describe the contents of such a code of conduct.

 

Ethics are about making the choice between right and wrong.  In our daily lives we are called upon to make such choices. 

 

Some decisions are clear; the choice of wrong is clearly illegal.  For example it is illegal to use bootleg software, or to put a logic bomb onto a computer network.  Consider a software consultant who puts a logic bomb onto a client network, because he is concerned that the client might not pay.  On payment, he quietly removes it.  If that consultant is discovered, he could well face action under the Computer Misuse Act.  At best his reputation is blasted.

 

Is it ethical to help a friend with his ICT project, without which he would fail his ICT A level exam?  Of course you want him to pass.  However he has not got the skills to do the project on his own and satisfy the exam board’s requirements.

 

When you accept a job with a company, you have to accept that there are certain moral responsibilities that define appropriate behaviour in the job.  These are called professional ethics.  As a teacher I have standards that I have to accept that define my behaviour as a teacher, among which are that:

·      I must set a good adult example to the young people I serve;

·      I must set and mark work constructively to prepare my students for their exam;

·      I must dress appropriately;

·      I must not use foul, threatening, or abusive language.

·      I must not criticise the work of other colleagues in a way that would undermine them.

 

Failures in any of the above are not illegal; I won’t be up before the beak for not marking my A2 ICT homework.  However I would soon have college management chasing me.

 

If I were to hit a student, clearly that is illegal and I would be liable for a criminal offence of assault.

 

There are two primary factors that apply to all professionals:

  1. Professional relationships – getting on with colleagues so that the job is done.  This doesn’t mean that you have to have your colleagues as your friends, but you do have to be able to work with them.  This can be difficult at times, but self discipline is needed on all sides.
  2. Professional efficacy – doing the job well.

 

 

The professional standards and ethics in the ICT and Computing Industry are governed by the professional bodies such as the British Computer Society (BCS) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).  The statements of professional standards expected of professional in health informatics (people who use ICT in delivery of health services) are listed below as an example:

 

  1. HIPs have a duty always to act in such a fashion as not to bring the profession into disrepute.
  2. HIPs have a duty to assist in the development of the highest possible standards of professional competence, to ensure that these standards are publicly known, and to see that they are applied in an impartial and transparent manner.
  3. HIPs will refrain from impugning the reputation of colleagues but will report to the appropriate authority any unprofessional conduct by a colleague.
  4. HIPs have a duty to assist their colleagues in living up to the highest technical and ethical standards of the profession.
  5. HIPs have a duty to promote the understanding, appropriate utilization, and ethical use of health information technologies, and to advance and further the discipline of Health Informatics.

 

The full ACM Code of Ethics can be found at: http://www.acm.org/constitution/code.html

 


 

In summary it states:

1.1 Contribute to society and human well-being.

1.2 Avoid harm to others.

1.3 Be honest and trustworthy.

1.4 Be fair and take action not to discriminate.

1.5 Honour property rights including copyrights and patent.

1.6 Give proper credit for intellectual property.

1.7 Respect the privacy of others.

1.8 Honour confidentiality.

 

As for the standards for computer professionals, it demands:

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

2.2   Acquire and maintain professional competence.

2.3   Know and respect existing laws pertaining to professional work.

2.4   Accept and provide appropriate professional review.

2.5   Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer systems and their impacts, including analysis of possible risks.

2.6   Honour contracts, agreements, and assigned responsibilities.

2.7   Improve public understanding of computing and its consequences.

2.8   Access computing and communication resources only when authorized to do so.

 

For leadership standards:

3.1  Articulate social responsibilities of members of an organizational unit and encourage full acceptance of those responsibilities.

3.2  Manage personnel and resources to design and build information systems that enhance the quality of working life.

3.3  Acknowledge and support proper and authorized uses of an organization's computing and communication resources.

3.4  Articulate and support policies that protect the dignity of users and others affected by a computing system.

3.5  Create opportunities for members of the organization to learn the principles and limitations of computer systems.

All ACM members are expected to uphold the code, and treat unethical behaviour as a violation of the code which is incompatible with ACM membership.

Employee Codes of Conduct

All employees should be expected to abide by these standards.  Unfortunately not all do. 

 

In October 2004 Barry Dickenson, 34, was sent to prison for five months; working for the DVLA, he had accessed personal details of the registered keepers of vehicles whose numbers had been passed to him by animal rights extremists in Staffordshire.  These details had been passed to his friends who then used the information to threaten the owners of these vehicles.

 

Potential employees who are going to have access to data must:

·      be checked out to ensure that they are trustworthy;

·      sign a contract setting out the circumstances in which computer misuse will result in instant dismissal.

 

Once employed, training must be given to:

·      raise awareness of company security policies;

·      raise awareness of computer misuse, including illegal software and illegal programming;

·      avoid reading other people’s e-mails;

·      draw attention to the privacy issues under the Data Protection Act.

 

The employee can also us informal guidelines to help in making decisions as to what is ethical and what is not.  These include:

·      The Golden Rule – Do to others what you would wish them do to you.  Put yourself in the position of the one you will affect;

·      The Greatest Good/Least Harm – when choosing what to do, choose the on that does the most good to most people (or the least harm to the fewest people.

·      Kant’s Categorical Imperative – If the action is not right for everyone to take, then it’s not right for anyone to take;

·      The Slippery Slope Rule.  Actions that result in a small acceptable change may lead to unacceptable changes.  These should not be taken in the first place.

 

Most things that end up as ethical issues are the result of selfish and inconsiderate behaviour.

 Home                ICT A2                    Module 4