Why does the ACM have a code of ethics and what does the Code mean for interaction designers?
Key Takeaways
Show The 2018 rewrite of the ACM code of ethics and professional conduct has brought it up-to-date with new technologies and societal demands. This code supports the ethical conduct of computing professionals through a set of guidelines for positively working in the tech industry. The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct aims to help professionals reflect upon the impact of their work and act responsibly: The Code is designed to inspire and guide the ethical conduct of all computing professionals, including current and aspiring practitioners, instructors, students, influencers, and anyone who uses computing technology in an impactful way. Additionally, the Code serves as a basis for remediation when violations occur.
Related Sponsored ContentThe code of ethics is divided into four sections. Section 1 General Ethical Principles states that a computing professional should contribute to human well-being, avoid harm, be honest and trustworthy; be fair and take action to not discriminate; respect the work required to produce new ideas, inventions, creative works and computational artifacts; and respect privacy and honor confidentiality. These principles provide the fundament for ethical conduct. Section 2 Professional Responsibilities explores the responsibilities of computing professionals related to the work that they do. Examples of these responsibilities are striving to achieve high quality; knowing and respecting existing rules pertaining to professional work; accepting and providing appropriate professional reviews; fostering public awareness; an understanding of computing, related technologies, and their consequences; and designing and implementing systems that are robustly and usably secure. Section 3 Professional Leadership Principles guides individuals who have a leadership role. Examples of principles mentioned in this section are ensuring that the public good is the central concern during all professional computing work, managing personnel and resources to enhance the quality of working life, creating opportunities for members of the organization or group to grow as professionals, and recognizing and taking special care of systems that become integrated into the infrastructure of society. Section 4 Compliance With The Code ensures commitment to the code by stating that a computing professional should uphold, promote, and respect the principles of the code and treat violations of the code as inconsistent with membership in the ACM. The previous version of the code dates back to 1992. One of the main reasons that the ACM decided to update the code of ethics was that the internet and many other new technologies have come along since. These new and emerging technologies have affected society in completely new and interesting ways that weren't expected when the original code was written. Some of the bigger changes to the code include adding new sections requiring security by design, companies whose services become infrastructure (e.g. Google) to have a higher level of responsibility for serving the public good, greater duty of care over the end of life of systems, and specific aspects to address the concerns around machine learning. Clauses have been re-written, as, for example, the nature of the intellectual property has changed since 1992, and positive aspects of the code have been highlighted; not just what professionals shouldn’t do, but what they can do to make their technology development better. Another major change has been the focus of the Code - originally it was around professionalism and quality - now it’s around developing technology with the public good, the paramount concern. This helps to address some of the dilemmas involved in conflicting values within the Code - whichever value upholds the public good more should be the one prioritised. Catherine Flick, member of ACM Committee on Professional Ethics, spoke about why we should care about technology ethics at QCon London 2019. InfoQ interviewed her about what makes ethics important, how to apply the code for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, corporate goals and ethics, and the role of regulation and certification in ethics. InfoQ: What makes ethics important for large and smaller companies?
InfoQ: How can we apply the code of ethics for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications?
InfoQ: How do you respond to someone who says the goal of a corporation is to return value to its shareholders, not to be ethical, not to do social good?
InfoQ: What's your view on the role of regulation and certification in ethics?
InfoQ: Where can InfoQ readers go for online resources on ethics?
About the IntervieweeDr. Catherine Flick is a Reader in Computing and Social Responsibility at the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University. She is a member of the ACM’s Committee on Professional Ethics and was a committee member of the ACM’s Code of Ethics update team. She teaches research methods and computer ethics, and hosts a podcast on ethics and video games called “Not Just A Game”. What is the purpose of the ACM code of ethics?The ACM Code of Ethics expresses the conscience of the computing profession, and it affirms an obligation of computing professionals both individually and collectively to use their skills for the benefit of society.
Why was the ACM IEEE code of ethics created and what is its purpose?The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.
Why is a code of ethics important?A code of ethics is important because it clearly lays out the rules for behavior and provides the groundwork for a preemptive warning. While a code of ethics is often not required, many firms and organizations choose to adopt one, which helps to identify and characterize a business to stakeholders.
What is ACM IEEE code of ethics?Between them, these organisations developed the ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics. These ethics aim to provide rules, standards and protection for software developers and their clients. The Code of Ethics has eight principles: 1. PUBLIC – Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
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