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Homework #3: Professional Ethics
Homework #3: Professional Ethics
CS 4873
Jimin Sun
Georgia Institute of Technology
Homework #3: Professional Ethics
To address the first question, I identified three clauses that can legitimize Snowden’s
actions. The first one is the following clause from the first principle, public: “Approve software
only if they have a well-founded belief that it is safe, meets specifications, passes appropriate
tests, and does not diminish the quality of life, diminish privacy or harm the environment. The
ultimate effect of the work should be to the public good.” The mass surveillance program
violated some of the points stated in the clause. Snowden’s leaked documents contained
information that NSA had direct access to user information in major ICT companies such as
Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, as well as the fact that the surveillance system could
access e-mails, Web browsing information, and social media activities of the users (Fuchs,
2017). NSA conducted an action that “diminish(es) privacy”. Whatever the ultimate intention of
NSA could be, because the action has failed to address the public good by intruding on the
privacy of the users, Snowden’s action could be legitimized for he did not approve the software.
Instead, he chose to disclose the ongoing violation of privacy to the public.
The second one is also the first principle, public: “Disclose to appropriate persons or
authorities any actual or potential danger to the user, the public, or the environment, that they
reasonably believe to be associated with software or related documents.” Although the way that
Snowden disclosed the information of a potential danger to the user’s public is questionable, the
intention of Snowden’s action is by this clause. This is also in similar terms with Kantianism
because the motivation of Snowden’s action to inform the public of potential harm that could be
upon them was based on morality.
The last clause is from the second principle, client and employer: “Identity, document,
and report significant issues of social concern, of which they are aware, in software or related
documents, to the employer or the client.” Snowden reported a societal concern – a violation of
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Homework #3: Professional Ethics
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citizen’s privacy rights – to the “client” or the public. The NSA surveillance program was not
conducted under the public’s informed consent. This indicated a significant issue of social
concern, going against the democratic public policy (Lucas, 2014). Virtue ethics support
Snowden’s actions as well, for pursuing the public good and protecting the public’s right to
know is a value that Snowden pursued in his life.
There are two clauses that I identified which Snowden violated. The first one is under the
category of the second principle, client and employer: “Use the property of a client or employer
only in ways properly authorized, and with the client’s or employer’s knowledge and consent.”
Snowden’s actions, regardless of his intentions, were against the Espionage Act of 1917, which
prohibited disclosing information related to the nation. His act of revealing classified intelligence
information as well as national defense information was not authorized by the government or any
kind of authority (Chen, 2017). Therefore, Snowden’s “employer” or the government, did not
approve his actions to disclose the confidential information.
The next clause is from the third principle, product: “Be careful to use only accurate data
derived by ethical and lawful means and use it only in ways properly authorized.” Snowden
violated this clause because he did not use the information he obtained – how the surveillance
program of NSA monitored the citizen’s information – in a way that was properly authorized.
To address the second question, I think Tony should be honest in letting Robert know that
he inadvertently saw Robert’s password and saw Robert gambling bets. After telling the truth,
Tony should warn Robert that he should stop gambling. However, if this level of intervention
does not work – if Robert keeps on gambling after Tony warned him – he should report to the
company. There are five categories within the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and
Professional Practice that support this action. First, by being honest to Robert, Tony is respecting
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the rights of others. If Tony chooses not to let Robert know that he knows Robert’s password and
logged on to his computer, he is keeping a secret from his colleague, which is something that
Robert should know. Second, he is taking responsibility for his action of logging on to Robert’s
computer by being honest. Also, if he chooses to conduct an “inaction” by not warning Robert of
his behavior, this will go against the company’s rules – forbidding employees of the casino to
engage in gambling activities – and therefore contribute to an implicit impartial treatment to the
customers. This is also supported by one of the statements in the categories, my third argument,
to be impartial. Therefore, because of the potential negative consequences of his inactions, he
should take responsibility for it and warn Robert. Fourth, Tony is taking responsibility for the
actions of his coworker. It is Tony’s responsibility to let Robert know that Robert is responsible
for any potential conflicts that could happen because he participated in the company’s gambling.
Lastly, Tony is maintaining his integrity in two ways. He is keeping his integrity or moral virtue
of telling the truth about how he happened to access Robert’s computer by telling Robert. Also,
he is keeping the company’s integrity by advising Robert not to gamble, thereby abiding
company’s rules and moralities. Therefore, for these reasons, Tony should be truthful about him
accessing Robert’s computer and warn him not to engage in gambling.
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Homework #3: Professional Ethics
Reference
Chen, K. (2017). No place to hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the US surveillance state.
Fuchs, C., & Trottier, D. (2017). Internet surveillance after Snowden: A critical empirical study
of computer experts’ attitudes on commercial and state surveillance of the Internet and
social media post-Edward Snowden. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics
in Society.
Lucas, G. R. (2014). NSA management directive# 424: Secrecy and privacy in the aftermath of
Edward Snowden. Ethics & International Affairs, 28(1), 29.