What Is "Computer Ethics"
 Scope
varies considerably
 A category of professional ethics
 Includes ethical issues faced by a computer professional
as part of the job
Different assumptions will lead to different results and
because of different backgrounds, perspectives and
objectives, there will be different results.
 IT’S THE PROCESS

Ethical Behavior?
MORALITY (wiki)
In its first, descriptive
usage, morality means a
code of conduct which is
held to be authoritative in
matters of right and
wrong. Morals are
created by and define
society, philosophy,
religion, or individual
conscience. An example
of the descriptive usage
could be "common
conceptions of morality
have changed
significantly over time."
In its second, normative
and universal sense,
morality refers to an
ideal code of conduct,
one which would be
espoused in preference
to alternatives by all
rational people, under
specified conditions.
Cheating and lying diminishes a person
over time until they cannot tell the
difference between right or wrong… they
can rationalize anything.
INTEGRITY – “Personal and professional integrity is our guiding
value in all that we do with honesty, loyalty, respect, and high
ethical standards paramount in our performance.” -Unknown
professionalism
trustworthy
HONORABLE – attesting to creditable
conduct; consistent with an untarnished
reputation; characterized by integrity.
Ethical Dilemma

Definition:

An Ethical dilemma is a complex situation that will often involve
an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives, in which
to obey one would result in transgressing another. This is also
called an ethical paradox since in moral philosophy, paradox
often plays a central role in ethics debates.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_dilemma

An ethical dilemma, also known as moral dilemma, is a situation
wherein moral precepts or ethical obligations conflict in such a
way that any possible resolution to the dilemma is morally
intolerable. In other words, an ethical dilemma is any situation in
which guiding moral principles cannot determine which course of
action is right or wrong.
 http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100728004810AAceaGu
What is Ethics, Anyway?
 The
study of what it means to "do the right thing"
 Theory based on assumption that people are rational
and make free choices
 Rules to follow in our interactions with other people
 Goal: to enhance human dignity, peace, happiness, and
well-being
 Normative ethics tell us what we should do
 Descriptive ethics tell us about how people behave,
what ethical rules have been adopted
SOME IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
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Right, wrong, and okay
Negative and positive rights, or liberties and
claim-rights
Distinguishing wrong and harm
Separating goals from constraints
Personal preference and ethics
Law and ethics
Right, wrong, and okay
 Misleading
to divide all acts into right or wrong
 Better to think of acts as either ethically obligatory,
ethically prohibited, or neither
Negative and positive rights, or
liberties and claim-rights
 Negative
rights (liberties) are rights to act without
interference. The only obligation they impose on others
is not to prevent you from acting. The natural rights are
liberties, as are the rights to "life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness."
 Positive rights (claim-rights) impose an obligation of
some people to provide certain things for others. Means
that someone must hire you whether or not they
voluntarily choose to.
 The problem: Some people think we have both negative
and positive rights.
Distinguishing wrong and harm
 One
criterion is if the act harms someone.
 Harm is not a sufficient criterion to determine that an
act is unethical
Separating goals from constraints
 There
is a difference between goals and constraints on
actions that may be taken to achieve the goals
 There is nothing unethical about a business having the
goal of maximizing profits
 The ethical character of a company depends on
whether the actions taken to achieve the goal are
consistent with ethical constraints
Personal preference and ethics
 May
be difficult to draw a line between what we
consider ethically wrong and what we personally
disapprove of
 It is a good idea to distinguish between actions we find
distasteful and actions that we can argue convincingly
are ethically wrong
Law and ethics
 Ethics
precedes law in the sense that ethical principles
help determine whether or not specific laws should be
passed
 Some laws enforce ethical rules (murder and theft)
 Other laws fall into several categories
 Commercial law-Framework in which transactions can
be accomplished
 Driving on right side of the road. Nothing intrinsically
right or wrong about choice until law is established
 Laws influenced by pressure groups
No simple answers

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Ethical theories do not provide clear, correct
positions on most issues
They help to identify important principles or
guidelines
Remind us of things to consider
Help clarify reasoning and values
Professional Codes of Ethics
Good reasons to have such codes.
Can provide a general statement of ethical values
reminding people in the profession that ethical behavior is
expected of them
 Can describe the standards of behavior developed by the
profession over time
 Can provide valuable guidance for new young members of
the profession
 Can be written by dedicated people who are honestly
trying to devise a good code to guide practitioners in the
field
 Can be written to serve the interest of particular members
of the profession rather than all practitioners and the public

Ethical Conduct Code for OSU/CSE
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OSU Code of student conduct:
http://studentlife.osu.edu/pdfs/csc_12-31-07.pdf
Party Smart:
http://partysmart.osu.edu/code_of_conduct.asp
Buckeye Masters Swim Club – Code of Conduct
http://bmsc.org.ohio-state.edu/Code%20of%20Conduct.htm
COAM– Committee on Academic Misconduct (see next slide)
What is the value to you of others acting ethically?
Do you have the right to ask and/or expect ethical behavior from your colleagues?
What about other Departments at OSU – Electrical & Computer Engineering, School of Business MBA
Program?
What about departments at other schools?
Codes of academic misconduct and their enforcement
Do different value systems have to be considered?
Should we have a code of ethics for students and faculty in the OSU CSE Department?
Misconduct vs Unethical
What is academic misconduct? http://oaa.osu.edu/coam/faq.html#whatisacademicmisconduct

The University's Code of Student Conduct defines academic misconduct as "[a]ny activity that tends to compromise the
academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational process." While many people associate academic misconduct
with only "cheating," academic misconduct actually includes a wider scope of student behaviors, which include (but are not
limited to):

Violation of course rules;

Violation of program regulations;

Knowingly providing or receiving information during a course exam or program assignment;

Possession and/or use of unauthorized materials during a course exam or program assignment;


Knowingly providing or using assistance in the laboratory, on field work, or on a course assignment, unless such assistance has
been authorized specifically by the course instructor or, where appropriate, a project/research supervisor;
Submission of work not performed in a course: This includes (but is not limited to) instances where a student fabricates and/or
falsifies data or information for a laboratory experiment (i.e., a "dry lab") or other academic assignment. It also includes
instances where a student submits data or information (such as a lab report or term paper) from one course to satisfy the
requirements of another course, unless submission of such work is permitted by the instructor of the course or supervisor of the
research for which the work is being submitted;

Submitting plagiarized work for a course/program assignment;

Falsification, fabrication, or dishonesty in conducting or reporting laboratory (research) results;

Serving as or asking another student to serve as a substitute (a 'ringer') while taking an exam;

Alteration of grades in an effort to change earned credit or a grade;

Alteration and/or unauthorized use of University forms or records.
Ethical Conduct Code for OSU/CSE
Engineering Career Services
Professional Code of Conduct

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All registrants of Engineering Career Services (ECS) are expected to follow these policies:
I understand that my job search is my responsibility and that the role of ECS is to offer support by providing career
guidance and by providing additional links to employers to enhance my opportunities.
I will present my abilities, qualifications, interests, and availability honestly. I understand that any deliberate
misrepresentation of this information is illegal and will disqualify me from ECS services. I understand that any
special accommodations needed to perform a job must be made known to the ECS Director and employer prior to
job acceptance.
Interviews should be scheduled only if there is a genuine interest in a position. Interview cancellations must be made
by contacting ECS at least two business days prior to the scheduled interview. Missed interviews result in lost
opportunities for other students, and they reflect poorly on OSU. Two unexcused interview absences will result in
ineligibility for on-campus interviewing for up to two quarters. A third unexcused interview absence will result in
termination of services.
I will no longer pursue other employment opportunities once I have accepted a position, verbally or in writing. I
understand that reneging is unprofessional and may be cause for dismissal from ECS.
I will commit to the terms of employment agreed upon between the employer and me.
I will report all employment to ECS for data-gathering purposes, regardless of the source of the position.
Engineering Career Services is committed to equal employment opportunity for all persons and provides services to
our students and employers on a nondiscriminatory basis. We also expect all employers to comply with U.S. and
Ohio Employment laws.
Mission vs Ethics
What is a mission statement?
A mission statement is a brief statement of the purpose of a company,
organization. It is ideally used to guide the actions of the organization.
CSE Department Mission Statement
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering will impact the information
age as a national leader in computing research and education. We will prepare
computing graduates who are highly sought after, productive, and well-respected
for their work, and who contribute to new developments in computing. We will give
students in other disciplines an appropriate foundation in computing for their
education, research, and experiences after graduation, consistent with computing's
increasingly fundamental role in society. In our areas of research focus, we will
contribute key ideas to the development of the computing basis of the information
age, advancing the state of the art for the benefit of society, the State of Ohio, and
The Ohio State University. We will work with key academic partners within and
outside of OSU, and with key industrial partners, in pursuit of our research and
educational endeavors.
Student Suggestion for CSE Code of
Ethics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
All your work, no matter how trivial, should aim to improve yourself, your
community, and humanity as a whole.
Respect your fellow humans, and do not seek to cause harm with your
work. (For example, no viruses.)
Do not use computers for theft of others’ work, be it property, money,
data, or intellectual content.
Do not cause injury through your work, either actively or through
negligence
Do not falsify data that is to be presented as legitimate data
Do not use the unjust actions of others the justify your own unjust actions
Present your data clearly and accurately, without disguise
Do not force data on others without their express consent. (For example,
no spam.)
Seek knowledge about technology, so that you will not cause harm through
ignorance
Express yourself freely, but do not use your free expression solely to cause
harm.
Brian Shannahan, April 2004
Ethics in Computing
Ten (?) Commandments
“Ten Commandments” of Computer
Ethics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have
not paid.
Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without
authorization or proper compensation.
Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you
are writing or the system you are designing.
Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration
and respect for your fellow humans.
Computer Ethics Institute, A project of the Brookings Institution
Boy Scout Law
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TRUSTWORTHY

A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him.
LOYAL

A Scout is true to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation.
HELPFUL

A Scout is concerned about other people. He does things willingly for others without pay or reward.
FRIENDLY

A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his
own.
COURTEOUS

A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together.
KIND

A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without
reason.
OBEDIENT

A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are
unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.
CHEERFUL

A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.
THRIFTY

A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses
time and property.
BRAVE

A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him.
CLEAN

A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. He helps keep his home
and community clean.
REVERENT

A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.
Special Aspects of Professional Ethics
Professional ethics have several characteristics different from general ethics
 The professional is an expert in a field that most customers know little about
 The products of many professionals profoundly affect large numbers of
people
 Computer professionals have special responsibilities to their customers and
to the general public



Ethical rules may be viewed as fundamental and universal, or they may be
viewed as rules we make up to provide a framework in which to interact with
other people in a peaceful, productive way.
The professional has a responsibility to maintain an expected level of
competence and be up-to-date on professional standards and techniques.
When acting as an employee, professional has a responsibility to the
employer
Ethical Problems and Standards for
Computer Technology



New technology creates new ethical issues. Many things were not possible in
the past, so we did not have to decide what to do about them.
Ethical guidelines need to be developed in certain areas to guide the
behavior of individuals and organizations.
Many issues are raised as to the ethical use of the technology as it relates
to one’s PRIVACY:
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If you maintain large database and are permitted to release reports to
businesses with a legitimate business interest, do you verify interest? What about
consumers about whom you collect your data?
If you are asked to develop a database, people will be on the lists who did not
have a choice, cannot ask each one
We have the ability to search quickly vast amount of information and do
computer matching and profiling.
Are we invading privacy of newsgroups for names and messages of
participants?
Ethical Problems and Standards for
Computer Technology (cont)

How good is good enough?
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Providers have an ethical responsibility to do a thorough, careful
job when writing their bids or contracts
Do not increase harm to the people most vulnerable
Do not increase the risk in an already risky situation
Software developers and buyers have a responsibility to be open
and honest about capabilities, safety, and limitations of the
software in communications with customers, etc. where
appropriate
Developers and buyers have an obligation to properly train
users. Buyers and users have a responsibility to understand the
limitations of the software and its proper operation
Developers and buyers should include users in the planning and
testing stages to improve safe functioning of the system.
Ethical Problems and Standards for
Computer Technology (cont)
Accountability: Who is responsible?
 Software developers, buyers and users all have ethical
responsibility for safe and proper functioning of
software.
If the software itself is faulty, issue of deciding who within
the software development company is responsible.
 Some aspects of software generate new problems in
assigning responsibility. Disclaimers stating that warranties
are not valid if buyer makes any modifications to the
product.
 Responsibility complicated for decisions systems—guide
business and financial decision making

Methodology?
Tools to analyze specific scenarios to determine what
actions are ethical?
Identify all the people and organizations affected
(stakeholders)
 When there is a choice of action to take, list as many
possible actions as possible
 Identify responsibilities of the decision makers and right of
stakeholders
 Decide which actions are ethically wrong, which are
ethically obligatory, and which are acceptable choices, but
not required
 If several ethically acceptable options, select an option,
considering the ethical merits of each, and so on
