Lesson 4

Codes of Conduct

From the book: Ethical, Legal and Professional

Issues in Computing and Computers, Ethics,
Laws and Cybercrimes
Content

 Professional Codes of Conduct

 Codes of Conduct
 The role of the code of conduct
 Ten Commandments for Computer
Ethics
Professional Codes of Conduct

 Codes of conduct is synonymously called

codes of ethics.
 Purpose: to offer guidance to members,
and set standards for the professional
body.
 Many countries have their own
professional bodies in IT or in
computing.
Professional Codes of Conduct

 British Computer Society Code of

Conduct, 2001 - sets standards for
computing professionals in the UK and
lays our a number of principles.
 Association for Computing Machinery
(ACM) - commitment to ethical
professional conduct is expected of every
member
 Philippine Society of Information
Technology Educators (PSITE) – Use
special knowledge and skills for the
benefit of the public.
Professional Codes of Conduct

 International Federation for

Information Processing (IFiP)- The
code promotes social responsibility
through the assessment of social
consequences, stresses the protection of
established cultural and ethical norms of
privacy, defines individual integrity as
honesty, probity, objectivity, and
trustworthiness in human relations,
promotes professional competence, and
calls for personal accountability for
quality and effects of work done.
Role of codes of conduct

 Support the professional obligations

of those working within the area of
computing and IT in general.
 Governs IT professional’s personal
conduct as an individual member.
 Sets professional standards required
by the Society as a condition of
membership.
10 Commandments for Computer
Ethics

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm

other people.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other
people’s computer work.
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other
people’s files.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear
false witness.
10 Commandments for Computer
Ethics

6. Thou shalt not use or copy software for

which you have not paid.
7. Thou shalt not use other people’s
resources without authorization.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s
intellectual output.
9. Thou shalt think about the social
consequences of the program you write.
10. Thou shalt use a computer in ways that
show consideration and respect.
Codes of conduct

End of lesson