Technical University of Mombasa

Session 1: Introduction to Professional ethics in IT/ICT

1.1 Definition: Ethics

• Ethics is a study of right and wrong in human conduct.
• Ethics can also be defined as a theoretical examination of morality and as an
equivalent of the “theory of morals.”
• Ethics is a set of “theories of value, virtue, or of right (valuable) action.”
• Ethics is a set of theories “that provide general rules or principles to be used
in making moral decisions and, unlike ordinary intuitions, provides a
justification for those rules”. The word “ethics” comes from an ancient Greek
word ethos, which means character.
• Ethics refers to the principles of right and wrong that individuals, acting as
free moral agents, use to make choices to guide their behaviors.

Every human society, whether civilized or primitive, practices ethics because

every society attaches a value on an individual’s actions, on a continuum of
good to bad, right to wrong, according to where that individual’s actions fall
within the domain of that society’s rules and canons.

Ethics helps us not only in distinguishing between right and wrong, but also in
knowing why and on what grounds our judgment of human actions is justified.

Note: Ethics in computing means moral guidelines to refer to when using the
computer and computer networks, including the Internet

1.2 Professional ethics

Professional ethics includes relationships with and responsibilities toward

customers, clients, coworkers, employees, employers, people who use one’s
products and services, and others whom one’s products affect.

We examine ethical dilemmas and guidelines related to actions and decisions

of individuals who create and use computer systems. We look at situations
where you must make critical decisions, situations where significant
consequences for you and others could result.

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Extreme examples of lapses in ethics in many professional fields regularly
appear in the news. In numerous incidents, journalists at prominent news
organizations plagiarized or invented stories.

Honesty is one of the most fundamental ethical values. We all make hundreds
of decisions all day long. The consequences of some decisions are minor. Others
are huge and affect people we never meet. We base decisions, partly, on the
information we have. The information is not always accurate, but we must base
our choices and actions on what we know.

A lie deliberately sabotages this essential activity of being human: absorbing

and processing information and making choices to pursue our goals. Lies are
often attempts to manipulate people.

1.3 Codes of ethics

The purpose of ethics is to interpret human conduct, acknowledging and
distinguishing between right and wrong. The interpretation is done based a system.
This system uses a process of argumentation consisting of a mixture of
induction and deductions.
For centuries in different societies human actions have been judged good or
bad, right or wrong, based on theories or systems of justice developed, tested,
revised, and debated by philosophers and/or elders in that society. Such
theories are commonly known as ethical theories.
Codes of ethics have then been drawn up based on these ethical theories. The
processes of reasoning, explanation, and justification used in ethics are based
on these theories. There are many ethical theories. An example is the
professional code of ethics is Code of Conduct (ACM).

1.4 Law
Law is a legal system comprising of rules and principles that govern the affairs
of a community and controlled by a political authority. Law differs from one
country to another. In the era of technology, computer law is needed to clarify
goods or actions that fall under the computer law.

Note. Computer law refers to all areas in law that requires an understanding of
computer technology such as hardware, software and Internet. Example of laws
of computing in Kenya is the Kenya Communications Amendment Act, 1998.
Download it from the CCK website.

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1.5 Why Do We Need Ethics and Law in Computing?

Respecting ownership
We must respect ownership by not stealing other people’s work either by
duplicating or distributing it. Duplicating and distributing copies of audio
tapes, video tapes and computer programs without permission and
authorisation from the individual or company that created the program are
immoral and illegal.

Respecting Privacy and Confidentiality

We should respect other people's privacy and confidentiality by refraining
ourselves from reading their mails or files without their permission. If we do
so, it is considered as violating an individual’s rights to privacy and
confidentiality.

Respecting Property
Property here means ownership. Since an individual data and information are
considered as property, therefore, an act of tampering and changing electronic
information is considered as vandalism and disrespect for other people’s
property.

1.5.1 Similarities Between Ethics and Law

Both ethics and law are complimentary to each other and are made:
· to guide user from misusing computers
· to create a healthy computer society, so that computers are used to
contribute to a better life
· to prevent computer crime

1.5.2 Differences Between Ethics and Laws

Ethics Law
Guideline Control
As a guideline to computer users. As a rule to control computer users.
Moral Standards Judicial Standards
Ethical behavior is judged by moral Law is judged by judicial standards.
standards.
Free To Follow Must Follow

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Computer users are free to follow or Computer users must follow the
ignore the code of ethics. regulations and law.
No Punishments Penalties, Imprisonments and other
No punishment for anyone who violates Punishments
ethics. Penalties, imprisonments and other
punishments for those who break the law.
Universal Depends on Country
Universal, can be applied anywhere, all Depends on country and state where the
over the world. crime is committed.
Produce Ethical Computer Users Prevent Misusing of Computers
To produce ethical computer users. To prevent misuse of computers.
Immoral Crime
Not honouring computer ethics means Not honouring the law means committing
ignoring the moral elements (immoral). a crime.

1.6 Unethical Vs. Law Breaking Conducts

Unethical Law breaking

• using the office computer to do • sending a computer virus via e-

personal things mail
• reading your friend’s e-mail without • hacking into your school’s
his or her permission database to change your
• plagiarising and using materials examination results.
from the Internet for your class • selling pirated software in a
• assignment without giving credit to night market
the original author.

1.7 Key Technology Trends That Raise Ethical Issues

Ethical issues long preceded information technology. Nevertheless,
information technology has heightened ethical concerns, taxed existing social
arrangements, and made some laws obsolete or severely crippled. Information
technologies and systems have also created new opportunities for criminal
behavior and mischief. There are four key technological trends responsible for
these ethical stresses and they are summarized in Table 1.

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Table 1: Technology Trends That Raise Ethical Issues
TREND IMPACT

Computing power More organizations depend on computer systems for

doubles every 18 critical operations.
months
Data storage costs
Organizations can easily maintain detailed databases
rapidly decliningon individuals.
Data analysis
Companies can analyze vast quantities of data gathered
advances on individuals to develop detailed
profiles of individual behavior.
A new data analysis technology called nonobvious
relationship awareness (NORA) has given both the
government and the private sector even more powerful
profiling capabilities
Networking Copying data from one location to another and
advances and the accessing personal data from remote locations are much
Internet easier.

1.9 Promoting ethical conduct in ICT

• A course such as this unit ( ICT professional Ethics) is useful in helping to
present deviations from norms even if it doesn’t prevent misconduct.
• Training in research ethics should be able to help researchers grapple with
ethical dilemmas by introducing researchers to important concepts, tools,
principles, and methods that can be useful in resolving the dilemmas.
• A course in ICT Professional Ethics is likely to help people get a better
understanding of the stresses people go through, sensitise people to ethical
concerns, and improve ethical judgment and decision-making.

1.10 Student Activity

a) Define the terms: Ethics, Law, code of ethics
b) Explain the similarities and differences between Ethics and Law as used in
computing
c) Why do we need ethics and law in computing?

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