Why ethics?
- Data storage costs rapidly decline
Ethical framework
- Information privacy
- Responsibility of organisations to collection only necessary data, providing the individuals the right to be left alone. What information about individuals should be kept in the database; for how long; how secure should the information be.
- Information accessibility
- Proper controls on information authorisation and authentication. And who has access to what.
- Information accuracy
- Responsibility to ensure that data are secure, protect individuals from errors and manipulation of data.
- Information property
- Organisations are not always the ultimate owners of data collected on individuals. Who has the ownership rights to the information.
Ethical principles
Golden Rule Do undo others as you will have them to unto you.
You should treat privacy, data, personal information of the others with the same care you would expected for your own. For example, you shouldn’t misuse or exploit someone’s data because you wouldn’t want your data to be treated that way.
Immanuel Kant’s categorial imperative If the action is not right for everyone, then it is not right for anyone.
If a particular decision can not be universally accepted as moral norm for everyone, it should not be done be anyone.
Descarte’s rule of change If an action cannot be taken repeatedly, then it should not be taken at all.
Actions should be sustainable and not based on one-time situations. For example, if accessing confidential information without permission isn’t something that can be done repeatedly without causing harms, it shouldn’t be done even once.
Utilitarian principle Adopt the action with the highest value
The utilitarian principle focuses on maximising the overall good. When faced with decisions, businesses should choose the course of action that provides the greatest benefits for the most people.
Risk aversion principle Adopt the action with the least risk
The risk aversion principle advises opting for the action that causes that minimises the potential harm.
”No Free Lunch” rule Everything, tangible or intangible, belongs to someone (i.e. don’t take things for free)
The principle emphasises that all assets - whether physical products or intellectual property, or data - belongs to someone and shouldn’t be used without proper authorisation.
Australian Computing Society (ACS) code of ethics
- Priority
- I must place the interests of the community above those personal or sectional interests
- Competence
- I must work competently and diligently for my clients and employers
- Honesty
- I must be honest in my presentation of skills, knowledge, services and products
- Social implications
- I must strive to enhance the quality of life of those affected by my work
- Professional development
- I must enhance my own professional development and that of my colleagues, employees, and students
- ICT profession
- I must enhance the integrity of the Information and Communication Technology profession and the respect of its members for each other
What is ethical dilemma
When facing a certain situation or problem, more than a single course of action is possible, and neither course of action is fully acceptable or justified because:
- Codes of conduct may be non-specific or irrelevant
- Right and wrong is not governed by laws
- There are sound arguments for and against each course of action (conflicting values)
Analyse ethical dilemma
- Clearly state the ethical dilemma Clearly state at least two alternative options, as well as pros and cons of each option
- Identify BIS ethical issue(s) State the most appropriate BIS ethical issue (e.g. info. privacy, property, accuracy and/or accessibility) and justify your selection (e.g. why info. accuracy?)
- Stakeholder Identify the main stakeholders (e.g. people and organisation) that be that would be affected by your action
- State your proposed action and its possible effects on the main stakeholders Your proposed action must be ethical and already stated in step 1
- State your reason for what you would do You should corroborate your justification with one of the higher order philosophical principles or one of the core values of the ACS code of ethics You should consider if the outcome of the proposed action is likely to be fair and just for all stakeholders.