Computer Ethics

 System software, an operating system and the utility programs that come with it, such as those to compile (translate) programs into machine code and to load them for execution. System software controls a computer’s internal functioning and peripherals such as monitors, printers, and storage devices. (System software no date)

(Ethics and the Computing Professional, no date)

What is Computer Ethics?

 Computer ethics is the application of moral principles to the use of computers and the Internet.

Here are five examples of ethical issues and how developers can address them

Addictive Design

Every developer yearns to create applications that people love to use -- that's just good UX design. The problem is that some teams craft apps that people love too much. There is an ethical concern about the role of digital platforms, such as social media.

Algorithmic bias

Existing biases can be amplified by technology. According to Spencer Lentz, principal, AI and digital process automation, digital customer experience, at consulting firm Capgemini, bias is one of the more important ethical challenges that today's developers must deal with.

Questionable personal data ownership

With the development of devices and software, the processing of bio metric and other contextual data on clients using AI has expanded tremendously. Software has the unsettling ability to profile individuals and forecast behaviors in great detail.

Prioritizing features over impact

At the center of many ethical issues is a decision that capabilities in software releases are more important than the effects they could have. But just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Weak security and PII protection

Application security is growing in importance as software plays a larger role in our online and offline environments. Developers often only address security after code release, rather than during development. As a result, the software community lacks secure development standards. (Lawton, G. 2020). 

The Ten Commandments of 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 computer files.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid (without permission).
7. Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output.
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for other humans.

Reference:

System software (no date) Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/technology/system-software (Accessed: 30 May 2023).

Christensson, P. (2021) Computer ethics, Definition. Available at: https://techterms.com/definition/computer_ethics (Accessed: 16 May 2023).

Lawton, G. (2020) 5 examples of ethical issues in software development: TechTarget, Software Quality. Available at: https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/tip/5-examples-of-ethical-issues-in-software-development (Accessed: 30 May 2023).

Ethics and the Computing Professional (no date) Coding at school. Available at: http://codingatschool.weebly.com/ethics-and-the-computing-professional.html (Accessed: 30 May 2023).

Computer Pros Today (2023) Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics, Computer Pros Today. Available at: https://computerprostoday.com/ten-commandments-of-computer-ethics/ (Accessed: 04 June 2023).