7.1 Ethics&Ownership.legal_moral_ethical_cultural_implications Flashcards
What does “Legal” mean?
Relating to, or permissible by, law.
What is “Morality”?
An understanding of the difference between right and wrong, often based on personal beliefs.
What are “Ethics”?
Moral principles governing an individual’s or organisation’s behaviour, such as a code of conduct.
What is “Culture” in the context of ethics?
The attitudes, values, and practices shared by a group of people or society.
What are “Intellectual Property Rights”?
Rules governing an individual’s ownership of their own creations or ideas, prohibiting copying without permission.
What is “Privacy” in digital and ethical contexts?
The right to keep personal information secret and protected from unauthorised access.
What is “Plagiarism”?
The act of taking another person’s work and claiming it as one’s own.
What does “BCS” stand for?
British Computer Society
What does “IEEE” stand for?
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
What does “ACM” stand for?
Association for Computing Machinery
What is the difference between “Legal” and “Illegal”?
Legal covers the law, while illegal refers to anything that breaks the law.
How does “Morality” differ from “Ethics”?
Morality concerns personal beliefs of right and wrong, whereas ethics are often used in a professional context.
What is an example of an illegal but not necessarily immoral act?
Copying software and selling it without permission.
Can an act be immoral but not illegal?
Yes, such as creating a fake news website that causes distress but does not break any laws.
When does hacking become illegal?
When it compromises national security, results in financial gain, or reveals personal information.
What is “Unethical Behaviour”?
Breaking a code of conduct, such as sharing company secrets with a rival.
When does unethical behaviour become illegal?
If it involves copyrighted material, national security risks, or financial theft.
Why is culture important in computing?
Culture influences content in computer programs, such as games, to avoid offensive material. Some cultural boundaries may make certain content illegal.
What are “Computer Ethics”?
A set of principles regulating computer use, focusing on intellectual property rights, privacy, and societal effects.
What are three key factors in computer ethics?
- Intellectual property rights (e.g., copying software without permission)
- Privacy issues (e.g., hacking or illegal access to personal data)
- Effects of computers on society (e.g., job losses, social impacts)
What is plagiarism in computing?
Taking another person’s work or ideas and claiming them as one’s own without proper attribution.
How can plagiarism be detected?
Using software that scans text and searches the internet for similarities.
What is the British Computer Society (BCS)?
A professional body representing IT and computing professionals, ensuring ethical practices.
What are the four areas covered in the BCS Code of Conduct?
- The Public Interest
- Professional Competence and Integrity
- Duty to Relevant Authority
- Duty to the Profession
What is the IEEE?
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a US-based organisation promoting ethical behaviour in the electronics industry.
What are the aims of the IEEE?
- Raising awareness of ethical issues
- Promoting ethical behaviour among professionals
- Ensuring engineers and scientists respect ethical standards
What is the first principle of the IEEE Code of Ethics?
To prioritise public safety, health, and welfare, ensuring ethical design and sustainable development.
What does the IEEE Code of Ethics say about conflicts of interest?
Conflicts of interest should be avoided where possible and disclosed when they exist.
How does the IEEE Code of Ethics address honesty?
Members must be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data.
What stance does the IEEE Code of Ethics take on bribery?
It rejects bribery in all its forms.
How does the IEEE promote technological understanding?
By improving public awareness of the capabilities and societal impacts of emerging technologies.
What does the IEEE Code of Ethics say about professional competence?
Members should only undertake tasks they are qualified for and disclose any limitations.
How does the IEEE Code of Ethics encourage professional integrity?
By promoting honest criticism of technical work, correcting errors, and crediting contributions properly.
What is the IEEE’s stance on discrimination?
Members must treat all people fairly and avoid discrimination based on race, religion, gender, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
What does the IEEE Code of Ethics say about harming others?
Members should avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment through false or malicious actions.
How does the IEEE Code of Ethics promote professional development?
Members should assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional growth and support adherence to the ethical code.
What is the purpose of the Software Engineering Code of Ethics?
To ensure all software engineers follow a consistent and acceptable ethical standard, developed by IEEE and ACM.
How many principles does the Software Engineering Code of Ethics contain?
8
What are some main principles of the Software Engineering Code of Ethics?
- PUBLIC – Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
- CLIENT AND EMPLOYER – Software engineers shall act in the best interests of their client and employer while maintaining public interest.
- PRODUCT – Software engineers must ensure their products and modifications meet the highest professional standards.
- JUDGEMENT – Software engineers must maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgement.
- MANAGEMENT – Software engineering managers and leaders should promote ethical approaches to software development and maintenance.
- PROFESSION – Software engineers should uphold the integrity and reputation of the profession in line with public interest.
- COLLEAGUES – Software engineers should treat their colleagues fairly and support them.
- SELF – Software engineers should engage in lifelong learning and promote ethical practices.
Why is it important to consider public impact when developing software or hardware?
To ensure public well-being, address health and safety concerns, act in the public interest, and consider benefits and concerns of the public.
What happened at LA airport in 2007 due to a software issue?
A faulty network card sent incorrect data, causing a shutdown of the USA Customs and Borders Agency, grounding flights for eight hours and resulting in financial losses and public frustration.
What was the cause of the exploding Dell laptops in 2008? How did the exploding laptops impact the public and manufacturers?
Faulty batteries that overheated and eventually burst into flames during a trade show in Japan. 100 million devices were recalled, costing over 300 million US dollars; public safety was at risk, but the issue was caught before widespread sales.
What was the Airbus A380 software compatibility issue in 2006?
Factories in Germany and France used different versions of CATIA design software, leading to mismatched wiring that required costly redesign and remanufacturing. It was discovered before assembly, but if left undetected, a different design incompatibility could have led to catastrophic consequences.
What are some other software-related issues that affect the public?
- Selling software with inadequate security
- Covering up security breaches (e.g., XEN security threat)
- Release of private data (e.g., celebrity photo leaks)
- Failure of social media to police cyberbullying and hate speech
- Search engines ranking results based on donations rather than relevance.
What is the XEN security threat an example of?
A covered-up security issue that compromised several cloud servers before the operators were forced to disclose it.
How can search engines manipulate public access to information?
By prioritising search results based on donations rather than relevance, potentially misleading users.
How does inadequate security in software systems affect businesses and individuals?
It increases vulnerability to hacking, spyware, and data breaches, compromising sensitive information.
