A Companion to the Philosophy of Technology

Approaches in Computer Ethics

Computer ethics is sometimes defined as a branch of professional ethics similar to other branches like engineering ethics and journalism ethics. On this view, the aim of computer ethics is to define and analyze the moral and professional responsibilities of computer professionals. Computer professionals are individuals employed in the information technology branch, for example as hardware or software engineer, web designer, network or database administrator, computer science instructor or computer-repair technician. Computer ethics, on this view, should focus on the various moral issues that computer professionals encounter in their work, for instance in the design, development and maintenance of computer hardware and software.

Within this approach to computer ethics, most attention goes to the discussion of ethical dilemmas that various sorts of computer professionals may face in their work and possible ways of approaching them. Such dilemmas may include, for example, the question how one should act as a web designer when one’s employer asks one to install spyware into a site built for a client, or the question to what extent software engineers should be held accountable for harm incurred by software malfunction. Next to the discussion of specific ethical dilemmas, there is also general discussion of the responsibilities of computer professionals toward various other parties, such as clients, employers, colleagues and the general public, and of the ...