By Joe Breen
The self regulation of ethics relies on ways to deter unethical behavior of the members. The AMC’s first code was enacted in 1972 and the latest code, the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, was adopted in AMC relies on the commitment of its members which are expressed through rules and sometimes ideals. Recent codes emphasize socialization or education rather than forced compliance. The code of ethics influences the 9 classes that describe ethical decision making.
A woman uses code segments from another coder without giving him his due. The Code states to give proper credit to intellectual properties. The coder is in the wrong as she basically stole the work of a fellow coworker. In this case, she should give credit to him in her published work. Also, she should have checked with her company to see if the using of the code segments was even allowed. Bootlegged software is a violation of the code.
A woman’s firm is designing a database and is faced with a choice: whether or not to follow the people buying the system's wishes and use less security to protect the personal information of others. The code states that the woman is obligated to do her best to protect the info, while it is also the owners’ jobs to not skimp on protecting vital information. The exact contents of the contract are in question, but the woman may have to choose between her contract and her obligation to honor privacy and confidentiality.
A man is creating a report on sensitive information that includes some peoples names and such. To finish the project he copies the records and brings them home to finish the report. He then forgets about the files and leaves them at home. Two problems with the code arise. First, the man should never be negligent of other peoples information. It could be used to harm innocent clients. Second, the company should not have had anyone's indentifying information on their files. That information was not necessary. Without the attached names the man would have no problems.