E

7.1 Ethics and Ownership

Understanding ethics, professional bodies, copyright, software licensing, and Artificial Intelligence impacts

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Show understanding of need for and purpose of ethics as a computing professional
  • Understand the importance of joining professional ethical bodies including BCS and IEEE
  • Show understanding of need to act ethically and the impact of acting ethically or unethically for a given situation
  • Show understanding of need for copyright legislation
  • Understand different types of software licensing and justify use of a licence for a given situation
  • Show understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its social, economic and environmental impacts
  • Understand applications of AI in various fields

Key Terms

Ethics

Principles that define morally good and right behaviour for individuals and society

Legal

Concerning the law, whether an action is punishable by law

Morality

Human desire to distinguish between right and wrong

Culture

Attitudes, values and practices shared by a society or group

BCS (British Computer Society)

International body representing IT professionals with a code of conduct

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Professional organization with a software engineering code of ethics

Copyright

Formal recognition of ownership of a created and published work

Commercial Software

Copyrighted software that must be paid for

Freeware

Copyrighted software made available free of charge

Shareware

Commercial software given away free initially for a limited period

Free Software Foundation

Non-profit promoting freedom to run, copy, change and adapt software

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Machine or application carrying out tasks requiring human-like intelligence

Expert System

AI system using knowledge from human experts to solve problems

Autonomous Robot

Robot fitted with sensors to take appropriate actions independently

Machine Learning

System improving performance as it gains experience from data

Importance of Ethics and Professional Bodies

Societies need principles to define morally good and right behaviour. These principles are called ethics. They help societies function successfully by providing guidelines for acceptable behaviour.

Key Concepts in Ethical Behaviour

Legal vs. Moral vs. Ethical

Legal

Concerns whether an action is punishable by law. Anything breaking the law is illegal.

Example: Copying and selling software without copyright holder's permission is illegal.

Moral

Concerns questions of right and wrong. Varies between individuals and cultures.

Example: Creating fake news websites may be considered immoral if it causes distress.

Ethical

Also concerns right and wrong, but used in professional contexts with established codes.

Important Distinctions

Immoral ≠ Illegal

Something can be immoral but not illegal.

Creating a fake news website is not illegal, but may be immoral if it causes distress.

Hacking

Generally immoral but not illegal unless it compromises security or provides financial gain.

Hacking becomes illegal if it reveals personal information or compromises national security.

Unethical Behaviour

Breaking a code of conduct. May or may not be illegal.

Passing company ideas to a rival is unethical. If software is copyrighted, it's also illegal.

Professional Ethical Bodies

British Computer Society (BCS)

An international body representing IT professionals with a code of conduct covering:

  • Public Interest: Safeguarding public health, respecting rights of third parties
  • Duty to Employers/Clients: Carrying out work according to requirements
  • Professional Duty: Uphold profession's reputation through good practice
  • Professional Integrity: Maintain professional standards, accept responsibility

IEEE/ACM Software Engineering Code

Published by Association for Computing Machinery and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers:

  • PUBLIC: Act consistently with public interest
  • CLIENT/EMPLOYER: Act in best interests of client and employer
  • PRODUCT: Ensure products meet highest professional standards
  • JUDGMENT: Maintain integrity and independence in judgment
  • MANAGEMENT: Promote ethical approach to software management
  • PROFESSION: Advance integrity and reputation of profession
  • COLLEAGUES: Be fair and supportive to colleagues
  • SELF: Participate in lifelong learning and promote ethical approach

Ethical Dilemma Simulator

Explore real-world ethical scenarios that computing professionals might face:

Scenario: Self-Driving Car Emergency

A passenger in a self-driving car falls ill and needs urgent hospital attention. The car is programmed to stay within speed limits, even if the road is clear. However, keeping to the speed limit may mean the passenger doesn't receive medical treatment in time.

Option A: Break Speed Limit
Prioritize passenger safety by breaking speed limits to reach hospital faster.
Option B: Obey Speed Limit
Follow programming and legal requirements, potentially endangering passenger.
Option C: Alert Emergency Services
Contact emergency services for guidance while maintaining safe speed.

How This Relates to Professional Ethics:

  • Developers must balance passenger safety with public safety
  • Ethical considerations must be programmed into autonomous systems
  • Breaking laws for ethical reasons creates complex dilemmas
  • Professional codes help guide these difficult decisions

Real-Life Example: Smart Watch Privacy

Smart watches with health-monitoring facilities raise privacy concerns:

Health Data Collected (Heart rate, steps, sleep)
Data Transmitted Over Internet
Stored by Third-Party Applications
Potential Privacy Risks

Ethical Responsibilities: Developers must ensure data remains private, transmitted securely, and third-party applications protect user privacy.

Network Monitoring: Ethics in the Workplace

Management suspects an employee is wasting time on social media during work hours:

With Code of Conduct
  • Code forbids social media access on company computers
  • Management has ethical right to check compliance
  • Should only check employees with evidence of misuse
  • Privacy must still be considered
Without Code of Conduct
  • Checking could be invasion of privacy
  • Unclear expectations for employees
  • Potential for unfair monitoring
  • Legal and ethical risks for company

Activity 1: Applying Ethical Principles

For each workplace scenario, identify which ethical principles are not being met:

Scenario 1:

A large project is divided among teams. One project leader fails to inform management that their team's software is taking much longer to write and test than anticipated, putting them at risk of overspending their budget.

Scenario 2:

A software house is training programmers in a new language. Two employees refuse to attend the training.

Scenario 3:

A company is developing monitoring software requiring sensors in a nature reserve. An employee believes the sensors will endanger wildlife but is told by management that it's "none of his concern."

Solution:
Scenario 1:
  • MANAGEMENT issue: Project leader should keep management informed
  • PRODUCT issue: Could impact the whole project
  • JUDGMENT issue: Poor judgment by project leader
Scenario 2:
  • SELF issue: Staff should keep skills up to date
  • EMPLOYER impact: Company may not move quickly into new areas
Scenario 3:
  • PUBLIC interest issue: Wildlife and environmental concerns
  • Good JUDGMENT: Employee raised legitimate concerns
  • Poor MANAGEMENT: Manager dismissing valid concerns

Check Your Understanding: Ethics & Professional Bodies

Answer
  • [1 mark] Illegal: Breaks the law and is punishable by law (e.g., copyright infringement)
  • [1 mark] Immoral: Considered wrong or bad according to personal/cultural beliefs (e.g., creating fake news)
  • [1 mark] Unethical: Breaks professional codes of conduct, may or may not be illegal (e.g., sharing company secrets with competitors)
  • [Additional] Something can be immoral but not illegal, and unethical behaviour becomes illegal if it breaks laws (e.g., copyrighted material)
Answer
  • [1 mark] Public Interest: Safeguarding public health, respecting rights of third parties
  • [1 mark] Duty to Employers and Clients: Carrying out work according to requirements
  • [1 mark] Professional Duty: Upholding reputation of profession through good practice
  • [1 mark] Professional Integrity and Competence: Maintaining standards, accepting responsibility
Answer
  • [1 mark] Hacking is considered immoral because it involves unauthorized access to systems
  • [1 mark] It only becomes illegal when it compromises national security, results in financial gain, or reveals personal information
  • [Additional] Ethical hacking (with permission) is legal, while malicious hacking without these specific impacts may be immoral but not necessarily illegal
Answer
  • [1 mark] A passenger falls ill and needs urgent hospital attention
  • [1 mark] The car is programmed to stay within speed limits
  • [1 mark] Ethical dilemma: Should the car break speed limits (endangering public) to save the passenger, or obey limits (potentially endangering passenger)?
  • [Additional] Developers must balance passenger safety with public safety and legal requirements
Answer
  • [1 mark] Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding their profession
  • [1 mark] They shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession
  • [Additional] This ensures professionals stay current with technology and maintain ethical standards throughout their careers

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to machines or applications that carry out tasks requiring human-like intelligence. These tasks include language use, calculations, face recognition, operating machinery, and data analysis.

AI Capabilities and Applications

Problem Solving

Expert systems for medical diagnosis using data and rules from human experts

Linguistics

Voice recognition and synthesis used in help lines and virtual assistants

Perception

Autonomous robots with sensors, driverless cars, self-parking systems

Reasoning & Learning

Mathematical theorem proving, machine learning from data, spam filtering

Expert Systems

Medical diagnosis systems using rules from human experts

Limitation

Cannot handle new situations not covered by existing rules

Voice Recognition

Help lines using computer systems to identify user needs

Manufacturing Robots

Programmed for repetitive tasks but limited by unexpected events

Autonomous Systems

Driverless cars with sensors for real-time decision making

Machine Learning

Systems improving performance through experience with data

Impacts of AI

Positive Impacts

  • Employment: New jobs in manufacturing, servicing, and installing AI products
  • Safety: Robots can work in dangerous environments unsafe for humans
  • Healthcare: Expert systems aid doctors and nurses in diagnosis
  • Efficiency: Automation reduces manual labor and can increase leisure time
  • Convenience: Driverless vehicles could improve transportation

Negative Impacts

  • Job Losses: Automation may lead to fewer jobs as machines replace humans
  • Inequality: Could make rich richer and poor poorer
  • Safety Risks: Potential for accidents with autonomous vehicles
  • Environmental: Robot manufacturing and disposal creates waste
  • Privacy: Massive data collection could be misused if not secured

Exam Style Question: AI in CCTV Systems

Question: A CCTV system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify the presence of a person in a house and to track their movements. Describe how AI is used in this system.

Answer:
  • Uses image recognition
  • Monitors every image taken to identify matching images/shapes/features to a 'person'
  • Starts recording to secondary storage/permanently when a person is identified
  • System identifies direction of movement of person and uses this to decide where/how to move the camera/record
  • System identifies other cameras to start recording based on direction of movement

AI Impact Analysis: Social, Economic, Environmental

Social
  • Expert systems replacing doctors/nurses has unpredictable consequences
  • Increased leisure time vs. job losses
  • Privacy concerns with data collection
  • Social media not policing subversive activity adequately
Economic
  • New jobs in AI manufacturing and maintenance
  • Potential for increased inequality
  • Businesses profiting from data collection
  • Search engine results influenced by payments
Environmental
  • Robot manufacturing uses limited raw materials
  • Electronic waste from disposal of AI devices
  • Potential to reduce environmental monitoring costs
  • Energy consumption of AI systems

Machine Learning in Action

Machine learning improves performance as systems gain experience from data:

Example 1: Product Recommendations
User visits website and buys products
Actions stored as data
AI analyzes patterns
Recommends products on return visits
Sales increase = Learning success
Example 2: Spam Filtering
Emails received by system
AI analyzes content patterns
Classifies as spam or legitimate
User feedback on accuracy
System improves classification

Key Insight: Machine learning requires massive datasets and algorithms that identify patterns. The system "learns" when its performance improves with experience, not through explicit programming for every scenario.

Activity 3: AI Impact Analysis

Analyze the following AI applications and identify their potential impacts:

Application 1: Autonomous Delivery Robots

Small robots that deliver packages autonomously in urban areas, navigating sidewalks and crossing streets.

Application 2: AI Tutoring Systems

Personalized learning systems that adapt to individual student needs, replacing some human teachers.

Application 3: Predictive Policing

AI systems analyzing crime data to predict where crimes are likely to occur and deploying police accordingly.

Solution:
Autonomous Delivery Robots:
  • Social: Reduced human interaction, potential accidents with pedestrians
  • Economic: Job losses for delivery drivers, new jobs in robot maintenance
  • Environmental: Reduced delivery vehicle emissions, but electronic waste from robots
  • Ethical: Safety programming decisions, liability for accidents
AI Tutoring Systems:
  • Social: Personalized education, but reduced human teacher interaction
  • Economic: Cost savings for schools, potential teacher job losses
  • Environmental: Reduced paper use, but increased energy consumption
  • Ethical: Data privacy for students, algorithmic bias in recommendations
Predictive Policing:
  • Social: Potential reduced crime, but possible discrimination if biased data used
  • Economic: Efficient police resource allocation, costs for AI systems
  • Environmental: Minimal direct impact
  • Ethical: Privacy concerns, potential for reinforcing existing biases

Check Your Understanding: Artificial Intelligence

Answer
  • [1 mark] AI is a machine or application that carries out tasks requiring human-like intelligence
  • [2 marks] Tasks include: Using language, mathematical calculations, face recognition, operating machinery, analyzing data to predict outcomes
  • [Additional] Examples: Weather forecasting, medical diagnosis, autonomous vehicles
Answer
  • [1 mark] Machine learning occurs when a system improves performance as it gains experience
  • [1 mark] The system learns from massive datasets using algorithms
  • [1 mark] Example: E-commerce websites track user purchases, then recommend products when users return. If sales increase, learning is successful.
  • [Additional] Another example: Spam filters improve accuracy by learning from user feedback on email classification
Answer
  • [1 mark] Expert systems contain knowledge from human experts but cannot handle new situations not covered by their data and rules
  • [1 mark] Unlike humans, they cannot attempt new or creative approaches to unprecedented problems
  • [Additional] They work well within their programmed knowledge but lack human intuition and adaptability
Answer
  • [1 mark] Robot manufacturing requires raw materials with limited supply
  • [1 mark] Electronic devices eventually become waste, contributing to environmental pollution
  • [Additional] Energy consumption of AI systems and data centers also has environmental impact
Answer
  • [1 mark] AI and automation could lead to fewer jobs as machines replace human workers
  • [1 mark] This could make the rich richer (those who own AI technology) and the poor poorer (those whose jobs are replaced)
  • [Additional] New jobs in AI may require different skills, leaving some workers unemployed

Key Takeaways

  • Ethics are principles defining morally good behaviour, distinct from legal (law-based) and moral (personal/cultural beliefs)
  • BCS and IEEE/ACM provide professional codes of conduct covering public interest, duty to employers, professional standards, and integrity
  • Unethical behaviour breaks codes of conduct and may become illegal if it violates laws (e.g., copyright infringement)
  • Copyright formally recognizes ownership of created works including software, protecting creators from unfair reproduction
  • Software licenses include commercial (paid), freeware (free but copyrighted), shareware (free trial), and free software/open source (freedom to modify)
  • Free Software Foundation promotes four freedoms: run, study/modify, redistribute, and distribute modifications
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) performs human-like tasks including problem-solving, linguistics, perception, reasoning, and learning
  • Expert systems use human expert knowledge but cannot handle new situations creatively like humans
  • Machine learning improves performance through experience with data (e.g., product recommendations, spam filtering)
  • AI impacts include social (job changes, privacy), economic (new jobs vs inequality), and environmental (manufacturing waste, energy use)
  • Autonomous systems like driverless cars raise ethical dilemmas balancing safety, laws, and public interest
  • Professional ethics require balancing competing interests and considering public wellbeing in all computing work

Question Bank

Marking Scheme & Answer
BCS Code (4 areas):
  • Public Interest: Safeguard health, respect 3rd parties
  • Duty to employers/clients: Carry out work properly
  • Professional Duty: Uphold reputation
  • Professional Integrity: Maintain standards
IEEE/ACM Code (8 principles):
  • Public, Client/Employer, Product standards
  • Judgment, Management, Profession
  • Colleagues, Self (lifelong learning)

Comparison: Both emphasize public interest, professional standards, and integrity. BCS is more concise (4 areas), while IEEE/ACM is more detailed (8 principles). IEEE/ACM specifically includes lifelong learning (SELF) and fairness to colleagues.

Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Privacy: Health data (heart rate, sleep patterns) is sensitive personal information
  • [1 mark] Data Security: Must ensure secure transmission and storage of data
  • [1 mark] Third-party sharing: Data often sent to third-party apps; must ensure these also protect privacy
  • [1 mark] Informed Consent: Users must understand what data is collected and how it's used
  • [1 mark] Accuracy and Reliability: Health data must be accurate; incorrect data could have serious consequences
  • [Additional] Ethical duty extends to third-party developers; company should vet partners and ensure他们也 follow ethical standards
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Justification: Creation takes time, effort, and original thinking; creators deserve financial reward
  • [1 mark] Prevention of unfair use: Prevents others from reproducing work and making money without compensating creator
  • [2 marks] Typical legislation includes: Registration requirements, defined period of protection, policies for inheritance, agreed copyright symbols (©)
  • [Additional] International agreements prevent avoiding copyright by publishing in other countries
Marking Scheme & Answer
License Type Cost Modification Distribution Copyright
Commercial Must be paid for Not allowed Restricted to license holders Protected
Freeware Free of charge Not allowed Allowed (free) Protected (author retains control)
Free Software Free Allowed and encouraged Allowed Not protected by restrictions

Key Difference: Commercial and freeware protect copyright and prevent modification; free software emphasizes user freedom to modify and distribute. Freeware authors retain control for future development.

Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Uses image recognition to identify matching shapes/features to a 'person'
  • [1 mark] Monitors every image taken to detect human presence
  • [1 mark] Starts permanent recording when a person is identified
  • [1 mark] Identifies direction of movement to decide camera movement/recording focus
  • [1 mark] Activates other cameras based on movement direction for continuous tracking
  • [Additional] This demonstrates AI capabilities in perception, pattern recognition, and automated decision-making
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Positive: Expert systems can aid diagnosis with more knowledge than individual doctors
  • [1 mark] Negative: If AI replaces doctors/nurses, social consequences are unpredictable
  • [1 mark] Privacy: Health data collection raises significant privacy concerns
  • [1 mark] Accessibility: Could improve healthcare access in remote areas but may require digital literacy
  • [Additional] AI cannot handle new/unprecedented situations creatively like humans, limiting its effectiveness in novel cases
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Hacking is generally immoral because it involves unauthorized access to systems
  • [1 mark] It becomes illegal when it compromises national security, results in financial gain, or reveals personal information
  • [1 mark] Example: Accessing a system without permission is immoral; stealing financial data from that system is illegal
  • [Additional] Ethical hacking (with permission for security testing) is both legal and ethical, showing context matters
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Cannot add source code from non-free software unless it's also free
  • [1 mark] Cannot produce software copying existing copyrighted work
  • [1 mark] Cannot adapt code to infringe other copyrights or produce offensive software
  • [Additional] Despite the name "free," there are rules to prevent abuse and protect other software rights
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Passenger falls ill needing urgent hospital attention
  • [1 mark] Car programmed to obey speed limits for public safety
  • [1 mark] Dilemma: Break speed limits (endanger public) to save passenger vs. obey limits (endanger passenger)
  • [1 mark] Developers must balance competing ethical principles: passenger safety vs. public safety vs. legal compliance
  • [Additional] This illustrates how AI programming involves ethical decisions traditionally made by humans in the moment
Marking Scheme & Answer
  • [1 mark] Traditional programming: Rules explicitly programmed (e.g., "block emails with 'FREE' in subject")
  • [1 mark] Machine learning: System learns from massive datasets of emails and user feedback
  • [1 mark] Difference: ML improves with experience; traditional programming requires manual rule updates
  • [Additional] ML can adapt to new spam techniques; traditional programming needs constant updates for new patterns