Six Ethical Standards for ICT Professionals

Codes of ethics are the sets of moral principles which deals with doing what is bad or good having moral obligations and duties. These ethics are very important in most work as well as any profession just like in ICT industry.  The codes of ethics will ensure that experts operate in the required state of the profession. As ICT proceeds to place a progressively inescapable part in all our lives, the way in which ICT experts conduct themselves will be subject to more prominent examination. To really call themselves experts, those working in ICT must not as it were work within the bounds of the law, but go beyond that to conduct themselves morally and capable at every time.

The ACS code of ethics permits a yardstick for both its ICT specialists and individuals who esteem proficient guidelines. Revered within the code are six ethics to which ICT specialists should follow: the supremacy of the open intrigued; the improvement of the quality of life; genuineness; competence; proficient advancement; competence (Maxwell, 2013). As ICT proceeds to place a progressively inescapable part in all our lives, the way in which ICT specialists conduct themselves will be subject to more prominent examination. To really call themselves specialists, those operates in ICT should not as it were work within the bounds of the law, but go past that to conduct themselves morally and capable at all times. Revered within the code are six standards to which ICT experts must follow: the supremacy of the open intrigued; the improvement of the quality of life; genuineness; competence; proficient advancement; professionalism (Currie, 2011).

Doing ethics techniques are very important as they guide the way of operation for the professionals working in the software development (Hamid, 2011). The work plan for the development of the software is not made clear to the customers who fund the whole project. This is done since the developers are sure that the customers do not understand the scope of the development task hence they take the advantage of that and in most cases, they can overcharge the customers because they do not know how much they need to pay for the same (Kultgen, 2011).  It has come to a normal practice of sneak into the maintenance in the development work.  These acts are against the codes of ethics in the ICT professional, some of these doing ethics techniques for the ICT includes the following; ¨

1. Thou shalt you not harm people in any way using the computer.  
2. You should not hinder with other person´s files in the computer.

• You should not use the computer to steal from others individual.

1. One should not use the computer to bear false witness.
2. Thou shalt you use a computer in a way which ensures deliberation and respect for fellow human being.

In this software development, all the software development are performed and done against the budget codes which is also against the codes of ethics for the operation of the ICT (Ptilum, 2013).  The software developer operates against the ethics by harming the people financially (customers). The developers ought to have been open and make the customers understand the full operation of the software development in terms of how much they are required to pay for the activities. Such actions are totally against the ethics of operation of the IT profession (Bott, 2013). When one pays for the activity like in this case customers pay for the service of software development but they are not even aware of how much they need to pay results to overpay.  The developers may in some cases ask the customers to pay the more money like double the amount they need to pay.

Dishonesty in Software Development

The customers in some cases may pay even if the development is fully complete, but they cannot know since they are kept at bay even though all the development activities are done by them but the payment is done an internal fund transfer (Wiener, 2011).  From the code of ethics, Thou shalt not use the computer to steal from others. These software developers basically steal from their own customers since they are able to ask the customers to pay for more than what they ought to pay.  If this software development firm was acting within the required ethics, it was to put everything clear so that every customer fathoms how much they need to pay for the software development (Reynolds, 2018).  When every ICT organization adhere to the above-mentioned code of ethics then the organization will be termed as a good organization which operates within the required codes of ethics according to the IT profession. 

 The ACS codes of ethics are part of the ACS constitution, when one is a member, he or she needs to uphold as well as advance the dignity, honour and efficacy of being an expert (McDermid, 2013). This includes being a good individual/ organization operating within the regulation.  Some of the ACS codes of ethics in the ICT industries include the following;

1. Honesty in the operation
2. Competence

• Professional development

1. Professionalism
2. Authority and responsibility
3. Experience and knowledge

• Attitude  
• Primacy to the public interest

1. Be just and take action to avoid discriminate.

A computing proficient ought to be straightforward and give a full revelation of all germane framework capabilities, restrictions, and potential issues to the suitable parties. Making purposely wrong or deceiving claims, creating or distorting information, advertising or tolerating bribes, and other untrustworthy conduct is an infringement of the Code. Computing experts ought to be genuine almost their capabilities, and approximately any impediments in their competence to total an assignment (Krul, 2016). Computing experts ought to be blunt around any circumstances that might lead to either genuine or seen clashes of intrigued or something else tends to weaken the autonomy of their judgment. Besides, commitments ought to be honoured. Computing experts ought to not distort an organization’s arrangements or strategies, and ought to not talk for the sake of an organization unless authorized to do so

As an IT expert, it is advisable to be very honest in his undertakings and makes everything they do in the company.  This will ensure that even the clients trust the activities and services they offer. When there is trust in the activities the IT expert do, there will be more client who entrusts their services and this will make them realize more profit and make a lot of money in their services. In this software development, there is no honesty since the customers are not aware of any issue and operations in the development of this software (Soraj, 2016).  An honest IT expert equates to a good quality of performance in any IT organization.  Under the ACS code of honesty, there are some ethics which clearly outline what is expected from an ICT specialist.  Some of these are; the organization must not knowingly mislead a client or potential client as to the suitability of a product or service. The organization should not parody my knowledge or skills.  

ACS Codes of Ethics and Its Importance

This organization of software hence operates against the required code of ethics for ICT since the organization is misleading the client to the sustainability of the services (Heathcote, 2016).  All the development works are funded by the clients yet they are not aware of how much money they should pay. This will give the organization a lot of room to steal from the customers and in long run jeopardize the reputation of the organization which will definitely result to loss of the loyalty of the customers to the organization (Lucas, 2013).  Another IT ACS code of ethics states that there should be primacy to the public interest.  The ICT organization should, therefore, put the interest of the public first and not the organizational own interest.  

For this software development organization customers who in another way can be termed as the public is not given first priority (McDermid, 2015).  The organization is using their powers to undermine their own customers. Within the situation of this Code, the open intrigued takes priority over the individual, sectional and private interface, and any clashes ought to be settled in support of the open intrigued. In ones´ operation, he ought to protect the interface of your quick partners, provided that these interests don’t strife having the obligation and devotion you owe to the open. It is very important for an ICT specialist to put the customers first in their operations. When the customers feel that their interest is put first they will like the organization and this will as well attract more customers into the same organization. This is very important to an ICT expert since most customers will love their services and the end result is a lot of profit to the ICT organization.   

Another very important ACS code of ethics for ICT specialist is to be just and to avoid discrimination. This is actually contrary to what is the case in this software development where the customers are highly discriminated against and they are mistreated in this organization (Jungers, 2012). The organization ought to treat the customers as one of their own and to make matters worse, it is the customers to pay for the software development in this ICT organization.  The values of uniformity, resistance, regard for others, and equity administer this guideline. Decency requires that indeed cautious choice forms give a few roads for a change of grievances. Computing experts ought to cultivate the reasonable interest of all individuals, counting those of underrepresented bunches.

Biased separation on the premise of age, colour, inability, ethnicity, family status, sex personality, labour union enrolment, military status, nationality, race, religion or conviction, sex, sexual introduction, or any other improper figure is an unequivocal infringement of the Code. Badgering, counting sexual badgering, bullying, and other manhandle of control and specialist, maybe a frame of segregation that, among other hurts, limits reasonable the virtual and physical spaces where such badgering takes put (Raul, 2012).  When the customers feel they are not discriminated in the organization they get services from, they become more into the organization and in some cases they can even recommend the organization to their friends, this will definitely result to the advertisement of this organization which will result to more customers hence more profit to the organization.   

Importance of Primacy to the Public Interest

Another ACS codes of ethics in ICT is the professionalism, the organization should operate with lots of professionalism. This will make their customers entrust their services and make the organization´s reputation grow as fast as possible and results in more profit for the organization. It hasn´t had the opportunity to progress over plentiful a long time and get it possesses measures and performing. The ACS is trying to progress open certainty within the ICT industry (Brunnstein, 2015). It is basic that members of the Society keep up proficient guidelines that make strides and improve the industry’s picture, particularly within the working environment. Everyone has a right to be respected and treated with a lot of care. Discrimination is amateurish behaviour, as is any frame of badgering. It can as well give bolster for taking fitting activity, including whistleblowing, in case you find an ACS part locks in in untrustworthy conduct (Piotrowska, 2013).

Another ACS code of ethics for IT expert is professional development, in this code of ethics, it is expected that the specialists to provide special skills and advice. For this to be effectively done there must be kept up to date. The manager of the organization should encourage the colleagues and other staff to do the same thing.  In this software development firm, the opposite is witnessed as the organization does not advice the customers correctly on what they are supposed to do.  The customers pay for the software development and still, they are not aware of how much they need to pay, the organization is not giving the correct advice on the organization (Ansara, 2014). Under this code of ethics, the organization needs to conduct an educational support, professional development as well as training in ICT which reflect the diverse requirements of individual professional as well as their several career paths. The education which should be done here is done to the customers to enable them to understand the operation of the software development of the organization (Lavrakas, 2013).  Actually, this will highly encourage the customers to be very loyal to the organization and highly boost the company´s reputation.   

Conclusion

In conclusion, the codes of ethics are very important in practising as an ICT expert as aforementioned above.  With effective application and adherence to these code of ethics, the organization will ensure a safety survival as well as maintaining a good reputation of the organization.  According to some of the codes of ethics discussed above, it is not proper for the organization to steal from any individual, the organization should not harm anybody in their operations. That is contrary to what this organization was actually doing. Therefore this organization is not operating according to the requirements of the ICT ethics techniques.  The organization also is not operating according to the ACS codes of ethics which affect the operation of the ICT firm.

The Value of Honesty in ICT

These ACS highly affects the ICT from the expert point of view. Some of these ACS as discussed above are honesty, professionalism among others. When these codes adhere then the organization will actually realize a lot of profit and at the same time boost the organizational reputation. It is therefore recommended that the organization should perform their operation in honesty, the organization should not steal from customers, and the organization should have the public interest at heart. It is recommended that the organization should let the customers know the amount of money they need to pay for the organization.  This will make the customer feel that the organization is more open to them hence they will be more loyal to the organization. 

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