1. Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, to enable others to do good or cause harm, or to influence others to do good or cause harm.
2. Ensure that clients, employers, and supervisors know of the software engineer's commitment to this Code of ethics, and the subsequent ramifications of such commitment.
3. Be accurate in stating the characteristics of software on which they work, avoiding not only false claims but also claims that might reasonably be supposed to be speculative, vacuous, deceptive, misleading, or doubtful.
4. Ensure that there is a fair agreement concerning ownership of any software, processes, research, writing, or other intellectual property to which a software engineer has contributed.
5. Promote public knowledge of software engineering.
6. Ensure that specifications for software on which they work have been well documented, satisfy the users’
7. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.
8. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.
9. Refuse to participate, as members or advisors, in a private, governmental or professional body concerned with software related issues, in which they, their employers or their clients have undisclosed potential conflicts of interest.
10. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as trainees and students of the profession.
1. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
2. Obey all laws governing their work, unless, in exceptional circumstances, such compliance is inconsistent with the public interest.
3. Assist colleagues in being fully aware of current standard work practices including policies and procedures for protecting passwords, files and other confidential information, and security measures in general.
4. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.
5. Ensure an appropriate method is used for any project on which they work or propose to work.
6. Credit fully the work of others and refrain from taking undue credit.
7. Ensure adequate testing, debugging, and review of software and related documents on which they work.
8. Review the work of others in an objective, candid, and properly-documented way.
9. s humanity, in special care owed to people affected by the work of software engineers, and the unique elements of the practice of software engineering.
10. Strive to fully understand the specifications for software on which they work.
1. Not unfairly intervene in the career of any colleague; however, concern for the employer, the client or public interest may compel software engineers, in good faith, to question the competence of a colleague.
2. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.
3. s humanity, in special care owed to people affected by the work of software engineers, and the unique elements of the practice of software engineering.
4. Principle 3: PRODUCTSoftware engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.
5. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Temper all technical judgments by the need to support and maintain human values.
6. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.
7. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Provide service in their areas of competence, being honest and forthright about any limitations of their experience and education.
8. PRINCIPLESPrinciple 1: PUBLICSoftware engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.
9. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.
10. These Principles should influence software engineers to consider broadly who is affected by their work; to examine if they and their colleagues are treating other human beings with due respect; to consider how the public, if reasonably well informed, would view their decisions; to analyze how the least empowered will be affected by their decisions; and to consider whether their acts would be judged worthy of the ideal professional working as a software engineer.
1. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
2. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
3. The Code is not simply for adjudicating the nature of questionable acts; it also has an important educational function.
4. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
5. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.
6. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as trainees and students of the profession.
7. Not influence others to undertake any action that involves a breach of this Code.
8. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.
9. Not ask a software engineer to do anything inconsistent with this Code.
10. Ensure that clients, employers, and supervisors know of the software engineer's commitment to this Code of ethics, and the subsequent ramifications of such commitment.
1. These situations require the software engineer to use ethical judgment to act in a manner which is most consistent with the spirit of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, given the circumstances.
2. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.
3. Promote no interest adverse to their employer or client, unless a higher ethical concern is being compromised; in that case, inform the employer or another appropriate authority of the ethical concern.
4. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.
5. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.
6. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.
7. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Help develop an organizational environment favorable to acting ethically.
8. The Principles identify the ethically responsible relationships in which individuals, groups, and organizations participate and the primary obligations within these relationships.
9. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.
10. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.