Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics
{{Short description|Code for ethical use of computers}}
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The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics were created in 1992 by the Washington, D.C.–based Computer Ethics Institute.{{cite news
| url = http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/09/tech/social-media/obama-twitter-account-ethics/
| title = That Twitter account might not be who you think
| last = Leopold
| first = Todd
| publisher = CNN
| date = April 9, 2013
| access-date = September 30, 2015
}} The commandments were introduced in the paper "In Pursuit of a 'Ten Commandments' for Computer Ethics" by Ramon C. Barquin as a means to create "a set of standards to guide and instruct people in the ethical use of computers."{{cite web
| url = http://computerethicsinstitute.org/barquinpursuit1992.html
| title = In pursuit of 'Ten Commandments' for Computer Ethics
| last = Barquin
| first = Ramon C.
| publisher = Computer Ethics Institute
| date = May 7, 1992
| access-date = 2013-08-17
}} They follow the Internet Advisory Board's memo on ethics from 1987.{{cite web
| url = http://www.cnet.com/news/the-internet-and-the-death-of-ethics/
| title = The Internet and the death of ethics
| last = O'Reilly
| first = Dennis
| publisher = CNET
| date = October 12, 2010
| access-date = September 30, 2015
}} The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics copies the archaic style of the Ten Commandments from the King James Bible.
The commandments have been widely quoted in computer ethics literature{{cite book
| title = Ethics in Public Relations: Responsible Advocacy
| author1 = Kathy Fitzpatrick
| author2 = Carolyn Bronstein
| year = 2006
| isbn = 1-4129-1798-0
| publisher = Sage Publications
| page = 116
}} but also have been criticized by both the hacker community[http://www.cmpe.boun.edu.tr/~say/c150/intro/lit10.html Computer Ethics – Lecture 10] and some in academia. For instance, Dr. Ben Fairweather of the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility has described them as "simplistic" and overly restrictive.[http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/resources/professionalism/codes/cei_command_com.html CCSR:Commentary on the 'Ten Commandments for Computer Ethics']; {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120722095837/http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/resources/professionalism/codes/cei_command_com.html |date=2012-07-22 }}
ISC2, one of the thought leaders in the information security industry, has referred to the commandments in developing its own ethics rules.{{cite book |title=Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RbihG-YALUkC&dq=%22Ten+Commandments+of+Computer+Ethics%22&pg=PA79 |date=November 14, 2006 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9780849382314 }}
The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics
- Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
- Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
- Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
- Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
- Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
- Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid (without permission).
- Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
- Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
- Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
- Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for other humans.{{cite web
| url = http://www.computerethicsinstitute.org/images/TheTenCommandmentsOfComputerEthics.pdf
| title = The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics
| access-date = 2012-05-22
}}
References
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External links
- The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics listed at [http://www.cpsr.org/issues/ethics/cei Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080315093530/http://www.ccsr.cse.dmu.ac.uk/ Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility]
Category:Computing and society