Code of Ethics- Information professional in context PDF

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Code of Ethics‐ Information professional in context  By Mohd Nor Bin Mat Salleh (2009) [email protected] ICT Department, Setapak High School, 53200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract This article stress on code of ethics and do information professionals need code of ethics. It starts with general d...

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Code of Ethics- Information professional in context Mat Salleh Mohd Nor

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Code of Ethics‐ Information professional in context  By Mohd Nor Bin Mat Salleh (2009) [email protected] ICT Department, Setapak High School, 53200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract This article stress on code of ethics and do information professionals need code of ethics. It starts with general definition about code of ethics, code types, law and moral. The author used a library research to find the information from various source related to ethics. The relation between ethics and value are explained as core professional value such as intellectual freedom; protecting user’s right to privacy/confidentiality; intellectual property right; professional neutrality; preservation of the cultural record; and equity of access. From the various examples codes of ethics, can be found that they can be categorized into two basic concepts. The first is “do what you do well”. The second is, “while doing it well, avoid harming others”. There is also some web brief for the related websites in the Internet. Abstrak Artikel ini menumpukan kepada kod etika kerja dan persoalan adakah para profesional dalam bidang maklumat memerlukannya. Dimulakan dengan definasi umum tentank kod etika kerja, jenis-jenis kod etika, undang-undang dan moral. Penulis menggunakan kaedah kajian perpustakaan untuk mendapatkan pelbagai maklumat yang berkaitan dengan etika. Perkaitan antara nilai dan etika juga dijelaskan seperti kebebasan intelrk; perlindungan hak dan kerahsiaan pengguna; hak harta intelek; dan lain-lain. Daripada pelabagai contoh kod etika kerja yang diberikan, penulis telah membahagikan kod etika kepada dua jenis iaitu. Yang pertama”setiap apa yang kita buat hendaklah dilakukan dengan baik. Yang kedua ”semasa melakukannya, elakkan dari menjejaskan orang lain”. Penulis juga merumuskan beberapa sumber dari laman web yang berkaitan dengan kod etika kerja. Keywords code of ethics, information professionals, law and moral, ethics and values, librarian, professional value, deontological codes, utilitarian codes, judicial codes, inspirational codes, moral philosophy, applied science ethics. Introduction A code of ethics generally appears when an occupation organizes itself into a profession. The codes of ethics concern about what is right or wrong, good or bad, and just or unjust. Every

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profession has their own code of ethics for example teachers, engineers, doctors, and librarians. Do Information Professionals need code of ethics? A profession is a group of persons who want to cooperate in serving the same ideal better than they could if they did not cooperate. The codes of ethics have some sociological value because it is one of the external hallmarks testifying to the claim that the group recognizes an obligation to society that transcends mere economic selfinterest (Luegenbiehl 83). The code of ethics is important to help in setting standard of professional conduct expected of members in line with the aims and objectives of the association. A written code of ethics to guide their professional conduct will certainly help enhance the professional image of librarians.1 Consider the librarians here are the group of persons who want to cooperate in serving clients better then they did not cooperate and they can be called Information Professionals.

Ethics code types There are many different types of ethics code. Depending on perspective, four or five different types of ethics codes for library and information science associations have been identified (Koehler 85). The types of code are deontological codes, utilitarian codes, judicial codes, and inspirational codes. These can explain as follows: •

Deontology, according to Emmanuel Kant,2 is centered on duty. Following one’s duty is more important than the outcome. Deontological codes oblige one to evaluate situation and to respond as duty as defined by ones professional obligations indicate.

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2

. See chapter 11 Self Instructional Material, SMM710: Issues in Information Society.

Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was an 18th-century German philosopher from the Prussian city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia). One of his most prominent works is the Critique of Pure Reason, an investigation into the limitations and structure of reason itself. The other main works of his maturity are the Critique

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•

Utilitarianism was espoused first by John Stuart Mill.3 He defined it as the “maximization of net expectable utility for all parties affected by a decision or action”, or the maximization of utility for all interested parties.

•

Judicial codes are similar to deontological codes. They are concerned with obligation and probabilities of consequences resulting from delists. These codes address the “ought” rather than the absolute.

•

Inspirational codes provide models of ideal behavior. They are not rules making or rule reflecting. They guide and inspire.

A fifth is the educational codes and these might be subsumed under the inspirational category.

The first ethics code, that is the ALA, was adopted in 1938. For the most part, however, most library associations adopted their codes after 1975 (Koehler 84). Ethics codes are the enumeration of values to be applied. These shared values include service, access equality, respect, confidentiality and privacy, protection of intellectual property rights, literacy, technical literacy, stewardship, and professional and social obligations.

Ethics, law and moral                                                                                                                                                                                                      of Practical Reason, which concentrates on ethics, and the Critique of Judgment, which investigates aesthetics and teleology.(see Appendix)   3

John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), English philosopher, political theorist, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century whose works on liberty justified freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. (see Appendix)  

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In general, ethics is a moral philosophy where a person makes a specific moral choice and sticks to it. On the other hand, ethics in computing means moral guidelines to refer to when using the computer and computer networks. This includes the Internet. Law is a legal system comprising of rules and principles that govern the affairs of a community and controlled by a political authority. Law differs from one country to another. In the era of technology, computer law is needed to clarify goods or actions that fall under the computer law. Computer law refers to all areas in law that requires an understanding of computer technology such as hardware, software and Internet. Examples of laws of computing in Malaysia include the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Act, the Computer Crime Act 1997 and the Telemedicine Act 1997. Moral represent a set of mores, customs, and traditions that may have been derived from social practice or from religious guidance. Values are subset of moral. The application of values is ethics. Information ethics are perceived to be a subset of applied science ethics, or ethical principles that are both broad and theoretical but also have specific application. Both ethics and law are complimentary to each other and are made: •

to guide user from misuse.

•

to create a healthy information society, so that information are used to contribute to a better life.

•

to prevent any crime. Table 1: Differences between ethics and laws (for example computer law)

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ETHICS GUIDELINE

As a guideline to computer users.

MORAL STANDARDS

Ethical behavior is judged by moral standards.

FREE TO FOLLOW

Computer users are free to follow or ignore the code of ethics.

NO PUNISHMENTS

No punishment for anyone who violates ethics.

UNIVERSALS

Universal, can be applied anywhere, all over the world.

PRODUCE ETHICAL COMPUTER

To produce ethical computer users.

USERS IMMORAL

Not honoring computer ethics means ignoring the moral elements (immoral).

LAW CONTROL

As a rule to control computer users.

JUDICIAL STANDARDS

Law is judged by judicial standards.

MUST FOLLOW

Computer users must follow the regulations and law.

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PENALTIES, IMPRISONMENTS

Penalties, imprisonments and other punishments for

AND OTHER PUNISHMENTS

those who break the law.

DEPENDS ON COUNTRY

Depends on country and state where the rime is committed.

PREVENT MISUSING OF

To prevent misuse of computers.

COMPUTERS CRIME

Not honoring the law means committing a crime.

(Source: ICTL CD-ROM, 2008) A code of ethics and values A code of ethics can be thought of as a set of moral principles or guidelines, which govern behaviour and which enshrine a set of values and beliefs (McNutt 21). Where do information ethics come from? Lester and Koehler (341) identify three potential sources of professional ethics and values as follows: • writings of experts; • provisions of code of ethics; •

values information professionals report they hold.

Values from the expert studies such as Rubin and Froehlich (266), Koehler and Pemberton (30), state values and principles that appear across the studies include privacy, intellectual freedom, intellectual property right, access, and various social issues, such as literacy. Other values in some additional papers included, among others, diversity, equality of

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opportunity, preservation of the intellectual record, information literacy, confidentiality, and observance of trust placed in the professional by society. Meanwhile Patrick A. McNutt and Charlie A. Batho argue, values are intimately connected with moral and ethical codes, and determine what people think ought to be done. The value set is composed of rights and duties (McNutt and Batho 661). The Koehler and Pemberton (42) study found that six general areas of concern and many writers have identified same or all of the following value as core professional value: •

intellectual freedom

•

protecting user’s right to privacy/confidentiality

•

intellectual property right

•

professional neutrality

•

preservation of the cultural record

•

equity of access These six issues correspond well to six Kohler and Pemberton report and those that Rubin

and Froehlich (46) have described. Several code of ethics taken from organization in journalism, computing, and librarianship shows common elements and some of those reflected in the list above. There are specific tenets that differ because the professions differ. Journalism codes of ethics include a strong focus on accuracy, objectivity, and fairness. The library codes stress service. Computer science codes concern themselves with avoidance of harm and with service.

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Code of ethics example After abstract the various codes of ethics for the information professions, can be find that they can be reduced to two basic concepts. The first is “do what you do well”. The second is, “while doing it well, avoid harming others” (Lester and Koehler 343). It is means whatever you do it must be the right thing and do as best as you can. Also the thing that you do is not cause negative effect to other peoples. Here is some example of code from PPM, AIIP, CEI, and ALA from Malaysia and abroad for our reference (see figure 1, figure 2, figure 3, and figure 4).

CODE OF ETHICS Librarians must uphold and maintain the principles as laid down in the Constitution of the Librarians Association of Malaysia. In addition to this, they : 1. Must provide the highest level of service to library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources, equitable service policies and accurate, unbiased and courteous response to all requests. 2. Must strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing their knowledge and skills, and keeping abreast of developments in librarianship. 3. Should uphold the principle of intellectual freedom and allow users to have free and equal access to sources of information without discrimination, within the limits of the law. 4. Must protect the library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received, and materials consulted or borrowed. 5. Must distinguish between personal philosophy or attitudes and professional duties by not allowing personal beliefs to interfere with aims of the institution or professional body. 6. Must avoid situations in which personal interests and gains may be advanced at the expense of library users, colleagues or employing institutions. 7. Must ensure that actions and decisions are determined solely by professional jugdement; librarians should not profit from their position other than by normal remuneration or fee for professional services. 8. Must treat co-workers and fellow librarians with respect, fairness and goodwill.  

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Figure 1: Persatuan Pustakawan Malaysia Code of Ethics [Source: Code of Ethic by Admin, PPM., Web, September 2009].

All members of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP) agree to and support the objectives of AIIP and accept the following Code of Ethical Business Practice: •

Uphold the profession's reputation for honesty, competence, and confidentiality.

•

Give clients the most current and accurate information possible within the budget and time frames provided by the clients.

•

Help clients understand the sources of information used and the degree of reliability which can be expected from those sources.

•

Accept only those projects which are legal and are not detrimental to our profession.

•

Respect client confidentiality.

•

Recognize intellectual property rights.

•

Respect licensing agreements and other contracts. Explain to clients what their obligations might be with regard to intellectual property rights and licensing agreements.

•

Maintain a professional relationship with libraries and comply with all their rules of access.

•

Assume responsibility for employees' compliance with this code.

Approved by the membership May 5, 1989, at the Third Annual Meeting, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA.  

Figure 2: The Association of Independent Professionals Code of Ethical Business Practice

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Source: AIIP Code of Ethical Business Practice, AIIP, September 2009, web.

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

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. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation. 8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output. 9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing. 10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans. Figure 3: The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics   Source: Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics, CEI. September 2009, web. 1. We provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests. 2. We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources. 3. We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted. 4. We respect intellectual property rights and advocate balance between the interests of information users and rights holders. 5. We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions. 6. We do not advance private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or our employing institutions. 7. We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources. 8. We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.  

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Figure 4: ALA Code of Ethics Source: Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, Source: ALA., September 2009, Web. (Note: Preamble omitted). Information professionals There are three traditions that take up the information environment: the oral tradition, the written or print tradition, and the electronic tradition. According to June Lester and Wallace C. Koehler (151) with each of these, there are associated specific categories of information professionals: •

oral tradition- storytellers, shaman, actors, singers, consumers

•

written or print tradition- authors, publishers, distributors, managers(libraries), evaluators

•

electronic tradition- information architects, network managers, software/hardware engineers, broadcasters Some of the categories from the previous tradition continue, making transition to the new

format. However traditions do not ever completely replace the traditions that precede them, but they may displace them. For example the theater is alive and well despite the ubiquity of the cinema, radio, and television. The four major fields that contribute to the information professions ie: Computer Science, Management Information System (MIS), Library Science, and Information Science. Lester and Koehler (152) give four information related professions as follows:

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Information creation/discovery profession- authors and artist, journalist, and intelligent agents.

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Information transmission profession- postal service such as Pos Malaysia, FedEx, telegraph, telephone, traffic lights, and the internet.

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Management-related professions- information architects, IT manag...