Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong Campus
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya 3700

College of Arts & Science

Department of Computer Science
IT20 – Professional Ethics
CASE Analysis

Scenario: XYZ Corporation plans to monitor secretly the Web pages visited by its employees,
using a data mining program to analyze the access records. Chris, an engineer at XYZ,
recommends that XYZ purchase a data mining program from Robin, an independent
contractor, without mentioning that Robin is Chris’s domestic partner. Robin had developed
this program while previously employed at UVW Corporation, without the awareness of
anyone at UVW.

1. As professionals and individuals how do actors in the story must act I relation to ACM Code
1.7, Respect the privacy of others, and 3.5, Articulate and support policies that protect the
dignity of users and others affected by a computing system?

: In relation to ACM Code 1.7, Respect the privacy of others as a professional the actors
must act properly and do their plan in right way without violating the ACM Code 1.7. They
must acknowledge and ask for the consent of their employees in XYZ Corporation about
the plan that they are going to do to make it legal and give respect to ACM Code 1.7 as a
professional.

And in Accordance to ACM Code 3.5, Articulate, apply and support policies. Chris as a
professional engineer and also an employee of XYZ Corporation, he must be transparent
about his plans and transactions in the company. So that he can assure that he’s not
violating any policies that XYZ Corporation has. And also as a leader Chris must be a good
role model in their corporation by following the policies of XYZ Corporation.

2. Internalizing the ACM Code 1.3, 1.5 and 2.6, how does Chris aligned himself as he practices
his profession?

(ACM Code 1.3, Be honest and trustworthy).

(ACM Code 1.5, Honor property rights including copyrights and patent, and 2.6, Honor
contracts, agreements, and assigned responsibilities).

: As a professional engineer, Chris must properly in accordance and respect to ACM

Code of Ethics. At the very first part of the scenario about what XYZ Corporation is planning
he must advise of what they are planning to do can violate the privacy of their employees.
And secondly as Chris recommends Robin he should be honest and transparent about his
relation to robin that they are domestic partners. Because Honesty is essential component
of trustworthiness. And lastly about the program that robin developed in his previous
employer, Chris must advise Robin to ask the consent of the corporation although it was
Robin’s masterpiece as stated in the scenario that Robin developed the program while he
was still in the UVW Corporation. So as a professional they must act properly in accordance
and with respect to ACM Code of Ethics.