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posted by Fnord666 on Monday August 13 2018, @11:10AM   Printer-friendly
from the Keep-everything-under-digital-lock dept.

Computer Programmers get new Tech Ethics Code

The guidelines come from the Association for Computing Machinery

Technological professionals are the first, and last, lines of defense against the misuse of technology. Nobody else understands the systems as well, and nobody else is in a position to protect specific data elements or ensure the connections between one component and another are appropriate, safe and reliable. As the role of computing continues its decades-long expansion in society, computer scientists are central to what happens next.

Personally, I am quite concerned that our Congress has not attached Responsibility with Rights when it comes to software. If someone is going to claim ownership and rights to a piece of code then protect it with electronic lock or obscurity, why aren't they also held 100% responsible if that code causes mayhem?

We just had a story here about the concerns we have about a hemoglobin based meat substitute ... and what we go through to make damn sure the substance is harmless to life before we introduce it into the food chain... and even *that* has to be completely described and its molecular structure demonstrated.

Can you imagine the uproar if Chemists started releasing anything tasty, that people would eat, and call it "food"? And would our Congress grant them the right to withhold information as to what it was? Then hold them harmless for whatever it did to people?


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  • (Score: 2, Flamebait) by VLM on Monday August 13 2018, @02:00PM (3 children)

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 13 2018, @02:00PM (#720973)

    You also have time value issues, WRT politics Overton window moving very fast on the left.

    Manufacturing a product white people buy such that it doesn't electrocute them or burn their house down might be declared ethically "racist" in a couple years, for example at current trends.

    Somewhat less hypothetical, is manufacture of hair straightening beauty products for women, or presumably working in such a companies IT department, inherently unethical and racist or merely meeting a market need for random and arbitrary standards of beauty or ...

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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by RS3 on Monday August 13 2018, @03:51PM (2 children)

    by RS3 (6367) on Monday August 13 2018, @03:51PM (#721017)

    This is awesome, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 13 2018, @05:05PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 13 2018, @05:05PM (#721045)

      Wow, you just love all the crazies on this site! Lovely company you choose to endorse.

      • (Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday August 14 2018, @03:22AM

        by RS3 (6367) on Tuesday August 14 2018, @03:22AM (#721217)

        Comeon, it's free entertainment! Someone's got to egg them on. :)