Communications of the ACM

acm code of ethics and professional conduct
Why Does the Code Need
to be Updated?

The ACM website prominently displays: “Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession” and “We see a world where computing helps solve tomorrow’s problems—where we use our knowledge and skill to advance the profession and make a positive impact.”a These quotes are a high-level description of the goals and purposes of the ACM. The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conductb (“the Code”) describes what brings us together as a profession. It expresses a social contract we have as professional members of the ACM, a contract describing what we expect of each other and of ourselves as members of the ACM. As members of the ACM we have all consented to the Code; that consent underlies the conscience of our profession and is the foundation for our shared expectations of each other.

The Code provides guidance to ACM members about committing to ethical professional conduct. The Code identifies fundamental considerations for contributing to societal and human well-being. Every ACM member who renews a membership agrees to adhere to this code, a code that was written a quarter of a century ago.

The current version of the Code was
approved in 1992. This version of the
Code made significant advances over
its predecessor. Recognizing that the
Code provides guidelines for mem-
bers of a rapidly developing profes-
sion, in 1992 the ACM replaced spe-
cific rules that mandated following
specific technologies (which might
become outdated) with statements
of aspirations based on broad ethi-
cal principles. In its role of advancing
a ACM Web banner http://www.acm.org/. Ac-
cessed 2016-10-04
b Bylaw 15 the ACM Code of Ethics and Profes-
sional Conduct https://www.acm.org/gover-
nance/acm-bylaws#bylaw15
professionalism and producing a pos-
itive impact on society, the ACM also
replaced the previous primary func-
tion of monitoring member behavior
with an emphasis on educating about
the principles of ethical behavior in
computing and providing guidance in
ethical decision making.c
The 1992 Code was reviewed by
ACM membership and received a
consensus and a commitment of its
members to the ethical principles
embodied in it. Sometimes these
commitments are expressed as rules
and sometimes as ideals, but the es-
sential function was to clarify and for-
mally state the professional’s moral
responsibility toward society.

The 1992 Code organized ethical
principles into four categories: gen-
eral moral imperatives, more specific
professional responsibilities, organi-
zational leadership imperatives, and
compliance. The principles were not
canonical pronouncements requir-
ing the use of particular technologi-
cal solutions. Instead, these ethical
markers of professionalism were pre-
sented as goals and ideals to which
the morally responsible professional
practitioner should aspire. The prin-
ciples were accompanied by guide-
lines and illustrations showing their
application to a developing comput-
ing profession.d
The 1992 Code has been robust
and useful in guiding decision-mak-
ing. Over the years, the Code was used
as a guide to instruct students enter-
ing the profession, as a decision sup-
port tool for computing practitioners,
as a standard for the public to judge
the professionalism of practitioners,
c Using the New ACM Code of Ethics in Deci-
sion Making. Ronald E. Anderson, Deborah
G. Johnson, Donald Gotterbarn, and Judith
Perrolle. Comm. ACM 36, 2 (1993), 98–107;
doi: 10.1145/151220.151231.

d Ronald E Anderson. The ACM code of ethics:

History, process, and implications. Social Issues in Computing. McGraw Hill New York, N Y,

1994, 48–71.

and as an aid to address legal issues and ethical tensions.e The ACM Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE) often receives questions about applying the Code; in the last few years, many of those questions were related to artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics.

In the 25 years since the drafting of the 1992 Code began, there have been two significant, interconnected, and broad kinds of changes: 1) amazing changes in computing technology, and 2) important changes in how deeply that technology is integrated into social structures and into people’s daily lives. The technical changes are substantial. The number of people impacted and the intensity of that impact have been astonishing.

Twenty-five years ago, a “smart car” had an automatic transmission and, perhaps, antilock brakes. Sending self-ies and tweets from your mobile phone were science fiction. The Web was in its infancy.

In 1992 the number of people us-
ing and controlling computers seemed
limited. Computers were typically in a
fixed location, and were just beginning
to connect via the Internet. Comput-
ers were used to print bills, to control
some highly specified processes, and
to guide military devices. They man-
aged and recorded financial informa-
tion, controlled some processes on our
automobiles, and controlled micro-
waves in the air and in our kitchens. It
made sense for most scholars in com-
puting to have a narrow focus on the
analysis of algorithms and a study of
e Markoff, John. “Apple’s Engineers, If Defi-
ant, Would Be in Sync with Ethics Code.” The
New York Times Blog; http://www.nytimes.
com/2016/03/19/technology/apples-engi-
neers-if-defiant-would-be-in-sync-with-ethics-
code.html. Accessed 2016-10-04

Mullin, Joe. Google Puts Its Expert on the Stand to Combat Oracle, Wraps up Its Case. Ars Technica; http://arstechnica.com/tech- policy/2016/05/google-puts-its-expert-on-the- stand-to-combat-oracle-wraps-up-its-case/ Accessed 2016-10-04