Name:
(as it would appear on official course roster)
Umail address:	@umail.ucsb.edu	section 4pm, 5pm, 6pm
Optional: name you wish to be called if different from name above.
Optional: name of "homework buddy" (leaving this blank signifies "I worked alone"

h08: ACM Code of Ethics

ready?	assigned	due	points
true	Mon 02/25 02:00PM	Mon 03/04 02:00PM

You may collaborate on this homework with AT MOST one person, an optional "homework buddy".

MAY ONLY BE TURNED IN IN THE LECTURE/LAB LISTED ABOVE AS THE DUE DATE,
OR IF APPLICABLE, SUBMITTED ON GRADESCOPE. There is NO MAKEUP for missed assignments;
in place of that, we drop the three lowest scores (if you have zeros, those are the three lowest scores.)

Please read: https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics

The ACM Code of Ethics contains passages that refer to both legal and ethical principles.

Legal principles have the force of law, either civil or criminal law

Violations of civil law can result in lawsuits, where companies or individuals must pay damages
Violations of criminal law can result in fines/sanctions for companies or individuals, or prison sentences for individuals held responsible for the crimes.

A precise definition of “Ethics” is a subject worthy of an entire course. Philosophers have debated this throughout human history, and likely will never fully come to a final consensus. However, in general discussions of ethics refer to acting out of a sense of what is moral, just, and right, according to one’s conscience, rather than acting out of compulsion or self-interest.

In this context, we’ll adopt a simplified definition, based on the first paragraph of the ACM Code of Ethics:

Computing professionals’ actions change the world. To act responsibly, they should reflect upon the wider impacts of their work, consistently supporting the public good. The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (“the Code”) expresses the conscience of the profession.

We can therefore, operationally define Ethics for purposes of this assignment as rules and principles that “guide computing professionals’ actions” towards “consistently supporting the public good”, out of a sense of duty to act responsibly.

Then answer these questions

(10 pts) Please fill in the information at the top of this homework sheet, including your name and umail address. Put the time your discussion section starts (4pm, 5pm, 6pm) in the space indicated (the one you are registered for—even if you usually attend a different one.) If the other two items apply, please fill them in as well. Please do this every single time you submit homework for this class.
(5 pts) True or False (mark one below)

When faced with an ethical problem, you can turn to the ACM Code of Ethics and apply it as a kind of “algorithm” for ethical decision making.

☐ True ☐ False
(5 pts) Explain your answer to the previous problem (i.e. if you marked “true”, explain how the algorithm works. If you marked “false”, explain why the ACM code of ethics cannot be applied in an algorithmic fashion.)
As outlined on p.1 of this homework assigment, the ACM Code of Ethics contains passage that refer to both legal and ethical principles. Please re-read that introduction before answering these questions.
1. (20 pts) Identify a legal principle referred to in the ACM Code of Ethics. In your answer:
  - Indicate the section number from which the principle comes (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.)
  - State the principle briefly
  - Present a convincing argument that it is a legal principle (in contradistiction to being an ethical principle).
2. (20 pts) Give an example of a situation that arises in the professional practice of computing where this legal principle arises.
3. (20 pts) Identify an ethical principle referred to in the ACM Code of Ethics. In your answer:
  - Indicate the section number from which the principle comes (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.)
  - State the principle briefly
  - Present a convincing argument that it is an ethical principle (in contradistiction to being a legal principle).
4. (20 pts) Give an example of a situation that arises in the professional practice of computing where this ethical principle arises.