ACS Code of

Professional
Conduct

Word Count- 1045

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................ 4
ACS Code of Professional Conduct.............................................................................. 4
Recommendations...................................................................................................... 7
Reference................................................................................................................... 8

Introduction
This report is in continuation of the earlier paper in which we have discussed about ICT and
ethical dilemma related to social media websites using user information for their own interest.
Earlier we have discussed about the old school ethics theory with a planned argument and its
practical industry standards for the code of ethics. We have earlier discussed the issue related to
the field of ICT with the DET technique which helped us to technically relate the term ethics
with technicality. Taking a brief of the case taken in the previous paper, Online companies and
social media giants like Facebook, Google + has been seen using the user information and
making it meaningful by converting the same information and data for some research for their
own benefit. There have been reports of Facebook using the users profile information to interpret
it in to human psychology and likings. With the help of these information studies they can help
themselves to modify and develop accordingly. Now in this paper we are again discussing about
ICT and ethics but with the Code of Professional Conduct (the Code) of Australian Computer
society. Generally there are many societies for the professional code of ethics and it is generally
used by the professionals to quote as a resolution in case of professional conflicts and issues. In
many cases the ACS code has worked well to resolve the ethical dilemmas.

ACS Code of Professional Conduct

The professional code provided by the ACS is essentially based on six core ethical standards or
values. As discussed above this code is given for professional conduct for all the members of
ACS and even in case of ethical issues it can be used as a regulation or reference. Any
organisation or institution which works in the field of Information and communication
technology (ICT) can apply ACS code as a regulation in their dealings. This code was brought in

to existence by the society to make all its members to abide by the values stated under it. In case
of any member showing its inability to abide by any of these values then disciplinary step can be
taken against the same.

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Figure 1- ACS CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

The Primacy of the Public Interest

Facebook today has turned itself in to a necessity and its users have been seeing devoting
a good part of their time doing interactions and socializing with their friends and
relatives. It is the prime responsibility of facebook to put the public or their users interest
first. Any information provided by the user though is available with them but they should
not use it for their own interests before taking the permission from the user. Safety of the
data of users is the issue related to public interest.

The Enhancement of Quality of Life

This point is very close to this case since facebook is generally termed as social media
company which has brought a lot of quality change in the life of its users. With the help
of facebook, its users can reach and interact with their friends and family in a hassle free
way, hence bringing a lot of change in their social lives. The field of ICT has
convincingly changed the society in the last one decade and the value of giving a
personal satisfaction to its user has been termed by the ACS.

Honesty
The news of facebook using the information and data of its users was criticized by many
sections of the society and it really hurt the sentiments of the public. In the field of ICT if
a trust is broken once then a bad name is attached to you forever. For facebook it was
their duty to observe utmost honesty in their conduct.

Competence
Facebook and other social media giants must know their limits and should perform their
conduct with reference to the values provided by the ACS. They should not have
misinterpreted the conduct of using user data. They are not known for taking data and
processing it for some study rather they are a social media company. To them protecting
their users interest and information is the matter of competence. New technologies should
be brought in by Facebook with the help of which they can protect scams and issues
regularly heard by us.

Professional Development
For facebook being up-to-date to new technologies and interface is highly required. A
data protection mechanism should be brought in to the picture. Also it has been seen that

facebooks servers sometime get busy and hang up which create unnecessary jam for the
facebook users to operate the account. In fact a professional development related which
showcases the need of users should be created by facebook. To upgrade you in ICT and
especially in our case for facebook with new methods or technologies is a continuous
task.

Professionalism
The field of ICT which is quite new and considering facebook which is just a decade old
and because of this there have been no regulations for the same to protect the interests of
its stakeholders. But as every field requires professionalism so does this. It is matter of
user dignity and equivalence.

Recommendations
In this paper we discussed about ICT and ethics with the Code of Professional Conduct (the
Code) of Australian Computer society. The professional code provided by the ACS is essentially
based on six core ethical standards or values. The recommendations which will like to
recommend are prime responsibility of facebook should be putting the public or their users
interest first, the value of giving a personal satisfaction should be brought in, duty to observe
utmost honesty in their conduct, protecting their users interest and information is the matter of
competence and a related professional development which display the need of users should be
created by facebook.

Reference

ACS (2003) Code of Ethics, copyright 2003, http://www.acs.org.aulabOUl_acs!

acs13l.html
Levitt, D., & Aligo, A. (2013). Moral Orientation as a Component of Ethical Decision
Making.Counseling
And
Values, 58(2),
195-204.
doi:10.1002/j.2161007x.2013.00033.x
McDermid, D. (2008a). Employment and work. In D. McDermid (Ed.), Ethics in ICT An
Australian Perspective (pp. 231-248). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.