Ethical Standards for Information Systems Professionals: A Case for a Unified Code

This article presents the principles of five codes: three U.S. codes, the Canadian code, and the British code and proposes that they be resolved and adopted as a single, coherent, international code of ethics for the information systems community.

Abstract

Professions have adopted ethical codes and codes of conduct. Physicians, lawyers, and engineers have moral responsibilities and know to whom they are responsible. Professionals in the information systems field need similar guidance. Unfortunately, multiple professional standards in the field are offered by individual organizations. Many of the precepts in these codes are similar, but some are not. This article presents the principles of five codes: three U.S. codes, the Canadian code, and the British code. After an examination of their similarities and differences, it is proposed that we (1) resolve the differences and (2) adopt a single, coherent, international code of ethics for the information systems community.