The 2018 rewrite of the ACM code of ethics and professional conduct has brought it up-to-date with new technologies and societal demands. This code supports the ethical conduct of computing professionals through a set of guidelines for positively working in the tech industry.
The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct aims to help professionals reflect upon the impact of their work and act responsibly:
The Code is designed to inspire and guide the ethical conduct of all computing professionals, including current and aspiring practitioners, instructors, students, influencers, and anyone who uses computing technology in an impactful way. Additionally, the Code serves as a basis for remediation when violations occur.
The code of ethics is divided into four sections.
Section 1 General Ethical Principlesstates that a computing professional should contribute to human well-being, avoid harm, be honest and trustworthy; be fair and take action to not discriminate; respect the work required to produce new ideas, inventions, creative works and computational artifacts; and respect privacy and honor confidentiality. These principles provide the fundament for ethical conduct.
Source: Why Should We Care About Technology Ethics? The Updated ACM Code of Ethics
