Importance of Ethics in Software Engineering

Computers have an important role in our day to day life. Software engineers contribute directly in developing and maintaining all these machines, indispensable to our life. Because their role is so important in developing software systems, software engineers have chance to do good, cause harm, or to allow others to do bad things. To ensure that they work for the good side, software engineers must commit themselves to making software engineering a beneficial and respected profession.

In the software world, like in ethical world, if a good belief exists, such as everything will be perfect, things can fall completely on the other side. People think, and make different decisions, but understanding the way how they make those decisions, and discuss the opinions with others, will help reach a better agreement. Underlying some ethical principles, make a job more understandable, but these principles can be applied differently. Often, the reasons for different interpretations hide personal interests, which other people may not agree on. If people at least understand each other's point of view, they will have an idea to try and seek something acceptable toward all of them.

Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. According to the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, engineers have to adhere to the Eight Ethics Principles (SEEPP). First rule talk about the software engineer's action, which has to be in the public interest. They also have to work in a manner that is good for client and employer. As engineering, they have to build products which meet the highest professional standard possible. Their judgment has to keep integrity and independence in the professional decisions. As managers, and leaders, they have to promise and support an ethical manner in developing and maintaining software. Software engineering shall develop the honesty and good standing of the profession consistent with the public interest. As team members, these masters shall be fair to and helpful of their colleagues. A software engineer is always a supporter of innovation, and he or she shall participate in lifetime learning regarding practice of profession, promoting an ethical approach to the applying of the science.

Others software engineering association, like IEEE agrees

...