Professional ethics in IT profession - Admission/Application Essay Example

Professional ethics in IT profession The importance of professional ethics over the years cannot be over looked. The main reason for developing these ethics is to help professionals deal with problems that they encounter in their different occupations. They are guidelines that help them make the correct decision when faced with work problems that raises moral issues. These ethics keep check on how professionals use their skills and knowledge when they are of service to the public. The training that professionals receive makes them have an edge over ordinary people as they are in a position where they can make judgment and reach at informed decisions in certain situations (Corey, et al 2011).

The IT professional unlike the other professions is a fast-paced one that is constantly evolving. This makes it hard to set ethic code as the technological advancements and innovation brings about to new situations. This factor has made the profession lack a body that makes the rules in the profession something which is different from the other professions (Corey, et al 2011). It professions are however required to be mindful of their work responsibilities, being competent, upholding personal and professional integrity and human welfare advancement.

The basis of professional ethics in IT is to ensure that IT professionals are accountable to their actions and have the freedom to think outside the box while conducting their job as it is essential to their career. The ethics are meant to give people the belief that although there is no body tasked with coming up with the rules in the profession, the IT professionals are accountable and responsible just like those in other professions. An IT professional is supposed to have integrity in his or her work dealings and this is put into consideration when a dispute arises.

Although IT ethics are not drafted in an IT professional code of ethics, a profession is supposed to be mindful of any responsibility given to him or her (Corey, et al 2011). This willing accountability makes people to hold IT professionals to high standards. The confidentiality of the customer should be upheld at all times. This applies to the experts who have a contract with a company or person of developing a firewall or creating and running a website for them. The professional is not supposed to share sensitive information to other people.

It is wrong for a IT specialist to be hired by any person or company to hack into another person or company’s system in order to know certain things about them. It is wrong for a professional to engage in such an act and the people expect him or her to pass such an offer when presented (Corey, et al 2011). Trust is one of the core determinants of whether IT professional ethics will work. A professional needs to trust that the laid down and generally acceptable principles are not oppressive in any way.

This makes such a person respect the ethics and always uphold them in their work. Trust is a two-way thing and so people should trust the ethical code within which IT specialists operate on. People need to feel that the ethics protect their interests and that the professionals are accountable to any action they take (Corey, et al 2011). The fast pace and highly changing nature of the profession makes it hard to draft code of conduct for the professionals. This raises valuable questions different from the facts.

One question raised is whether there are loopholes created by this lack of ethical codes, and the fact is that there are a lot of them, which some malicious professionals exploit. ReferenceCorey, G., Corey, M. S., & Callanan, P. (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. Belmont, Calif: Brooks/Cole.