Computer Ethics - Assessment (1999)

The assessment involves writing an essay on one of the following topics:

Discuss the BCS Code of Conduct and Code of Practice. Give examples of situations which may arise illustrating a point selected by you from each of the four main sections in the Code of Conduct.
What are the important issues in the use of software in safety-critical systems? Include examples of the use of software in such systems, discussing potential and actual problems that have already occurred and could occur in the future.
Discuss the principles presented in Schedule 1 of the UK 1998 Data Protection Act, giving brief example scenarios of why each of the principles is included.
Select two of the ACM case study example scenarios and comment in detail on the ethical issues from the point of view of each of the personnel involved.
Your essay should include various arguments explicitly mentioning different ethical theories covered on the course and researched by you in your background reading. Extra marks will be obtained by demonstrating additional research, explicitly quoting from other sources besides the recommended text and lecture notes (e.g., books, articles, documents, the Web, media such as TV and newspapers, etc.). You may include references to published work if desired.

Further information can be found on-line under:

/cs/people/jpb/teaching/ethics.html

For the Part III Database and Ethics unit (3/CS/6S), by Jonathan Bowen.