Analysis of Ethical Issues in a Case Study of ICT Professional

Client Database
Professional Practice

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................. 2
Analysis using Doing Ethics Technique.....................................................................................3
What’s going on?..................................................................................................................3
What are the facts?..............................................................................................................3
What are the issues?............................................................................................................3
Who is affected?...................................................................................................................4
What are the ethical issues and implications?.....................................................................5
What can be done about it?.................................................................................................5
What are the options?..........................................................................................................5
Which option is best – and why?..........................................................................................6
Analysis using ACS Code of Ethics............................................................................................ 7
Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 9
References..............................................................................................................................10
Page 1

Introduction
The importance of business ethics has grown substantially with the increase in unethical
behaviour of organisations and individuals in the business sector. In case of information and
technology industry, the role of ethics has grown as well, and organisations focus on
implementing a code of conduct in order to ensure that ICT professionals perform their
operations ethically (Burmeister, 2017). In the information and communication technology
field, the professionals deal with the confidential data of clients along with confidential
information about the company, therefore, they have to maintain a high level of standard of
care to ensure that they did not violate the privacy of clients or the organisation. In this
paper, a case study relating to ICT professional will be evaluated to understand various key
issues including confidentiality of information, privacy, and security of clients’ data,
professional conduct and others. The case study will be analysed through the Doing Ethics
Technique (DET) which focuses on giving the answers to the simple question in order to
identify the ethical dilemma in a particular case and find out relevant solutions for the
ethical issues raised in the case study. This report will also use the Code of Ethics given by
the Australian Computer Society (ACS) to identify the ethical dilemmas raised in the case
study and what necessary measures should be taken by the ICT professionals while facing
these issues.
Page 2

Analysis using Doing Ethics Technique
What’s going on?
In this case, Max is working for a large state department which maintains a large database in
which the information of clients is stored relating to alcoholism and drug abuse, and some
of these details include the name of the clients along with their address. The department
has ordered Max to prepare a report based on the data of the clients in order to determine
the number of clients who have joined the program for each month in the last five years.
Max is required to analyse the length of treatment of clients along with the number of
clients who returned for completing the program, criminal histories and others. Max was
giving access to these files in the computer of the agency; however, he downloaded the files
into his computer in the office. Max decided to work from home in order to complete the
task within the given deadline. He burned the information of the clients on a CD to take
home. After completing the report, Max forgot to take back the CD back to the office.
What are the facts?
 Max was given access to the database of the agency which included information
relating to alcoholism and drug abuse of clients. The names and addresses of the
clients are written on the reports given to Max by the agency.
 Max was given authority to work on the mainframe computer of the agency;
however, he downloaded the files of the clients onto his office computer.
 In order to work on the report on the weekend, Max decided to take the files to his
home. He burned the information onto a CD to take to home and work on the same.
 After completing his report, Max forgot the CD at his home and did not take it back
to the office.
What are the issues?
1. Firstly, the agency which keeps the data on the clients regarding their alcoholism and
drug abuse write the key information of clients on the reports which include the
name of the clients and their addresses.
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