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This week we discuss ethics in programming and whether there should be a code of professionalism in the expanding world of computing
Programming Ethics
http://www.businessinsider.com/programmers-confess-unethical-illegal-tasks-asked-of-them-2016-11
This week’s article is Programmers are having a huge discussion about the unethical and illegal things they’ve been asked to do By Julie Bort of Business Insider
Based in part by a post by Bill Sourour entitled The code I’m still ashamed of
https://medium.freecodecamp.com/the-code-im-still-ashamed-of-e4c021dff55e#.2g4t254rh
Bill’s Story
- Started coding at a young age
- Worked in web design and had a pharmaceutical company client
- Was asked to create a site that targeted young girls and directed them toward the client’s drug
- Later learned the drug side effects included depression and thoughts of suicide
- His part in promoting this drug still troubles him today
Coders Have the Power
- “Uncle” Bill Martin
- There is software in everything
- Governments and leaders think they make the rules, but they write the rules down and hand them to a programmer
- Volkswagen EPA problems (coders made the cheat)
- Will a big software error cost a large number of lives on day?
Self Governing Code of Ethics
- Think of the way Doctors regulate their practice
- Programmers should hold to a code of ethics and determine when people are not suited to “practice coding”
- Without this it is possible the government could regulate them instead
- How programmers are taught (in bootcamps vs colleges)