Code of Ethics in Computer Networking - Essay Example

Information Technology as a field simply could not have existed without the presence of networks and other allied technologies.

While these technologies bring many advantages to us, they also create responsibilities and opportunities for misuse. Therefore a code of ethics that guides IT-related professionals become necessary to maintain a level of professionalism that does not interfere with the actual performance of duties. In this regard, the code of ethics given by AITP (2007) is quite beautiful since it is one of the more concise codes of ethics that I have seen and it manages to cover nearly all aspects of ethics which an IT professional may have issues with.

The compact nature and the concise approach taken by the code of ethics is the primary strength of the document since it is little more than one page in length yet it covers areas such as the obligation to the employer, the country, society, and the profession itself. However, the brevity of the code certainly brings about its weakness since the code is not as detailed as the ANA nursing code of ethics of other ethical codes which have chapters upon chapters and articles within articles.

The AITP (2007) code of ethics guides the professional conduct of individuals by having the individual acknowledge that s/he has a set of responsibilities towards various stakeholders and these responsibilities need to be discharged with diligence and with a sense of duty. The code of ethics does not tell the professional what to do in situations where ethics can be brought into question yet it does guide the professional towards seeking sources of information such as the code of ethics used by the employer with whom the professional is employed the moment.

Such a code of ethics can be applied very simply in professional life since it shows me that as a networking professional, I will be responsible to uphold quite a few trusts that will be placed within me as a professional. These include the trust of my employers, my colleagues, my educational institute, and society at large since all of them deserve my respect. In conclusion, I find this code of ethics to be quite useful and inspirational since it presents a vision of ethics that would be beneficial for all IT professionals. Read More