A synthesized definition and analysis of computer ethics

Abstract

Computing ethics is a complex area of study that is of significant importance to the computing community and global society. Such concerns as surveillance and automation underscore the need for increased ethical understanding and training in computing. However, education and research in computing ethics are difficult due to the diverse meanings of ethics. This content analysis study analyzed definitions of computer ethics, the subject matter of computer ethics, and the relationship between the definition and subject matter. The purpose of this study was to educe and present the meaning of computing ethics, resulting in a thematic definition of computing ethics for use in education and research. This analysis also provides a coherent concept of the subject matter of computing ethics in relation to the synthesized definition. This study discusses definition and subject matter themes that emerged such as interdisciplinarity, collaboration, scholars and professionals, contributions and costs, computing artifacts, global society, privacy, design and development, and use. The results of this study can assist computing ethicists with research, aid computing educators with curriculum development, and provide a theoretical frame for relating ethics to computing. This exploration demonstrates that groups within the computing community can find common ground, even on such a difficult and complex matter as ethics.