The Importance of Understanding Ethics in Information Security When Learning How to Code

Software development is one of the most sought-after professions globally, thanks to the rapidly growing tech field and the fulfilling career options. For many people looking to enter into the world of computer programming, getting a high-quality education and gaining the right skills are the topmost priorities. However, many developers don’t pay keen attention to the codes of conduct and ethical deliberation of becoming a software developer.

That said, ethics, for a long time, have not been a critical part of software development. This is partly because the niche is relatively new compared to other professional fields such as medicine and traditional engineering. Today, several ethical issues have emerged in the computer programming world. If you are new to coding, it’s essential to have these ethical practices in mind so you can build and grow your career in the right direction.

Before we look at the importance of information security (InfoSec) ethics in computer programming, let’s first see how ethical issues arise in software development.

Learning how to code

Ethical Issues in Software Development

Software developers are often regarded as tech-savvy, detail-oriented, and introverted guys working on complicated design projects. And while there’s nothing ethical to that, the extent of their job description can either make things better or worse for everyone that interacts with their creation. A perfect example would be a cloud-based software designed to collect personal customer data but with weak and failing application security. That would mean compromising the privacy of many people, or even worse, giving malicious actors privileged access to personal data.

Here are the other ethical issues common in software development:

Addictive Design

Over the years, there’s been a critical concern about the role that specific software applications play besides what they are designed for. Examples include social media sites and gaming apps that are highly addictive with the potential to fuel depression among users. The majority of the companies responsible for such software are aware of the impact that their creations have on the broader population, but very few admit that this is a consequence of their design.

By exploring addictive design and understanding how it can have an ethical implication on the people using it, you can help minimize their adverse impacts. That means rethinking everything from the quality and quantity of content, data collection, and transparency to monetization techniques.

Personal Data Ownership

All software and websites that ask for personal information promise to keep it safe, and how they use them is questionable. In organizations with enough technological capabilities, it’s possible to leverage machine learning to process the data, scan user profiles and predict their behaviors. The level at which this is possible and the intentions for going this far is quite questionable. Even worse, some companies may outrightly decide to monetize the critical data, hence violating the data privacy rule and going against their promises.

While learning to code and building your skills from the ground up, you need to understand that every decision you make comes with some consequences. So, if you will be a genuine software developer who prioritizes data privacy and values transparency and customer trust, maintaining your ethical stand will set you ahead of the rest.

Prioritizing System or Software Features over Impact

At the heart of software development are the capabilities that every software or application offers and the unique features that make them stand out. Every software developer must have the tone for ethical standards that helps define what’s technologically viable and what’s not.

Therefore, coding students shouldn’t measure their success purely on the rate of feature development but also the impact and type of market problem that the design seeks to solve. Implementing this into the ethos and values of software development will help nurture talents that are more useful in the real-world environment.

Benefits of Developer Ethics

Several software development organizations and professional authorities have created some form of pledges and commandments designed to keep their practice sane and ethical. Examples include the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics by the Computer Ethics Institute and the ACM Code of Ethics by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

These ethics help keep software development and online computer programming work for everyone by distinguishing between wrong and right. They also create a pledge and commitment to integrity, honesty, and fairness, helping bring together developers for a common and good cause.

That said, the key principles in InfoSec ethics lie with the ground rules that detail honesty and respect for privacy and intellectual property. Ideally, this would also stretch to professional responsibilities and professional leadership principles where ethics have got the upper hand.

If you are learning to code, these ethics serve as a moral guide, giving you hints on the acceptable way of being, not only as a software developer but also as a decent and responsible human being.