It's Simple

In reading through the ACM Code of Ethics and scriptures like Matthew 23 I came to the realization that the question of how we can act ethically has a simple answer.  There are many specific things that can define ethical behavior but when it comes down to it ethical behavior is simply being aware of others and being honest.  When we as employees and employers do what we said we'd do, say what should be said, and think about the broader impact of our work on the lives of all around us (including ourselves and our families) then we will be sure to act ethically.  When we lose sight of the broader framework of what we are doing we then start to act unethically.  This shortsightedness blinds us to the possible effects of our behavior on others and ourselves.  All we must do, then, to be ethical is to keep in our minds that we do not live in isolation and do what we know is right.

Responsibility

As members of the technology industry we enable society.  There is great power in our hands to impact the lives of others for better or for worse.  With this kind of power we have a moral obligation to do more than collect a paycheck. We need to find something meaningful to be passionate about so that we can create something of quality.  Although the user’s agency ultimately determines the impact of software, what technology we create and why we create it can guide the User.  The things we create will shape the lives of those who use them so we have a tremendous responsibility to create and maintain technology that edifies and uplifts.  Stepping up to the plate and wholly fulfilling this responsibility will allow us to impact other people’s lives for good and maybe even change the world.  So, what will we do with the power we hold when we get to the workforce?  Will we put our efforts into those things that are uplifting or distracting? How are we going to enrich the lives of others?

It's all connected

The LDS church has a great appreciation for technology and has taken full advantage of it.  In the Church technology can impact eternity in its ability to aid in family history work, missionary work, and providing resources to families and individuals in their efforts to learn about the Gospel.  I don't think we truly realize the spiritual impact technology has on our lives.  Whether enabling us to find deceased persons that can benefit from the ordinances of the Gospel or just burning time on the internet, our use of technology has eternal significance.  Technology has ruined the lives of some and can interfere in our relationships with others.  Those addicted to pornography grapple with the ease of access technology provides and also teeter on the brink of spiritual bankruptcy.  Even something as simple as surfing the internet can take time away from those things that matter most.  Thinking of technology like this prompts me to consider how I use it and what I am getting out of it spiritually.

You Don't Need a Bigger Truck

Dallin H. Oaks, in a talk entitled "Focus and Priorities," uses a story about two men selling watermelons to caution us that having more information available is not always a good thing.  His remarks got me thinking that the wealth of information today has actually made us less educated than before.  I consider education as the process of internalizing information and skills in such a way that they can easily be recalled and used in the future.  With that definition in mind it seems obvious to me that many people are less educated than before the so-called "age of information."  Rarely does anyone really internalize information anymore preferring instead to look it up once, use it, forget it, and then repeat the cycle again when needed.  In my opinion, that is not becoming more educated and yet so many people convince themselves that they are smarter because of it.