Conference 7.286::digital

247.0. "System Management Ethics" by GOBLIN::MCVAY (Pete McVay, VRO (Telecomm)) Mon Jan 12 1987 12:25

    I periodically mess up relevant NOTES files by dropping in the
    following information.  I like the concepts presented, and have
    included them in any discussion of policies for any computers that
    I happen to be in charge of at the moment.  (Thankfully, that has
    become a rarer occurrence...)

    Anyway, what follows is long--you may want to SAVE it to a file
    and read it locally:

                        =============================
            Computer Ethics: The Stanley House Guidelines

     In 1976, the Canadian government sponsored a meeting in Quebec at
the  "Stanley  House",  composed  of  top  data processing experts and
philosophers.  The meeting specifically addressed the issue of ethical
conduct  in  the  computer  industry.  Although the conference was not
tasked  with  the  job  of  producing  guidelines,  the   participants
unanimously  approved  the  following  set  of  rules.  This group has
actively lobbied for the inclusion of these  rules  as  standards  for
ethical  conduct  in  any  organization that creates, maintains, or is
responsible for electronic information processing.

     These  rules  speak  of  the  "system",  referring  to  any  data
processing  system  that utilizes advanced techniques.  Although their
intent was to offer guidelines for computer users, they also  provided
for the possibility of computers being replaced by something even more
advanced.  The word "system" refers to any  sophisticated  method  for
dealing with information.



1  PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH USERS.


     1.  The language of a system should be easy to understand.

     2.  Transactions with a system should be courteous.

     3.  A system should be quick to react.

     4.  A system should respond quickly to users (if it is unable  to
         resolve its intended procedure).

     5.  A system should relieve the users of unnecessary chores.

     6.  A system should provide for human information interface.

     7.  A system should include provisions for corrections.

     8.  Management should be held responsible for mismanagement.




2  PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH EXCEPTIONS.


     1.  A system should recognize as much as possible that  it  deals
         with different classes of individuals.

     2.  A system should recognize that special conditions might occur
         that could require special actions by it.

     3.  A system must allow for alternatives in input and processing.

     4.  A system should give individuals choices on how to deal  with
         it.

     5.  A procedure must exist to override the system.




3  ACTION OF THE SYSTEM WITH RESPECT TO INFORMATION.


     1.  There should be provisions to permit individuals  to  inspect
         information about themselves.

     2.  There should be provisions to correct errors.

     3.  There should be provisions for evaluating information  stored
         in the system.

     4.  There should be provisions for individuals to add information
         that they consider important.

     5.  It should be made known in general what information is stored
         in systems and what use will be made of that information.




4  THE PROBLEM OF PRIVACY.


     1.  In the design of a system all procedures should be  evaluated
         with respect to both privacy and humanizing requirements.

     2.  The decision to merge information from  different  files  and
         systems   should   never   occur   automatically.    Whenever
         information from one file is made available to another  file,
         it  should be examined first for its implications for privacy
         and humanization.




5  GUIDELINES FOR ETHICAL SYSTEM DESIGN.


     1.  A system should not trick or deceive.

     2.  A  system  should  assist  participants  and  users  and  not
         manipulate them.

     3.  A system should not eliminate  opportunities  for  employment
         without  a  careful  examination  of  consequences  to  other
         available jobs.

     4.  System designers should not participate in  the  creation  or
         maintenance of secret data banks.

     5.  A system should treat with consideration all individuals  who
         come in contact with it.

      Has this been translated into a DEC policy regarding system
    management?  Is there any official DEC policy on system manage-
    ment?  If so, I sure would like to know about it; I am the
    designated system manager for SLDA.  
    
    Greg
    

    re: .1
    
    Note .0 is NOT official policy.  To my knowledge, it is not even
    under consideration as official policy.  It also is not law in Canada
    or anywhere else that I know of; although Sweden has some pretty
    strict laws along the lines of what was proposed.  I'd love to see
    it get some serious consideration--but no one has endorsed this
    policy yet (although, as I said, I've posted it before.

    I suggest IDCMF (Internal Data Center Managers Forum) may be a good
    place to promote it if you're interested.