Case studies and codes of ethics: the relevance of the ACS experience to ALIA

This paper comments on a recent Code of Ethics project conducted on behalf of the Australian Computer Society, and proposes a similar project for the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). It reviews the scope and methodology of the project, which developed a comprehensive set of case studies and related them to the ACS Code of Ethics and to specific standards of conduct in the Code. It discusses a small selection of the case studies and suggests that a similar series for ALIA could assist in the provision of useful context for ALIA’s Statement on Professional Conduct, material for the profession’s continuing professional development (CPD) programs and a stimulus to further ethical debate in the profession.