CMSC Mod 1.1

Ethics comes from the Greek word ethike, which means "character." Based on this, which of the following best describes ethics?

• A set of legal rules enforced by the government

• A collection of beliefs about right and wrong that guide behavior

• A personal opinion that varies from person to person

• A system that guarantees people will always make good choices

In a society, ethical rules often contradict each other. Which scenario best illustrates this conflict?

• A law student follows legal rules to pass an exam

• A doctor refuses to treat a patient because they cannot pay

• A person debates whether to return extra change a cashier mistakenly gave them

• A company enforces strict environmental policies to reduce pollution

IT professionals often have ethical responsibilities beyond technical work. Which of the following is an ethical duty of a computing professional?

• Maximizing company profits at any cost

• Hiding software vulnerabilities to protect company reputation

• Developing secure and reliable systems for users

• Selling user data to advertisers for financial gain

A programmer is known for writing excellent code but is caught manipulating system logs to hide mistakes. How does this affect their ethics and reputation?

• Ethics and reputation remain strong because mistakes are common

• Reputation is harmed, but ethics remain intact since no one was hurt

• Both ethics and reputation are damaged due to dishonesty

• Neither ethics nor reputation is affected as long as the project succeeds

Integrity means doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Which action best demonstrates integrity in an IT workplace?

• Ignoring a critical bug because fixing it would take too much time

• Using company resources for personal projects when nobody is checking

• Reporting a mistake you made, even if it could cost the company money

• Taking shortcuts in coding to meet deadlines faster

Data integrity ensures accuracy, consistency, and reliability. Which of the following actions reflects personal integrity in the same way?

• Changing project details to fit the expected outcome

• Sticking to one’s moral principles even under pressure

• Making decisions based on what benefits oneself the most

• Following rules only when someone is supervising

Which of the following correctly matches the differences between morals, ethics, and laws?

• Morals are personal beliefs, ethics are professional standards, laws are government-enforced rules

• Morals apply only to religious people, ethics apply to everyone, laws are optional

• Morals change frequently, ethics are personal, laws are constant

• Morals come from companies, ethics come from governments, laws come from individuals

You are an IT manager hiring a new employee. One candidate has excellent skills but was previously caught hacking into a competitor’s system. What ethical values should guide your hiring decision?

• Justice and fairness – everyone deserves a second chance

• Integrity and trust – past actions reflect future behavior

• Profitability – if they’re talented, their past doesn’t matter

• Loyalty – if they stay loyal to your company, it’s fine

Why is ethical behavior important in a professional setting?

• It ensures employees follow company orders without question

• It creates trust, credibility, and fairness in decision-making

• It prevents innovation by enforcing strict moral codes

• It eliminates the need for legal rules and guidelines

An AI-powered hiring system is found to be biased against certain applicants due to flawed data. What is the ethical responsibility of the company using this system?

• Ignore the issue since AI makes unbiased decisions

• Acknowledge the bias, improve the data, and make the system fairer

• Continue using the system as long as hiring results are profitable

• Shut down the AI system and rely only on human hiring managers