Title: CONSTRUCTING CODES OF CONDUCT

Starting from the two codes of conduct discussed above, one might wonder if there is a reason to define a new code of conduct applicable with respect to privacy frameworks for RFID applications. Clearly, the general rules are already contained in the codes above, but formulations with less distance to privacy and RFID should be feasible.  

Yet following discussion of generating such codes one must see the problems inherently contained in such a process. As an example, “IFIP does not intend to provide the IFIP member organisation with word-for-word guidelines for codes, but will advise them to consider the suggestions defined by a set consensus topics […] when writing […] their specific codes” . Furthermore, there was a growing consent that not a “definitive ethic” should and can be imposed on the different members and countries bearing different historical, cultural, ethical, religious background, but certain principles can be outlined which should be taken into account when individual (organisations) are defining their codes of conduct. For that purpose, a huge amount of codes of ethics was reviewed and finally a set of twelve conditions was formulated which any code specific to some application domain should follow, resulting in what is called “The Toronto Resolution”

When thus facing the problem of constructing a code of conduct for privacy frameworks in the domain of RFID applications, one should start considering the elements of this resolution and test finally one’s code carefully against every one of the twelve conditions. 

These conditions were formulated with the goal to be applicable in wide range of problems as a “common moral framework” which possibly all researchers and scholars might agree to, but also with the intent to develop then specific codes of conducts for each discipline. As the conditions do not explicitly define notions of “good” and “bad”, they try to be applicable to situation coming from different cultural backgrounds not necessarily bearing the same notions.

Lots of codes of conduct have been provided by different organisations for different application domains, but no general code of conduct can be developed applicable to any situation, even in the “restricted” domain of computer science. Facing this, any code of conduct for the present context of privacy frameworks for RFID techniques shall follow at least “The Toronto Resolution”

“A code provides guidelines; education provides direction; action provides progress. Since we have a code in ACM then our next steps should be […] to take action to find ways to insert ethical awareness into our schools and corporations, to provide positive alternatives to inappropriate activities, and to bring our spiritual power in step with our scientific power.”