The case of Abi, the researcher analyzing the nutritional value of Whizzz cereal, raises important ethical questions about accuracy, integrity, and professional responsibility in data analysis. According to the ACM Code of Ethics (2018), computing professionals must be honest and trustworthy, avoiding deceptive or misleading representations of data. Although Abi might be tempted to highlight only the favorable correlations, doing so would compromise the integrity of the analysis and violate the ethical principle of honesty. Presenting selective results, even when the data itself is not altered, can still mislead stakeholders and distort public understanding of scientific findings.
From a legal standpoint, publishing misleading nutritional claims could violate consumer protection laws and food labeling regulations, such as those enforced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission or the U.K. Food Standards Agency. If Abi knowingly facilitates the release of biased results, he could be implicated in fraudulent or negligent conduct. The British Computer Society (BCS) Code of Conduct (2021) reinforces the duty to maintain accuracy and avoid actions that could harm the public interest.
Socially, such behavior erodes trust in scientific research and data professionals. Ethically, Abi should disclose both positive and negative results, ensuring transparency and providing appropriate context in his reporting. Professionally, he has a duty to communicate findings responsibly and, if necessary, refuse to participate in any effort to misrepresent data. Upholding accuracy and transparency protects both public welfare and the credibility of the profession.
ACM (2018). Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Association for Computing Machinery. https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
BCS (2021). Code of Conduct. British Computer Society. https://www.bcs.org/membership-and-registrations/become-a-member/bcs-code-of-conduct
Floridi, L. (2016). Information quality, data integrity, and the ethics of information. Philosophy & Technology, 29(2), 147–149.