[Tarq0n]

Ethics are probably internalized long before someone commits to an engineering career. I'm not sure they can be taught later.

[foldr]

This is obviously true to a large extent, but it is also weirdly necessary to explain basic ethical precepts to a surprisingly large number of otherwise well-educated people. Believe it or not, a significant number of people simple don’t know that it’s unethical to, e.g. exfiltrate code or data from a former employer. Making it clear that this is an ethical line may have some value.

[pixl97]

I mean a lot of people work for companies that do unethical things to their customers all day, why would the company expect ethical treatment back?

[foldr]

A does unethical things to B, therefore I can do unethical things to A.

This clearly doesn't work as an argument if A and B are people. Seems like classic 'two wrongs make a right' reasoning.

[pixl97]

It's more of there has to be some kind of external enforcement or you turn into a low trust 'I got mine' society. Modern capitalism says companies should strip mine everything from human resources to the literal earth don't be surprised when their workers treat them the same way.