Enforcement Procedures for the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

The official policy is available as a PDF, adopted by ACM Council on June 22, 2018.

Before submitting a report, please read over all of the material on this page.

Tips for Preparing a Violation Report

1. Familiarize yourself with the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
2. Familiarize yourself with the Enforcement Policy and Procedures.
3. Collect data, and draft a violation report. In particular, you will need:
   1. Your name and contact information. If you are an ACM member, your ACM membership number. (Note that you do not need to be a member to file a complaint.)
   2. The name and contact information (as best you can determine it) for the member that you charge with violating the code. Usually only ACM members, ACM SIG members, ACM awardees, and ACM SIG awardees can be charged with violating The Code. It is helpful to provide any information that you have that indicates ACM membership, ACM SIG membership, and any ACM or ACM SIG awards the respondent may have won. Include any information that might help us identify the person being charged.
   3. A concise statement of the facts of the case (as best you know them), and an explanation of why these facts indicate a violation of The Code. If you can, cite the specific Principles of The Code you believe have been violated.
4. With this information in hand, report the violation using the form for Reporting Violations of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
5. Knowingly filing a false allegation of a violation of the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct is a violation of the Code. Appropriate steps will be taken toward any individual who knowingly makes a false allegation.

Adopted by ACM Council 6/22/18.