Reporting Violations of the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (Confidential)

Tips for Preparing a Violation Report

Familiarize yourself with the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
Familiarize yourself with the Enforcement Policy and Procedures.
Collect data and draft a violation report. In particular, you will need:

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.)
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.
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.

With this information in hand, report the violation using this form.
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.

Provide a description of what occurred, where it occurred, when it occurred, and how you were involved or made aware of the situation/incident.* The description should contain enough detail so that we can clearly identify the specific action(s) that led to this complaint. Note that the information provided in response to this question and only this question is typically shared with the person alleged to have committed the Code violation. If the information you need to provide might identify you, please consider putting that information in the Anything Else? box below.

Person(s) alleged to have violated the Code:* Note that ACM can only apply the Code to ACM members, ACM SIG members, ACM awardees, and ACM SIG awardees. If this complaint is about an individual who does not meet an appropriate membership criteria, you will be informed that this complaint cannot be investigated.

Any contact information you may have for that person(s):

In what ways was the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct violated?*

Names and contact information for other persons involved or witnesses to the event:
Any name listed here will not be shared without the consent of that person with the person(s) alleged to have violated the Code.

Indicate other entities (e.g., conference organizers, university officials, business leaders, law enforcement) that this incident has been reported to:

If you have screenshots of digital media posts that support this complaint, please attach them to this form.

Hold down the Control Key to select multiple files. You can also upload multiple files in a zip folder, or just upload a single file
List of files will appear here

Anything Else?
Any information entered here will not be shared with the person(s) alleged to have violated the Code.

Follow Up Contact Information (name, plus email and/or phone):* COPE may need to contact you for further information. Your identity will not be shared with the person(s) alleged to have violated the Code without your consent. Note that sometimes the nature of the complaint requires that your identity be shared in order to conduct an investigation.

Name:

Email:

Note that a copy of this entire complaint will be sent to the email address listed here.

Phone:

ACM Member Number:

Note that you do not need to be an ACM member to file a complaint.

Be aware that COPE may decline to consider any complaint at its sole discretion, including but not limited to complaints that concern conduct or a dispute in which another organization or institution has a more substantial interest or that is the subject of legal action or a governmental investigation.