Is it time for software engineering to be a licensed job?

Question

In our society, any job or task in which you can be a serious threat to a person requires first obtaining a license that is easily revoked if you ever engage in shady practices. Doctors, teachers, lawyers, electricians, and even driving are notorious examples.Most software engineers don't work in projects that could be considered dangerous to society when misused, but those who work at global tech like Meta and Google easily fall into this box.Given how often these companies show complete disregard to society and how more powerful they're getting with every passing day, is it time to regulate the field of software engineering?

epc · Accepted Answer

Do you mean licensing as in a structural engineer must be licensed and bonded before approving (and accepting liability) for a structure, or licensing as in &ldquo;we have to have purity in our profession and only the right people should be software engineers&rdquo; ala the 1000 hours it takes to get a cosmetology license in my state (NY)?

mdmglr · Answer

> Given how often these companies show complete disregard to society and how more powerful they're getting with every passing day, is it time to regulate the field of software engineering?How would licensing individuals stop companies so called disregard to society?

insane_dreamer · Answer

software devs work for companies, so it's the company that should hold liability, not the individual.
> Given how often these companies show complete disregard to society and how more powerful they're getting with every passing day, is it time to regulate the field of software engineering?
A fair point, but licensing individual sw engs doesn't address that at all

yshrestha · Answer

I think you are mixing the levels of abstraction here.
* Physicians apply the scientific method to medicine
* Electricians apply construction techniques to electrical construction
* Lawyers apply logic and reason to legal problems for a certain region
* Medical device software manufacturers apply software engineering to medical devices
The regulation should be done at the application of software engineering to X industry. The FDA for example, regulates the application of software engineering to the medical device industry.

b20000 · Answer

probably not, but what needs to be dealt with is abuse of engineers in the workplace and prospective candidates. leetcode style interviews and any other interview style designed to wear out the candidate such that he will take any shitty offer should be illegal. compensation packages should be public. all of this can be resolved via unions.

altilunium · Answer

As for me, i'd rather to certify the product. Not the person.