IT/software development is not a "profession". Real professionals have autonomy and higher obligations than to their employer. They subscribe to a code of professional ethics, and they have personal liability at stake in their conduct at work. Good lawyers or accountants will not commit professional malpractice just because a client tells them to. In contrast, software flunkies will build whatever unethical features they're paid to.
Software devs are hired hands who are play-acting as professionals because of their status anxiety.
"Good lawyers or accountants will not commit professional malpractice just because a client tells them to. "
It seems to me that a lot of corporate lawyers behave more like hired hitmen who will do pretty much anything for their clients. It doesn't feel like they don't subscribe to any ethical code other than trying to get away with whatever the law may allow.
And relatively speaking IT/Engineering professions are paid a lot less (and have less status) than say lawyers and other equivalent professions.