Ethics and Online Issues Using the computer and online resources appropriately.

What are your responsibilities? What are ETHICS? What are your responsibilities? What are the rules? During this presentation you will learn about ethical issues concerning computer usage. Don’t get stuck doing something illegal with computers and/or online resources.

Computer Issues. Security Information Privacy Ethics

Security Computer Viruses Executable files that insert intrusive programs among other files Infects file on your computer Cause various kinds of damage to computer data

Security Unauthorized Access and Use Breaking into computer systems without proper access rights (Hacking) How would you feel about someone hacking into your computer? Movie example – The Net

Laws about vandalism Attempts to harm or destroy data or hardware of another user, agency, or network can be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Security Theft Hardware theft: Laptops stolen from cars Software and other theft: Downloading files from the Internet without permission (music, graphics, software) Piracy: Copying and installing computer programs (even for personal use) without permission

Security Computer Failures Crashes are an annoying fact of life when owning computers. What usually solves computer errors? REBOOTING Save often and backup files frequently to prevent loss of information Store backups offsite

Information Privacy

Information Privacy Beware of any site that asks for your Social Security #. Beware of any site that asks for specific personal information when you are not on a secure link.

Information Privacy Watchdog organizations and new laws governing business activity online may help protect you from certain abuses of Internet communications, but the best protection is your own good sense.” (Preparing for IC3 Certification, DDC)

Information Privacy Many items of information about you that you might not want generally known are defined as public and can be published without your permission. Some of these are your full name, your home address, your phone number, debts you owe, court judgments against you, courses you’ve taken, and police actions relating to you. Generally speaking, people who know where to look can find out a lot about you.” (USU Ethics Module)

Information Privacy Employers have the right to monitor your work and use of the computer at your place of employment. Time spent playing computer games or surfing the Internet during work hours is costly to a business and could be cause for reprimand or dismissal (firing).

Ethics

Standards of right and wrong Principles that guide your behavior What are ETHICS? Standards of right and wrong Principles that guide your behavior Don’t get stuck doing something illegal with your computer or online resources.

Ethics Information Accuracy Not everything that you read on the Internet is true!!! Make sure information is accurate before putting it on the Internet. No one polices the validity, accuracy, and reliability of the information on the Net.

Ethics Information Accuracy Plagiarism: Using another person’s ideas and presenting them as your own. Be sure to give credit where credit is due. Cite borrowed material with textual citations. Use material in a way that preserves the meaning and context intended by the author.

Ethics Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) Most educational institutions have a document that governs the use of the computers and networks owned by the institution. This document, commonly called an Acceptable Use Policy or AUP, outlines what types of uses are acceptable and which are prohibited.” (USU Ethics Module)

Ethics Internet Security and Privacy Company’s responsibilities: To protect information about business operations To protect employee and customer information

Ethics Objectionable Materials Deciding what to censor and for whom has been a very controversial subject. Companies may have legal liability if an employee performs certain types of activities online from a company computer.

Laws about nuisance or harassment It doesn’t matter if your intention was to be funny, or friendly, or something else. If the person you contact through the Internet is uncomfortable, STOP! Or it’s illegal!!!

Copyright Issues Pertaining to Software Four Software Copyright Categories: Public Domain Freeware Shareware Licensed or All Rights Reserved

What is Copyright? Rights possessed by the author of a work. Just because something is on the Internet does not give anyone who views it the right to take ownership of it.

Public Domain Free software Can be used without restriction Not copyrighted or copyright has expired Rare Unreliable Poor quality Virus-laden No cost? That may be exactly how much this software is worth.

Freeware? Copyrighted software that is given away free by the author. Although it is available for free, the author retains the copyright, which means that you cannot do anything with it that is not expressly allowed by the author. Usually, the author allows people to use the software, but not sell it. Some freeware is “really good stuff.” Pegasus Mail Eudora Light Internet Explorer Netscape

Shareware Copyrighted software Distributed on the honor system Can be examined free of charge for a trial period and then you must pay for the software

Licensed or All Rights Reserved Software that is purchased Must abide by the restrictions of the license agreement

“Wonderful stuff!” Word Excel PowerPoint Access Illustrator MicroType QuarkXPress Fireworks Dreamweaver Vision Windows Quick Books ClickArt Freehand Flash In Design Quattro Pro Paint MP3 Point and Click PhotoShop Age of Empires WordPerfect Anti-Virus Camedia

Software License Agreement Excerpts from QuarkXPress software license agreement The software and accompanying documentation may not be transmitted electronically, including over the Internet, rented, loaned, leased, sold, distributed, made available, directly or indirectly, for USE by any other person or entity not covered by this License Agreement. Customers who have purchased a Single-User license may INSTALL and USE the SOFTWARE on one computer. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT, DO NOT OPEN THE ENCLOSED PACKET OR BREAK THE SEAL ON THE CD-ROM The only right granted to the Customer is the right to USE the SOFTWARE and accompanying documentation in accordance with this License Agreement. The customer may not modify, translate, copy, reproduce, reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, or otherwise derive source code from, the SOFTWARE or accompanying documentation, or use it as a basis for the preparation of other software programs

Even if you can. Even if no one will ever find out. Follow the license agreement or you will be breaking the law.

References Barquin, Ramon C. “In Pursuit of a Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics.” Computer Ethics Institute. Brookings University. www.brook.edu/. 1992. Bower, Kevin W. Ethics and Computing. IEEE Computer Society Press, 1996. Ethics Presentation. Computer Technology Committee. Davis School District. 2003. Hilton, Dr. Thomas, et. Al. “Ethics Teaching Module.” Utah State University. http://conlit.usu.edu/ethics modules.html. 23 October 2002. Simmons, Toni. Ethics Presentation. Utah State Office of Education. www.uen.org/lessonplan. 2003. Wray, Paul. Preparing for IC3 Certification. DDC Publishing Company. 2003.

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