Transcript Ethics, Rules, and Laws

Ethics, Rules, and Laws
Using the computer appropriately.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What are ethics



Standards of right and wrong behavior
A gauge of personal integrity
The basis of trust and cooperation in
relationships with others
Back to Slide 1
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What are ethics not?



Laws that carry a criminal penalty
Detailed instructions for every possible
situation
Flexible and changing depending on each
unique person or situation
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Where do ethics come from?




Values of a society
Values of a school, business, or
organization
Values from family and heritage
Values of an individual
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
An ethical person . . .
Has an inner sense of what is moral and
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
is able to choose
correct behavior in
many different
situations,
including those that
are new and
different.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What follows an unethical choice?




Lost opportunities
Destruction of trust
Damage to people
and things
And . . . ?
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Ethics vs. morality


Morality refers to the rules and standards
governing our conduct in society.
Ethics: The philosophical study of morality.
Analogy:
Society= a town full of people driving car
 Morality is the road network, the traffic rules and
regulations
 Ethics is the observation and evaluation of the
drivers’ conduct:

Ethical (staying on the road) or unethical (taking
short cuts, speeding, drunk driving etc).
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What is Computer Ethics?
An attempt at definitions:


Computer ethics is concerned with
standards of conduct applying to the
use of computers.
Computer ethics can be understood
as that branch of applied ethics which
studies and analyzes social and
ethical impacts of information
technology.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Why do we need computer
ethics?




New technology poses new problems.
The growth of the Internet has created several new legal
issues
Traditional laws are outdated/anachronistic in
cyberspace
Some main concerns in computer ethics today are




questions of copyright
privacy
censorship
Example:


My MSc. thesis was copied and parts were published
under a different name.
Is this something I should anticipate since I published my
work on the Internet without any copyright restrictions?
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Basic Ethical Principles

The same in all professions and other
aspects of life





There are cultural differences.


Honesty
Responsibility
Fairness
Tolerance
Example: In Poland it is unethical to throw away
bread.
Ethics change with the times and a change
in laws
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
New technology = new ethical
problems

Traditional rules of conduct are not always
applicable to a new medium

A question that often arises: Should a device, a
technique or technology be restricted because
people can use it for illegal or harmful actions as
well as beneficial ones?

Example


Mobile phones now come equipped with cameras. It can
be misused in several ways and cause a moral threat to
the society, children and teen agers, speacialy the
students.
Question : Should students be allowed to take their
mobile phones to school or not?
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
The ’Ten Commandments of
Computer Ethics’
1.
THOU SHALT NOT USE A COMPUTER TO HARM OTHER PEOPLE.
2.
THOU SHALT NOT INTERFERE WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPUTER WORK.
3.
THOU SHALT NOT SNOOP AROUND IN OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPUTER FILES.
4.
THOU SHALT NOT USE A COMPUTER TO STEAL.
5.
THOU SHALT NOT USE A COMPUTER TO BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
6.
THOU SHALT NOT COPY OR USE PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT PAID.
7.
THOU SHALT NOT USE OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPUTER RESOURCES WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION
OR PROPER COMPENSATION.
8.
THOU SHALT NOT APPROPRIATE OTHER PEOPLE'S INTELLECTUAL OUTPUT.
9.
THOU SHALT THINK ABOUT THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROGRAM YOU ARE
WRITING OR THE SYSTEM YOU ARE DESIGNING.
10.
THOU SHALT ALWAYS USE A COMPUTER IN WAYS THAT INSURE CONSIDERATION AND
RESPECT FOR YOUR FELLOW HUMANS.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
INTERNET ETHICS AND
OBJECTIONABLE MATERIALS

Three categories of
objectionable material





Pornographic material
Racist literature
Illegal acts
Incorrect, inappropriate,
or dangerous material
Inaccurate information
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What are rules
Specific guidelines about appropriate use
of computers as outlined in . . .



Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs)
Professional Codes of Ethics
Classroom Disclosures
Back to Slide 1
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
with . . .
consequences and punishments issued by
the computer owners if rules are violated.
This way to AUP
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
What are laws
Regulations passed by state and federal
bodies that protect against some forms of
misuse of computers and information
resources.
Back to Slide 1
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
So what if I break the law?
You may not be discovered, this time,
but next time . . .
A serial number may be traced
A help line may become suspicious
An acquaintance may report you
A web address may record your visits
And more . . .
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
And just like that,
you’re a criminal . . .
with a record
and maybe a fine
and maybe even a jail sentence
when you’re convicted of breaking the law.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Copyright laws.
Software developers own their programs.
Software buyers only own the right to use the
software according to the license agreement.
No copying, reselling, lending, renting, leasing,
or distributing is legal without the software
owner’s permission.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Copyright vs. Plagiarism

Copyright


One who violates
copyright breaks laws
that protect the rights
of the creator of an
original work
Violation of copyright
law may results in fines,
imprisonment, or both

Plagiarism

One who plagiarizes
breaks a moral code by
claiming credit for the
work of someone else

Plagiarism may result
in academic dismissal
or loss of job.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Software licenses: Four types
 Public
Domain
 Freeware
 Shareware
 All Rights Reserved
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Public Domain License
This software has no
owner and is not
protected by
copyright law.
It was either created
with public funds, or
the ownership was
forfeited by the
creator.




Rare
Unreliable
Poor quality
Virus-laden
No cost? That may
be exactly how much
this software is
worth.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Freeware License
Freeware is
copyrighted software
that is licensed to be
copied and distributed
without charge.
Freeware is free
because the license
says it is, but it’s still
under the owner’s
control.
Some freeware is
“really good stuff.”




Pegasus Mail
Eudora Light
Netscape
Internet Explorer
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Shareware License
The software is
licensed for copying
and sharing for a trial
period, but payment
must be made to the
owner for permanent
use.



Some shareware trials
expire on a certain date
Payment depends on
the honor system
Purchasing (the right to
use) the software may
also get you a version
with more powerful
features and published
documentation.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
All Rights Reserved License
May be used by the purchaser according the
exact details spelled out in the license
agreement.
You can’t legally use it--or even possess it-without the owner’s permission.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
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.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Even if you can.
Even if no one will ever find out.
Follow the license agreement or you will
be breaking the law.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Software piracy.
Conviction of a first offense can result in a
fine of up to
250,000.
and a jail sentence of up to five years.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
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,
Or it’s illegal.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Laws concerning
fraud or plagiarism.
Individuals who create “intellectual
property” have the right to receive credit
Owners of recorded works deserve to be
protected from the incorrect use of their
creations
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Be sure to give credit where credit is due.
Cite borrowed material with textual citations and
a references slide using an accepted format.
Use material in a way that preserves the
meaning and context intended by the author
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
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.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Laws about privacy.
Private information cannot be legally used
without permission from its owner.
Information is owned by the person it
describes.
Medical records and school grades are
protected by privacy laws.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Other categories of personal information have
become more public in recent years. Courts
have not set a consistent precedent to preserve
the privacy of your full name, address,
telephone numbers, debts you owe, court
judgments against you, courses you’ve taken,
and police actions relating to you.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Be ethical.
Don’t share personal information without
that person’s permission.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Always consider ethics, rules, and laws as
you choose how to behave when using
computers.
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
S. Agarwal, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata