Ethics and Online Issues
Using the computer
and online resources
appropriately.
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
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,
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
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.
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
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.
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.
The END