COMPUTER ETHICS

Computer Ethics
Simply refers to the guiding precepts and
norms that are adopted and applied to
regulate and control the use of computers
and its applications

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to

harm other people.
Example:
The circulation of nude photographs of
women.
This violates rules of decency and dishonors
the female person.

2. Thou shalt not interfere with

other peoples computer work.
Computer networks grant people access to other
peoples computers.
Unscrupulous individuals not only look at what is
stored in their neighbors computers; they also
alter them.
Any form of alteration of someone elses
computer work is considered unethical practice.

3. Thou shalt not snoop around in

other peoples files.
Computer user sometimes surf even
private domains just to satisfy their
curiosity.
Even though you just browse without
copying or altering, those files are private
and should not be read without the
owners permission.

4. Thou shalt not use a computer to

steal.
The computer has the capacity to facilitate theft
and robbery especially in banks.
There are a number of movies depicting crimes
perpetrated through computer technology
crimes such as counterfeiting, debugging
programs, and breaking codes and passwords in
order to penetrate computer systems.

5. Thou shalt not use a computer to

bear false witness.
Computers and their applications can be
utilized by certain people to facilitate the
commission of fraud and to circulate false
information both unethical actions.

6. Thou shalt not use or copy

software for which you have not
paid.
This pertains to piracy of software and
other programs.
Example: In the Philippines, trading of
pirated software.
If you support piracy, you also support
theft and infringement of intellectual
property rights.

7.

Thou shalt not use other

peoples computer resources
without authorization.

Example:
Highly
resourceful
and
unscrupulous individuals can penetrate
web sites and debug programs, and thus
assume other peoples computer IDs and
resources.
This practice violates the norm of honesty
and integrity

8. Thou shalt not appropriate other

peoples intellectual output.
Computer programs are intellectual
outputs.
Once you engage in the trading of
software without license and agreement by
its owner, then you are misappropriating
another persons intellectual property.

9. Thou shalt think about the social

consequences of the program
you write.
A computer programmer should assess
whether the program or software he/she is
designing would be of great social
significance to others
Where it could be destructive, rather than
favorable to society, a computer program
should not be designed.

10. Thou shalt use a computer in

ways that show consideration
and respect.
Each user should use computers in such a
way that the rights of others are not
violated or infringed upon.

Case Study
Daan is a computer buff. He loves to surf the
Internet and try all available applications. Daan
also does web design and programming, among
others. In one of his computer explorations, Daan
discovered a virus that destroys the computer
motherboard. To test his discovery, Daan
surreptitiously installed the virus in his friend Kaels
PC. After a week, Kael broke the sad news to
Daan. His PC has bogged down and he needs to
buy a new motherboard. Daan finds himself torn
between whether to tell Kael or not.

1. Which of the 10 commandments on

computer use did Daan violate?
2. If you were Daan, will you tell Kael the
truth or not? Explain.
3. If you were Kael and Daan told you the
truth, what will you do?