BCN3133

Computer Ethics and Policies Chapter1

Coordinator Dr. Balsam A. Mustafa

You are expected

To arrive on time Respect for others

Mobile Phones on silent / off Complete appropriate pre-reading Participate in open discussion

No questions are wrong / Silly

Listen , Listen and Listen

Subject Details
Weekly

Lectures (3 hours) Quizs - 10% Assignments - 25% marks Project - 25% marks Final Exam 40% marks
You have to pass all individually i.e. you will need 40% marks in tutorials, assignments and final examination.

Reference Books:

Deborah G. Johnson, Computer Ethics. Pearson Prentice hall, 2003. Stacy L. Edgar. Morality and Machines: perspectives on Computer Ethics. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1997. Many sites on the internet.

Remember

You MUST pass the quizzes, assignments, and exams individually (>40%) in order to pass this subject overall.

GOOD LUCK!
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Overview
In this lecture we look at - What is Computer Ethics? - What is Computer Policy? - Computers Used in a Social Contexts - Moral and Legal Issues - The Role of Analogy in Computer Ethics

Computer Ethics

Ethics is a set of moral principles that govern the behavior of a group or individual. Therefore, computer ethics is a set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. Computer ethics is concerned with standards of conduct as they pertain to computers.

Computer Ethics

As technology advances, computers continue to have a greater impact on society. Therefore, computer ethics promotes the discussion of how much influence computers should have in areas such as artificial intelligence and human communication.

Why do we need computer ethics?

The growth of the WWW has created several novel legal issues The existence of new questions that older laws cannot answer Traditional laws are outdated/anachronistic in this world, a more coherent body of law is needed to govern Internet and computers

Cyberethics is the study of ethics pertaining to

computer networks, encompassing user behavior and what networked computers are programmed to do, and how this affects individuals and society. Examples of cyberethical questions include
"Is it OK to display personal information about others on the Internet, such as their online status or their present location? "Should users be protected from false information?" "Who owns digital data (such as music, movies, books, web pages, etc.) and what should users be allowed to do with it?" "How much access should there be to gambling and porn online? "Is access to the Internet a basic right that everyone should have?"

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Ethical issues
1. Privacy

- Privacy is the limitation of others' access to an individual. - It refers to the protection of personalized information from being freely distributed.

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Individuals provide and registering for services. Ethical business practice protects the privacy of their customers by securing information which may contribute to the loss of their privacy. Credit card information, social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, which in case it freely collected and shared over the internet may lead to a loss of Privacy.

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Identity theft (using another's identity to obtain credit, goods and services)

is a form of stealing another person's Identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name (medical identity). Organizations and individuals who are defrauded by the identity thief may suffer adverse consequences and losses that affect their lives and business.

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Hacking

- Attack toolkits are becoming more accessible and easier to use, allowing criminals with little technical expertise to turn to cybercrime. - Hackers interested in credit card theft may be able for accessing all kinds of information online and infecting users computers using malicious software.

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2. Property
One philosophy of the internet is centred around the freedom of information. The controversy in the world of cyberethics over ownership occurs when the property of information is infringed upon or uncertain.

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Intellectual Property Rights

Information (file) sharing, e.g. media software ownership Proponents of unrestricted file sharing point out how file sharing has given people broader and faster access to media, has increased exposure to new artists, and has reduced the costs of transferring media. Supporters of restrictions on file sharing argue that we must protect the income of our artists and other people who work to create our media and software.

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3. Gambling

In societies that allow gambling, opinions on what types of gambling the government should permit and where it should be allowed to take place. The accessibility of the internet and its ability to cross geographic-borders have led to illegal online gambling. Over the years online gambling, both legal and illegal, has grown exponentially which has led to difficulties in regulation.

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What is Policy?

A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome(s). The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by the Board of or senior governance body within an organization. Policy can be considered as a "Statement of Intent" or a "Commitment". For that reason at least, the decision-makers can be held accountable for their "Policy".
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What is Policy?
Intended effects The intended effects of a policy vary widely according to the organization and the context in which they are made. Broadly, policies are typically instituted to avoid some negative effect that has been noticed in the organization, or to seek some positive benefit.

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Policy Content
A purpose statement, outlining why the organization is issuing the policy, and what its desired effect or outcome of the policy should be. An applicability and scope statement, describing who the policy affects and which actions are impacted by the policy. The applicability and scope may expressly exclude certain people, organizations, or actions from the policy requirements. A responsibilities section, indicating which parties and organizations are responsible for carrying out individual policy statements Policy statements indicating the specific regulations, requirements, or modifications to organizational behavior that the policy is creating.

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What is Policy?

A computer security policy defines the goals and elements of an organization's computer systems. Security policies are enforced by organizational policies or security mechanisms. A technical implementation defines whether a computer system is secure or insecure.

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Computer Used in Social Context

Filling policy gaps involve understanding the social context in which the technology is embedded. Human interests Institutional goals Social relationships Traditions, conventions, regulations .. so on Ex: to figure out what are the rules governing electronic communication in certain environment like universities or business.
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The Role of Analogy in Computer Ethics

Reasoning by analogy involves looking for familiar situations comparable to the one involving computer and information technology, then accepting the equivalence of correct action, or identify the difference between the cases. Ex: computer hacking

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Next week preparation

1. Please read the articles uploaded in moodle and understand the main ideas and issues in them. 2. Prepare yourself for discussion questions related to these issues. 3. You may bring hard copy of the articles with you in the class.

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