MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY

CENTER OF OPEN, DISTANCE AND e-LEARNING

IN COLLABORATION WITH

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

SIT 180: COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY.

WRITTEN BY:

Mr. Martin Kimeu

Copyright © Machakos University, 2020

All Rights Reserved

OCTOBER, 2020
LECTURE SEVEN

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

 In this lesson, we shall look at Law and Ethics and Intellectual property rights.
 The lecture covers:

1. Lecture objectives
2. Law and Ethics
3. Guidelines on the e-mail and Internet usage
4. Intellectual property Rights.
5. Learning Activities
6. Summary
7. Suggestions for further reading

1.1 Lecture Objectives

By the end of this lecture you should be able to:

1. Differentiate law and ethics.
2. Describe the Guidelines on the e-mail and Internet usage
3. Describe intellectual property Rights.
4. Explain why we need ethics and law in computing?

ETHICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES

A.) Ethics in general

1. We often see pirated CDs, software and VCD being sold at the
night market. Buying pirated software is an example of unethical
activity in computer ethic.
2. A guideline is needed to stop the current technology products from
being exploited, for example by replicating originals CDs and selling them as
pirated software. This unethical behavior can be controlled by the code of
conducts.
3. Computer ethics is a system of moral standards or values used as a
guideline for computer users.

COMPUTER ETHICS
Ethics in general, is a moral philosophy where a person makes specific
moral choice and sticks to it.

In computing, ethics are the moral guidelines to referred to when using

the computer and computer networks.

Computer ethics is a system of moral standards or values used as

computer guidelines for computer users.

B.) Guidelines on the e-mail and Internet usage

1. The ICT policy has provided guidelines on the e-mail and Internet
usage as reference to the staff.

2. This guidance covers the usage of e-mail account, mailbox

maintenance, and e-Mail preparation and delivery, mailing list and the
Internet.
3. Some guidelines from the ICT policy:
a) Use only individual e-mail address to forward individual opinion.
b) Keep the identity name and password a secret to avoid the misuse of
your e-mail without your knowledge.
c) E-mail must be active to promptly reply the necessary actions
needed for any matters.
d) Ensure the total mail kept in the box is within the computer
storage capacity.
e) Scan files regularly to avoid the transmission of virus from one
computer to another.
f) Do not send e-mails that contain classified information which can be
used to tarnish other people or country.
g) Choose a suitable time to search Internet to save access time and
cost.
h) Beware of prohibited sites which could affect one’s moral,
organization or nation.
i) Print only relevant documents that you think can be used in future to
save cost.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAW S

A.) Definition of Ethics
1. In general, ethics is a moral philosophy where a person makes a
specific moral choice and sticks to it.
2. On the other hand, ethics in computing means moral guidelines to
 refer to when using the computer and computer networks. This
includes the Internet.

B.) Definition of Law

1. Law is a legal system comprising of rules and principles that
govern the affairs of a community and controlled by a political
authority.
2. Law differs from one country to another. In the era of technology,
computer law is needed to clarify goods or actions that fall under
the computer law. Computer law refers to all areas in law that
requires an understanding of computer technology such as
hardware, software and Internet.

C.) Why do we need ethics and law in computing?

1. Respecting Ownership

We must respect ownership by not stealing other people’s work

either by duplicating or distributing it. Duplicating and distributing
copies of audio tapes, video tapes and computer programs without
permission and authorization from the individual or company that
created the program are immoral and illegal.

2. Respecting privacy and confidentiality

We should respect other people’s privacy and confidentiality by

refraining ourselves from reading their mails or files without their
permission. If we do so, it is considered as violating an individual’s
right to privacy and confidentiality

3. Respecting property

Property here means ownership. Since an individual data and

information are considered as property, therefore, an act of tampering
and changing electronic information is considered as vandalism and
disrespect for other people’s property.
D.) Similarities between Ethics and Law

a. Both ethics and law are complimentary to each other and are made a.
to guide user from misusing computers
b. to create a healthy computer society, so that computers are used to
contribute to a better life.
c to prevent any crime.

E.) Differences between ethics and laws

Ethics Law

1. Guideline 1. Control
As a guideline to computer users As a rule to control computer
users.
2. Moral standard 2. Judicial standard
Ethical behavior is judged by Law is judged by judicial standards
moral standard.
3. Free to follow 3. Must follow
Computer users are free to follow Computer users must follow the
or ignore the code of ethics regulations and law
4. No punishments 4. Penalties, imprisonments and
No punishments for anyone who other punishments. Penalties,
violates ethics imprisonments and other
punishments for those who break
the law.

5. Universal 5. Depends on country

Universal, can be applied Depends on country and state
anywhere, all over the world where the crime is committed.
6. Produce ethical computer user 6. Prevent misusing of computers
To produce ethical computer users To prevent misuse of computers

7. Immoral 8. Crime

Not honoring computer ethics Not honoring the law means

means ignoring the moral committing a crime
elements (immoral).

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

It is important to have your creation patented to protect your rights.

Reproducing other people’s inventions without their permission or piracy
 is illegal. We must respect the rights of others.

A.) Definition of Intellectual Property

1. Intellectual Property (IP) refers to works created by inventors, authors
and artists. Those works are unique and have value in the market value.

2. In our daily lives, we are surrounded by things that are protected by

IP. Your school bags, your shoes and even your socks are protected by
Intellectual Property Rights. Nike, Bata or Adidas, for example, are all
protected by a group of legal rights.

B.) Intellectual Property Law

- Intellectual property and intellectual property right can be protected
under the Intellectual Property Law.

- Intellectual Property Laws cover ideas, inventions, literary

creations, unique names, business models, industrial processes,
computer program codes and more.

C.) Inventions Protected By Intellectual Property Laws

1. As businesses continue to expand globally, business owners must

realize the importance of getting professional advice on how to establish
and safeguard their intellectual property rights.

2. This includes Trademarks, Service marks, Trade/Company names,

Domain names, Geographical indications, Copyrights, Patents.

3. Example of creation that are covered under the Intellectual Property

Law include architectural, audio visual, sound recording, Literary, musical
and sculptural.

D.) Intellectual Property Protection

There are four types of Intellectual Property Protection. They are:

1. Patents for invention

Utility, design or plant patents that protect inventions and
improvements to the existing inventions.
It is a grant of a property right to the inventor. For example; Centrino
is a processor which introduces efficient power management. The
 design of the processor is patented by Intel.

2. Trademarks for brand identity

Words, names, symbols, devices and images that represent
products, goods or services. Trademarks for brands, identity of goods
and services allowed the distinction to be made between different
traders. For example: Intel and AMD.

3. Designs for product appearance

The features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape,
texture or material of the product itself or its ornaments.
The design for product appearance covered the whole or a part of a
product resulting from the feature such as the lines, contours,
colors, shape, texture or material. For example: Apple IMAC.
4. Copyright for material
Literary and artistic material, music, films, sound recordings
and broadcast, including software and multimedia.
Copyrights protect the expression of idea in literary, artistic and
musical works. For example, you can copyright the web content
you have just designed.