Introduction to ethics and law

Module One

Introduction to ethics and law

1.1 Introduction

Information Technology (IT) integration into numerous sectors has revolutionized how government, organizations, and companies operate. However, this integration raises an array of ethical concerns that must be addressed in order to fully realize the potential of information technology. This lecture will go over these ethical considerations in detail.

 

1.2 ETHICS IN GENERAL

 

Ethics is a set of conduct that can regulate immoral activity such as copying genuine CDs and selling them as pirated software, which is one way that modern technological items are exploited.
Any code of conduct that deviates from accepted norms of social or professional behavior is considered unethical; also, ethics is
A set of moral principles or values known as computer ethics serves as a code of conduct for people who utilize computers.

In essence, ethics is a moral philosophy in which an individual chooses and upholds a particular moral course of action.
However, ethics in computing refers to moral standards that one should follow when utilizing computers and computer networks.

1.3 What is Law

In the technological age, laws vary from country to country. To define the products or behaviors that are subject to computer law, computer law is required. Any aspect of law that necessitates knowledge of computer technology, including hardware, software, and the Internet, is referred to as computer law.

In simple terms, Law can be defined as

·      A rule of behavior set forth by a power that has the ability to impose its will;

·      A governing rule is the manner or sequence in which a power or actor acts;

·      Regulations put in place by a ruling body to promote and preserve peaceful cooperation;

·      It is the set of regulations enforced by authority; it is a legal document that lays up guidelines for a specific type of activity;

·      A generalization that characterizes naturally occurring facts or occurrences

1.3.1 The goals of Law regulation include:

i.                ensuring the protection of people's rights;

ii.             establishing policies and procedures to regulate transactions; upholding political, economic, and public order;

iii.            promoting justice and equity among organization members;

iv.            preserving peace and security; controlling the ignorant; and

v.              ensuring the safety of society through the imposition of penalties.

 

1.3.2      Knowledge of the Law enables individuals to:

i.               Know your rights,

ii.             Know their obligations,

iii.            Know where to go and what to do when rights are violated and,

iv.            Law can be said to consist of those rules made and standards prescribed by the people in authority governing and generating peaceful relations

1.4 The need for ethics and law in computing include:

o   Respecting Ownership

o   Respecting Privacy

o   Respecting Property

1.5 Ethics and law complement each other and aim to:

Ö      avoid misuse of computers, 

Ö      promote a healthy digital society, and 

Ö      prevent crime.

 

1.6 Differences between Ethics and Law

Table 1: Differentiating Ethics and Law

 

 

1.7 Unethical Vs. Law Breaking Conducts

Unethical behavior involves

i.             using office computers for personal purposes.

ii.           Reading a friend's email without permission. 

iii.         Plagiarism in class assignments without crediting the original author.

Breaking the law:

i.               Sharing a computer virus via email.

ii.             hacking into your school's database to alter your exam results.

iii.            selling pirated software at a night market.