Ethics in Cyber Space

What are Ethics anyway?

 Understanding how your actions affect other people

 Knowing right from wrong

 Taking personal responsibility for your actions

 So , “Ethics is about putting principles into action. Consistency between

what we say and … what our actions say… is a matter of integrity.”
Unethical vs. Illegal

 What is unethical is not necessarily illegal.

 For example, the issue of a company legally monitoring Employee‟s E-mail is
very controversial issues.
 Employees have limited protection against employer‟s electronic surveillance.
 The law appears to support employer‟s rights to read electronic mail and
other electronic documents of their employees.
 Here, The definitions of “Right” and “Wrong” are not clear. Also, the
distinction between what is illegal and what is unethical is not always
obvious
What do we mean by CYBERETHICS ?

 Cyberethics is the philosophic study of ethics pertaining to

computer networks, encompassing user behaviour.

 what networked computers are programmed to do, and how this

affects individuals and society.

 Cyber-Ethics is the Ethics applied to the online environment.

Why should we be Concerned about
Cyber Ethics ?
 Anonymous posting to blogs, websites and social media can encourage bad
behaviour anytime.
 Information in cyberspace can be accessed globally.
 what is right and wrong for Internet users can do,
 what are the social impacts of Information Technology (IT).
 understand security, privacy issues, and major negative impacts of IT on
cyberspace
 Computer Networks can be threatened by many internal and external hazards
internationally,
 Why Cyber Ethics ?

Cyber Ethics underpin actions that must be

taken not only to harness the power of the IT
itself, but also to survive its revolution so it
should be the concern of everyone.
Three main types of Ethical issues
 Privacy
IT enables exchange of information on a large scale enables
increased potential for disclosing information and violating the privacy
 Access Right
The topic of computer security and access right has moved quickly from
being a low priority for corporations to high priority for government
agencies.
 Harmful Actions
Harm to any of users, the general public, employees, and employers .
Harmful actions include intentional destruction or modification of files and
programs leading to serious loss of resources or unnecessary expenditure of
human resources.
Let’s review and discuss some common cyber-
ethical
concerns…
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
Violations

 Disregard for technology or network

rules and policies. This could be
willful or unintended disregard.
 Piracy

 Unauthorized duplication and distribution of items such as

games, software, DVDs, music, etc.

 End User License Agreement Violation : When you

purchase a game or CD, you are purchasing a license to
USE them; you do not OWN them.
Plagiarism

 Using another person’s ideas, words,

images, or original works as your own
without acknowledging the source.
 Cyber-bullying

"Cyber-bullying" is when a child or teen is

tormented, threatened, harassed,
humiliated, embarrassed, or otherwise
targeted by another child or teen using the
Internet, interactive and digital
technologies, or cell phones.
Cyber-libel

 Deliberate misrepresentation of
people or events.

 False statements that harm

another’s reputation.
 Worms and Viruses

 Malicious programs shared

with the intent of shutting down a

computer or computer system.

 Violating Privacy

 Willfully using another person’s

password to access his or her email
or documents online, distributing
private information of or about
another.
 Cyber-stalking

 The use of the Internet, email,

or other electronic

communications devices to

stalk another

person.
 Illegal Information on Internet
90

79.5
80
73.1

70

59.3 59
60
55.2

50 48.5

40

30

20

10.4
10

0
Fraudulent violation of False Rumors Obscence Libel Information Civil Rights Gambling
privacy Information Violation Information
Information
Call into Questions…
 Is it ok to display personal information
about other on the Internet ?
 Who owns digital data ( such as
music, movies, books, webpages etc.)
and what should users be allowed to
do
with it ?
 Who is allowed to access the data and
information?
 How can we safeguards to ensure that
the information can be accessed only by
the right person or organizations?
Who should be Concerned about Cyber
Ethics ?
 businesses and governments rely on technical measures to protect themselves
from false information, stealing, deny access, or even destroy valuable
information.
 Self-protection is not sufficient to make cyberspace a safe place to conduct
business. The rule of law must also be enforced.
 Cyber ethics must be taught and reinforced at every level of computer use
 From the novice user just learning to navigate a computer and the
internet, to an information technology professional
 Those who use the internet in any mode must be taught ethical practices in
every aspect of its use
The Rules of Ethical Cyber
Activity
 Basic Rule – Do not do something in cyber space that you would consider
wrong or illegal in everyday life
 Do not use rude or offensive language
 Do not be a bully on the Internet. Do not call peoples name, lie about
them, send embarrassing pictures of them, or anything else to try to heart
them.
 Don‟t encourage the cyberbullies. Do report cyberbullying.
 Do use internet for research and information but don‟t use copyrighted
information as your own.
The Rules of Ethical Cyber
Activity
 Do not break into someone else‟s computer.
 Do not attempt to infect or in any way try to make someone else‟s computer
unusable.
 Don‟t share personal information too easily.
 Do use the internet to expand your social and business network but don‟t
hamper other in doing so.
Internet Safety

 Guard your privacy : What people know about you is up to you.

 Protect your reputation: Self-reflect before you self-reveal. What‟s funny or
edgy today could cost you tomorrow.
 Nothing is private online: Anything you say or do can be copied, pasted and
sent to billions of people without your permission.
 Assume everyone is watching: There is huge vast audience out there.
Someone you don‟t know also has access to your information.
 Apply the golden rule: If you don‟t want it done to you, then don‟t do it with
someone else.
 Watch the clock : A virtual hug never matches a real one. Balance your life.
Internet Safety

 Choose wisely: Not all the content is appropriate. You know what we mean.
 Don‟t hide: Using anonymity to cloak your actions doen‟t turn you into a
trustworthy, responsible human being.
 Think about what you see: Just because you find it over internet doesn‟t
make it true.
 Be smart, be safe: Not everyone is who they say they are. Be smart while
sitting online and interacting with people.
ACM Commitments on Ethics

1. Contribute to society and human being.

2. Avoid harm to others.
3. Be honest and trustworthy.
4. Be fair and take action not to discriminate.
5. Honor property rights including copyrights and patents.
6. Give proper credit for intellectual property.
7. Respect the privacy of others.
8. Honor confidentiality.
9. Contribute to society and human being.
 CONCLUSION

 The new world of information society with global networks and cyberspace
will inevitably generate a wide variety of social, political, and ethical
problems.
 Basic issues have been solved partially using technological approaches and
legal laws in cyberspace.
 Guidelines and strategies should be implemented so that global information
can be exploited in a socially and ethically sensitive way for our future
benefit and applications.
 CASE STUDY
1
Facebook confessions page
Facebook confessions page
What is it ?

 It is page on Facebook on which any one can anonymously post a

personal information.
 Juicy-campus launched in 2007 with the goal of enabling “online
anonymous free speech on college campuses”.
 College ACB.com in 2007 which peaked with over 900,000 views
in a single day
 College ACB closed down in October 2011 but anonymous online
confession sites didn‟t go away
Facebook confessions page
What is it ?

 US college students began using a combination of Facebook pages

and anonymous forms such as Google Forms or SurveyMonkey to
create school based Facebook Confession Pages.
 In India it started in IIT-B and just after one day It also started in
LNMIIT and various other collages.
 These services were controversial as many of the posted
confessions hurt the school‟s image.
Facebook confessions page
Why do Students use them ?

ANONYMITY is the answer to this.

 Anonymity is an important and useful tool in many
situations.
 Most adults have at some time read newspaper advice
columns where readers anonymously submit problems and
an “Agony Aunt” responds with advice so that others
with similar problems benefit.
 Voting is usually done anonymously to allow freedom of
expression and governments protect anonymous
whistleblowers with legislation.
Facebook confessions page
Why do Students use them ?

 And police “Tips” phone services assure anonymity as a

way of getting people to share others‟ misdeeds.
 Kids Help Phone encourages teens and children to phone in
and share their problems anonymously because this helps
teens and children to address problems they can‟t in other
ways
 What no one can deny is that the need to share
anonymously is deep-seated.
Facebook confessions page
How do they work ?

 Facebook Confession Pages are simply pages that

allow students to anonymously submit their deepest
secrets.
 The moderator of the page posts the confessions on
the
Facebook page.
 Students who „like‟ the page can see each confession and
can „like‟ each confession and comment.
 The moderators of the page are often unknown to the
students, as are the contributors.
Facebook confessions page
How do they work ?
 The Facebook Confession Page model has caught on
and spreading fast.
 The pages are free, easy to set up and tap into this deep-
seated need teens and young adults have to share what
they‟re really thinking and feeling without fear of adult
sanctions.
Facebook confessions page
What are the problems ?

 While the original intent of Facebook Confession Pages

was to offer a forum for students to share problems,
concerns and secrets that isn‟t all students are sharing.
The online dis-inhibition effect, a loosening of social
restrictions and inhibitions that would normally be
present in social interactions, means that many students
want to also use the confessions pages to share stories of
alcohol and drug use or sexual behaviour. In some cases
the pages lead to cyberbullying or even slander.
Facebook confessions page
What is Unethical here ?

 Invasion of Privacy

 Character
Assassination
Facebook confessions page
What can educators and parents to do?
 Experience in other jurisdictions suggests that taking
pages down won‟t solve the problem. Pages are easy to
set
up, and often when one is taken down another pops up
right away moderated by a different student.

 Teens expressing depression, issues with body image or

alcohol and drug use should concern us all and rather than
preventing them from posting about it we should be looking
at the behavior and trying to address it.
Facebook confessions page
What can educators and parents to do?
 Students clearly have a need to post anonymously about
their problems, concerns and fears.
 Schools should embrace the opportunity and set up their
own “Confessions Pages”, moderated by students but
with guidelines
 Confession Pages and their associated problems also
highlight the need for greater education about digital
citizenship for students
Facebook confessions page
What can educators and parents to do?

 need to better understand the risks of posting and the

permanent and public nature of digital spaces.
 This starts at an early age with parents talking to children
about social media and modeling good online behavior
themselves.
CASE STUDY
2

N a p s t e r v s RIAA
The Napster Controversy: RIAA vs. Napster

 In the summer of 1999, a website, www.napster.com, was

launched in the US. The website made it possible for its
users to freely share their music files through the Internet
with other users all over the world.

 The service became extremely popular within a short span

of time. The website attracted 1.6 million simultaneous
users during the height of its popularity in February 2000.

 Napster's offering of this 'peer-to-peer' technology was

strongly condemned by the Recording Industry Association
of America (RIAA), a trade group representing the world's
biggest record labels, Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner
Music, EMI Group and Bertelsmann AG.
Allegation on Napster

 RIAA alleged that Napster was engaging in or assisting

others in copying copyrighted music without payment or
the express permission of the rights owners.

 RIAA also claimed that Napster would significantly harm the

sales of the recording industry.

 In December 1999, the body sued Napster in the Federal

District Court for copyright infringements and petitioned the
court to shut down the website.
What Happened NEXT.
 The legal battle was covered extensively in the global media.

 In the beginning of July 2001, Napster had to stop offering its services
due to certain technical problems. While the company was working
towards setting the problems right and resuming operations, in mid
July 2001, a District Court Judge order barred Napster from offering
the file-sharing service.

 Even as Napster users strongly protested against the order, the

company appealed the ruling before the US Court of Appeals in San
Francisco. The Appeals Court granted Napster temporary reprieve
against injunction until a further review of the injunction request.

 Napster was eventually acquired by Roxio. In its second incarnation

Napster became an online music store until it was acquired by
Rhapsody from Best Buy on 1 December 2011.
Questions Raised
 The controversy raised several questions regarding the
impact of the emergence of newer technologies like Napster
on the traditional modes of conducting business.

 Was the recording industry using its financial power to

suppress technological innovations in the music business?

 Was Napster wrong in allowing people across the globe to

access music without paying for it and without the artistes'
permission?

 The case eventually came to be seen as a struggle by the

powerful entertainment industry against a new technology
threatening it.
Ethical Point of View
What went wrong ?

 Shared Music For Free But Not

FREE MUSIC.
Ethical Point of View
Why was it Unethical ?

 Firstly, Because it caused Heavy Loses to the Recording

industry; Artists & Recording houses who spent millions
in productions.
 Secondly, It directly encouraged Piracy of Music and giving
birth to Many other similar websites
Thank
You…