Ethical Issues within Computing
There are a wide range of ethical issues that arerelevant to Computing. It relates to the way thatwe and society use Computers.
Factors may vary depending on geographical location and things are also likely to change over the coming decades as technology evolves.
AI is a big subject that draws many questions regarding ethical issues.
Legal Issues In Computing
There are a number of laws that are relevant to Computer Science.
These are:
- Data Protection Act
- Computer Misuse Act
- Copyright Designs and Patents Act
GPDR (Data Protection Act):
GDPR says that anyone who stores personal details must keep them secure. Companies with computer systems that store any personal data must have process and security mechanisms to meet this requirement.
Key Principles include:
- Data must be accurate and kept up-to-date
- Data must be adequate, relevant and not excessive
- Data must not be retained longer than necessary
- Data should be kept safe and secure
- Data should not be transferred outside EU without adequate protection
Computer Misuse Act
The Computer Misuse Act has three main principles.
These are designed to prevent un-authorised access or hacking of programs / data and include:
- Gain unauthorised access to a private network or device.
- Gain unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate a crime.
- Modify computer material e.g. delete / edit files with malicious intent
Copyright Designs and Patent Act
The copyright designs and patents act is designed to protect the creators of books, music,video and software from having their material illegally copied.
The act makes it illegal to use, copy or distribute commercially available material without permission.
For example, if you buy a music CD or software on disk,it is illegal to:
- Pass a copy to a friend
- Make a copy then sell it
- Use on a network, unless the license allows it