Ethics and Copyright Issues Technical Communication Spring 2005 DAHMEN

Examples of Ethics in Tech Comm Three Mile Island  Breakdown in communication among management company Space Shuttle Challenger  Inability of engineers to communicate their fears about O-rings Pentium III Chip  Chip could violate privacy laws

Areas Particularly at ‘Risk’ Medical technology Banking Retail companies Environmental issues with companies/contractors

Theories of Ethics Kant’s ‘categorical imperative  Role of reason  Ethics as universally applicable  Intent is most important Utilitarian (J.S. Mill)  The greater good rules  Outcome implicit in judging ethics Ethical Relativism  Any act can be seen as ethical  No fixed standards

Considering your own Obligations to: Yourself Clients and customers Company and employers Coworkers Community ‘Nation and World’

What ideals do I stand for? To whom am I obligated? What are possible consequences?

What is a copyright? “the legal system that gives owners rights over their communication products”

What can be copyrighted? Books Music Performances Photographs Drawings Letters Memos Expressions of ideas… ©

Ways to Indicate Copyright Add the ©, name and year  © Lynne Dahmen 2003 Register product with copyright office Send copy in sealed envelope to yourself None…automatic assumption of copyright

As an owner you have the right to… Reproduce the work Derive a new work from it Distribute the work Display the work Conduct public performances of the work

What is fair use? When used in education When used for research When used in a non-profit situation However, you still need to… Cite your source Give proper credit

How technology influences copyright Photocopies Digital reproduction Downloads Public domain rights Electronic communication WWW

Privacy What information can you collect and why? Based on American idea of “search and seizure” Conflicts in international law Cookies? What laws does Morocco follow?