Ethical and Legal Issues Information Systems 337 Prof. Harry Plantinga

Issues What ethical and legal issues arise in running a website? What ethical and legal issues arise in running a website?

Why do you run your site? Jesus' fundamental ethical principles: Love God above all, love your neighbor as yourself Jesus' fundamental ethical principles: Love God above all, love your neighbor as yourself You can do that by serving others with your site You can do that by serving others with your site You have been entrusted with readers' attention. Do something useful with it! You have been entrusted with readers' attention. Do something useful with it!

Ethics question Is it ethical to have advertising on your site? Is it ethical to have advertising on your site? How does advertising affect your site? Is it a win for users as well as you? How does advertising affect your site? Is it a win for users as well as you? What kinds of advertising should you use? What kinds of advertising should you use? How about targeted advertising based on user browsing history, etc? How about targeted advertising based on user browsing history, etc?

Ethics question Is it ethical to promote your site with mass ings? Is it ethical to promote your site with mass ings?

CAN SPAM Act Requirements of mass s: Requirements of mass s: Accurate from line & other headers Accurate from line & other headers Subject line is not deceptive Subject line is not deceptive Accurate physical address Accurate physical address Message may not be sent through open relay Message may not be sent through open relay Message may not use harvested addrs Message may not use harvested addrs A way to opt out with single click or web page A way to opt out with single click or web page Exemptions Exemptions Religious messages Religious messages Political messages Political messages National security messages National security messages

Issue Is it ethical to keep a guestbook at CCEL? Is it ethical to keep a guestbook at CCEL? What if people sign from a country where Christianity is illegal? What if people sign from a country where Christianity is illegal?

Ethics of Storing Data Is it ethical to keep access logs? Is it ethical to keep access logs? Who might want access? Who might want access? What harm could be done? What harm could be done? Why are you keeping the log? Why are you keeping the log? Is it ethical to store user names, addresses, credit card numbers, passwords, health problems, etc? Is it ethical to store user names, addresses, credit card numbers, passwords, health problems, etc? What ethical considerations apply to storing user data? What ethical considerations apply to storing user data?

Code of Fair Info Practices There must be no personal data record-keeping systems whose very existence is secret. There must be no personal data record-keeping systems whose very existence is secret. There must be a way for a person to find out what information about the person is in a record and how it is used. There must be a way for a person to find out what information about the person is in a record and how it is used. There must be a way for a person to prevent information about the person that was obtained for one purpose from being used or made available for other purposes without the person's consent. There must be a way for a person to prevent information about the person that was obtained for one purpose from being used or made available for other purposes without the person's consent. There must be a way for a person to correct or amend a record of identifiable information about the person. There must be a way for a person to correct or amend a record of identifiable information about the person. Any organization creating, maintaining, using, or disseminating records of identifiable personal data must assure the reliability of the data for their intended use and must take precautions to prevent misuses of the data. Any organization creating, maintaining, using, or disseminating records of identifiable personal data must assure the reliability of the data for their intended use and must take precautions to prevent misuses of the data.

Additions to the Code Three other principles might be added from the ACM Code of Ethics: Three other principles might be added from the ACM Code of Ethics: Only the necessary information collected Only the necessary information collected Data retention and disposal periods Data retention and disposal periods User data observed during normal system maintenance must be treated with confidentiality unless you are required to reveal it by law or organzational rules User data observed during normal system maintenance must be treated with confidentiality unless you are required to reveal it by law or organzational rules

Status of the Code Created by the HEW (Health, Education, Welfare) Advisory Committee on Automated Data Systems in 1972 Created by the HEW (Health, Education, Welfare) Advisory Committee on Automated Data Systems in 1972 Not legally binding Not legally binding Some of its principals were adopted in laws governing data in particular areas: Some of its principals were adopted in laws governing data in particular areas: financial data financial data medical records medical records

Examples Is it ethical to use Hymnary user statistics to improve search results? Is it ethical to use Hymnary user statistics to improve search results? Is it ethical for a library online catalog to show most popular search results first? Is it ethical for a library online catalog to show most popular search results first?

Ethics of SEO Is it ethical to buy links in order to get a better SEO ranking? Is it ethical to buy links in order to get a better SEO ranking? What will the effect be on effectiveness of search by Google users? What will the effect be on effectiveness of search by Google users? This is a hotly-debated issue. This is a hotly-debated issue. It's against Google's rules; if you are caught you will be penalized by Google It's against Google's rules; if you are caught you will be penalized by Google Is it ethical to target particular keywords and modify your web pages to get better search results? Is it ethical to target particular keywords and modify your web pages to get better search results?

Privacy Policies California requires commercial websites that collect personally identifiable information to post a privacy policy. It must California requires commercial websites that collect personally identifiable information to post a privacy policy. It must Identify the categories of personally identifiable information that are collected Identify the categories of personally identifiable information that are collected Describe how consumers can review and make changes Describe how consumers can review and make changes Describe how consumers can learn of changes in the policy Describe how consumers can learn of changes in the policy Identify the effective date of the policy Identify the effective date of the policy

Privacy Policy Tips If you do business in California, make it legal in CA If you do business in California, make it legal in CA Make it easy to read Make it easy to read Abide by it! It can be enforced by the FTC (see Wikipedia article on e-commerce) Abide by it! It can be enforced by the FTC (see Wikipedia article on e-commerce)

Privacy Policy tool Here's an online tool to create a privacy policy Here's an online tool to create a privacy policyonline tool to create a privacy policyonline tool to create a privacy policy Create one for your term project website Create one for your term project website