1. Ethical Issues of Computer Networks

2. Computer Network Ethics
The study of what it means to “do the right thing”
Assume people are rational and make free choices
Rules to follow in our interactions and our actions that affect others
Computer Network Ethics resulted from the growth of the Internet
A branch of professional ethics
How computing professionals should make decisions regarding professional and social conduct

3. Rapid Pace of Change Computer and the Internet Cell Phones
Social Networking
Facebook, MySpace
Collaboration
Wikipedia
E-commerce and Free Stuff
Online books, games, online videos

4. Issues Resulted From These rapid Changes
Hacking and Crimes
Identity Theft and Credit-Card Fraud
Privacy and Anonymity
Intellectual Property and Copyright
Censorship

5. Hacking and Crimes
Network security issues resulted from the growth of the Internet and of E-commerce
The term “hacking” has changed over time
Examples
Defaced Web pages
Computer viruses and worms
Scam s and phishing attacks
Hacktivism: the use of hacking to promote a political cause
Unauthorized access to sensitive information

6. Hacking and Crimes (Con’t)
Is it ethical to break into a system without permission
Security professionals inform the software company responsible for the software to close security holes before making a public announcement
Is “harmless hacking” harmless?
It is difficult to distinguish a non-malicious hacker from a thief or terrorist
It takes efforts and costs to stop the intrusion

7. Hacking and Crimes (Con’t)
The law
The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) passed in 1986
Covers government computers, financial and medical systems, and activities that involve computers in more than one state, including computers connected to the Internet
The USA PATROIT Act
Expands the definition of loss to include the cost of responding to an attack, assessing damage and restoring systems

8. Hacking and Crimes (Con’t)
A variety of methods for catching hackers
Law enforcement agents read hacker newsletters and participate in chat rooms undercover
They can often track a handle by looking through newsgroup archives
Security professionals set up ‘honey pots’ which are Web sites that attract hackers, to record and study
Computer forensics is used to retrieve evidence from computers

9. Identity Theft and Credit-Card Fraud
We do our banking and investing on the Web
Risks: It is possible to steal our identity, e.g., credit card numbers, SSN, account numbers, etc.
Example
Phishing s to confirm information about your account and password
Pharming to lure people to fake Web sites
Trojan horse may track keystrokes and send them over the Internet
Online resumes and job hunting sites may reveal SSN, work history, birth dates, and other information that can be used in identity theft
E-commerce has made it easier to steal card numbers and use without having the physical card

10. Identity Theft and Credit-Card Fraud (Con’t)
Responses to Identity Theft:
Authentication of and Web sites
Use of encryption to securely store data, so it is useless if stolen
Authenticating customers to prevent use of stolen numbers, may trade convenience for security
In the event information is stolen, a fraud alert can flag your credit report; some businesses will cover the cost of a credit report if your information has been stolen

11. Privacy Consider one example: Key aspects of Privacy
Computerized record systems for customers in a community clinic – for routine Web access and communication
The sensitivity of the information in the records
The inappropriate release of the information can result in embarrassment
Key aspects of Privacy
Freedom from intrusion
Control of information about oneself
Freedom from surveillance

12. Example 1– Location Tracking
GPS, cell phones, RFID, etc. enable the development of many new applications
Provide where a person is at a particular time
These applications provide many benefits
These applications also pose potential threats to privacy
Pros and cons

13. Example 2 – Telephone Communication Wiretapping
1934 Communications Act prohibited interception of messages
1968 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act allowed wiretapping and electronic surveillance by law-enforcement (with court order)
Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006 made it a federal crime to obtain someone’s telephone records without the person’s permission
Pros and cons

14. Example 3 – Internet Bots and Privacy
Software applications running automated tasks over the Internet
Web spidering
Many applications
Internet bots may also be used for malicious purposes
Pros and cons

15. Anonymity For people who advocate anonymity
Protecting privacy
Protecting against identity theft and consumer profiling
Protecting against oppressive governments
For people who against anonymity
People should take responsibility for their opinions and statements
Potential to shield criminal activity and incompatible with online netiquette
U.S. and European countries working on laws that require ISPs to maintain records of the true identity of each user and maintain records of online activity for potential use in criminal investigations

16. Intellectual Property and Copyright
The intangible creative work, not its particular physical form
Protected by copyright and patent law
Copyright holders have exclusive rights to
To make copies
To produce derivative works, such as translations into other languages or movies based on books
To distribute copies
To perform the work in public (e.g. music, plays)
To display the work in public (e.g. artwork, movies, computer games, video on a Web site)

17. Intellectual Property and Copyright (Con’t)
Computer and communications technologies raise challenge to intellectual-property protection
Storage of all sorts of information in standard formats (e.g. graphics, video and audio files)
High-volume, relatively inexpensive digital storage media
Scanners
Compression technologies
The Web
Broadband Internet connections
Peer-to-Peer technology

18. Intellectual Property and Copyright (Con’t)
Putting the digital content on the Internet
Unauthorized copying and sharing of computing software, music, and video files continue at a huge rate
Search engines and online libraries
Negotiate contracts with intellectual-property owners to provide digital content

19. Copyright Law and Significant Cases
Sony v. Universal City Studios (1984)
Supreme Court decided that the makers of a device with legitimate uses should not be penalized because some people may use it to infringe on copyright
Supreme Court decided copying movies for later viewing was fair use
Arguments against fair use
People copied the entire work
Movies are creative, not factual

20. Copyright Law and Significant Cases (cont.)
Sony v. Universal City Studios (1984) (cont.)
Arguments for fair use
The copy was for private, noncommercial use and generally was not kept after viewing
The movie studios could not demonstrate that they suffered any harm
The studios had received a substantial fee for broadcasting movies on TV, and the fee depends on having a large audience who view for free

21. Censorship of the Internet
We need to make the Internet safe for the people
E.g. Pornographic pictures shared among minors and children – Cyberporn
The Child Online Protection Act (COPA)
Passed in 1998
It is a federal crime for commercial Web sites to make available to minors materials “harmful to minors” as judged by community standards
Found to be unconstitutional

22. Censorship of the Internet
Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 (CIPA):
Requires schools and libraries that participate in certain federal programs to install filtering software
Filters
Blocks sites with specific words, phrases or images
Parental control for sex and violence
Updated frequently but may still screen out too much or too little
Not possible to eliminate all errors
What should be blocked?

23. Employee Monitoring Electronic monitoring capabilities For employer
Computer network, Telephone network, digital camera, etc.
For employer
To evaluate individual employee and to measure and increase productivity
For employee
Complain dignity, independence, privacy and confidence

24. Whose Law Rule the Web?
Different countries have different law ruling the Web
Content control/censorship (including politics, religion, pornography, criminal investigations and trials, etc.)
Intellectual property
Gambling
Hacking/Viruses
Privacy
Commerce (advertising and sales)
Spam
Some countries ban all or certain types of access to the Internet

25. Reference
Sara Baase, “A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computing and the Internet,” Third Edition, Prentice Hall, ISBN , 2007.