GOTERA CAMPUS

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

ASSIGNMENT OF

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS& HUMAN VALUES

Prepared By:

1.TamiratTakele ID No. 0112/2007

Submitted By:

Inst.BerhanuA.Degefa
QUESTION

Discuss the Ethical duties of IT

Professionals and IT Users? Focus on the
following points

A.Computer and Internet Crimes Privacy/10%/

B. Freedom of Expression/10%/

C. Intellectual Property Rights/10%/

D. Software Development/10%/

E. Discuss the importance of ethics in computer science

discipline? /10%/
ANSWER
Duties of IT professionals to IT users:
• understand users’ needs and capabilities
• provide products and services that best meet those needs
• establish an environment that supports ethical behavior by users
• discourage/prevent:
- Software piracy
- Inappropriate (e.g., personal) use of corporate IT resources

- Insecure computing practices

A. Computer and Internet Crimes Privacy

Computer Crime (Cybercrime) is a criminal offence on the Web,

a criminal offence regarding the Internet, a violation of law on the
Internet, an illegality committed with regard to the Internet, breach
of law on the Internet, computer crime, contravention through the
Web, corruption regarding Internet, disrupting operations through
malevolent programs on the Internet, electric crime, sale of
contraband on the Internet, stalking victims on the Internet and
theft of identity on the Internet.”
 The computer age gave rise to a new field of crime namely
“cybercrime” or “computer crime”. During the 1960s and 1970s
cybercrime involved physical damage to the consumer system.
Gradually computers were attacked using more sophisticated
modus operandi where individuals would hack into the operating
system to gain access to consumer files. The 1970s - through to
the present - saw cybercrimes taking different trajectories like
impersonation, credit card frauds, identity theft, and virus attacks,
etc.

The IT Act 2000 was enacted by the government to punish

such acts of cyber-crime. The Act was amended in the year 2008

Computer Crime:

 Often defies detection

 Amount stolen or diverted can be substantial
 Crime is “clean” and nonviolent
 Number of IT-related security incidents is increasing dramatically
 Computer crime is now global

Types of Computer Crime

Typically, computer crime can be categorized by the type of activity which

occurs. Four basic categories are utilized in describing computer crime. These
are: theft, fraud, copyright infringement, and attacks.

Theft. Theft in computer crime may refer to either unauthorized removal of

physical items such as hardware or unauthorized removal or copying of data or
information. It is well known that laptop computers are targeted at airports and
restaurants. The prize garnered with theft of a laptop is usually the data or
information such as passwords for corporate systems contained on the laptops
rather than the hardware.

Fraud. Fraud on the Internet may run the gamut from credit card offers which are
utilized only to capture personal information, to investor postings which promote a
stock or investment offer to encourage investment which will benefit the person
posting the information, to medical and pharmaceutical -related sites which purport
to provide correct medical advice or sell altered medications.

Copyright infringement. The Internet has provided a unique opportunity and

environment for copyright infringement. This type of computer crime
encompasses use of software, music, etc which is not appropriately acquired
(purchased). Software piracy occurs more easily with the ability to post files for
downloading all over the world. However, another more costly copyright
infringement occurs when trademarks and logos of corporations are posted on
non-authorized web sites. Some criminals utilize the trademarks and logos to
appear to be a legitimate site to perpetrate fraud. Many corporations have
employees or consulting contractors who constantly crawl the web to sniff out
illegal usage of trademarks and logos.

Internet software piracy: illegally downloading software from the Internet

 Most rapidly expanding type of software piracy

 Most difficult form to combat
 Examples: pirate Web sites, auction sites that offer counterfeit
software, peer-to-peer networks Penalties can be severe

Preventing Crime on the Internet

 Develop effective Internet usage and security policies for all employees
 Use a stand-alone firewall (hardware and software) with network monitoring
capabilities
 Deploy intrusion detection systems, monitor them, and follow up on their
alarms
  Monitor managers and employees to make sure that they are using the
Internet for business purposes
 Use Internet security specialists to perform audits of all Internet and network
activities

Crimes fall into several categories such as:

 Illegal access and use

 Data alteration and destruction
 Information and equipment theft
 Software and Internet piracy
 Computer-related scams
 International computer crime

B. Freedom of Expression

Freedom of opinion and expression are rights which

Uniquely enable us to promote, protect and fulfill all other human rights.
The rights enable us to expose, communicate and condemn human rights
abuses. They also permit the celebration of human rights achievements.
Freedom of expression embraces free speech, the sanctity of an
individual’s opinion, a free press, the transmission and receipt of ideas and
information, the freedom of expression in art and other forms, the ability to
receive ideas from elsewhere, and the right to silence.
Freedom of expression is one of a number of mutually supporting
rights (including freedom of thought, of association and of assembly, and
the right to vote) and is integral to other civil and political rights, such as the
right to justice, and the right to take part in public affairs. Equally, the right
to freedom of expression impacts on social and cultural rights, such as the
right to education. Debate about freedom of expression is both wide
reaching and constantly evolving, in response to the development of the
human mind, technological innovation and a globalised media, community
practices and standards, and political and judicial responses. More
constant is the fundamental idea that freedom of expression is designed to
protect and enhance democratic ideals.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental right protected under the
Human Rights Act 1998 by Article 10 of the European Convention on
Human Rights. It is also protected under the common law.
Protection under Article 10 extends to the expression of views
that may shock, disturb or offend the deeply-held beliefs of others.
Any restrictions on freedom of expression must always be clearly
set out in law, necessary in a democratic society for a legitimate aim,
and proportionate.
Subject to these conditions, freedom of expression may be
limited in some circumstances and in particular does not protect
statements that unlawfully discriminate against or harass, or incite
violence or hatred against, other persons and groups, particularly by
reference to their race, religious belief, gender or sexual orientation.
No one can rely on the human right to freedom of expression to
limit or undermine the human rights of others.
It is not always easy to draw the boundary between expressing
intolerant or offensive views (which are afforded protection under Article
10) and hate speech or other very offensive communication so serious that
it is not so protected. Factors likely to be relevant in making the distinction
will include the intention of the person making the statement, the context in
which they make it, the intended audience, and the particular words and
form of communication.
Freedom of expression is protected more strongly in some contexts than
others. In particular, a wide degree of tolerance is accorded to political
speech and debate during election campaigns.
It is nonetheless a criminal offence to stir up hatred on racial or religious
grounds or on the ground of sexual orientation. Offensive or insulting
language may also constitute harassment, either under the Equality Act
2010, or if directed at an individual under the Protection from Harassment
Act.
In addition to the criminal law, there are a number of different contexts in
which the law provides additional protection against offensive or harassing
conduct. These contexts include employment, service delivery and
education.
 Public bodies must respect the rights to both freedom of expression and
freedom from discrimination. They are also subject to particular duties
which require them to have due regard to the need to promote good
relations between different communities protected by equality law. This
may require them actively to challenge the use of offensive communication.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental right under British law, as well
as under European Union law and international human rights law. In
particular, freedom of expression is protected by Article 10 of the European
Convention on Human Rights. This is part of the law of England, Scotland
and Wales because it is included in the Human Rights Act 1998.1 The right
to freedom of expression is also a fundamental common law right.2
Freedom of expression applies to everyone, and means that people are
generally free to talk about or write about or otherwise express their ideas
and opinions without any censorship or interference from the state, subject
only to the narrow exceptions set out below. Those who enjoy the right
include corporations, media organizations and campaign groups.
Generally Article 10 prohibits the state from interfering with freedom of
expression. This would prevent, for example, the government attempting to
ban particular forms of political or artistic expression. The prohibition is not
limited to the government but also includes all public bodies such as local
authorities, schools and universities.
For the most part, Article 10 does not apply to decisions taken by
companies or private bodies. For example, the right to freedom of
expression would not cover a newspaper editor’s refusal to publish a letter
or a decision by Facebook or Google to remove content from their
websites.
In some cases, however, Article 10 can require the government to take
positive steps in order to protect free expression. In relation to state-funded
broadcasting, for example, the state has a duty to ensure that a diverse
range of views are accessible.

Freedom of Opinion, Expression and Information

A, Everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference.
B, Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes the
freedom to seek,
Receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers,
either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of
his or her choice.
C, The exercise of the right provided for in paragraph (b) may, where this can
be shown to be necessary, be subject to restrictions on specific grounds, as
established in international law, including for the protection of the reputations of
others.
D, Anyone affected, directly or indirectly, by a restriction on freedom of
expression must be able to challenge the validity of that restriction as a matter of
constitutional or human rights law before an independent court or tribunal.
E, Any application of a restriction on freedom of expression must be subject
to adequate safeguards against abuse, including the right of access to an
independent court or tribunal, as an aspect of the rule of law.

C. Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property is the name for information, ideas, and works of art
and other creations of themind for which the creator has an established
proprietary right of use. Intellectual propertylaws exist to protect creative
works by ensuring that only the creators benefit from marketingthem or
making them available, be they individuals or corporations. Intellectual
propertyrights for software and digital information have generated much
controversy. There are thosewho want to ensure strict control of creators
over their digital products, where as others emphasise the importance of
maintaining a strong public domain in cyberspace, and argue forunrestricted
access to electronic information and for the permissibility of copying
proprietarysoftware. In computer ethics, the ethical and philosophical
aspects of these disputes are analysed, and policy proposals are made for the
regulation of digital intellectual property in its different forms.
Intellectual property rights: With the advent of new technologies,
reproduction of information materials through photocopying, scanning or
otherwise has become much easier. This ease of reproduction sometimes
hampers the intellectual property rights of authors and publishers. It may
create ‘a tension between the desire of information professionals to obtain
information at the lowest cost possible and the interest of the owners of
this information
 Intellectual property: intangible creations protected by law
 Trade secret: intellectual work or product belonging to business, not in
public domain
 Copyright: statutory grant protecting intellectual property from copying by
others
 Trade Mark: legally registered mark, device, or name to distinguish one’s
goods
 Patent: legal document granting owner exclusive monopoly on an invention
for 17 years

Intellectual Property (IP) is defined as any "original creative work

manifested in a tangible form that can be legally protected" [1]. When
we speak of IP rights, we refer to controlling the way IP is used,
accessed or distributed [2]. The World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), an organ of the United Nations, suggests laws
to enforce IP rights worldwide. The convention establishing the WIPO
concluded on July 14, 1967 that [3]:
"Intellectual property shall include rights relating to:

* literary, artistic and scientific works,

* performances of performing artists, phonograms and broadcasts,

* inventions in all fields of human endeavor,

* scientific discoveries,
* industrial designs,

* trademarks, service marks and commercial names and designation,

* protection against unfair competition, and all other rights relating to
intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary or artistic fields."

IP is divided into two categories:

a) Industrial Property - patents, trademarks and industrial designs.

b) Copyright - includes works of art, literature, music and more

recently computer programs [4].

Why IP Rights Should Be Protected: The Classic Argument

One reason for IP laws is to allow IP creators to benefit from their
work [5]. If artists create paintings after months of labor, then they
deserve credit for painting them and the income from selling or
exhibiting them. If a business comes up with an attractive marketing
logo, then no other businesses should be allowed to use that logo to
promote their own products without permission.
Protecting IP is also seen as a method of promoting creativity [6]. If
no one is allowed to copy another person's work without permission
then creativity is encouraged for everybody.

A flyer on IP rights protection published by Los Alamos National

Laboratories, one of the premier research facilities in the nation,
notes the financial value of intellectual property accrued from licenses
and patents as a reason to protect IP rights [7]

Intellectual Property One of the more controversial areas of computer

ethics concerns the intellectual property rights connected with software
ownership. Some people, like Richard Stallman who started the Free
Software Foundation, believe that software ownership should not be
allowed at all. He claims that all information should be free, and all
programs should be available for copying, studying and modifying by
anyone who wishes to do so [Stallman, 1993]. Others argue that software
companies or programmers would not invest weeks and months of work
and significant funds in the development of software if they could not get
the investment back in the form of license fees or sales [Johnson, 1992].
Today’s software industry is a multibillion dollar part of the economy; and
software companies claim to lose billions of dollars per year through illegal
copying ("software piracy"). Many people think that software should be
own able, but "casual copying" of personally owned programs for one’s
friends should also be permitted (see [Nissenbaum, 1995]). The software
industry claims that millions of dollars in sales are lost because of such
copying. Ownership is a complex matter, since there are several different
aspects of software that can be owned and three different types of
ownership: copyrights, trade secrets, and patents. One can own the
following aspects of a program: The "source code" which is written by the
programmer(s) in a high-level computer language like Java or C++. 1. 2. The
"object code", which is a machine-language translation of the source code.
The "algorithm", which is the sequence of machine commands that the
source code and object code represent. 3. The "look and feel" of a program,
which is the way the program appears on the screen and interfaces with
users. 4. A very controversial issue today is owning a patent on a computer
algorithm. A patent provides an exclusive monopoly on the use of the
patented item, so the owner of an algorithm can deny others use of the
mathematical formulas that are part of the algorithm. Mathematicians and
scientists are outraged, claiming that algorithm patents effectively remove
parts of mathematics from the public domain, and thereby threaten to
cripple science. In addition, running a preliminary "patent search" to make
sure that your "new" program does not violate anyone’s software patent is
a costly and time-consuming process. As a result, only very large companies
with big budgets can afford to run such a search. This effectively eliminates
many small software companies, stifling competition and decreasing the
variety of programs available to the society [The League for Programming
Freedom, 1992].
D. Software Development

Software development is the process of computer

programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in
creating and maintaining applications and frameworks resulting in
a software product. Software development is a process of writing
and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it
includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired
software through to the final manifestation of the software,
sometimes in a planned and structured process.[1] Therefore,
software development may include research, new development,
prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or
any other activities that result in software products.[2]
Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three
most common being to meet specific needs of a specific
client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a
perceived need of some set of potential users (the case
with commercial and open source software), or for personal use
(e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane
task). Embedded software development, that is, the
development of embedded software, such as used for controlling
consumer products, requires the development process to be
integrated with the development of the controlled physical
product. System software underlies applications and the
programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
The need for better quality control of the software development
process has given rise to the discipline of software engineering,
which aims to apply the systematic approach exemplified in
the engineering paradigm to the process of software development.
There are many approaches to software project management,
known as software development life cycle models, methodologies,
processes, or models. The waterfall model is a traditional version,
contrasted with the more recent innovation of agile software
development.
E. Discuss the importance of ethics in computer science
discipline?
Computer scientists identify and solve computational problems in all
areas of modern life. They use a combination of technical skills and
creativity to design and build software, formulate solutions to computing
problems and invent new and better ways of using computers. The
discipline of computer science has many challenging, interesting and
socially important careers that appeal to a diverse range of people.
Computer scientists are not only employed by software companies but also
by health care companies, government agencies and educational
institutions. In short, the computer science profession is multifaceted and
has wide-ranging applications. Computers are continually changing, so
those who choose a career in computer science will become life-long
learners and will always be on the cutting edge of new trends in
technology.