Computer Ethics (Computers, Internet, and Society)

Written works, music, videos, and other content on the Internet are easily accessible to the general public, but is it considered ethically permissible to access, copy, and redistribute them? Is it right to look at someone else’s documents on a home or school computer just because they are not protected by password? Are there ethical problems with using a false identity in an Internet chat room, or behaving in a way that one would not consider acting in the real world? What about using a photograph from the Internet in a research paper without giving credit to the photographer, even if using that photo constitutes fair use and does not violate the law? Computer Ethics explores these questions and more, enabling students to differentiate between what is legally permissible and what is ethical in the context of computers and the Internet. Chapters include:

-Privacy: Does It Exist Online?

-Copying: Does Ease of Copying Make It Right?

-Virtual Worlds: Living Inside Your Computer.