Computer Ethics

Computer Ethics

 Computer ethics is set of moral principles that

regulate the use of computers.

 Computers can be used for both good and

bad purposes. Computer ethics—the sense
and study of what is right and what is wrong
in terms of computer use—was already
important in as early as the 1940s. By 1992, a
ten-point set of rules was written that now
guides ethical computing.
Here are some words that you
should remember:
 Computer ethics ➢ the analysis of the nature and social
impact of computer technology and the corresponding
formulation and justification of policies for the ethical use of
such technology
 Anonymous ➢ refers to names, identities, and/or sources that
are not made known
 Hacker ➢ someone who finds ways to defeat computer
security measures, or go around them
 Script kiddie ➢ immature crackers who reuse scripts and
programs developed by other hackers to break through
security systems on the Internet
 Hacktivist ➢ people who hack into computer systems or
networks for political or social reasons.
 Web defacer ➢ people who access websites with poor
security controls and manipulate their contents.
 Cracker ➢ a term first used by hackers in the mid-1980s to
refer to other hackers who have malicious or criminal
intentions
 Warez ➢ cracked software.
 Pirates ➢ those who copy or distribute copyrighted software
illegally
 Soft lifting ➢ sharing a software program with friends,
relatives, or any other person.
 Hard-disk loading ➢ when computer hardware retailers
bundle unauthorized copies of software with their computer
systems to entice buyers.
 Counterfeiting ➢ when software is copied onto storage
media, such as a compact disc, to be sold
 Online piracy ➢ when soft lifting, hard-disk loading, and
counterfeiting are available online
1. Which of the ten commandments of computer ethics do
you think is the most important? Explain your answer.

2. If you were to create another “commandment” regarding

computer ethics, what would it be? Why do you think people
should follow it?