Abstract computer ethics is a study of ethical issues that are related mainly with computing. A comparative examination of attitudes toward software piracy among business professors and executives. Introduction to computer information systemsethics. In 1976 bill gates wrote an open letter to hobbyists, in it he called the illegal duplication of proprietary software theft, and went onto say that users who steal software end up hurting the industry.
The general definition of the word ethics defines the elements important to humans morals. Sep 15, 2005 software piracy is older than the pc and has been the subject of several studies, which have found it to be a widespread phenomenon in general, and among university students in particular. Ethical issues with the software piracy issue free essays. Computer piracy is the unauthorized use of ed software. Computer and information ethics stanford encyclopedia of. The illegal copying of software software piracy, illegal access and interception, misuse of devices, computerrelated forgery, fraud, offences related to child. Web sites often load files on your computer called cookies to record times and pages visited and other personal information spyware software that tracks your online movements. Computer ethics deals with the procedures, values and practices that govern the process of consuming computing technology and its related disciplines without damaging or violating the moral values and beliefs of any individual, organization or entity. Oct 30, 2012 software piracy is the stealing of legally protected software. Software piracy among technology education students. The security polices and codes of ethics combined with users educationtraining measures might be useful in deterring is misuse. Software piracy dictionary definition software piracy defined. Many millions of people throughout the world will illegally download the fifth season of game of thrones, released today by hbo.
Software piracy is one of the most remarkable among computer ethics breaches. Software piracy is considered direct infringement when it denies holders due compensation for use of their creative works. Ideally, with aspects such as hacking and piracy and above all privacy. However, even in cases where companies are found to be using unlicensed software, enforcement was a. Software piracy, which is the unauthorized use or copying of software illegally, has become a major problem for businesses and it is widespread in many parts of the world which led to drain of economy.
Computer software is integrated into almost every aspect of our. The computer can create a unique environment in which unauthorized activities can occur. While it is tempting to say that lamacchia is guilty or innocent based on what limited information has emerged so. Software piracy dictionary definition software piracy.
The survey includes responses from 224 students in entrylevel courses at. G 1997, software piracy and computerusing professionals. Part of the ethics and political philosophy commons, ethics in religion. Software piracy is defined as the illegal duplication of proprietary software to evade purchasing said software and the selling of unauthorized duplicates. The main agendas which can be recognized to ethics in relation to information technology can be tied down to hacking, privacy, software piracy and it personnel work ethics. Discussing the critical issue of software piracy information. Pdf student attitudes on software piracy and related issues of.
Moral arguments to follow the law date back to plato. Student attitudes on software piracy and related issues of. Computer ethics deals with moral responsibility of what is wrong and right. By removing revenue from the developers, jobs are lost and there is less incentive to create new software. According to them, it is acceptable and ethical to copy the software because they have a right to the information contained in the software. Software piracy restricted in sa it news africa up to. Brennan h works in support of our dod customers as a software deployment specialist. By taking into deeper look, we begin to realize that ethics and information technology involve more issues which on the whole are just as worst. Ethical issues in software piracy moral responsibility. Something as innocent as installing a program on more than one computer, if the copy was intended for only one computer, can constitute.
When you club ethics with software and computers in general, the first thing that one should empathize with is the constant and the ever growing efforts of software developers and their manufacturers to protect their software from piracy that simply puts all their. Computer and information ethics, in the present essay, is understood as that branch of applied ethics which studies and analyzes such social and ethical impacts of ict. A survey, journal of computer information systems 373, 9499. Software piracy this includes downloading and using a program without paying for it, as well as buying, selling or giving away illegitimate copies of a game or any other piece of software. Software piracy is creditied with billions of dollars loss to the software industry by the business software alliance, who studies software piracy extensively. It is important to understand consumers ethical response to software piracy in. Aug 15, 2014 similarly, companies that derive benefit from software should pay to use that software. This text helps students explore the wider field of computer ethics, including discussion of key topics such as privacy, software protection, artificial intelligence, workplace issues, virtual reality, and cybersex. They believe in the freedom of information and expression ie.
Computer ethics is a set of morals that regulate the use of computers. The legal implications of unauthorized software use should be clear to everyone who owns or uses a computer. Computer ethics is a concept in ethics that addresses the ethical issues and constraints that. The software pirates and those trying to protect software s approach the ethics of piracy from two different viewpoints. Ethical issues with the software piracy issue essay 986. The survey includes responses from 224 students in entrylevel.
Piracy is ethical some think that there is nothing wrong with software piracy. View of software piracy and ethical decision making behavior of. What do computer science students think about software piracy. The development of information systems ethics, an analysis. Copying music for a friend, downloading a commercially licensed program from the internet without purchasing it and even using software in a way that violates the end user license agreement are all forms of computer piracy. However, even in cases where companies are found to be using unlicensed software, enforcement was a last resort. Many people think that software should be ownable, but casual copying of. Something as innocent as installing a program on more than one computer, if the copy was intended for only one computer, can constitute piracy.
Noncommercial software theft or piracy, while currently illegal because it violates the laws. Ethical issues of software piracy ethics in computing. Computer ethics in the age where technology is fast affecting almost every area of life, there are issues that come up relative to the ethical application of the same. Apr 03, 2020 when examined in this fashion, one finds that information systems research over the years that incorporates an ethical perspective has transitioned from a focus on codes of ethics and general notions of behavior to more sophisticated models of piracy, privacy, and security. The association for computing machinery, or acm, claims to be the worlds largest educational and scientific computing society. The illegal copying of software software piracy, illegal access and interception, misuse of devices, computerrelated forgery, fraud, offences related to child pornography, offences related to infringements of and related rights are all considered ethical issues on cyberspace. For software creators and corporations the ethics behind software piracy is one sided, they view it as theft and morally wrong. Software piracy is a term used to describe the act of illegally using, copying or distributing software without ownership or legal rights. And while it may be possible to access someones personal information on a computer system, computer ethics would advise that such an action is unethical. The more specific term computer ethics has been used, in the past, in several different ways. The computer ethics field consists of the problems with computer. These think that all ideas and artistic creation should be held in common and be freely accessible to all.
It is important for computer users to be aware of the ethical use of ed material, the ethical use of resources and information, and the ethical use of school, company, and employee information. From the viewpoint of computer ethics theories university of oulu department of information processing science masters thesis bethelhem tadele oulu 20. Today, software piracy is an issue of global importance. Software piracy is a form of ethical issue that is hard to solve in society, especially among students of faculty of computer science university of indonesia. Software pirating and ethics santa clara university. Introduction ethics is a set of moral principles that govern the behavior of a group or individual. When examined in this fashion, one finds that information systems research over the years that incorporates an ethical perspective has transitioned from a focus on codes of ethics and general notions of behavior to more sophisticated models of piracy, privacy, and security. Under law, software piracy occurs when protected software is copied, distributed, modified or sold. It is for this reason that the term computer ethics has become quite common in professional and even social circles.
Theres another type of software that will allow you to share their software for a small price. The internet has made it all too easy to steal, market, and distribute ed material. It involves social issues, such as access rights, working place monitoring, censorship and junk mail. Case studies in information and computer ethics, prenticehall, upper saddle river, nj, 1997. Considerations in ethical decisionmaking and software piracy. Ethics are defined as the set of principals formed from the perspective of moral rights and wrongs within a particular environment. Software piracy is older than the pc and has been the subject of several studies, which have found it to be a widespread phenomenon in general, and among university students in particular.
Noncommercial software theft or piracy, while currently illegal because it violates the laws, is justified ethically, economically, and socially, and should therefore be allowed. Software privacy software piracy is morally bad when someone reproduces a copy of the software and sells. Laws have been put in place to help curb issues like hacking which are unethical and can cause harm to a person, whether physically or psychologically. Legally speaking, what they will be doing is a violation of. The indictment indicates that lamacchia knew what sorts of software were being traded on his archive site though lamacchias attorneys deny this point. Types of computer crime damage to computers, programs or files viruses migrate through systems attached to files and programs worms continuously selfreplicate theft of hardware, software, data, computer time software piracy unauthorized copies of ed material viewmanipulation. Software piracy is the stealing of legally protected software. He recently earned a bachelors degree in computer science with a minor in cyber security. Software piracy is the illegal copying, distribution, or use of software. Computer crimes, such as embezzlement or planting of logic bombs, are normally committed by trusted personnel who have permission to use the computer system.
Pdf student attitudes on software piracy and related issues. Ethical aspects on software piracy and information and. Software piracy is any unauthorized use andor distribution of software. This includes anything from music, movies, and video games, to document software such as microsoft office, adobe, and imaging programs.
According to the business software alliance bsa, about 36% of all software in current use is stolen. It is such a profitable business that it has caught the attention of organized crime groups in a number of countries. Types of software piracy stanford computer science. Ethical issues with the software piracy issue essay 986 words. Next step is to continue his education with a masters degree in computer science. Software piracy is defined as illegally copying software that does not belong to you in a manner that violates the. Computer ethics are increasingly becoming important because of the rising number of cyber crime issues, including software piracy, unauthorized access, pornography, spamming, target marketing, and hacking. Copying that software to multiple computers or sharing it with your friend without multiple licenses is. Ethics could be referred to as specific values, standards, rules, and agreements. Any person wishing to join the society must accept a code of ethics and professional conduct, which covers the ethical issues surrounding software piracy. An earlier study by cohen and cornwell from a decade ago is replicated, adding questions about downloading music from the internet. As the access to use computer grows, the percentage for using pirated software also grows. Feb 26, 2019 a comprehensive database of computer ethics quizzes online, test your knowledge with computer ethics quiz questions.
Some think that there is nothing wrong with software piracy. Pdf attitudes towards software piracy in south africa. Two rival camps dominate public discussion around the ethics of illegal downloading. By taking into deeper look, we begin to realize that ethics and information technology involve more issues which on. Similarly, companies that derive benefit from software should pay to use that software. With usage of computers for communication being more preferred than pen and paper, following computer ethics have become a must for each and everyone.
Theres a need to find a way to maximise the truly amazing potential of the internet, while properly rewarding creators. The aims of the study were to describe the relationship between all three of kohlbergs levels of moral development and attitudes towards software piracy as well as to determine if an individual. They consider illegal downloading to be victimless crime, and do not. Unlike other activities like hacking and security breaches, which are outright illegal, software. Journal of computer information systems, 2022, winter 19871988. It seems that illegal software is available anywhere, to anyone, at any time. Student attitudes on software piracy and related issues of computer ethics article pdf available in ethics and information technology 64. A comprehensive database of computer ethics quizzes online, test your knowledge with computer ethics quiz questions. Topics in computer ethics edited and adapted from the article. In their view, intellectual property, in the form of and patents, unfairly restricts access to ideas and expression. The internet and the web most people dont worry about email privacy on the web due to illusion of anonymity each email you send results in at least 3 or 4 copies being stored on different computers.
The widespread popularity and use of the internet has given rise to a number of cybercrime issues and concerns about user privacy. Apr, 2015 in their view, intellectual property, in the form of and patents, unfairly restricts access to ideas and expression. From warez shopping malls in asia, to the unscrupulous computer systems retailers a few blocks down the street, pirated programs are sold for a pittance. The majority of software today is purchased as a singleuser license, meaning that only one computer may have that software installed on it at one time. For example, not being involved in software piracy is a matter of ethics. Computer software, however, does not seem to fit into this. Computer science students are the future information and communication technologies professionals. According to the 2010 global software piracy study, run by the business software alliance bsa, the countrys piracy rate remained at 35% in 2010, while the commercial value of unlicensed. With shareware, the software author expects you pay a reasonable fee if you use the program regularly, but there is nothing to stop you from using it anyway. Computer ethics and impact of society information technology. This article highlights the points that throw some light on the importance of computer ethics and how they contribute into a better and safe usage of computers in our daily life. Computer ethics has tried its best to help instill morals to computer users in stating that illegally copying the material is a crime. Key words software piracy, music downloading, computer ethics, student attitudes. I recently got a hankering to reread some of my favorite books.
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