ETHICAL ISSUES IN

THE DIGITAL AGE

Jajz Axl Moncenilla – GECE 4
PRIVACY
According to law, privacy is the right of every
individual to make personal decisions and conduct
their life in a reasonable manner away from public
observation. In other terms, it is an individual's or a
group's capacity to choose express themselves and
keep themselves or information about themselves
private
PRIVACY INVASION
It is a legal term that describes a circumstance or
condition in which a person intrudes on the privacy
of others, such as the abuse or disclosure of sensitive
information and unlawful monitoring. Invasion of
privacy is an unlawful conduct that carries legal
ramifications since it causes loss or hurt to people's
life.
TYPES OF PRIVACY
INVASION
INTRUSION INTO SECLUSION
It refers to the purposeful intrusion of another
person's private affairs. It also involves the act of
looking for private information of a confidential
nature, even if the information is not publicly
available. In this sort of tort, the legal criterion
should be deliberate and extremely offensive to a
reasonable person.
APPROPRIATION OF NAMES OR
LIKENESS
It refers to the act of using the name and likeness of
other person publicly without authorization for
his/her own benefit such as trading and advertising
purposes.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF PRIVATE
FACTS
It refers to the publication of other person’s private
affairs with the state that it is highly offensive to a
reasonable person and in legitimate public concern.
PLACING A PERSON IN A FALSE LIGHT
It is an act of stating information that is based on
opinion and may be technically true, but indicates to
a reasonable person that anything bad and/or
incorrect about the target is true. It is similar to
defamation, except that no false statements are
required.
HACKING
System penetration is the act of getting
unauthorized access to data via a system or other
digital device such as a computer. Because
information in digital form is subject to numerous
forms of assaults, it is one of the most prevalent
dangers in cybersecurity. There are various labels for
different types of hacking, which include the
following:
BLACK-HAT HACKER
It refers to an act that takes advantage of security
vulnerabilities to gain unlawful access to private
networks for the purpose of private advantage.
WHITE-HAT HACKER
It is a type of hacker that works for the common
good by hacking networks to call attention to flaws
in security to be fixed.
GRAY-HAT HACKER
It refers to the person who enact activities of both
black hat and white hat hacker.
SCRIPT-KIDDIE
A novice in hacking. To hack networks, it follows
instructions and use pre-existing software.
 DIFFERENT TOOLS
AND METHODS USED
IN HACKING
KEY-LOGGING SOFTWARE
It is remotely installed on a computer to record
keystrokes and commands. These recordings will be
collected over the Internet and played back to spy
and steal username and password.
PACKET-SNIFFING SOFTWARE
It is used to steal private data that is being
transported over a network. It focuses on capturing
and analyzing packets that flows over the network
or Internet. It might capture important information
such as passwords and credit card numbers.
PORT-SCANNING SOFTWARE
it is used to search random IP addresses for open ports to be
hacked.
SOCIAL ENGINEERING
It refers to the exploitation of natural human
tendency to trust others. For example, pretending to
be an administrator through phone call to make the
person to provide a password or other important
information.
DUMPSTER DIVING
A method of going through trash of other user to
steal personal information such as credit card
numbers.
THEFT
Another ethical issue concerning the use of computer is
theft. The most popular type of theft is known as
identity theft – an act of stealing other’s personal
information to commit fraud. It can also be in the form
of pretending to be someone else, using the
information of other people for money and other
benefits. An identity thief can make unauthorized
purchases and transactions using other person’s credit
card information.
THEFT
Personal information can be obtained using
computer technology by accessing computer-based
public records, hard drives of discarded and stolen
computers, hacking computer networks using
information-gathering software/malware, or by
simply sending deceptive text messages or emails,
and browsing social networking sites.
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
The act of using the copyrighted works or covered by
copyright law without permission. Specifically,
reproducing, distributing, displaying, performing
protected work, or making derivative works without
authorization of the copyright holder. A copyright
holder can be a creator of the work, publisher, or other
business that copyright was assigned where they invoke
legal and technological measures to prevent and
penalize copyright infringement.
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
Copyright infringement in the Philippines constitutes the following
statement: “Under Philippine law, copyright infringement occurs when
there is a violation of any of the exclusive economic or moral rights
granted to the copyright owner. It may also consist in aiding or abetting
such infringement. The IP Code also provides for the liability of a person
who at the time when copyright subsists in a work has in his possession an
article which he knows, or ought to know, to be an infringing copy of the
work for the following purposes: (a) selling or letting for hire, or by way of
trade offering or exposing for sale or hire, the article; (b) distributing the
article for the purpose of trade, or for any other purpose to an extent that
will prejudice the rights of the copyright owner in the work; or (c) trade
exhibit of the article in public.”.
DIFFERENT FORMS OF
INFRINGEMENT:
• Film recording in a movie theater
• Posting a video on your company’s website that features
copyrighted contents such as songs, wordings, and images
• Modifying copyrighted image or videos and displaying it to
company’s website
• Creating merchandise for sale that features copyrighted works
• Downloading films or music without paying their use
• Copying any artistic or literary work without license
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND
ONLINE DEFAMATION
Freedom of expression is the right to search, receive, and
impart information of your choice regardless of boundary
without interference. It is the right of every person to express
themselves even online and to access information, opinions,
and expressions of others including views on religion, political
speech, opinions, and expressions that are inoffensive, but
also expressions and opinions that might be offensive and
disturbing to others. Having the right to express yourself
should consider the rights of others and right to privacy.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND
ONLINE DEFAMATION
Online Defamation is the act of giving false
statement that is harmful to someone’s reputation
verbally or in written form using online platforms
such as social media platform.
TWO TYPES OF DEFAMATION:
a) Libel – it refers to the written defamatory
statement
b) Slander – it refers to the spoken defamatory
statement
For example, if the defamatory statement is
posted online such as comment in a Facebook
post, it is considered as libel and identified as
online defamation. Other example includes public
comments on media websites such as online
newspapers or magazine, chatrooms, and blog
posting comments
 IS FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION CAN BE A
DEFAMATION?
Statements that are labeled as merely opinions
does not make it as defamation. Courts focuses on
statement of verifiable facts which means the
statement conveys probable false factual
assertion such as cheating on his/her spouse, or
someone committed murder.
PIRACY
Privacy entails the unauthorized reproduction, use,
and distribution of digital intellectual property such
as software, music, and movies. Piracy and
plagiarism are types of violations of intellectual
property laws, such as copyright offenses. Pirated
software, music, and films can be obtained via file
sharing networks or handmade CDs and DVDs.
EXAMPLES OF PIRACY INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING:
• Illegal use or interception of internet connection of other people
• Publication, reproduction, and/or use of patented or
copyrighted work without permission
• Unauthorized copying of protected software
• Using protected software without license
FRAUD
In general, it is a wrongful act and criminal deception
resulting in financial or personal gain. Computer
fraud is the term used in executing the illegal act
using computer system or attacking a computer
intends to alter, damage, or worst disable it.
TYPES OF FRAUD INCLUDES:
a) Mail Fraud – fraudulent activity that uses mails or emails such as
sending a letter to someone to scam money or gain personal
information. It also includes using chain letters to collect items or
money, or by simply stealing and opening someone else’s mail.
b) Health Care Fraud – it refers to a situation where an individual such as
insurance provider or medical office misuse the insurance information
for their own personal gain.
c) Debit and Credit Card Fraud – accessing other people’s debit or credit
cards that can completely drain bank accounts.
d) Internet Fraud – fraudulent activity using internet to take advantage
to other people. It includes data breaches, malware, and phishing
INTERNET PORNOGRAPHY
Accessing pictures or films that contains representation
of sexual behavior using Internet. It is accessible over
the Internet via file sharing and websites. The increasing
availability of public access via the World Wide Web
fuels the proliferation of internet pornography.
Pornography is illegal for children, yet it has grown so
accessible and widely available that it is seen as one of
the most serious hazards to children's internet safety.
INTERNET PORNOGRAPHY
Internet pornography is regard as illegal when there are minor
children involved. Online child pornography has become a major
issue, and it can take the form of pictures, movies, drawings,
animations, and even computer-generated imagery. In certain
circumstances, child pornography involves an adult being
portrayed as a kid. Child pornography can also entail the
alteration of a picture to make it appear like a child. Internet
pornography includes uploading and downloading pornographic
materials via internet illegally, this is also regard as internet
pornography crime.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:
1. Describe the positive and negative impacts of technology on
freedom of expression.
2. How can you protect your personal information against
identity theft?