Home~IS 132 Computer Ethics

Current Offering: Fall 2008
Next Offering: Spring 2009

Getting Started with this online class

This class surveys common ethical and legal issues confronting workers in today's IT industry workers. Students learn a process of making ethical decisions and look at codes of ethics published by various IT professions. By reviewing current case law, students learn how free speech, privacy, and intellectual property rights are being defined in cyberspace.

Course Outcomes

  1. Ethics
    • Explain and defend typical ethical decisions made in IT careers.
    • Review ethical codes published by Computer Forensics Professional Organizations
  2. Free Speech Laws in Cyberspace
    • Survey laws against spamming and phishing
    • When is hate speech protected by the constitution?
    • When is pornography and child pornography protected?
    • When is student speech at web sites and blogs protected?
    • What are Internet filters and when are they required by law?
    • International complications with free speech.
  3. Privacy Rights in Cyberspace
    • Health Information Protection Act (HIPA)
    • Child Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA)
    • Encryption and anonymizers vs. security
    • ISP eavesdropping
    • Employer spying
    • Privacy policy
    • Misc. US privacy laws
    • Why most spyware and adware programs are legal
    • International complications
  4. Intellectual Property Rights in Cyberspace
    • Copyrights, patents, and trademarks
    • What does the typical End User License Agreement really mean?
    • What can you do and not do with software written under a General Public License Agreement?
    • P2P vs Digital Rights Millennium Act: How will this affect your future?
    • International complications
  5. Legal Ramifications of Hacking
    • Explore white, gray, and black hat hacking
    • Explore laws and penalties related to hacking