IFT 308: Ethics and Legal Issues in IT
Introduction
The integration of information technology (IT) into government, organizations, and industry has
transformed operations and interactions. This integration, however, presents a number of social,
ethical, and legal considerations that must be addressed in order to ensure that technology is used
responsibly and fairly. This course goes into great detail about these concerns.
Course Objectives
i. The main purpose of the course is to expose students to the status of the
regulations and emerging markets. The course will also examine and evaluate
the meaning of ethics, moral, legal issues and professional conduct including
the protection of personal ethical concerns.
ii. The course focuses on issues that involve computer impact on society and
related concerns.
iii. The basic background to develop their professional role in the workplace,
beyond simply performing technical tasks assigned to them.
, Module One
Introduction to ethics and law
1.1 Introduction
Information Technology (IT) integration into numerous sectors has revolutionized how
government, organizations, and companies operate. However, this integration raises an array of
ethical concerns that must be addressed in order to fully realize the potential of information
technology. This lecture will go over these ethical considerations in detail.
1.2 ETHICS IN GENERAL
Ethics is a set of conduct that can regulate immoral activity such as copying genuine CDs and
selling them as pirated software, which is one way that modern technological items are exploited.
Any code of conduct that deviates from accepted norms of social or professional behavior is
considered unethical; also, ethics is
A set of moral principles or values known as computer ethics serves as a code of conduct for
people who utilize computers.
In essence, ethics is a moral philosophy in which an individual chooses and upholds a particular
moral course of action.
However, ethics in computing refers to moral standards that one should follow when utilizing
computers and computer networks.
1.3 What is Law
In the technological age, laws vary from country to country. To define the products or behaviors
that are subject to computer law, computer law is required. Any aspect of law that necessitates
knowledge of computer technology, including hardware, software, and the Internet, is referred to
as computer law.
In simple terms, Law can be defined as
• A rule of behavior set forth by a power that has the ability to impose its will;
• A governing rule is the manner or sequence in which a power or actor acts;
• Regulations put in place by a ruling body to promote and preserve peaceful cooperation;
• It is the set of regulations enforced by authority; it is a legal document that lays up
guidelines for a specific type of activity;
• A generalization that characterizes naturally occurring facts or occurrences
1.3.1 The goals of Law regulation include:
i. ensuring the protection of people's rights;
ii. establishing policies and procedures to regulate transactions; upholding political,
economic, and public order;
iii. promoting justice and equity among organization members;
iv. preserving peace and security; controlling the ignorant; and
Introduction
The integration of information technology (IT) into government, organizations, and industry has
transformed operations and interactions. This integration, however, presents a number of social,
ethical, and legal considerations that must be addressed in order to ensure that technology is used
responsibly and fairly. This course goes into great detail about these concerns.
Course Objectives
i. The main purpose of the course is to expose students to the status of the
regulations and emerging markets. The course will also examine and evaluate
the meaning of ethics, moral, legal issues and professional conduct including
the protection of personal ethical concerns.
ii. The course focuses on issues that involve computer impact on society and
related concerns.
iii. The basic background to develop their professional role in the workplace,
beyond simply performing technical tasks assigned to them.
, Module One
Introduction to ethics and law
1.1 Introduction
Information Technology (IT) integration into numerous sectors has revolutionized how
government, organizations, and companies operate. However, this integration raises an array of
ethical concerns that must be addressed in order to fully realize the potential of information
technology. This lecture will go over these ethical considerations in detail.
1.2 ETHICS IN GENERAL
Ethics is a set of conduct that can regulate immoral activity such as copying genuine CDs and
selling them as pirated software, which is one way that modern technological items are exploited.
Any code of conduct that deviates from accepted norms of social or professional behavior is
considered unethical; also, ethics is
A set of moral principles or values known as computer ethics serves as a code of conduct for
people who utilize computers.
In essence, ethics is a moral philosophy in which an individual chooses and upholds a particular
moral course of action.
However, ethics in computing refers to moral standards that one should follow when utilizing
computers and computer networks.
1.3 What is Law
In the technological age, laws vary from country to country. To define the products or behaviors
that are subject to computer law, computer law is required. Any aspect of law that necessitates
knowledge of computer technology, including hardware, software, and the Internet, is referred to
as computer law.
In simple terms, Law can be defined as
• A rule of behavior set forth by a power that has the ability to impose its will;
• A governing rule is the manner or sequence in which a power or actor acts;
• Regulations put in place by a ruling body to promote and preserve peaceful cooperation;
• It is the set of regulations enforced by authority; it is a legal document that lays up
guidelines for a specific type of activity;
• A generalization that characterizes naturally occurring facts or occurrences
1.3.1 The goals of Law regulation include:
i. ensuring the protection of people's rights;
ii. establishing policies and procedures to regulate transactions; upholding political,
economic, and public order;
iii. promoting justice and equity among organization members;
iv. preserving peace and security; controlling the ignorant; and
