Module 13 - Discussion

1. Are you in favor of the enactment and enforcement of laws that will regulate and control the use of computer technology? Explain your answer.

2. If you were to decide the case of Landmark Hacking, what will be you judgement? Support your answer(use jural and non-laws or ethical principles)


Answer:

1. Yes, i am in favor of the laws that regulates and controls the use of computer technology. Since they took care of our industry and promote the use of patent information as a tool for technology development then we know that it is for the better of our country. People should understand hy this laws are established because they are only promoting the country's improvement. So, we should not tolerate this kind of laws instead we should help promote honesty for the good of our country.

2. Actually, im still in doubt about this case (char!!!) because Garcia said that she did not commit the crime "unauthorized access" since the password to the Thames account was freely given to her by Mañalac. But recalling the ten commendments (click here->ten commandments) almost all the commandments was violated by Garcia especially the 3rd commandment that is "Thou Shalt Not Snoop Around In Other People’s Computer Files". So, if i were to decide then it would be that Garcia has committed a crime. Also, considering Mañalac, they both should be penalized by law.

Module 12 Discussion

From the cases exemplified, explain what constitutes a computer crime.



---> COMPUTER CRIMES

Credit Card fraud

╦ Obviously, the unpermissioned use of other persons credit cards and using their names and money in order to access other financial informations and making of reservations to airlines and hotel constitutes
a computer crime. Well, it's just another way of stealing.

Creating a Virus and Unleashing It To a Network

╦ It is a crime for the reason that it had caused millions of dollars for the damage and infection caused by the virus. They ruined the personal files of other people by sending it thru electronic mail and causing it to spread to more 50 computers and grow rapidly. And so, its rapid distribution disrupted computer networks by overloading email servers, resulting in the shutdown of networks and significant costs for repairing computer systems. So, no reasons to prove that it is not a crime.

Hacking

╦ It constitutes a crime because it had caused damage and delays in communication. Recalling that hacking is not a crime if a hacker simply gets into the system to explore it—that is, to see how it works and what files it contains. But he did not only gets into the system but manipulating it to cause the business to suffer a significant loss.

Stock Fraud

╦ it constitutes a crime for being stealing the company's own share by exceeding their authorized access to the computer systems of Cisco systems because in the first place their computer access authorization should be surrendered to the owner. And the worst of it is that they directed that stock to be placed in their personal brokerage accounts because again they can easily change the system of the Cisco.

Spamming

╦ It constitutes a crime by falsely designating Hotmail addresses as the point of origin of their commercial e-mail messages. It's another way of saying that you put the person in his risk by pointing him as the one who made the crime even if he's ignorance of that crime.

Hate and Vengeance Case

╦ It constitutes a crime for illegally accessing and deleting hundreds of computer records at Marsh database and accessing a protected computer without authorization. And by He also altering the female employee's compensation record to reflect a $40,000 increase in her salary and a $100,000 bonus.

Module 11 Discussion

Explain why or why not the court rulings for the 4 given cases agree with theories discussed previously.


---> Maybe because of what they called the "intellectual property" which is intangible; that is, it cannot be defined or identified by physical parameters. And even if the court agree or disagree still there are many different reasons, good or bad, why they do that (piracy or other unethical doings). And mostly the man with the good reason (has the word!!) will win in the court independent on the truth. So, even if the truth is with them but they don't know how to reason out or explain their situition or case then most likely they will not win.

Discussion for Module 10

Module 10

Discuss one of the issues taken up from the point of view of the preliminary and finalist theories (3 preliminary theories and 3 finalist theories). That is, you will come up with six perspectives on the issue you choose.

Discussions:


Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on his/her race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. The term covers written as well as oral communication.


"Hate Speech" is the issue that i will be going to take into consideration in the following theories:

╫ Preliminary Theories ╫





******Ethical Absolutism*******

In here "all actions must be black or white and never gray, at any given time", so, regarding with this issue (hate speech) it is not right to publish something that cause hatred or disappointment to some people and as the name suggests (hate speech) it is very clear that it is unethical. So, it can never be right or good since it is "absolute", but of course there's always a disadvantage and advantage to this issue. Advantage to the one wrote the "hate speech" and disadvantage to whom the speech is address. Nevertheless, if you hurt someone even if you are happy with the result it cause then it still not right or "unethical". :-b

******Ethical Egoism*******

Here it is very clear that the one who wrote the said hate speech never think of the things it might cause whether it can harm or not but only think of himself. Maybe he wanted reveange or he just want to ruin the reputation of the person whom he attack. And maybe he think that if the said speech will be known to people some will praise him and follow his belief.

*******Ethical Altruism *******

Maybe the person who did the said hate speech wanted to make the people aware about the anomalies done by the victim (of the hate speech). He think that if he will be posting or doing that (hate speech) he could help many people whom are the victim of the anomalies or say, undesirable things the said person or organization do.

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╫ Finalist Theories ╫







*******UTILITARIANISM*******

As John Stuart Mill believe that "those actions that bring happiness are considered morally right while those actions that inhibit hapiness are considered morally wrong", we can easily conclude that the one who made the hate speech which brings happiness to him considers it as morally right while the one whom the hate speech is addressed considered it as morally wrong. So, the said action of the actor (who made the hate speech) is right since it brings happiness to him.


*******Categorical Imperatives*******

e.g. Love one another is good in itself and does not need any purpose
(hard 2 analyze, huh!?!,eheh",)
For me, maybe the actor (who made the hate speech) is a media man (mostly naman noh!), so in this case he only did what the management want him to do, he posted it without even realizing what it could bring to the people. He does not think about why he should do so. He only wills the performance of his said duty.


*******Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics*******

In this theory the actor tried his best doing the said hate speech in order to attain the ends which he want or his purpose. Because as what i've understand in this theory that the "purpose" is needed in order for the person to motivate or to have a reason for what he is doing. So, maybe it is not his own will but for the purpose or end he want to attain.
"As a result every excellent decision presupposes an excellent reason."

Discussion for Module 9

Module 9

Choose one of the social issues in computing discussed and find out to what extent it is an issue in the Philippines. Find out what is being done to address it in specific countries. For example, in the case of the digital due to language differences, Soriano reports the adoption of the"unicode standard", a character coding system designed to support the worldwide interchange, processing, and display of the wirtten texts of the diverse languages of the modern world". furthermore, evaluate, what will be your role in address the social issue you have chosen.

Discussions:

Module 9






//clipped from www.nzine.co.nz/features/neilcherry.html

Electromagnetic radiation a threat to our health

Electromagnetic radiation is the big issue he is involved in at the moment—radio waves from radio and TV towers, microwaves from cell phones, cell sites, mobile phones, cordless phones, and microwave ovens (the last being a minor problem compared with the others). The background radiation has been rising significantly by factors of thousands in the general population since the Second World War. Cancer is partly genetic, but largely environmental. Our food, the toxins in the environment like air pollutants, benzine, toxins in food like saccharine, are shown to be potential carcinogens, all those PCVs and other fairly toxic chemicals, can damage cells, but evidence is very strong that electromagnetic radiation damages cells in a way that is potentially cancer causing.

The official position of those who make their money out of producing and using this technology is that we all know that the only thing that electro magnetic radiation can do is heat and if it doesn't heat it can't have any effect.

However, a different view comes from science from reading the people who have researched what happens to cells in laboratories in repeatable experiments. For example, a laboratory took human breast cancer cells, and exposed them to an infusion of melatonin, which is a natural neurohormone which we all have, which helps us sleep at night. Then they applied a very low level of varying electric field, 50 cycles field, and the oncostatic effect of melatonin was totally eliminated.

Every night when we go to sleep our melatonin levels rise and melatonin goes through our blood and cleans our cells up. For example, it scavenges out free radicals which are highly damaging chemicals. If the free radicals persist for very long they damage DNA and cause damaged cells and are shown to be carcinogenic. Melatonin is one of those agents that cleans us up every night to reduce the possibility that cells will become carcinogenic.

That experiment shows that electromagnetic radiation from power lines and appliances can reduce the melatonin cleaning-up effect on human breast cancer cells. The experiment was repeated in three other laboratories. It gave a very reliable and repeatable result. The strength of the signal they used was two to twelve milligauss - a very low level magnetic field magnitude in that wave.

************another issue regarding EMR******************




Cell phones are another cause of problems.

When the cell phone signal is held next to the brain there are changes in the brainwaves in 70% of people. This test was done at a level of about 2 microwatts per sq. cm., which is only a fraction of the actual exposure experienced from the cell phone. It is the level which is experienced at a cell phone site. In this, as in most aspects, people are not all the same. Some are more electro-sensitive. People who sleep with a cell phone by the bed have poor REM sleep, leading to impaired learning and memory. This is related to melatonin reduction.

In research at the University of Washington rats' brains were exposed to a microwave signal and showed breaks in the DNA associated with increased free radicals and increased cell deaths - at levels of exposure about what a cell phone produces next to people's heads. People are now suing cell phone companies because of brain tumours caused by high use.

In spite of this research one "world expert" in electromagnetic radiation and health has said that the worst thing about a cell phone is that it can cause an interruption during dinner in a restaurant.

What research in epidemiology suggests that the work on rats might have an applicability to people? The cells in rats' brains are very similar to human brain cells.

The National Cancer Institute in the U.S. did a study of people in industries that exposed their workers to microwaves. They found that in seven industries in the Eastern U.S. there has been a tenfold increase in brain tumours among employees who have worked there for twenty years. The main cause appears to be electromagnetic radiation.

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---> I think my role regarding this issue is to be able to spread the news regarding the bad effects of EMR or electromagnetic radiation. At least in that sense i can remind people to be aware and if possible refrain from their usual doing like sleeping with their cellphones. So, a little help will do. Hope you have learned something from that article i clipped",)...tnx for reading and please help spread the news....

Discussion Modules 7 & 8

Computer Abuses

- Choose one example of computer abuse and discuss why you consider it morally wrong using any of the ethical principles you have learned in the previous modules

- Search the internet for new materials/innovation/service which you consider an abuse in computing. Support your discussion using ethical principles discussed earlier

Privacy Issues
- Think of an act, other than those already discussed in the module that would constitute a violation of privacy in computing. Explain

OPINIONS:

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--> Φ Flaming is one of the example i have chosen that would fall to "Physical destruction or alteration of network components". It is morally wrong because as explained by its definition that it is considered poor online conduct and if we based on the ten commandments of computer ethics it doesnt adhere to almost all of it.
╫ Flaming is the act of posting messages that are deliberately hostile and insulting, usually in the social context of a discussion board (usually on the Internet). Flaming is one of a class of economic problems known as The Tragedy of the Commons, when a group holds a resource (in this case, communal attention), but each of the individual members has an incentive to overuse it(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming).
╫ So meaning it is not morally right because it could harm many people and it only brought no good to many.

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--> //clippings from the site from http://www.hentay.com/
Hentai & Toon Site Reviews
Tired of surfing through pop-up surfer traps and dead-end ads in search of adult anime and toons? You've come to the right place. I've been around the block surfing the web, and decided to put up my own pay site reviews as I try them. If you have more time than money, keep hunting for something free, but if you've had enough of that, read on!
Warning: The material & links on this site are of a truly perverted sexual nature. Following any links certifies you're at least 18, want to see such filth, won't let minors look, and it's legal for you to view where you live.

// just wanna clip something for proof!!!

--> i consider it as a computer abuse because it is not dedicated to the user or everyone can access it even without permission. We can see in their reviews that even if they recommend it for adults 18yrs old and above but still they post pornographic pictures in their main page and everyone can see it, they should ask for an account first before they show it. And the person that have an account must fill up first forms needed to prove that he is permitted to view that site.
So, i think www.hentay.com is one of the examples that is an abuse in computing. Because they are taking advantage of the resources and they dont look forward of the result that might happen after.

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Privacy Issues

Computer sabotage
Computer sabotage includes not only the destruction of hardware and other tangible items such as tapes, disks and micro-chips, but the erasure, destruction or alteration of the data itself.

Another example that violates privacy:

Spyware --> Spyware covers a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. Spyware differs from viruses and worms in that it does not usually self-replicate. Like many recent viruses, however, spyware - by design - exploits infected computers for commercial gain.

So, from that information we can say that it violates privacy.