Society , Law and Ethics

Intellectual property rights-

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions; literary and artistic
works; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. Intellectual property is
divided into two categories: Industrial Property includes patents for inventions,
trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications. Copyright covers literary
works (such as novels, poems and plays), films, music, artistic works (e.g., drawings,
paintings, photographs and sculptures) and architectural design. Rights related to
copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of
phonograms in their recordings, and broadcasters in their radio and television programs.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking credit for someone else's words or ideas. It's an act of
intellectual dishonesty, and it comes with serious consequences.
Digital Rights Management
Digital rights management (DRM) is a systematic approach to copyright protection for
digital media. The purpose of DRM is to prevent unauthorized redistribution of digital
media and restrict the ways consumers can copy content they've purchased. DRM
products were developed in response to the rapid increase in online piracy of
commercially marketed material, which proliferated through the widespread use of peer-
to-peer file exchange programs. Typically DRM is implemented by embedding code that
prevents copying, specifies a time period in which the content can be accessed or limits
the number of devices the media can be installed on.
Licensing-A license is an agreement that allows someone to copy, use, or resell a
commodity, such as digital content. In digital rights management (DRM), acquiring a
license to use protected copyrighted electronic material is essential. Licensing within the
DRM realm primarily involves obtaining a license from a specific copyrighted author,
artist, or software manufacturer. It permits the user to have access to otherwise
circumvented or protected digital material.
Creative Commons: A Creative Commons (CC) license is one of several public
copyright licenses that enable the free distribution of an otherwise copyrighted "work". A
CC license is used when an author wants to give other people the right to share, use, and
build upon a work that he or she (that author) has created.
There are six main Creative Commons licenses you can use when you choose to publish
your work under CC terms. The six CC licenses are based on four conditions. The four
conditions and the six licenses are described below.
When using a Creative Commons license, creators choose a set of conditions they wish to
apply to their work.

Attribution (by)
All CC licenses require that others who use your work in any way must give you credit
the way you request, but not in a way that suggests you endorse them or their use. If they
 want to use your work without giving you credit or for endorsement purposes, they must
get your permission first.

ShareAlike (sa)
You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and modify your work, as long as they
distribute any modified work on the same terms. If they want to distribute modified
works under other terms, they must get your permission first.

NonCommercial (nc)
You let others copy, distribute, display, perform, and (unless you have chosen
NoDerivatives) modify and use your work for any purpose other than commercially
unless they get your permission first.

NoDerivatives (nd)
You let others copy, distribute, display and perform only original copies of your work. If
they want to modify your work, they must get your permission first.
License Types
Creative Commons offers six copyright licenses, based on combinations of the four
conditions outlined above.
 Attribution (CC BY) This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon
your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is
the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination
and use of licensed materials.
Attribution ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) This license lets others remix, tweak, and build
upon your work even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit you and license
their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to “copyleft”
free and open source software licenses. All new works based on yours will carry the same
license, so any derivatives will also allow commercial use. This is the license used by
Wikipedia, and is recommended for materials that would benefit from incorporating
content from Wikipedia and similarly licensed projects.
 Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND) This license lets others reuse the work for any
purpose, including commercially; however, it cannot be shared with others in adapted
form, and credit must be provided to you.
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) This license lets others remix, tweak, and
build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also
acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don‟t have to license their derivative
works on the same terms.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA) This license lets others remix,

tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and
license their new creations under the identical terms.
 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) This license is the most
restrictive of our six main licenses, only allowing others to download your works and
share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can‟t change them in any way
or use them commercially.
GPL: The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free, copyleft license used primarily
for software. The GNU GPL allows users to change and share all versions of a program.
GPL is provided through the Free Software Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that
works to provide free software for the GNU Project.
Apache :The Apache License is a free and open source software (FOSS) licensing
agreement from the Apache Software Foundation (ASF).
The agreement stipulates terms for use, reproduction, modification and distribution of
any software that is released under the Apache License. Following are some of the core
specifications of the Apache License 2.0:
 Software may be freely used, reproduced, modified, distributed or sold.
 Software can be combined with other products and distributed or sold as packages.
 Products derived or modified from licensed software can be distributed under other
licenses.
 Apache software cannot be redistributed without attribution.
 A copy of the license must be redistributed along with any Apache software.
 External contributions to the software are released under the ASF terms unless explicitly
specified otherwise.
All ASF software is released under the Apache license, unless it is specified
otherwise. The licensing model is also freely available for use by non-ASF developers.
Apache License 2.0 and GNU General Public License (GPL) version 3 are considered
compatible, which means that developers may freely mix code from software released
under those licenses. However, the resulting software must be released under GPL v. 3.
Earlier versions of the licensing models are considered incompatible.
Open Source Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect,
modify, and enhance.
"Source code" is the part of software that most computer users don't ever see; it's the code
computer programmers can manipulate to change how a piece of software—a "program"
or "application"—works. Programmers who have access to a computer program's source
code can improve that program by adding features to it or fixing parts that don't always
work correctly.
Open data Open data is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone
- subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike.
The full Open Definition gives precise details as to what this means. To summarize the
most important:
  Availability and Access: the data must be available as a whole and at no more than a
reasonable reproduction cost, preferably by downloading over the internet. The data must
also be available in a convenient and modifiable form.
 Re-use and Redistribution: the data must be provided under terms that permit re-use and
redistribution including the intermixing with other datasets.
 Universal Participation: everyone must be able to use, re-use and redistribute - there
should be no discrimination against fields of endeavor or against persons or groups. For
example, „non-commercial‟ restrictions that would prevent „commercial‟ use, or
restrictions of use for certain purposes (e.g. only in education), are not allowed.
Privacy
Privacy laws refers to the laws that deal with the regulating, storing, and using of personally
identifiable information of individuals, which can be collected by governments, public or private
organizations, or other individuals.
Fraud is a general term used to describe a cybercrime that intends to deceive a person in order
to gain important data or information. Fraud can be done by altering, destroying, stealing, or
suppressing any information to secure unlawful or unfair gain.

Cyber crime
Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords
and credit card details by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.
Examples of phishing:
Phishing emails usually appear to come from a well-known organization and ask for your
personal information — such as credit card number, social security number, account number or
password. Often times phishing attempts appear to come from sites, services and companies with
which you do not even have an account.
Illegal downloads : While much of the content on the Internet is free to download, that does not
mean that downloading it is legal. Illegal downloading is obtaining files that you do not have the
right to use from the Internet. Copyright laws in the United States prohibit Internet users from
obtaining copies of media that they do not legally purchase. These laws exist to prevent digital
piracy, much of which is conducted through Internet file sharing.

What is a scam?
A scam is a fraudulent scheme generally involving money and some sort of business transaction.
Scams come in various forms. Maybe you have experienced someone telling you would win a
prize if you revealed your credit card details or asking you to donate money to a charity that does
not exist?
Scams reach us in various ways, via telephone, email, or even in person.
A person carrying out a scam is called a scammer.
What is fraud?
Fraud implies a deception. It is a breach of confidence or trust.
Fraud is a serious crime and a violation of civil law.
The motivations for fraud can be many. These include monetary gain, discrediting an opponent
or adversary. It can be to gain prestige as well as a financial advantage.

Cyber forensics
Cyberforensics is an electronic discovery technique used to determine and reveal technical
criminal evidence. It often involves electronic data storage extraction for legal purposes.
Although still in its infancy, cyberforensics is gaining traction as a viable way of interpreting
evidence.
Cyberforensics is also known as computer forensics.
Cybercrimes cover a broad spectrum, from email scams to downloading copyrighted works for
distribution, and are fueled by a desire to profit from another person's intellectual property or
private information. Cyberforensics can readily display a digital audit trail for analysis by experts
or law enforcement. Developers often build program applications to combat and capture online
criminals; these applications are the crux of cyberforensics.
Cyberforensic techniques include:
Cross-driven analysis that correlates data from multiple hard drives
 Live analysis, which obtains data acquisitions before a PC is shut down
 Deleted file recovery
Each of the above techniques is applied to cyber forensic investigations.

IT act 2000
The Information Technology Act, 2000 or ITA, 2000 or IT Act, was notified on October 17,
2000. It is the law that deals with cybercrime and electronic commerce in India. In this article,
we will look at the objectives and features of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The I.T. Act, 2000 defines the terms −
 Access in computer network in section 2(a)
 Computer in section 2(i)
 Computer network in section (2j)
 Data in section 2(0)
 Information in section 2(v).

Technology and Society

Understanding of societal issues and cultural changes induced by technology Technology and
human life cannot be separated; society has a cyclical co-dependence on technology. We use
technology; depend on technology in our daily life and our needs and demands for technology
keep on rising. Humans use technology to travel, to communicate, to learn, to do business and to
live in comfort. However, technology has also caused us concerns. Its poor application has
resulted in the pollution of the environment and it has also caused a serious threat to our lives
and society. This calls for the proper use of technology. The biggest challenge facing people is to
determine the type of future we need to have and then create relevant technologies which will
simplify the way we do things.
It is impossible to explore how each new advanced technology has impacted our lives and how it
will impact the future. Technology impacts the environment, people and the society as a whole.
The way we use technology determines if its impacts are positive to the society or negative. For
example, (POSITIVE IMPACT) we can use corn to make ethanol and this ethanol can be used as
fuel. Fuel can be used to run machines and cars which will increase the output of manufacturing
industries at a lower cost. (NEGATIVE IMPACT) However, if we decide to shift large quantities
of corn to fuel production from food production, humans will be left with no food and this will
cause world hunger which even is a worse situation.
E-waste management: "E-waste" is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the
end of their "useful life. "E-wastes are considered dangerous, as certain components of some
electronic products contain materials that are hazardous, depending on their condition and
density. The hazardous content of these materials pose a threat to human health and environment.
Discarded computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines, electric lamps, cell
phones, audio equipment and batteries if improperly disposed can leach lead and other
substances into soil and groundwater. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or
recycled in an environmentally sound manner so that they are less harmful to the ecosystem. This
paper highlights the hazards of e-wastes, the need for its appropriate management and options
that can be implemented.
Proper disposal of used electronic gadgets
5 Ways to Safely Dispose Of Your Electronic
New technology always brings new products and gadgets from time to time. So what do you end
up doing with your old gadgets?
Where Does Your Electronic Waste Go?
All electronic waste is made up of deadly chemicals such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury
and brominated flame retardants. Disposing of gadgets and devices improperly increases the
chances of these dangerous chemicals contaminating the soil, polluting the air and leaching into
water bodies.
When e-waste is deposited in a landfill, it tends to leach when water passes through it picking up
trace elements. After which the contaminated landfill water reaches natural groundwater with
increased toxic levels, this can be harmful if it enters any drinking water bodies.
Despite having an eco-friendly approach, recycling usually leads to overseas shipping and
dumping the gadgets which are buried in pits. Worse still is the fact that some recycling
companies ship e-waste to third world countries and disguise it as philanthropy.
A lot of children in such countries earn their livelihoods by scavenging gold, silver, iron, and
copper from the tech waste which is harmful to their health. Countries that are used as dumping
grounds usually have high rates of cybercrime as the salvaged hard drives can give criminals
direct access to your personal files and information.
Here are some are some eco-friendly waste disposal techniques that you can use to dispose of
electronic waste locally:
Give Your Electronic Waste to a Certified E-Waste Recycler
The positive aspect of e-waste recycling is that you have quite a few recycling options.
You need to find an e-waste recycler who is officially certified by the Basel Action Network
(BAN). BAN is a non-profit organization of recycling companies which are dedicated to
recycling e-waste in a safe and responsible way. All members have to make a pledge and display
their Pledges of Responsible Recycling. So working alongside a certified recycler means that you
don‟t have to worry about polluting another nation or risk losing your personal details to
criminals.
Precautions to Take Before Donating or Recycling Your Electronics
 Upgrade your computer instead of simply replacing it
 Format all your personal information from your products before discarding
 Take out the batteries from your gadgets before getting rid of them
Sell Off Your Outdated Technology
One man‟s junk is another man‟s treasure as the old saying goes. This can be applied to helping
you get rid of your old electronics. You can tap into online sites like craigslist, eBay or even
resort to having a garage sale as this will help you get rid of your outdated electronics as well as
earning some money
Donating Your Outdated Technology
Old gadgets that you no longer need can be donated as they may be useful to others. Your old
computer may be useful to either an NGO or students. You should ask yourself these 2 questions
before disposing of your old electronics:
 Is the electronic item working?
 Does the computer have any of your personal information?
A lot of organizations and businesses offer electronic donation programs which you can choose
from.
Visit Civic Institutions
Enquire amongst your government, universities, and schools for any recycling programs they run
as a lot of organizations have started assigning a certain day and place for environmentally
conscious citizens to come and drop off their e-waste.
Give Back to Your Electronic Companies and Drop Off Points
A lot of electronic companies tend to have an exchange policy whereby they take back your old
gadgets when you buy a later version, sometimes offering you a discount on your new purchase.
A few recycling companies have set up electronic drop off initiatives along with drop off points
for products such as cell phones and tablets after which they are recycled. You can ask your local
electronics shops regarding any information about drop off locations.
Safeguard Both the Environment and Your Sensitive Information
Electronics are an important part of our lives today but the flipside is the e-waste that comes
along with it. So make sure to format your electronic devices before disposing of them in a
proper manner as the consequences of not doing so can be painful.
Identity theft is when thieves steal your personal information in order to take over or open new
accounts, file fake tax returns, rent or buy properties, or do other criminal things in your name.
unique ids: A Universal Unique Identifier (UUID) is a 128-bit number used to uniquely identify
some object or entity on the Internet. A global unique identifier (GUID) is a number that
Microsoft programming generates to create a unique identity for an entity such as a Word
document.
Biometrics: Biometrics is the technical term for body measurements and calculations. It refers to
metrics related to human characteristics. Biometrics authentication (or realistic authentication) is
used in computer science as a form of identification and access control.
Gender and Disability issues while teaching and using computers
In the classroom, students are diverse. They have different cultural backgrounds, different
genders and different abilities.
Diverse Cultural Background
On the one hand, students‟ English language proficiency may become a barrier for their learning,
communication and usage of technology. Without a fluency in the English language, it is
difficult for these students to read textbooks, to keep up with a teacher‟s lecture, to communicate
with classmates and to understand English websites as well as technology. On the other hand,
socioeconomic status has an influential impact on students‟ learning experience. The
socioeconomic status of one's family has an impact on students‟ accessibility to technology.
Gender Status
Even though there are more and more female students using blog, facebook or other technology
products, the issue is that female students still hold a less positive attitude on learning technology
than male students. It is not hard for us to see that there are much more male students in college‟s
computer science department.
Diverse Abilities
Learners with physical disability or impairments: Physical impairments affect mobility and limit
student‟s interaction with the learning environment based on information processing. Learners
with cognitive impairments: Cognitive impairments can impede a student‟s ability to process
information. Learners with intellectual disability: Intellectual disability can lead to delay
development, symbolic understanding, early cognitive milestone and fewer opportunities to
interact. A special learning group: Students who have special needs and speak a foreign language
have more barriers to achieve communication in the classroom. Besides, female students with
special needs also have different learning style.