Computing, Ethics & The Law

The LawCopyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988)

Computer Misuse Act (1990)

Data Protection Act (1998) (8 Main Principles)

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (2000)

EthicsWhat are ethics in terms of Computer Use?What are the ethical standards of the BCS?

The Law Ethics

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988)• It gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical

and artistic works the right to control the ways in which their material may be used.• For example if you make a song and a year later

someone else brings out that song as their own then that is breach of copyright

Computer Misuse Act (1990)• It was introduced to try to fight the growing threat

of hackers and hacking. The law has three parts. In the U.K., it is now a crime to. Access a computer without permission.• For example the incident involving Talk Talk in 2015

when their servers got hacked by a 15 year old boy.

Data Protection Act (1998)• An Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK.• For example if a company stores information about

its users, and the information gets leaked out then that is a breach of the data protection act.

Data Protection Act (8 Main Principles)1. Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully

2. Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes.

3. Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed.

4. Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date.

5. Personal data processed for any purpose or purposes shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.

6. Personal data shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under this Act.

7. Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

8. Personal data shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data.

What are ethics in terms of Computer Use?

• Computer ethics is set of moral principles that regulate the use of computers. They are not always law but are the morally right thing to do.• For example if you buy something online and it

does not charge you then that isn’t illegal but it is ethically wrong.

What are the ethical standards of the BCS?The Code of Conduct:• sets out the professional standards required by BCS

as a condition of membership;• applies to all members, irrespective of their

membership grade, the role they fulfil, or the jurisdiction where they are employed or discharge their contractual obligations.• governs the conduct of the individual, not the

nature of the business or ethics of any Relevant Authority*.