AS IT INFO 2 - Acts

AS IT INFO 2 - Acts

1. Copyright, Designs & Patents Act

   • Established 1988
   • 'Makes it illegal to copy or distribute software without permission or a licence'
   • Covers music, literature and software

2. Data Protection Act

   • Purposes
     • Requires People who use Personal Data to be Honest and Upfront about its use.
     • Gives Individuals Certain Statutory Rights
   • Created in 1984, revised in 1998
   • Provides legal rights for computer users

3. Freedom of Information Act

   • Concerns itself with information needed by the public authority
   • Includes:
     • How public authorities carry out their duties
     • How public authorities make their decisions
     • How public authorities spend public money
   • Exemptions:
     • Where information could jeopardise the prevention/ detection of a crime
     • Where the cost of collecting information exceeds a reasonable limit
   • Made in 2000

4. Computer Misuse Act

   • Introduced 1990
   • Examples of crimes
     • Unauthorised access to computer programs or data
       • Up to a six month penalty and/or a fine
       • Guessing someone's password then looking at the system to see what data it contains
     • Unauthorised access with further criminal intent
       • Up to a five year penalty and/ or a fine
       • Guessing passwords to bank accounts and using that to access sensitive data without the subject's permission with the intention of committing fraud
     • Unauthorised modification of computer material
       • Carries up to five years offence penalty and/or a fine
       • Deliberately deleting files, introducing viruses or modifying programs intending to cause damage

5. Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

   • An offence to access or intercept a message sent through either public or private telecommunications
   • Established 2000
   • Data interception only allowed in certain situations, for example, when a message must be intercepted to help solve a crime