A451 - 1.1: Ethical, Environmental and Legal Considerations

A451 - 1.1: Ethical, Environmental and Legal Considerations

1. Computer Misuse Act of 1990

   • It created three new offences:
   • Unauthorised access to Computer Material
   • Unauthorised access with intent to commit a crime
   • Unauthorised modification of computer material

2. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act

   • Typical Breaches of the CDP Act are:
     • Using Unlicensed Software
     • Downloading Music illegally
     • Streaming movies illegally
     • Copying work, claiming it as your own (Plagiarism)

3. Data Protection Act 1998

   • Aim is to protect people's personal data
     • Who is able to access the data?
     • Is the data still accurate?
     • Will the data be sold?
     • Will data be removed if it is no longer needed for its original purpose

4. Recycling

   • Computers use a lot of raw material
   • At the end of a computers life it is more environmentally and economically better to recycle the useful parts
   • WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) dispose of old equipment and recycle it.
   • Some companies refurbish old computers and sell 'em
   • This lets someone who can't afford a new computer use an older one and the Computer stays useful for longer and avoids recycling for the time being

5. Energy Use

   • Some computers have a sleep/hibernate system, this saves some energy

6. Ethics

   • Some ethical Issues
     • Replacing workers with machines
     • Computing and Privacy
     • Responsibility of Computer Professionals
     • Computing Disablity
     • Computing and Political Freedom