1.2 Ethical and Social Issues in ICT

 

Unit 2: Ethical and Social Issues in ICT

Cyber law and its importance

Cyber law: The law which governs all the legal issues of cyber space, controls cyber crime, provide legal status to online transaction and covers several activity related to internet is called cyber law.

Importance of cyber law:

1. To control cyber crime.
2. Mitigates misuse of technology.
3. To flourish IT industry in the nation.
4. To legalize online transaction.
5. To adopt and use new and modern technology.

Cyber law in Nepal was introduced in 30th Bhadra 2061 BS (15th September 2004 AD). The name of the cyber law of Nepal is “Electronic Transaction and Digital Signature Act - Ordinance. 

Provisions of cyber law of Nepal.

1. Identify and punish cyber criminals.
2. Help to provide legal status to IT industry.
3. Implementation of IT in governmental activities.
4. Monitors data privacy and misuse of technology.

Cyber ethics and crime

Computer ethics: The moral principles and values or the code of conduct that must be followed by every computer user is called computer ethics. Commandments of computer ethics.

1. Do not use computer to commit crime.
2. Always use computer in the welfare of human being.
3. Don’t use computer to steal data and file.
4. Don’t use computer to publish fake news and information.
5. Don’t use computer to bear false witness.

Cybercrime: The criminal activity or a crime committed by using computer, internet or any electronic means and media is called cybercrime. Cybercriminal are also considered as a criminal hence, cyber law has appropriate provision of punishing the cyber criminals. For eg, piracy, hacking, cyber bullying, phishing, salami saving, pornography, data diddling, spreading computer virus etc

Terms to understand:

1. Intellectual property right: The law through which the creation(music, art, writings etc) made by creator gets actual reward and not being misused without proper compensation.
2. Patent right: The law through which inventor protect his/her invention(technological) from being used without proper compensation.
3. Digital signature: It is the technology used to ensure the correct delivery of message over a network. It use private and public key for encryption and decryption of data.
4. Encryption: The feature by which readable data and message are converted into unreadable code and its vice versa is called decryption.
5. Trade mark: The sign or symbol used to represent brand.
6. Trade secret: The main secret principle or philosophy of running unique business.
7. Hacker: The person who enter into other system without proper authorization.