Chapter 8: Morals and Ethics

Q.1 Fill in the blanks:

1. Ethics deals with determination of what is right and wrong, and then doing the right things.
2. Ethical principles should justify the actions of computer professionals and users.
3. Ethical principles are based on moral values.
4. Norms and principles (for IT professionals) are stated under Code of Ethics.
5. The ethical issues for computer users are Software piracy & unauthorized access.
6. Accessing of data without permission is called  unauthorized access.
7. If a person is not authorized and if he tries to access information then it becomes unauthorized access.   OR
8. Accessing data/system/information without proper permission is called unauthorized access Promoting integrity and confidentiality of data is maintaining privacy.
9.  Fair use is a legal use of copyrighted material without explicit permission from the copyright holder.
10. Unauthorized duplication and use of software is called software piracy.
11. Business ethics indicates rules and regulations to be obeyed in an organization.
12. An Unlicensed copyrighted software is called a pirated software.
13. Privacy is to maintain data confidentiality so as to promote integrity of data.
14. Software which is available for limited period is known as shareware.
15. Backup is a safe copy of a program (in anticipation of corruption of the original).
16. A CD distributed with a magazine contains shareware type of softwares.
17. Computer users and professionals are making exact copy of a program in seconds which is termed as duplication.
18. Cyber crime refers to any activity done with criminal intent on the Internet and WWW.
19. Cyber law refers to all the legal and regulatory aspects of the Internet and WWW.
20. Digital signature ensures that the document in electronic form originated from the person signing it and that was not tampered with after it was applied.

Q.2 State whether the following statements are true or false:

1. Generally accepted standards of right and wrong in a society are called moral values.           True
2. Code of Ethics is a set of moral standards.True
3. A user must install and use a software as per the license agreement.               True
4. Computer professionals are expected to maintain the integrity and reliability of information systems. True
5. Students are allowed to download and use unauthorized copy of any software. False
6. Digital signature as per Indian It Act 2000 gives legal recognition to any transaction carried out by e-commerce.                                                                        True

Q.3 Multiple choice questions ( Single Correct Answer):

1. Generally accepted social standard of right and wrong actions is called morals.
2. To determine what is right or wrong and then take the right actions is called ethics.
3. Making an unauthorized copy of a copyrighted program is called software piracy.
4. General norms and principles for computer professionals are stated under code of ethics.
5. Cyber law is a part of IT Act 2000.

Q.4 Multiple choice questions (Two Correct Answer):

1. The ethical issues for computer users are Software piracy & unauthorized access.
2. What steps should be taken to stop software piracy? 

Purchase licensed software, purchase licensed products from authorized seller.

Q. 5. Answer the following in brief:

1. Define the terms:

Moral: The definition of moral is something that relates to the rules of right and wrong.

Ethics: Ethics help the user to maintain the privacy and protect the interest of creator of the knowledge.

2. Explain Intellectual Property Rights:

Any information is extremely costly to produce at first.

Once produced it becomes easy to reproduce and share with others with destroying the original.

It makes information difficult to safeguard, since it is easily communicable.

Protectors of Intellectual Property Rights :

Patents, Copyrights, Oaths of confidentially, Loyalty, Encryption, etc.

3. Explain the concept of freeware and shareware:

Freeware is software that everyone is free to copy, redistribute and modify.

Shareware programmes can be freely distributed and freely tested for a trial period (Generally 30 days). After this trial period, if the user wants to keep using the programs he has to register and pay for it.

4. Discuss Cyber Law:

The IT Act 2000 is an act to provide legal recognition for transactions carried out by means of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and other means of electronic communication, referred to as “Electronic Commerce”.

Q.6. Answer the following:

1. Discuss ethics for a computer professional.

Ethics for computer professionals, One should purchase only legitimate software products through authorized channels. The installation and use of software should be in accordance with the license agreement.

2. Explain IT Act 2000.

IT Act 2000 relates the electronic record, digital signature and security procedure, where any security procedure has been applied to an electronic record at a specific point of time then such record shall be deemed to be a secure electronic record from such point of time to time verification.

3. Discuss copyright and software piracy.

It is intellectual property right attached to original works. It gives the owner the right to exploit the same for the period prescribed under the act. Copyright can be shared with others by assignment and licensing. Copyright is infringed when any one person commits any act as listed below:

Makes or displays another person’s creation for sale or hire.

Distributes it for the purpose of trade.

Prejudicial affects the interests of the owner of the copyright.

Modifies the original copyright work to create a new work.