Computer Crime and Ethics

A computer can be a communication portal or a gateway to crime.

Information technology affects our lives in both good and bad ways. The Internet provides a multitude of ways to communicate and shop. However, technology also presents a number of ethical pitfalls and chances to both commit, and be subjected to, computer and cyberspace crime.

Types

Illegally downloading music or videos is called pirating. Finding a picture or piece of writing on the Internet and claiming it as your own is called plagiarism. Using technology to steal and use someone else's personal information is called identity theft. These criminal activities are illegal and unethical because they carry social consequences.

Effects

Besides potential fines and jail time, cyberspace crimes have societal repercussions that contribute to their unethical status. Both plagiarism and pirating make it harder for artists, musicians and writers to create. Identity theft deters consumers from buying online and using services like Internet banking.

Considerations

Criminal activities, such as plagiarism and pirating, deplete the working capital of artists. When artists have a difficult time making a living off their creations, the entire creative community suffers. Identity theft hurts consumers, small businesses and corporations by discouraging electronic commerce. This problem keeps business from growing to fulfill their technological potentials.

References

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Computer and Information Ethics
• United States Department of Justice: Cyberethics