Internet Ethics Page 2

Internet Studies

Instructor: Mr. Dunfee

An Introduction to Internet Ethics

Page 2 of 2 pages

ethics - 1 : a discipline dealing with good and evil and with moral duty, 2 : moral principals or practice
etiquette - the forms prescribed by customs or authority to be observed in social, official, or professional life

You won't find the word netiquette in most dictionaries because it's so new. So here's a definition quoted from Destination INTERNET & World Wide Web by Paul Hoffman (Compac Press, 1995).
- netiquette - "A play on the word etiquette: the proper way to behave on the Internet. This includes respecting the rights and desires of others, setting an example of how you want strangers to treat you, and acknowledging that the Internet is very different than face-to-face communication."
Points to remember
- The Internet is an International meeting place.
- Most people are unaware of local customs in other countries.
- Most people who write information on the Internet have never heard of you or me.
- When you write something on the Internet, on an email message or on a Web page or somewhere else, always remember
  - People from many countries might read it.
  - Everything you write is "in public". There are no secrets.
  - Never write anything you wouldn't want your family, your friends, your teachers, your classmates, everyone you love and respect, and the entire world to read.
Emoticons are a nice way to express yourself and be polite on the internet. These are the little "smileys" or "smile faces" that you see typed in letters, web pages, and email.
- :-) is the most popular emoticon. Tilt your head to the left and look at the smile.
- More emoticons
- Since emoticons are so popular, you can probably find 100's more if you use a search engine.

Related Government Laws
- Copyrights
- Legal issues
  - Censorship
    - The Communications Decency Act was an attempt by the United States Congress to censor material on the Internet.
  - Freedom of Speech
    - On Thursday, June 26, 1997, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Communications Decency Act is unconstitutional.
  - Parental Control
    - Parents have the right to teach their children their own ideas and beliefs, and to provide a safe and orderly environment for their children--even on the Internet.
    - Many parents have formed organizations to assist them in making the Internet safe and orderly.
      - United Federation of ChildSafe Web Sites
      - Voters Telecommunications Watch
        
        What they say about parental control
    - Software is available to help parents and educators decide what materials their children may access on the Internet
  - Spamming
    - Sending junk email. Can it be stopped? Should it be stopped?
  - Cybersquatting
    - Just as "scalpers" buy lots of concert tickets and try to sell them at higher prices, "cybersquatters" register domain names in advance and try to sell them to businesses who needs them. Is this right?
School Rules
- Acceptable Use Policy
  - You signed a copy. Do you remember what it says?
- Read the Acceptable Use Policies of other organizations and people
  - Sprynet
  - Gary's Electronic Classroom