Ethics and the Law (SAQ 2-1)

Self Assessment Question 2-1
What relevance, if any, does the study of the concept of law, in general, have in computing and your study of computer ethics?

The study of the concept of the law allows us to understand potential ethical issues that arise particularly in the field of computing. It is in knowing these concepts that are able to identify which human actions require moral discernment to determine the scope of the study of computer ethics. Natural law, for instance provides principle of righteousness, justice, equity and fairness. Knowing these philosophies guide us which actions in computing adhere to these precepts. General concepts of the law are fundamentals relevant to the study of ethics and computer ethics in particular.

List down two laws governing computer use and explain what types of non-jural law seem to underpin these two laws.

Mail-order bride law is one of the laws that should govern computer use. Our existing policies on mail-order bride may be vague since it did not mention about computers, but it is promulgated for reasons that support the principle of natural laws - ensuring justice and righteousness by protecting women. The way in which this law is written is not an exemption to condone the idea that women can be a commodity since natural laws according to Plato are absolute.

The issue of computer security has been an age-old issue that still baffles the field of computing. Malicious codes such as a virus spawned across networks on a global scale has yet and issue remained unresolved. The scope that the internet covers left existing laws among various countries, hanging and remained unenforced. How can we possibly prosecute an offender whose country don't have laws that deal with such crime? The I love you virus is an example of a malicious code the wreak havoc in major computer systems worldwide. Those countries who have been affected, admittedly have difficulties filing lawsuit to offenders.

This could an situation attributed to concepts of the Moral Law. Every person on the planet must take responsibility to mankind which is generally to do good and not harm regardless of whether there is a law pertaining to privacy and security in a particular country.