Legal constraints guidelines and procedure Uploading and downloading

Legal constraints, guidelines and procedure

Uploading and downloading One of the controversial aspects of the Internet has been file sharing systems. The first company to offer this was Napster, which has since been shut down. Movie producers claim that file sharing deprives companies of profit and threatens future production. There have been many prosecutions of those who have uploaded files.

Avoid using P 2 P The software is often riddled with spyware. Downloaded files may turn out to contain viruses or spyware. Users of downloaded software may not be able to get support from the vendor when they need it. There are now legal music download services available. These allow you to buy complete albums at a reasonable price. There also sites where you can listen to music, no charge.

Uploading files • Unless you are certain of the file you are uploading is your own property: DON’T DO IT! There is no problem with uploading videos you have made yourself to You. Tube, but never upload content that belongs to someone else. • Copyright holders tend to take much action against uploaders than against downloaders. In 2010, three men behind a file-sharing site , were sentenced to years in jail by a Swedish court.

Copy rights • In philosophy, some things cannot be copyrighted, such as a surgical operation. • The author of a work is the copyright owner, but ownership can be sold or transferred to someone else. • The Internet has created opportunities for copyright. The Internet provides text in electronic format, making it easy to cut and paste material into their own documents.

Digital rights management • A number of methods have been created to counter copyright infringement of products. They're known as Digital Rights Management. • Digital fingerprints are unique labels inserted into different copies. Each digital fingerprint is assigned to a recipient, and provides the capability to trace hackers and copyrighters.

The data protection act • If you post any data about individuals on a site you may have to take account of the Data Protection Act. The Act seeks to strike a balance between rights and interests of those with reasons for using personal info.

Computer miss use act • 1. Unauthorised access to computer material. This carries the penalty of six months in prison or a fine. 2. Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate a crime. This carries five years in prison or a fine. 3. Unauthorised modification of computer material. This carries up to five years in prison or a fine. 4. Making, supplying or obtaining material that could be used in computer misuse offences. This carries up to ten years in prison or an unlimited fine.

Online behaviour • Many of the techniques we have for protecting ourselves online are technological in nature. These certainly have their uses, but one of the most important ways of protecting yourself online is to make sure that you behave. • When using, social networks you should be careful. You should also be very careful about the extent of information you put online.

Chatting and social networking • “Grooming” is the term given to online interaction between an adult and a child. You should always keep yourself safe by keeping personal information private. • The Internet makes it easy for people to give out false info about who they are. People trying to take advantage of children will lie about their age with those they are talking to, so that they can gain their trust.

Guarding personal information • You wouldn’t give out your telephone number to a stranger you met in the street, so why give it out to someone you have never met? • If people get hold of your mobile number you could find yourself receiving unpleasant texts or even being attacked by smartphone viruses. • If you do start to receive abusive texts, let your parents know. Telephone companies can trace the text messages.

Chat rooms • Chatrooms are generally designed to allow groups of people to chat and allows anyone to their comments. However, many chatrooms allow the facility to move away from the public to an isolated chat. • This is fine if you want to have a private chat amongst a few friends, but be wary if anyone you don’t know asks you to take part in a private chat.

E-mails • The best way of dealing with e-mails from an address you don’t recognise is to discard them completely. That way, they can’t harm your machine. • Many e-mail programs prevent users from opening attachments with any kind of “active” content.