| Law and Ethics |
| Legal and ethical issues help us broaden considerably our study of Internet research. | |
| Even relatively skilled researchers fail to consider the legal and ethical dimensions of giving and receiving information on the Internet. |
| Completely unexpected topics, such as identity fraud and workplace privacy, became central issues with the rise of the Internet | |
| Issues with legal precedents well established, such as copyright, got turned upside down by the Internet |
| To what extent should governments limit what is posted on the Internet? The question raises issues around: | |
| censorship | |
| library filters | |
| hate groups online | |
| restricting obscenity & pornography | |
| libel and service providers |
| Do we have to give up our privacy if we want to use the Internet? Issues include: | |
| government surveillance | |
| online medical records | |
| identity fraud | |
| confidentiality | |
| workplace privacy |
| Technology has become crucial to society. Do all groups have access? Issues include: | |
| Does the “digital divide” exist? | |
| How is usage for people with disabilities? | |
| Will the move to electronic commerce leave out some groups? | |
| Do men and woman use the Internet in different ways? | |
| Are educational opportunities fair? |
Issues of intellectual property
| Does the world need a new notion of intellectual property in a digital age? Issues include: | |
| copyright | |
| fair use | |
| plagiarism | |
| Napster | |
| sharing digital files |
| Often people don’t realize they are encountering legal and ethical issues online until it is too late. | |
| Awareness is key. |