Technology Ethics
Respect the artist/creator. Copyright laws protect the rights of the creator and make sure that people who invent and develop software, music, and other artifacts can receive income from their efforts. It is unethical for anyone to use the works of others in ways that are unfair to them.
Copyright law protects creative work:
- writing
- music
- photographs
- paintings
- software
- movies
The creator of the work is the owner. If a group creates something, the group is the owner. Anything you create is automatically copyrighted from the minute you create it. To provide a copyright notice you put: © Your Name and the Date. Copyright protects you even if you don't provide a copyright notice.
The copyright owner has the right to
- copy the work
- distribute the work
- modify the work
- display the work
- perform the work
- give permission to anyone else to do the above
Using the internet makes it easy to gain access to and copy the works of others. But this does not justify the behavior. Know the law and protect yourself.