NKUMBA UNIVERSITY
Department of Information & Communication Technology
Course: Legal and Ethical Issues in Computing (MIT)
Course Descriptions
In an era where information technology changes constantly, a thoughtful response to these rapid
changes requires a basic understanding of IT history, an awareness of current issues, and a
familiarity with ethics. This course in an advanced way covers ethical problems and issues
encountered by computer professionals in today’s environment. This course will cover
provocative issues such as social networking, government surveillance, privacy laws, computer
security and reliability, and intellectual property from all points of view. Students are asked as
they face these challenges to think critically and draw their own conclusions, which ultimately
prepare them to become responsible, ethical users of future technologies. So the level of
discussion and perception of issues are at an advanced level, so it involves critical reasoning and
analysis of scenarios related to computer use habits within the different types of organizations.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
Interpret the legal requirements, ethical issues, and professional issues in the computing
profession.
Explain different ethical issues arising in the computing profession
Explain the social impact of decisions and actions of participants in the computing
profession
Learning Outcomes
1. Be familiar with the legal requirements, ethical issues, and professional issues in the
computing profession.
2. Be familiar with types of ethical issues arising in the computing profession.
3. Be familiar with the social impact of decisions and actions of participants in the computing
profession.
4. Be familiar with writing short essays and papers related to legal, ethical and professional
issues in computing.
5. Be familiar with making peer-oriented oral presentations and classroom debates.
COURSE CONTENT
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICAL COMPUTING
What is Computer Ethics
Why You Should Study Computer Ethics
Historical Development of Computer Ethics
1
The Emergence of Social and Ethical Problems in Computing
The Emergence of Computer Crimes
UNIT 2: ETHICAL THEORIES;
Deontology
Human Nature
Relativism
Social contract
Virtue Ethics
UNIT 3: MORALITY AND THE LAW
Moral Decision Making
Moral Codes; Moral Standard
Laws: the Natural Law; Conventional Law; the Purpose of Law
UNIT 4: ANONYMITY, SECURITY, PRIVACY, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Anonymity and the Internet
Physical and Information Security
Value of Privacy
Information Gathering, Databases, and Privacy
Privacy Violations and Legal Implications
Privacy Protection and Civil Liberties
Ethical and Social Issues; Ethics and Privacy; Ethics and Security
UNIT 5: PROPERTY RIGHTS AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
Foundations of Intellectual Property Rights
Copyrights and Copyright Infringement
Domain of Protection
Source and Types of Protection
Duration of Protection
Strategies of Protection
The Legal Protection of Computer Software
UNIT 6: SOFTWARE ISSUES: RISKS AND LIABILITIES
Standards; Reliability; Security; Safety; Quality; Software
Nature of Software: Complexity
Risks; Risk Assessment and Management
References
Edgar, Stacey L. (1997). Morality and Machines: Perspectives on Computer Ethics. Sudburry, MA: Jones and
Bartlett Publishers.
Floridi, Luciano (1999). "Information Ethics: On the Philosophical Foundation of Computer Ethics," Ethics and
Information Technology, Vol. 1
Johnson, Deborah G. (1994). Computer Ethics. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Gert, Bernard. (1999). "Common Morality and Computing," Ethics and Information Technology
2
Gotterbarn, Don (1991). "Computer Ethics: Responsibility Regained," National Forum: The Phi Kappa Phi
Journal, Vol. 71
