What Is an Unethical Use of Computers?
There are many unethical ways to computers, some of which are included in the “Ten Commandments of computer ethics,” released by the Computer Ethics Institute. Unethical uses of computers include pirating, hacking, invasion of privacy, bullying, exploitation, identity theft and more.
Pirating is one of the most common ways to use a computer unethically. Pirating includes downloading software or files, including games, movies and photo-editing programs. Pirating is the cyberspace equivalent of stealing. Likewise, using an image on a website without giving credit to the original creator is also considered stealing.
Hacking is another way to use computers unethically. Hacking is the act of invading another person’s files or computer to take valuable assets or information. Hacking can also quickly turn into identity theft and exploitation.
Bullying is a rising trend in cyberspace, especially with the popularity of social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook. Bullying is the act of intimidating someone through violent or threatening means. Calling someone names or harassing someone in cyberspace can lead to very serious consequences and can even contribute or even result to a victim’s suicide, explains BullyingStatistics.org.
