Final Flashcards
What are some ethical problems raised by computer technology?
Identity theft, pornography, viruses, government and work vigilance.
What are the categories of computer ethics?
Privacy Protection Issues
-Involving the use and abuse of personal information e.g. medical records (identity theft, denying insurance coverage or jobs)
Property Protection Issues
- Involving the use and abuse of property
- Intellectual property (movies, music protected works, patents etc.)
- Plagiarism
Social Issues
- Involving issues of personal morality or beliefs
- Porn sites, hate speech sites
Political Issues
- The digital divide. The gap between those who have access to computers and the internet, and those who don’t
- Cyberterrorism: Hacking and stealing information from government agencies, the private sector and individuals.
Personal Issues
- Involves individual persons
- Cyberbullying and alienation.
What are the causes of global warming?
- Burning of fossil fuels
- Deforestation
- Man-made artificial gases (coolant gases in refrigerators and air conditioners), destroy ozone: shields Earth from UV rays
What are the impacts of global warming?
- Harm to ocean life
- Changes of habitat may cause harm to animals and result in extinction of certain species
- Weather damage - Extreme weather conditions more frequent
- Rising sea level from melting ice caps, could cause flooding
- Human Health - Heat waves could cause deaths, tropical diseases like malaria spread in larger regions
- Change in crop yields: Most developed countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America would decrease their raising season due yo droughts and high temperatures.
How can we limit global warming?
Physically
- Limiting carbon dioxide emissions in cars, trucks, planes, factories, etc.
- Alternate energy sources: Nuclear, wind, solar, underground steam
- Reforestation - Filling depleted ecosystems with more plants
Politically
-Countries agreeing to enforce decreases in greenhouse gas emissions and help developing countries dealing with this situation
Individually
-Consumers and gen pop try to live eco-friendly lives.
What is the EPA?
Environmental Protection Agency deals with environmental problems like oil spills, air pollution and toxic disposals (radioactive material)
What is nanotechnology?
The study of controlling matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally deals with structures of the size 100 nanometers or smaller in at least one dimension, and developing materials or devices within that size.
What are the potentials of nanotechnology?
The potential to create new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as in medicine, electronics and energy production.
What are some concerns regarding nanotechnology?
Raises many of the same issues as other new technologies, such as toxicity and environmental impact concerns. Effect on global economics, and various doomsday scenarios.
What are some nanotech applications currently available?
- Bumpers on cars
- Paints and coatings to protect again corrosion/scratches/radiation
- Protective and glare-reducing coatings for eyeglasses and cars
- Metal-cutting tools
- Sunscreens and cosmetics
- Longer-lasting tennis balls
- Light-weight stronger tennis racquets
- Strain-free clothing and mattresses
- Dental-bonding agent
- Bum and wound dressings
- Ink
- Catalytic converters in cars
How did the internet get started?
- Originally called Arpanet (Advanced Research Projects Agency - ARPA - of the Department of Defense)
- Connected government computers to connect government computers across the country to exchange information during wartime.
- Later used by the private sector for exchanging research between universities.
Who was J.C.R. Licklider?
He wrote about his Intergalactic Network concept where everyone on the globe is interconnected and can access programs and data at any site from anywhere. He later became the first head of the computer research program at ARPA, he called it the Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO).
What is cyberlaw?
The field of law dealing with the internet, encompassing cases, statutes, regulations and disputes that affect people and businesses interacting through computers.
What are some complexities with cyberlaw?
The internet is not governed by one single entity, and so many different entities can govern the websites that fall under their countries jurisdiction, depending on the situation. This can cause trouble, especially for multinational corporations who need to know whose laws to follow and how to operate within each nation.
What are some issues that cyberlaw deals with?
Jurisdictional questions, Intellectual property rights, tort actions, privacy rights, e-commerce, cybercrimes and online speech.
