TEN COMMANDMENTS OF COMPUTER ETHICS

The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics were created in 1992 by the Computer Ethics Institute. The commandments were introduced in the paper "In Pursuit of a 'Ten Commandments' for Computer Ethics" by Ramon C. Barquin as a means to create "a set of standards to guide and instruct people in the ethical use of computers."  The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics copies the style of the Ten Commandments from The Bible and uses the archaic "thou shalt" and "thou shalt not" found in the King Jamesversion.The commandments have been widely quoted in computer ethics literature  but also have been criticized by both the hacker community  and some in academia. For instance, Dr. Ben Fairweather of the "Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility" has described them as "simplistic" and overly restrictive.The CISSP — an organization of computer security professionals — has used the commandments as a foundation for its own ethics rules.

Commandment 1: Explanation: This commandment says that it is unethical to use a computer to harm another user. It is not limited to physical injury but also through emotions that can cause trauma to people. 

Commandment 2:Explanation: Computer software can be used in ways that disturb other users or disrupt their work. Viruses, for example, are programs meant to harm useful computer programs or interfere with the normal functioning of a computer.

Commandment 3: Explanation: We know it is wrong to read someone's personal letters. On the same lines, it is wrong to read someone else's email messages or files. Obtaining data from another person's private files is nothing less than breaking into someone's room. Snooping around in another person's files or reading someone else's personal messages is the invasion of his privacy. 

Commandment 4: Explanation: Stealing sensitive information or leaking confidential information is as good as robbery. It is wrong to acquire personal information of employees from an employee database or patient history from a hospital database or other such information that is meant to be confidential. Similarly, breaking into a bank account to collect information about the account or account holder is wrong. Illegal electronic transfer of funds is a type of fraud.

Commandment 5: Explanation: Spread of information has become viral today, because of the Internet. This also means that false news or rumors can spread speedily through social networking sites or emails.

Commandment 6: In case of a developer writing software for the organization he works for, the organization holds the copyright for it. Copyright holds true unless its creators announce it is not.

Commandment 7:  Multi-user systems have user specific passwords. Breaking into some other user's password, thus intruding his private space is unethical. 

Commandment 8: Explanation: Programs developed by a software developer are his/her property. If he is working with an organization, they are the organization's property. Copying them and propagating them in one's own name is unethical.

Commandment 9: Explanation: Looking at the social consequences that a program can have, describes a broader perspective of looking at technology.

Commandment 10: Explanation: The communication etiquette we follow in the real world applies to communication over computers as well. While communicating over the Internet, one should treat others with respect. One should not intrude others' private space, use abusive language, make false statements or pass irresponsible remarks about others. One should be courteous while communicating over the web and should respect others' time and resources.

 Use your computer in an ethical way.