INFORMATION SYSTEM ETHICS AND LAW – CLW20103/DLW20103

ASSIGNMENT 1

CLW20103/DLW20103
SUBJECT: INFORMATION SYSTEM ETHICS AND LAW

INSTRUCTION:
1. Each student is required to submit a written report that consists of Introduction, Content and
Conclusion, Reference.
2. Mode: Group of 2-5 students
3. Submission in the form of written report (Hard Copy / Soft Copy)
a. Google Classroom (by group)
b. E-klas (Individual)
4. Date Given: 23rd February 2023 (Thursday) – Week 2
5. Date of Submission: 9th February 2023 (Thursday) – Week 4
6. Cover page: BLUE COLOR

PROGRAM OUTCOME(S):
PO1 be aware of current and developing principles and practices within forensic computing field.

COURSE OUTCOME(S):
CO1 To differentiate ethical problems, and able to indicate which of them may be unique to
computing and what makes each unique. (C4, PLO2)

Task 1:
Based on the scenario below, identify and critically analyze some ethical issues (Privacy, Accuracy,
Access, Intellectual Property) that arise in each of the scenario. If you are in the situation, what will you
do? Explain the reasons on decision you will made.

SCENARIO 1–1: A Fatal Cyberbullying Incident on MySpace

Megan Meier, a 13-year-old resident of Dardenne Prairie, Missouri, had an account on MySpace where
she received a “friend” request from a user named Josh Evans. Evans, who claimed to be a 16-year-old
boy, told Meier that he lived near her and was being home-schooled by his parents. At first, Evans sent
flattering e-mails to Meier, which also suggested that he might be romantically interested in her. Soon,
however, Evans’s remarks turned from compliments to insults, and Evans informed Meier that he was
no longer sure that he wanted to be friends with her because he heard that she “wasn’t very nice to her
friends.” Next, Meier noticed that some highly derogatory posts about her—e.g., “Megan Meier is a
slut” and “Megan Meier is fat”—began to appear on MySpace. Meier, who was reported to have
suffered from low self-esteem and depression, became increasingly distressed by the online harassment
(cyberbullying) being directed at her—i.e., from both the insulting MySpace postings and hurtful e-mail
messages she continued to receive from Evans. On October 17, 2006, Meier decided to end her life by
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hanging herself in her bedroom. An investigation of this incident, following Meier’s death, revealed
that Josh Evans was not a teenage boy; she was Lori Drew, the 49-year-old mother of a former friend of
Meier’s.1

SCENARIO 1–2: Contesting the Ownership of a Twitter Account

Noah Kravitz was employed by PhoneDog Media, a mobile phone company, for nearly four years.
PhoneDog had two divisions: an e-commerce site (phonedog.com) that sold mobile phones, and a blog
that enabled customers to interact with the company. Kravitz created a blog on Twitter (called
Phonedog_Noah) while employed at PhoneDog, and his blog attracted 17,000 followers by the time he
left the company in October 2010. However, Kravitz informed PhoneDog that he wanted to keep his
Twitter blog, with all of his followers; in return, Kravitz agreed that he would still “tweet” occasionally
on behalf of his former company, under a new (Twitter) “handle,” or account name, NoahKravitz.
Initially, PhoneDog seemed to have no problem with this arrangement. In July 2011, however,
PhoneDog sued Kravitz, arguing that his list of Twitter followers was, in fact, a company list.
PhoneDog also argued that it had invested a substantial amount of money in growing its customer list,
which it considered to be the property of PhoneDog Media. The company (as of early 2012) is seeking
$340,000 in damages—the amount that PhoneDog estimated it had lost based on 17,000 customers at
$2.50 per customer over an eight-month period (following Kravitz’s departure from the company).2 &

SCENARIO 1–3: “The Washingtonienne” Blogger

Jessica Cutler, a former staff assistant to U.S. Senator Michael DeWine (R-Ohio), authored an online
diary (on blogger.com) under the pseudonym “The Washingtonienne.” In May 2004, she was fired
when the contents of her diary appeared in Wonkette: The DC Gossip, a popular blog in the
Washington D.C. area. Until her diary was discovered and published in Wonkette, Cutler assumed that
it had been viewed by only a few of her fellow “staffers” (Washington D.C. staff assistants) who were
interested in reading about the details of her romantic relationships and sexual encounters. In her diary,
Cutler disclosed that she earned an annual salary of only $25,000 as a staffer and that most of her living
expenses were “thankfully subsidized by a few generous older gentlemen.” She also described some
details of her sexual relationships with these men, one of whom was married and an official in the
George W. Bush administration. (Cutler did not use the real names of these men but instead referred to
them via initials that could easily be linked to their actual identities.) Following her termination as a
staffer, in response to the political fallout and the media attention resulting from the publication of her
diary, Cutler was offered a book contract with a major publisher. She was also subsequently sued by
one of the men implicated in her blog.3 &

SCENARIO 1–4: Developing the Code for a Computerized Weapon System

Sally Bright, a recent graduate from Technical University, has accepted a position as a software
engineer for a company called CyberDefense, Inc. This company has a contract with the U.S. Defense
Department to develop and deliver applications for the U.S. military. When Sally reports to work on her
first day, she is assigned to a controversial project that is developing the software for a computer system
designed to deliver chemical weapons to and from remote locations. Sally is conflicted about whether

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she can, given her personal values, agree to work on this kind of weapon- delivery system, which would
not have been possible without computer technology.

SCENARIO 1–5: Digital Piracy

Harry Flick is an undergraduate student at Pleasantville State College. In many ways, Harry’s interests
are similar to those of typical students who attend his college. But Harry is also very fond of classic
movies, especially films that were made before 1950. DVD copies of these movies are difficult to find;
those that are available tend to be expensive to purchase, and very few are available for loan at libraries.
One day, Harry discovers a Web site that has several classic films (in digital form) freely available for
downloading. Since the movies are still protected by copyright, however, Harry has some concerns
about whether it would be permissible for him to download any of these films (even if only for private
use).

DOCUMENTATION FORMAT FOR REPORT:

1) Margin
a. Left 3cm Right 2.54 cm
b. Top 2.54cm Bottom 2.54 cm
2) Page number
a. Times New Roman 10/ Arial 9
b. Align to Right Bottom
3) Paper Size
a. A4
4) Content
a. Times New Roman 12/ Arial 11
b. Justify
5) Title
a. Times New Roman 12/ Arial 11 (Bold)
b. Align to Left
6) Spacing (1.5)

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WRITE UP ASSESSMENT RUBRICS (GROUP)

Name: Id No:

UNACCEPTA
Assessment EXCELLENT GOOD ACCEPTABLE POOR
BLE Marks
Criteria 9-10 7-8 5-6 3-4
1-2
Organization Well organized
Well organized Well organized,
and structured
displaying a displaying a
displaying a
beginning, a beginning, a Well organized,
beginning, a body
body and body and but demonstrates
and conclusion,
conclusion, conclusion but illogical Weakly
demonstrates
demonstrates demonstrates sequencing and organized
logical sequencing
logical illogical sentence
and sentence
sequencing and sequencing and structure
structure. Critical
sentence sentence
thinking skills are
structure structure.
evident
The introduction
The introduction is The introduction
states the main
inviting, states the clearly states the
The introduction topic or position, There is no
main topic & main topic &
is inviting, states but does not clear
position and position and
the main topic & adequately introduction of
Introduction/ previews the previews the
position and preview the the main topic,
topic structure of the structure of the
previews the structure of the position or
paper and shows paper, but is not
structure of the paper nor is it structure of the
the relationship particularly
paper particularly paper
between all topics inviting to the
inviting to the
and subtopics reader
reader
Contents An accurate and
complete
The explanation
explanation of key Almost complete
is sufficiently
concepts and Complete and and accurate
inaccurate,
theories is made, accurate explanation of
incomplete, or
drawing on explanation of key concepts and
confusing that
relevant literature. key concepts and theories is made, Some
the reader gains
Enough detail is theories is made, drawing on explanation is
little
presented to allow drawing on relevant sufficiently
information
the reader to relevant literature. inaccurate,
from the report.
understand the literature. Enough detail is incomplete, or
It appears that
content and make Enough detail is presented to confusing that
little attempt
judgments about it. presented to allow the reader the reader gains
has been made
In addition, allow the reader to understand the little information
to help the
applications of to understand the content and from the report.
reader
theory are content and make judgments
understand the
included to make judgments about it.
material.
illuminate issues. about it.
Readers gain
insights.

Quality of Supporting details

information are specific to
Supporting
topic and provide
details are
the necessary Some details Details are
specific to topic Unable to find
information don’t support the somewhat
and provide the specific details.
correctly report topic. sketchy.
necessary
supported by some
information.
references.

Conclusion Numerous detailed Numerous The conclusion The conclusion There is no

conclusions are detailed is recognizable is recognizable, clear

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reached from the conclusions are and ties up but does not tie conclusion, the
evidence offered reached from the almost all the up several loose paper just ends
and leave the evidence offered loose ends ends
reader with a
feeling that they
understand what
the writer is
“getting at.”
Use of tables Good use of
Extensive use of Limited use of
and tables and Some use of
tables and figures tables and
figures figures to show tables and No use of tables
effectively to show figures
data and figures to show and figures to
data and effectively to
summarize the data and show data and
summarize the show data and
findings; not summarize the summarize the
findings; summarize the
professional findings; poor findings
professional findings; poor
quality shown in quality
looking quality
refereed journals
Interest level Vocabulary
Vocabulary is Vocabulary is Basic used mostly
Vocabulary is
varied; unimaginative; vocabulary; lead to
varied; supporting
supporting details lack needs descriptive misunderstandin
details vivid
details useful “color” words g of certain
sentences.
Grammar Punctuation and There are four
There is one There are two or
and spelling capitalization are Punctuation and or more errors
error in three errors in
correct including capitalization are in punctuation
punctuation and / punctuation and /
the arrangement of correct and / or
or capitalization or capitalization
words capitalization
Following Following format,
Following
format & include table of
format, include
Include content, title of Following format Following Not following
table of content,
support each topic and and include format, but there format and there
title of each topic
content include reference reference is no reference is no reference
and include
following APA
reference
style format
Neatness Simply typed;
Typed; clean; Typed; report
Typed; clean; poorly
neatly organized Typed; report cover is x
with report organized; no
with a well- cover, and no following
cover; neatly report cover, no
designed report table of contents; template, no
organized; have table of
cover; effective no use of color table of contents;
table of contents contents, and no
use of color no use of color
page numbers
/100
TOTAL MARKS

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ASSIGNMENT 1

Received Date :
Submission Due Date : 17th July 2022
Lecturer : DR ZURIDA ISHAK
Weightage : REPORT (20%)
Semester : JULY 2022

Instruction to students:
 This is GROUP assignment.
 Complete this cover sheet and attach it to your assignment (first page).

Student declaration:
I declare that:
 This assignment is my/our own work
 I/we understand what is meant by plagiarism
 My lecturer has the right to deduct my marks in case of:
- Late submission
- Any plagiarism found in my assignment.
NAME: NAME: NAME: NAME:
MATRICS NO: MATRICS NO: MATRICS NO: MATRICS NO:

YOUR YOUR YOUR YOUR

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