Introduction

What do you think about this saying?
"Character is what you do when no one is watching."

Well all of us use technology for some reason or another and it's easy to do things 'without being watched'! You can go into chat rooms, surf the net, play great software games and listen to music all using technology. However, with all of the powerful uses of technology, comes a lot of responsibility. Using e-mail, using the Internet, and using software programs and computers both at home and at school is a privilege. We need to make sure that we all honor that privilege and use technology in a way which is right and fair to everyone.

However, there is some disturbing news that shows that everyone does not seem to think doing the right thing counts when using technology.

Juveniles appear to have an ethical 'deficit' when it comes to computer crimes. In one study, 34 percent of university undergraduates admitted to illegally pirating copyrighted software, and 16 percent admitted to gaining illegal access to a computer system to browse or exchange information. [Arthur L. Bowker, Juveniles and Computers: Should We Be Concerned, Federal Probation, December 1999, at 40]

This ethical deficit increases the likelihood that even 'good kids' who are ordinarily unlikely to commit crimes such as robbery, burglary, or assault, may not be as disinclined to commit online crimes.

"Most kids would not walk into somebody's house and rummage around and then turn around and walk out, and say, I didn't do anything wrong because I didn't steal anything. But they're more than willing to go into somebody's computer and do that, and think because they didn't intentionally do anything wrong, they haven't done anything hurtful."--
Pete Smith, Director
Cybercitizen Partnership

Software theft results in 130,000 lost U.S. jobs, $5.3 billion in lost wages, and nearly $1 billion in lost tax revenues. Corporate America and home users are a major part of the problem; 1 in 4 programs are pirated.

The FBI's Michael Vatis, director of the FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center, tells students, "Do you think it would be OK to go spray-paint your neighbor's house or the grocery store down the street? On a web site, it's the same sort of thing. It's somebody's storefront or an extension of themselves."

"They do sometimes realize that when they're copying someone's product, it's not just that 5 cent disk, but someone's work that they're copying," she said. "I think they do come to appreciate the fact that it's somebody's salary they're stealing."

He tries to drive home the consequences of hacking--including the resources it drains from his center, as law enforcement scrambles to find who is responsible at the outset of an attack.

Authorities "don't know if it's a terrorist or a foreign military," Vatis said. "It diverts very scarce resources of people who are trying to focus on crime, warfare and terrorism."

Consider these examples:

• A 16 year-old from Florida pleads guilty and is sentenced to six months in a detention facility for intercepting electronic communications on military computer networks and for illegally obtaining information from a NASA computer network.
• A 16 year-old in Virginia pleads guilty to computer trespassing after hacking into a Massachusetts Internet service provider's (ISPs) computer system, causing $20,000 in damages.
• A 13 year-old California boy pleads guilty to making threats directed against a 13 year-old girl over the Internet. The boy had created a website which included a game featuring the girl's picture over a caption which read: "Hurry! Click on the trigger to kill her" The website included a petition calling for the girl's death.

  After reading the information above, you can see what a huge problem this is. Your group has a tough job ahead of you. Your job is to learn all you can about one problem area involving the ethical use of technology. The, your group will create an ad campaign to persuade other students your age to do the right thing when it comes to using technology.

  Your assigned area will come from one of these four areas:

1. Software and Music Piracy
2. Plagiarism
3. Hacking--and other privacy violations including reading private e-mail and files.
4. Computer Damage--viruses, denial of service attacks, misuse of computers, wasting resources, and impersonating others.

   In the following WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about the ethical use of technology. Each group will learn one piece of the puzzle and then we will all come together to view the ad campaigns you created. Now we'll all know how to behave responsibly when using technology AND how to persuade others to do the same!

The Quest

How can we persuade others to behave responsibly when using technology. . . even when no one is watching?

The Process and Resources

In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will answer the task or quest(ion). as a member of the group you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about ethics.

Everyone in your group has a role to play in making sure your group develops an effective ad campaign for your assigned topic. The effective ad campaign will include a 2 minute commercial and a poster created to promote your cause.

Phase I--Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

• Ethics Study Sheet--Ethics Study sheet has basic terminology.
• The Ten Commandments of computer ethics have been defined by the Computer Ethics Institute. Here is our interpretation of them:--A Turkish professor's interpretation of the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics.
• More Commentary on the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics--What do you think of these comments?
• Original Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics--Good basic ideas to adhere to when using a computer network.
• THE SIX PILLARS OF CHARACTER--Use these six pillars of character in your group discussions and when you are trying to persuade others to behave in an ethical way.
• How different countries handle computer crime--Use this when you are researching how other countries deal with computer crimes.
• Computer Crime Laws by State--Check computer crime laws by state here.
• It's Not Just Fun and 'War Games': Juveniles and Computer Crime--Read this article to see how serious computer crimes can be.
• The LAW on Hacking and Viruses
• Computer Abuse and the Law
• Making Ethical Decisions

  Phase 2--Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

  INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals or pairs from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.
2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you fell are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you fell are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying/pasting it into a word processor.
3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to prove your point.
4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Quest(ion) based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

   Hacking

• YOU CAN GET IN REAL TROUBLE FOR HACKING!
• JUVENILE COMPUTER HACKER SENTENCED
• JUVENILE COMPUTER HACKER CUTS OFF FAA TOWER
• Kid Developed Video about Hack Attacks
• 'GOOD' HACKERS vs. CYBER-TERRORISTS!
• Hackers: Uncle Sam wants you!
• Ethical Hacking
• D. Hacker Case-What do you think?
• Hacking is greater threat than military attack
• Responsible Computing Myths--Read down the page for info. on hacking. Remember, myths are not true!

  Piracy--Software and Music Piracy

  Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to PIRACY:

• Copyright-Questions and Answers Easy to Understand
• Copyright Primer on Computer Music Files
• Napster Debate--For more information on either side of the Napster debate, visit some of the Web links on this page.
• Software Piracy and the Law
• Take this Copyright Quiz
• Copyrighted Music Information
• Responsible Computing Myths--Remember, 'Myths' are not true!
• Anti-Piracy Frequently Asked Questions
• Example Copyright Site--Could you set one up like this?--Someone created this site to teach others right and wrong when it comes to copyright. Do you like it?
• Arguments FOR Napster--See what kinds of things you need to argue against in your ad campaign.
• Arguments AGAINST Napster
• Final Napster Arguments--Conclusion
• Copyright Law & Related Issues--Why Risk Exists--Why copyright law is so important.
• Copyright Law & Related Issues--U.S. Code--The U.S. Code on Copyright Law.
• Copyright Law & Related Issues--Fair Use--Explains what 'Fair Use' means so you will know when it is okay to use someone's work.
• Copyright Quiz--How much do you know?
• Understanding Copyright--Before creating a school webpage or publishing information created by students or teachers on the Internet, you should understand some basic copyright issues.
• Copyright Chart--Mediafestival Chart lets you know what you can and can't do.

Computer Abuse--viruses, Web Site Attacks, Inappropriate E-mail & Chat

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to COMPUTER ABUSE:

• The LAW on Hacking and Viruses
• Responsible Computing Myths --Remember 'Myths' are NOT true. Scroll down this page near the end for myths about computer damages.
• New Virus Downloads Itself from Web Pages
• What Are Internet Hoaxes and Chain Letters?
• Chain Letters
• Break the Chain.org --Resources to show others in how to stop this misuse of network resources.
• Take this Privacy Quiz --Protecting others privacy is important. How much do you know about this?

  Plagiarism

  Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to PLAGIARISM:

• Copyright--Questions and Answers Easy to Understand
• Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It
• Plagiarism & Copyright
• Some Guidelines for the Classroom
• Copyright Law for the Layman
• 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained
• Copyright Tips and Issues
• PENALTIES FOR PLAGIARISM--Check here for penalties for Plagiarism at various colleges and high schools.
• Plagiarism--Chris Mahoney, an outstanding graduate student, has put together this website on plagiarism for the University of Northern Colorado.
• Plagiarism Site by Students--Students created this site about plagiarism and its penalties.

  Phase 3--Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

  Your groups have all learned a different part of ethics. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Quest(ion) as a group by presenting your ad campaign. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should create a campaign that everyone on the team can live with. It will include a brochure or poster and a 2-minute commercial. You will provide a storyboard or script for the commercial. The commercials will be filmed.

  Phase 4--Real World Feedback

  You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll sent out for feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.
2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

   STATE THE QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).
4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the E-mail message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.

   Your contact is: Mrs. Nelson

Conclusion

So, should you Be or NOT BE ETHICAL when using technology? It's hard to know when you don't really know the laws or possible consequences involved. It's hard still to convince others when they don't understand a topic as broad or complex as ethics! Now you all know a lot more and you've provided a great product that will influence the way others behave! Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves!

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A big thank you to the lesson plan author, Cameron McKinley, http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/webethicsca.html.

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