Short-answer Questions

Chapter 11. Briefly describe the difference between negative and positive rights

(liberties and claim rights). Give an example of a negative right and a positive right.

2. Briefly compare deontological and utilitarian theories of ethics. Which is more relative? Which is more absolute?

3. Are there ever instances in which a legal act might not be an ethical act? Explain.

Chapter 21. Two approaches to the problem of protecting personal information are (a)

the free market view and (b) the consumer protection view. How do these points of view differ on the issue of a company disclosing personal information about its customers? How do they differ on the issue of errors in the data about an individual that is distributed by a credit bureau?

2. Briefly describe what an "opt-in" policy is and an "opt-out" policy is. Let's say you were filling out a survey for an online magazine. Give an example of what you’d see that would distinguish an opt-in from an opt-out policy.

3. Consider the European Union and the United States. Which one of these cultures has historically placed a higher value upon privacy? Explain.

4. Why did the United States try to restrict strong encryption? What effect did that attempt at restriction have on U.S. businesses?

5. What are some “pros” and “cons” to having a national ID card that can access all of one’s financial and medical information?

6. Would the Social Security Number be good to use as a national ID for U.S. citizens? Why or why not?

Chapter 31. List two arguments against and two arguments in favor of anonymity on

the Internet.

2. Describe two techniques to remain anonymous on the Internet.

3. What are three types of "speech" that are not protected by the First Amendment?

4. What are two things bulk emailers need to do in order to be in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act?

5. What is WikiLeaks? Explain how one might view its founder, Julian Assange, as a traitor. Explain how one might view him as a hero.

Chapter 41. Define free software, open source software, and proprietary software (also

called commercial software). In what ways are they the same and in what ways are they different?

2. What is Digital Rights Management (DRM)? Give an argument for it and an argument against it

3. What are copyright and patent specifically meant to protect?

4. What exclusive rights (with some important exceptions) does U.S. Copyright Law give copyright holders?

5. What are four factors used to determine if use of copyrighted material is "fair use" or not?

6. What are two main provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?

7. What is one significant problem with patents for inventions implemented in software?

Chapter 51. Give two ways to identify an email as a phishing attempt

2. How did the USA PATRIOT Act expand the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act?

3. What are two significant issues raised by the Stuxnet worm, which damaged equipment in a uranium enrichment plant in Iran?

4. Why is "harmless hacking" not harmless?

5. Give arguments for and against hiring former hackers to enhance security.

Chapter 6

1. Define telecommuting. Give two advantages for the employer and two advantages for the employee. Give two problems associated with telecommuting.

2. What does the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) cover? Why does it make specific exceptions for business systems?

3. Give two arguments for and two arguments against electronic employee monitoring.

Chapter 71. Give two of the Neo-Luddite criticisms of computer technology. Give

one counter argument for each

2. What three questions should we ask when evaluating computer models?

3. What are two software design and development factors which contribute to system errors and failures? What are two management and use problems which contribute to system errors and failures?

4. What is a significant criticism of Wikipedia?

Chapter 81. List two principles for producing software that might have prevented the

crash of American Airlines Flight 965 near Cali, Columbia in 1995. Briefly describe what each one is and how it might have made a difference.

2. Briefly explain the Therac-25 case. What happened? What are some reasons the machine failed? Why were there so many incidents?

Chapter 9

1. How do professional ethics differ from general ethics?

2. Why is honesty one of the most fundamental values?

3. Explain why keeping one's professional skills up-to-date is a requirement of professional ethics.