Laws, Guidelines and Procedures for Safe and Secure Internet Use

How Copyright Laws Affect Internet Use

The same copyright laws apply as with physical content. If you want to use a picture, video or piece of text from the internet you must have permission from the content creator first. If I did not do this then there could be serious consequences.

Consequences of Breaking Copyright Law

There are many consequences of breaking copyright laws, however the most common include:

·         Monetary Fines

·         Loss of property (of whatever breached copyright, like a book with copyrighted images that don’t belong to you)

·         Loss of employment

In some countries, copyright infringement (using copyrighted material to make a profit) can result in civil or criminal punishment (such as community service or imprisonment) if the guilty party is taken to court by the copyright owner. Equipment used by the guilty party may also be seized. For example, if a computer was used to aid in using the copyrighted images, it has the potential to be confiscated as an accessory to the crime.

I wanted to use this picture, however the Initials at the bottom of the photo made me wary of breaching copyright laws. because if this I used a different image instead.

Replacement image

Data Protection Act
The data protection act gives rights to people who have their data stored, and responsibilities for those who store, process or transmit this data. The person who has had their data processed have the right to:

• View the data an organisation has on them.
• Request that incorrect information is changed. In some cases compensation can be rewarded.
• Require that data is not used in a way that could be seen as harmful.
• Require that their data is not used for marketing.

Computer Misuse Act

Based on the ELC's recommendations,Sections 1-3 of the Act introduced three criminal offences:

• Unauthorised access to computer material, punishable by 6 months' imprisonment or a fine "not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale" (currently £5000)
• Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences, punishable by 6 months/maximum fine on summary conviction or 5 years/fine on indictment
• Unauthorised modification of computer material, subject to the same sentences as section 2 offences