CYBER ETHICS AND SAFETY 

ACCEPTABLE USER POLICIES

The increased use of electronic tools and resources requires that administrators, teachers, information technology specialists, students and parents take steps to ensure that when used responsibly, these tools and the resources found by them are appropriate for use in K-12 instruction. Many school districts respond to this requirement by establishing guidelines for the appropriate use of computer networks. Such guidelines are generally called an Acceptable Internet Use Policy (AUP).  An AUP is a written agreement in the form of guidelines, signed by students, their parents and/or their teachers, outlining the terms and conditions of Internet use.

COPYRIGHT

Since March 1, 1989 the placement of a copyright notice on works has become optional, meaning that any work published in a tangible medium, including postings on electronic bulletin boards, web pages, etc. are copyrighted. Teachers and students should therefore always assume that unless works are specifically in the public domain, it is copyrighted, even if there is no copyright notice included in the work.

Copyright gives owners specific rights, including the right to reproduce and copy work or, in the case of audiovisual works, to perform the work publicly. There are two exemptions, i.e. "fair use" and "classroom use". It is in the best interest of teachers and students to ensure that they understand the meaning of these terms to ensure that copyright laws are not violated when using works created by others.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is defined by Webster's  as stealing or passing off the ideas or words of another as one's own; using a created production without crediting the source; presenting as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source. Unlike copyright, plagiarism is not illegal, but is considered unethical, and should therefore be actively discouraged by teachers. Dealing with plagiarism is not new to educators.  However, with the advent of the Internet, it has not only become easier for students to cheat, but also more problematical for teachers to prove whether work turned in by students is indeed their own or whether it was obtained from the Internet. Presenting information found on the Internet as one's own is sometimes referred to as cyber cheating. There are literally millions of web sites on the Internet that will provide students with "term papers". These sites will allow students to download papers free or have them delivered for a fee. 

SAFETY ON THE INTERNET

It is sad, but true: there are people who use the Internet to harm children. It is important therefore that parents and teachers supervise students' Internet activities and teach them the rules for good "cyber citizenship".