Impact Of IT and the Law

 Impacts of IT and the Law

The Data Protection Act (1998)

The Data Protection Act 1998 is a law that protects individual’s personal data, including how it’s processed, and it applies to all forms of media including papers and images and data held by an organization must be held at a reasonable fee. Data can only be used for those registered purposes, and they cannot give it away or sell it to other organizations unless you said it initially or singed a document. Data must be kept accurate and be kept up to date, data must be used fairly, lawfully and transparently and used for specified and explicit purposes only and it cannot be kept for no longer than is necessary it also needs to be kept adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose or purposes for which they are processed. People have rights to be informed about how your data is being used and having access personal data and a person can stop or restrict the processing of your data the data protection act was updated in 2018 to add the right to ensure and having regulated in tandem with the GDPR rules and it allows people to get a clear interpretation of the exemptions of the act.

Computer Misuse Act (1990)

The Computer Misuse Act is a law that criminalizes unauthorized access to or modifications of computer systems and data and accessing a computer with the owner’s permission such as by logging into a friend’s account without their knowledge and it is punishable by twelve months imprisonment. Unauthorized to computer materials with intent to commit crime this refers to entering a computer system to steal data or destroy a device or network. Unauthorised modification of data, this refers to modifying or deleting data and covers the introduction of malware or spyware onto a computer (electronic vandalism and theft of information) and making, supplying or obtaining anything which can be used in computer misuse offence. Failure to comply with the Computer Misuse Act can lead to fines and potentially imprisonment of it with sentences up to 5 years of offence or unlimited fines. Laws also include intending to commit further offenses Accessing a computer with the intent to commit or facilitate further offenses. impairing the computer’s operation Intentionally or recklessly impairing the computer operation and causing serious damage or creating a risk of serious damage.

Copyright Designs a patents act (1988)

The Copyright designs and patents act 1988 is a law that protects the intellectual property of individuals and creators by giving them the right to control how their work is used and distributed and it covers literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works including books, videos, games and software and it protects the creator’s right to control how their work is used, including copying adapting, communicating, lending or selling copies. It applies when an individual or organization

creates a work that is original and exhibits a degree of labour skill or judgement. This also includes software piracy that is illegal copying and sale of software products. This includes both professional criminals who make large numbers of copies of software and sell them illegally, and individual users who copy a friend’s CD or use the internet to download and install software or digital media they haven’t paid for. There is also The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) that is a voluntary not for profit group and it was set up by the computer/software industry. It aims to prevent software industry. It aims to prevent software piracy and has a policy of prosecuting anyone found to be breaching copyright law and FAST also works to education the public about good software practice and legal requirements.