Module 13: Related Philippine Laws

Are you in favor of the enactment and enforcement of laws that will regulate and control the use of computer technology? Why or why not? Defend your answer.

Computer Technology has so much potential in helping us elevate our lives. The internet for one is huge source of valuable information in different areas of daily living. But like any other good thing when abused or used with a bad intention, it produces ill effects to a wide range of people. Nuclear technology is a break through in science but now its use is being regulated so as not to create weapons of mass destruction. The same thing for computer technology, we are aware of its power to enable people gain and spread information. If the kind of information is not regulated, many evil minds may take advantage of the people, and if quantified, that may cause more damage than good.

The next questions are: Who will regulate and control? How will regulation be implemented? What to regulate? These are important questions because in submitting to a regulatory body we are giving them rights on our behalf to decide what and how to control and regulate computer technology. The “What and How” may be too strict that we are so limited to what we can access and how we access information.

If you were to decide the case of Landmark Hacking, what will be your judgment? Support your answer.

I think Garcia is guilty.
According to Computer Ethics Institute, one of the 10 commandments of Computer Ethics is:
Thou shall not use other people’s computer resources without authorization.

Thames International protected the account with a password and had entrusted this important information to Manalac, the one who gave Garcia the password. Even if Manalac told her that it is a common practice for other employees to access and use the account as long as the school was not using it, she should have known better as the school’s system supervisor. She should have verified with the school if employees are allowed to access and use the school account, and sought permissions from the authority. Not because, something is widespread and common practice does not mean that it is right. Somehow, she also took advantage of using the account freely because of the weak security checks implemented on the school’s account.