This document discusses ethics and information ethics. It begins with definitions of ethics and information ethics. It then discusses two major themes - plagiarism and copyright. It provides definitions and examples of both plagiarism and copyright. It discusses factors that determine fair use versus copyright infringement. It also discusses intellectual property, culture, and examples of copyright exceptions and debates around copyright law.

1. Ethics and
Information

2. A Definition
• Ethics: The discipline
dealing with what is good
or bad and with moral
duty and obligation.
– Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11 th edition

3. A Question of
Ethics
• You see a dog sitting
on the side of a major
highway. What do you
do?

4. Definition II
• Information Ethics: The branch of ethics
that focuses on the relationship between the
creation, organization, dissemination, and
use of information, and the ethical and
moral codes governing human conduct in
society.
» -- Dictionary for Library and Information Science
» Joan M. Reitz 2004

5. Two Major Themes
• Plagiarism
• Copyright

6. Other Topics (not covered here)
• Censorship
• Privacy
• Children’s access to the Internet/Filtering
• Search Engine ranking
• Advertising vs. Information
• Spam & phishing

7. Plagiarism Defined
• “ Copying or closely imitating the work of
another writer, composer, etc., without
permission and with the intention of
passing the results off as original work.”
--Dictionary for Library and
Information Science, Joan M. Reitz, ©2004

8. STCC’s Plagiarism Policy
(from the Student Handbook)
http://www.stcc.edu/handbook/conductcode.asp

9. Plagiarism and The Digital
Age
• Cutting and pasting from one electronic
source to another without attribution
• Downloading papers from online paper
repositories (“paper mills”)

10. Is Plagiarism ever ok?

11. Copyright
• A grant of exclusive rights over the
writings of an “author,” including music,
literature, drama, and other intellectual
works.
• Only the copyright holder may authorize
reproduction of copyrighted works.

12. Copyright con’t.
• Copyright derives from the Constitution
To promote the Progress of Science and
useful Arts, by securing for limited
Times to Authors and Inventors the
exclusive Right to their respective
Writings and Discoveries;
Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 - U.S.
Constitution

13. Original Term of Copyright
14 years

14. Current Term of Copyright
95 years
(give or take)

15. Why Has Copyright
Been Lengthened?

16. The Likely Culprit

17. Other Copyright Battles
• Lego Bionicles
• George Harrison
• Mike Tyson’s Tattoo
• Purple Dinosaur Costumes
For more information, see
http://www.benedict.com

18. Fair Use Exemption
• You can use a copyrighted work on a
limited basis according to “Fair Use.”
• Fair use allows you to quote passages from
a book or other work in your paper.
• But there are still limits!

19. Factors in Determining Fair Use
• Financial effect
• Amount of original work used
• Whether new work is intended
for commercial purposes
• How derivative is the new
work?

20. Other Exceptions
• Parody
• Academic Use
• Public Domain
• Doctrine of First Sale

21. Intellectual Property
• Definition:
“Tangible products of the human mind and
intelligence entitled to the legal status of personal
property, especially works protected by copyright,
inventions that have been patented, and registered
trademarks.”
--Dictionary for library and information
science. Joan M. Reitz, 2004.

22. Examples of I.P.
• The Beatles “White Album”
• “Scarface”
• “Happy Birthday to You”

23. Is there another name for these
things?
How about. . . .
Culture!!!!!

24. Examples of Western Culture
•The Beatles “White Album”
•“Scarface”
•“Happy Birthday to You”

25. Questions but no answers
Are I.P. and Culture synonymous?
Can Culture be copyrighted?
Is Copyright too restrictive?
Can Copyright limit or suppress new forms of
art and culture?

26. Mashup
• A song in which the vocal from one source
is laid over the music of another.

27. Current Example
An authorized
legitimate
mashup
record

28. Example of an unauthorized
mashup record
DJ DangerMouse: The Grey Album

29. Who owns the copyright?
• EMI: Owns rights to “The White Album”
• Sony: Owns rights to Lennon/McCartney
catalog
• Def Jam(?) owns the rights to Jay Z’s “The
Black Album”
• Whoever owns the rights to Jay Z’s songs
• DJ Dangermouse

30. Is this okay?
Please discuss.

31. Is it ever OK to violate
copyright?

32. Review: Copyright Exceptions
•Financial effect
•Amount of original work used
•Whether new work is intended for
commercial purposes
•How derivative is the new work?

33. Quote
• “The copyright system has been extended,
twisted, supplemented, and corrupted to
such an extent that the oligarchs have
locked up content in most forms for what
seems like forever. “
• --Siva Vaidhyanathan, The Anarchist in the
Library