# CHAPTER 7: ETHICS AND OWNERSHIP
## 7.1 ETHICS AND OWNERSHIP
### 7.1.1 Ethics
**Definition:** A system of moral principles that guide behaviour based on philosophical views.
**Computer Ethics:**
- Regulates how computing professionals should make decisions
- Professional and social conduct
**Professional Bodies:**
- BCS (British Computer Society)
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers)
- Provide codes of conduct for members
### 7.1.2 Ownership
**Data Ownership:**
- Legal rights and complete control over data
- Can determine who accesses, modifies, shares
**Copyright:**
- Gives creators rights to control use and distribution
- Protects intellectual property
**Need for Legislation:**
- Competitors can steal programming ideas
- Software can be easily copied
- Bootlegging (illegal selling)
### 7.1.3 Software Licensing
Type
Description
**Free Software Foundation**
Users have freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, improve; copyleft (modified versions must also be free)
**Open Source Initiative**
Source code available; users can review and redistribute
**Shareware**
Free trial period; payment expected after evaluation
**Commercial**
Requires payment; includes all features
### 7.1.4 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
**Definition:** The ability of computer to perform tasks conventionally associated with human intelligence.
**AI Capabilities:**
- Learn from past mistakes
- Adapt to prevent problems recurring
- Predict what might happen and raise alerts
- Learn to work more efficiently
**AI Applications:**
- Autonomous vehicles
- Machine learning through data sets
- Natural language processing
- Robotics
**AI Impacts:**
Area
Impact
**Social**
Replacement of manual labour; unemployment; increased leisure time