Question

Ethics and Technology: Controversies, Questions, and Strategies for Ethical Computing

Herman T. Tavani

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Answer one of the discussion questions which are at the end of the chapter

In answering the question, interpret the text in your own words to demonstrate your degree of understanding of the concepts and the discussions of the text. You must also quote a sentence or a short passage from the textbook to support your answer. [Note: Quotes must have quotation marks [“….”]. Your answer must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the whole chapter.

1) Have DRM systems gone too far, as some critics claim? Recall the 2005 Sony BMG copy protection case involving the controversial “rootkit” problem (examined in Scenario 9-2). Should Sony have been allowed to use a DRM system that cannot easily be uninstalled when circumstances warrant it? Do companies like Sony need strong DRM systems to ensure the protection of their intellectual property rights? What kind of compromise position might be reached between users and content owners in the ongoing debate about DRM systems?

OR

2) Review Julie Hilden’s arguments for why some “exceptions” should be made in cases of prosecuting sexting crimes under current child pornography laws. What does she mean by the “Romeo and Juliet” exception and by the “age-specific” exception? Are these exceptions plausible in the kinds of sexting cases that we examined? Describe some of the challenges posed by the age-specific exception. For example, what would happen if a middle-aged man received an unsolicited nude photo from a teenage girl on his cell phone? Should he be prosecuted for possessing a pornographic image of a minor? Should the teenage girl who sent this photo to him be prosecuted for transmitting the image? Defend your answers.

Answer 1

Sexting means sending/receiving naked or seminude photographs, messages, or images through mobile phones or any other digital device.

Nowadays sexting is rising among the youth who are going through hormonal changes and have the desire to have sex; thus pornography becomes the addiction and means of arousal.

The Romeo and Juliet law was passed in July 2007  concerning the heterosexual relationship where the two teenagers involve themselves in active sexual activity, it defines that anyone who is between the age of 14 and 17 can give his or her consent for the sex, and the other partner would have to be no more than four years older and should not have any other sex crimes on his/her record.

The Romeo Juliet law does not include people other than heterosexual teenagers, secondly, there is an increased number of violence between the teenagers, as it cannot be taken as rape.

In this case, the minor girl who had posted the picture can be impeached for conveying the picture as per the law. the man who received the picture did not know the girl or the picture., but under the Romeo Juliet law the person who received the picture is an adult and the girl is minor, the age of the girl is not mentioned, whether the photograph sent by the girl is hers or of some other girl is not clearly mentioned, the adult can forward the photograph thus the girl has to be asked and prosecuted and it would be better to if the image can be removed.