Digital Law

Our students are very savvy in regards to digital communication.  They can download, text, blog, copy, paste, file, and on and on.  But do they cross the line when it comes to sharing, pirating, hacking, or even stealing someone’s identity?  Well, according to Ribble and Bailey, “there will always be people who do not follow the rules of society and who engage in activities that run counter to the ideas of society as a whole.”  (2007)  Whether we want to admit it or not, some of our students will not use digital technology in the correct way.

Just as the end result of a shoplifter’s crime is higher prices at the store, the end result for piracy is the same.  The bottom line is money and companies that make movies, music, videos or other information must be compensated for their labor. 

The website B4UCopy (http://www.b4ucopy.com/risks.html) exposes the various ways students and adults can get in trouble with piracy, as well as information on how to protect themselves from crossing the line into illegal behavior.  This site can aid educators as they prepare students for our cyber world. 

Another valuable site is Respect Copyrights (http://www.respectcopyrights.org/).  This site is geared towards students who have gotten into trouble with various forms of piracy and gives surfers tips and advice on how to obtain data legally and what to do if you are notified about an offense.  Respect Copyrights have the following tabs for searchers:

·         Why me?

·         What do I do now?

·         Where can I get movies and TV show legally?

·         How can I avoid digital piracy?

·         Digital Hollywood

Education is the best remedy for illegal acts committed by those using digital technologies.  Ignorance is not an excuse. Just ask those students prosecuted for hacking.

 B4UCopy. (2007). Retrieved May 25, 2011, from Business Software Alliance
     website: http://www.b4ucopy.com/
Respect Copyrights. (2008). Retrieved May 25, 2011, from MPAA website:
     http://www.respectcopyrights.org/
Ribble, M., & Bailey, G. (2007). Digital citizenship in schools. Eugene, Oregon:
     International Society for Technology in Education. (Original work published
     2007)