SOCIETAL IMPACTS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter students will be able to understand
• Digital Footprint
• Net And Communication Etiquettes
• Data Protection
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
o Plagiarism
o Licensing And Copyright
• Free And Open Source Software (FOSS)
• Cybercrime And Cyber Laws
o Hacking
o Phishing
o Cyber Bullying
o Overview Of Indian IT Act
• E-Waste: Hazards And Management
• Awareness About Health Concerns Related To The Usage Of
Technology

Digital Footprints
Our “digital footprint” includes traces of our online activities like when we
post something online, share content, comment on social media posts and
shop online. Even when a website collects our information (IP address,
your login details, and other personal information) that we reveal online by
installing cookies on our device, we create a digital trail. This includes your
IP address, your login details, and other personal information that you
reveal online. Information that is posted about us also gets added to our
data trail.
Digital footprints can be classified into two broad categories — active and
passive footprints — which depends on how our information is acquired.
Active footprints are those which we leave deliberately on the
Internet. For e.g. when we post online, send an email, publish a blog post
or a tweet, or upload a photo on social media.
Passive footprints are those that we put up on the internet unintentionally.
For example, website collects our information (IP address, your login
details, and other personal information) that we reveal online by installing
cookies on our device. Besides this searches and online purchases, online
reviews and feedback are among the activities that add passive data traces
to your digital footprint.
Manage Your Digital Footprint
A user digital footprint is a very important factor that might leave a great
impact on a person’s life and therefore, it should be protected carefully.
Following are some tips to protect your digital footprints:
• Be consistent and cordial about what you say online
• Ensure that you check your privacy settings regularly, especially on
social media
• Log out the account each time you leave the platform and Delete old
accounts
• Make regular software updates
• Create strong passwords
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi and publicly available USB ports

Net And Communication Etiquettes

Net and communication etiquettes also known as netiquettes are defined
as a set of rules for acceptable online behaviour. Some of the practices for
good netiquettes are:
• Don't forward information sent to you without checking with the
original sender first.
• Use Respectful Language, be kind and courteous.
• Show respect for the opinions of others, even if you don’t agree, and
refrain from name-calling. Avoid gossiping or saying anything
negative about others.
• Since anything you post on the Internet is out there for all to see,
avoid adding your personal information like your address, phone
number, date of birth etc.
• Obey Copyright Laws. Never copy someone else’s work and post it
as your own. It is against copyright law because it is considered
stealing.

Data Protection
Personal data is any information relating to you, whether it relates to your
private, professional, or public life. In the online environment, where vast
amounts of personal data are shared and transferred around the
globe instantaneously, it is increasingly difficult for people to maintain
control of their personal information. This is where data protection comes
in.
Data protection refers to the practices, safeguards, and binding rules put in
place to protect your personal information and ensure that you remain in
control of it. In short, you should be able to decide whether or not you want
to share some information, who has access to it, for how long, for what
reason, and be able to modify some of this information, and more.
It's important to use sound practices to keep your sensitive personal
information safe and secure. Here are a few best practices for securing
your important digital information:
• Patching and updating softwareas soon as options are available.
• High-grade encryption for sensitive data.
• Upgrading devices when the software is no longer supported by the
manufacturer.
• Enforcing BYOD security policies, like requiring all devices to use
a business-grade VPN service and antivirus protection.
• Enforcing strong credentials and multi-factor authentication to
encourage better user cybersecurity practices. Encouraging users to
start using a password manager can help.
• Educating employees on best security practices and ways to avoid
socially engineered attacks.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions;
literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used
in commerce.
IP is protected in law by, for example, patents, copyright and trademarks,
which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they
invent or create. By striking the right balance between the interests of
innovators and the wider public interest, the IP system aims to foster an
environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish. The different
types of intellectual property include:
• Trademark: Trademarks protect recognizable marks (e.g. logos,
designs, slogans, etc.) that signify a product or service’s origin.
Trademarks can last forever provided they are renewed usually in 10-
year increments.
• Copyright: Copyrights protect creators of original works (e.g. books,
photographs, music, paintings, sculpture and films, to computer
programs, databases, advertisements, maps and technical drawings
etc.). Copyrights generally last for the owner’s lifetime plus 70 years.
 • Patent: Patents provide exclusive rights over new inventions or
improvements to prior inventions. For utility patents protection lasts
for 20 years before entering public domain.
• Trade secret: Trade secrets are formulas, processes, commercial
methods and other information or items that provide a competitive
advantage. Protection doesn’t end as long as it remains a secret.

How can you know whether your intellectual property is protectable?

Before patenting your property, it’s a good idea to do a thorough search on
the http://www.ipindia.nic.in (Official website of Intellectual Property India).
There you can see whether someone else already has patented it or
something sufficiently similar to it. The same exercise works for when you
want to patent a trademark, product or business name.
Keep in mind that confidentiality is crucial. If your invention is publicly
disclosed, you have only a year to file a patent.
What are some ways in which intellectual property can be violated?
Violating intellectual property may happen accidentally or purposefully for
some specific gain. Some of the most common violations are:
• Infringement of patent, trademark or copyright rights
• Counterfeiting of copyrights or trademarks
• Misappropriating trade secrets
How is this done?
Here are just a few examples:
• By using a name, logo or product that has already been patented in
order to profit by making others believe their product, name or logo is
the same as the original one
• By making copies of musical recordings or other media without
authorization and distributing them for profit
• By manufacturing items according to what is spelled out in a patent
without having a license from the owner to do so
• By engaging in corporate espionage to find out competitor’s or
others’ secrets.
• By producing a good or service in the belief that these have been
patented when in fact they have not been and they are actually
copies of someone else’s patent
What remedies can be included in an intellectual property dispute?
• Confiscation of property that was used to create infringing products
• Cease and desist orders in cases of unauthorized use of trademarks
 • Monetary damages to compensate for losses

Creative Commons
Creative Commons licenses give everyone from individual creators to large
institutions a standardized way to grant the public permission to use their
creative work under copyright law.
There are six Creative Commons licenses and the public domain
dedication tool which give creators a range of options. The best way to
decide which is appropriate for you is to think about why you want to share
your work, and how you hope others will use that work.
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a free, copyleft license used
primarily for software. The GNU GPL allows users to change and share all
versions of a program. GPL is provided through the Free Software
Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that works to provide free software for
the GNU Project.
The GPL license gives the user of the software the rights to modify it, copy
or it redistribute it, as well as any software developed based on it. Unlike
many other open software licenses, GPL gives licensees the right to charge
for the software.

Apache License
The Apache License is a permissive free software license written by
the Apache Software Foundation (ESF). It allows users to use the software
for any purpose, to distribute it, to modify it, and to distribute modified
versions of the software under the terms of the license, without concern for
royalties.

FREE AND OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE (FOSS)

Acronym for Free or Open Source Software. FOSS programs are those
that have licenses that allow users to freely run the program for any
purpose, modify the program as they want, and also to freely distribute
copies of either the original version or their own modified version.

One major reason for the growth and use of FOSS technology is because
users have access to the source so it is much easier to fix faults and
improve the applications. In combination with the open license, this
simplifies the development process for many enterprises and gives them
flexibility that simply isn't available within the confines of a proprietary or
commercial product.
Some of the common examples of FOSS are:
Linux, Ubuntu, Google Chrome OS: Operating systems and Desktop
environments
Android, Symbian smart phone OS: Phone Operating System
GIMP, Inkspace, Blender, Audacity: Graphics and multimedia
Python, PHP, Pearl, MySQL, Java: Programming related

Cybercrime And Cyber Laws

Cybercrime is criminal activity that either targets or uses a computer, a
computer network or a networked device. Most cybercrime falls under two
main categories:
• Criminal activity that targets: Cybercrime that targets computers
often involves viruses and other types of malware. Cybercriminals
may infect computers with viruses and malware to damage devices
or stop them working. They may also use malware to delete or steal
data.
• Criminal activity that uses: computers to commit other crimes:
Cybercrime that uses computers to commit other crimes may involve
using computers or networks to spread malware, illegal information
or illegal images.

HACKING
Hacking is an unauthorized entry into a network or a computer to steal or
manipulate information, data or files. The person involved in this process is
named as a hacker. Computer hacking is done using several types of
programs such as Rootkit, Trojan, Keylogger etc. Hackers also employ
techniques like browser hijacks, spoofing, phishing etc. to capture user’s
personal or financial details.
PHISHING
Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals send out fraudulent email
messages to steal the sensitive information or infect a computer with
malware. The email appears to come from a legitimate source and usually
contains a link. It is designed to trick the recipient into entering confidential
information (ex: account numbers, passwords, pin, birthday) into a fake
website by clicking on a link.
Phishing scams differ in terms of complexity, attackers’ objectives and so
on. Different types of cyber-attacks have emerged such as Spear Phishing,
Clone Phishing, Whaling, and Deceptive Phishing. These techniques are
used by hackers for their specific motives.
CYBER BULLYING
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell
phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS,
Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people
can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending,
posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about
someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about
someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying
crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behaviour.

Tips to Combat Cyber Crimes

1. Keep software and operating system updated
2. Use anti-virus software and keep it updated
3. Use strong passwords
4. Never open attachments in spam emails
5. Do not click on links in spam emails or untrusted websites
6. Do not give out personal information unless secure
7. Be mindful of which website URLs you visit
8. Download software from authorized websites

Indian IT Act
The Information Technology Act, 2000 (also known as ITA-2000, or
the IT Act) is an Act of the Indian Parliament (No 21 of 2000) notified on 17
October 2000. It is the primary law in India dealing
with cybercrime and electronic commerce.
The act provides legal framework for electronic governance by giving
recognition to electronic records and digital signatures. It also outlines
cyber crimes and penalties for them.

E-Waste: Hazards And Management

E-waste broadly covers waste from all electronic and electrical appliances
and comprises of items such as computers, mobile phones, digital music
recorders/players, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions (TVs) and
many other household consumer items.
Improper handling of e-waste is detrimental to the environment and
mankind. Since this waste is nothing but a combination of plastics and toxic
chemicals, these get released into the environment. Pollutants such as
dioxins and furans from polyvinyl chloride, lead, beryllium, cadmium,
mercury, etc. get into our environment and cause the following health
hazards:
• Reproductive issues
• Developmental problems
• Damage to the immune system
• Interference with regulatory hormones
• Damage to the nervous system
• Kidney damage
• Hamper’s brain development in children
• May lead to lung cancer
• Chronic beryllium disease
• Skin ailments
• Cadmium accumulations on liver and kidney
• Asthmatic bronchitis
• DNA damage
• Muscle weakness
• Endocrine system disruption

Exposure to harmful chemicals present in e-waste can lead to severe

health hazards that are at times fatal. These toxins enter our body through
inhalation, skin absorption, or ingestion. After that, humans run the risk of
developing any of the above-mentioned conditions. It is time that we find
out sustainable ways to dispose of e-waste, ones that are organised and
safe. Organisations like Cerebra Integrated Technologies are striving to
make this world safer and better through activities like deploying collection
vans, tying up with local clubs and schools to increase awareness, and
more.

Awareness About Health Concerns Related To The Usage Of Technology

Technology can have a large impact on users' mental and physical health.
Being overly connected can cause psychological issues such as
distraction, narcissism, expectation of instant gratification, and even
depression. Too much screen time can also cause behavioral problems,
less time for play and loss of social skills, obesity, sleep problems and
violence.
Beside affecting users' mental health, use of technology can also have
negative repercussions on physical health causing vision problems, hearing
loss, and neck strain. Prolonged use of computers, tablets, and cellphones
can lead to digital eye strain, repetitive strain injuries of the fingers, thumbs,
and wrists and can interfere with sleep. You can take the following steps to
reduce these issues:
• Take frequent breaks to stretch
• Create an ergonomic workspace
• Maintain proper posture while using your devices
• Following the 20-20-20 rule, taking a 20-second break from the
screen every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet away
• Reduce overhead lighting to eliminate screen glare
• Position yourself at arm's distance away from the screen for proper
viewing distance when at a computer
• Increase text size on devices to ease content viewing