You have decided to write a novel. You learn that it is now easy to publish a book on your own, but you want to protect your copyright. You plan to sell both a print edition of the book and also an electronic book (e-book) that you will sell from your Web site. Research copyright law and Find out what you must do as an author to copyright your book and protect it in both print form and on the Internet.

Juicy Oranges, Inc. received an e-mail from Alison Adams providing her credit card number and ordering five crates of oranges, worth $272. When the shipment was delivered, Alison claimed she never sent the e-mail and refused to pay. If you were the judge in this case, would you rule in favor of Alison or Juicy Oranges, Inc.?

Nick is a programmer. A company hired him to develop software that translates Web sites into French. While doing this, he also figured out how to translate the Web sites into Italian, German, and Russian. Nick claims he owns the extra programs. Do you think programmers own the rights to software programs they create that go beyond what they were hired to do?

To avoid paying sales tax, Jack buys his big purchases online from sellers located outside his state. Jack’s friend’s TV store loses sales because it must charge sales tax. Is it fair that some Internet-based companies are able to avoid charging sales tax when local stores must charge it?

Tina is a candle maker and sells her candles on a Web site. The site also contains photos of famous celebrities and the caption: “These stars would love my candles.” Tina found the photos on the Internet. Is it fair that Tina uses photos of famous people to help sell her products?

A computer hacker, Raoul, broke into computer systems at several businesses for fun. He did not do any damage, but he was caught and put on probation. After a year, he was hired to work at a computer security firm helping to stop hackers.

Does it send the wrong message to computer hackers that they can get good jobs after committing crimes?

In May 2006, representatives of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, including France, Japan, and the U.S., met in Paris and agreed to boost cooperation to fight cybercrime. Participants there confirmed their support of the France-based Council of Europe’s efforts to finalize a Convention on Cybercrime, which will be the first international treaty to deal with the different forms of criminal activity in cyberspace. The treaty would require countries to approve and enforce laws regarding interception of data, interference with computer systems, fraud, and forgery via the Internet. It also requires them to provide national law enforcement with the authority to carry out computer searches and seizures of computer data. “Everyone realizes that we are at a point where business is in transition, technology is in transition, and there is a legal transition as well,” says Randy Picker, a law professor at the University of Chicago. “The reality is, the legal clock is a lot slower than the business or technology clock.”

1. The first international treaty to deal with cybercrime will allow: (A) the G8 to represent the world in technology (B) laws to meet the needs of technology (C) methods to deal with cyberspace crimes (D) ability to search and seize computer data

2. The treaty would require countries to approve and enforce laws regarding: (A) fraud, forgery, interception of computer data, and overuse of the Internet (B) forgery, interception of data, fraud, and computer system interference (C) search and seizures, computer data, fraud, forgery, and cyberspace (D) cybercrime, technology, forgery, fraud, and computer system interference

What are some of the legal challenges you can imagine facing lawmakers in the future?

What is a cybercrime?

What kinds of products and property do cyber-protection laws cover?

On a sheet of paper, use each of these terms in a sentence.

Key Terms

• cyberlaw • cybercrime • cybertrespass • cyberspoofing • cyberpiracy • cyberblackmail • identity theft • cybervandalism • cybertort • cyberdefamation • cyberinvasion of privacy • e-commerce • digital signature • domain name

Academic Vocabulary

• simulate • infrastructure • sabotage • tangible

You are a small business owner who conducts business internationally via the Internet. You are concerned that this may expose your computer system to cybervandalism and cybergerm warfare. To combat this, you wish to upgrade your anti-virus software. Research three brands of anti-virus software, such as Norton and EZAntivirus. Create a chart comparing and contrasting the various features offered by each brand and determine which product best suits your needs. Write a brief report stating your reasons for choosing this software application.

In the following enthymemes, determine whether the missing statement is a premise or a conclusion. Then supply the missing statement, attempting whenever possible to convert the enthymeme, into a valid argument. The missing statement need not be expressed as a standard-form categorical proposition. Mechanistic materialists do not believe in free will, because they think that everything is governed by deterministic laws.

Determine when is a syllogism invalid.