1.9+Policies

1.9 Policies
Policies are enforceable measures intended to promote appropriate and discourage inappropriate use relating to information technologies. They can be developed by governments, businesses, private groups or individuals. They normally consist of rules governing access to, or use of, information, hardware, software and networks. For example, a school policy on the use of IT would consist of each user signing an acceptableuse policy. It would also address unlawful access to the network through, for example, identity theft or using hacking software, and how these transgressions would be treated. Many websites also require users to agree to specific policies before allowing access to their services. Policies also affect the exchange of information, for example, by making it subject to copyright laws and raising people's awareness of plagiarism. In general, policies can promote or restrict access, guide behaviour, require the fulfillment of certain conditions prior to or during use, or need to be developed to address unforeseen issues such as cyber-bullying.

In the last lesson, we looked at Digital Copyright and the laws that encompass it. However, governments are not the only institutions that form policies. For example, schools and many other private institutions have what are known as the "Acceptable Use Policy". Read the sections of the CISB Student Handbook that are directly related to computers and electronics on p. 11 and 12.


 * Your assignment:**


 * 1) Find the Acceptable Use Policies of 2 different schools in Beijing. How are they similar to CISB's? How do they differ?
 * 2) Find the Acceptable Use Policies of 2 different work places. How are they similar to those found in the schools you researched? How do they differ?
 * 3) Acceptable use policies address many topics that are not illegal. Of the acceptable use policies, what are some of the topics that are not legal requirements but instead are there to protect users, network security, and to ensure a productive work environment.


 * Ching Ting post your answers here.
 * Omega post your answers here.