Information Technology Acts Paper
BIS/220
February 18, 2013

Information technology has come a long way and will keep further developing. With the information technology advancements it has also resulted in ethical issues that have implemented the creation of acts by the government that should be followed. Two very popular acts that have come about raising ethical issues are the “Do Not Call Implementation Act of 2003” and the “Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000”.
The United States passed the Do Not Call Implementation Act in 2003 to protect consumers from unwanted phone calls from telemarketers. The act provides that the FTC( Federal Trades Commission) may establish fees sufficient to implement and enforce the provisions relating to the “do not call” registry. Whoever registered on the “do not call” list could be assured that telemarketers would not be able to reach them any more, this would now be considered illegal as of 2003. People can now rest from those harassing calls that would be non-stop until this law was enacted. The only catch was that if any previous business or contact was done with a specific company this gave them complete access to keep contacting you. So be careful whom you distribute your number to because this will open unwanted doors.
The Children’s Internet Protection Act, otherwise known as CIPA, was enacted by congress in the year 2000 to demonstrate the concerns there was about children’s access to obscene or harmful content on the Internet. The "Children's Internet Protection Act" (2011) website states that this safety policy specifically pertains to schools and libraries, it must block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors. The schools that agree to this law and enforce it must meet some requirements such as their safety policies must monitor the online activities of minors and educate minors on appropriate online behavior. This is an act that any parent would want enforced wherever their children are around. The Internet is a double-edged sword, just like there is so many good things that come from it and that help us in our daily lives there is also stuff on it that can cause much harm and destroy the lives of people.
Both of these acts have contributed to the ethical issues that came from advancement in information technology. There are many more acts and cases that are similar but these two were the most relatable to me. I, myself am registered in the do not call registry and encourage everyone to register and I have found that I get less calls than before I was even registered. Child safety has always been a major concern for me since I am surrounded by many kids in my family. Strong Internet security and proper supervision should always be a priority around children therefore it is a good thing that there is all these laws that have been enacted for information technology and Internet security.

References
Children's Internet Protection Act. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
Federal Trade Commission. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/10/dnctestimony.shtm
H.R. 395--108th Congress: Do-Not-Call Implementation Act. (2003). In www.GovTrack.us. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/hr39