Notes (Theory)

Ethics and Data Collection

  • This week looks sand the laws and regulations of publishing on the internet. We will focus on the following legislation:

    • The Data Protection Act (GDPR))
    • Electronic Commerce Directive (EC Directive)
    • Web Accessibility and Discrimination Act
    • Consumer Protection and Distance Selling Regulation

  • The legalities of a website, while not the most exciting of topic, is probably one of the most important

  • When you're publishing a website (especially if you are a business), there could be serious legal implications if you do not abide to the regulations

  • You'll need to demonstrate that you've considered web legislation in your assignment

Common Sense Must Be Applied

  • It is important that the legislation that's covered in later sections is used as a minimum level of online protection

  • Common sense must be applied and as developers it is ultimately our decision to decided what is ethical

Important Regulations

Minimum website legal requirements

  • While common sense must be applied, as an absolute minimum a business operating a website must comply to:

  • The Data Protection Act (GDPR)

  • Electronic Commerce Directive (EC Directive)

  • Web Accessibility and Discrimination Act

  • Consumer Protection and Distance Selling Regulation

Data Protection Act (GDPR)

GDPR

Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new legislation that came into affect on 25 May 2018. The key principles are listed below, a full explanation can be found (online)[https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/]

  • Right to be informed
  • Right of access
  • Right to rectification
  • Right to erasure
  • Right to restrict processing
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to object

Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002

  • Ensures businesses can easily be contacted
    • Requires you clearly identify your business
      • Registration number
      • Address
      • VAT

Web Accessibility and Discrimination Act

  • Users should have access to clear information regarding the goods and services a company offers

  • A terms of business should be provided Where card details are taken, there should be protection from credit card fraud

  • There have been many examples of large online companies behaving in a unethical way. For instance, in 2014 a group of researchers collaborated with Facebook. Without user consent, they ran a study that manipulated news feeds to see if they could change peoples emotional state. 689,000 user news feeds were manipulated over the course of a month

← Notes (Practical) →