Republic of the Philippines

PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY

Camarines Sur

Module No.: 5

The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics

Course Code: GEE3 Week/Period: 3-4

Course Title: Living in the IT era` Name of Faculty: Jonathan B. Paga
Student: ____________________________ Year/Section:______________

I. INTRODUCTION

This module introduces students to the fundamental concepts of the Internet/online

netiquette, including computer ethics. It also presented the cybercrime acts and internet treats
and wi-fi eavesdropping.

II. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Discuss the importance of being a responsible netizen by following the rules of

common courtesy online and the informal “rules of the road” of cyberspace.
2. Discuss the difference between privacy and security.
3. Explain various risks to internet privacy.

III. LESSON/TOPICS:

The Netiquette and The Computer ethics discusses about the ethical issues in the field
of computer. May it be in online or practicing in professional.

1. Netiquette

What is Netiquette?

Simple stated, it’s network etiquette – that is the etiquette of cyberspace and
“etiquette” means the forms of required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to
be required in social or official life. In other words, netiquette is a set of rules for
behaving properly online.

Netiquette, or network etiquette, is concerned with the "proper" way to

communicate in an online environment. Consider the following "rules," adapted from
Virginia Shea's the Core Rules of Netiquette, whenever you communicate in the virtual
world.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 1 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

When you use e-mail, instant messenger, video calls, or discussion boards to
communicate with others online, please be sure to follow the rules of professional
online communications known as netiquette. These rules will help you communicate
with instructors, classmates, and potential employers more effectively and will help
prevent misunderstandings.

REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE – Even though you may be interacting with a computer
screen, you are communicating with a real person who will react to your message. Make
a good impression - treat others with the same respect that you would like to receive
and avoid confrontational or offensive language.
To help convey meaning when creating messages, it is sometimes acceptable to include
appropriate emoticon symbols, such as a smiley face :) However, for professional
communications these would be inappropriate.

AVOID SLANG, ACRONYMS, AND TEXT TALK – Communicating effectively in college and
business environments requires the use of correct terminology, spelling, and grammar
that can easily be understood. For example, use “your” instead of “ur”.

AVOID “SCREAMING” IN TYPED MESSAGES – Typing an entire message using all capital
letters is known as “screaming”. It is distracting and generally frowned upon in
professional environments. It is better to draw emphasis to selected words or phrases
by: using italic or bold text; using a different color for text or background color; or
denoting emphasis using special characters (Example: **Important**).

PROOFREAD YOUR MESSAGES BEFORE SENDING THEM – Proofreading your messages

before you send them is a best practice for effective and efficient communication. Strive
to make your communications concise and free of any:
• Spelling and grammar errors
• Confusing terms or phrases that could be misunderstood
• Errors of omission, such as missing content or recipients
• Errors in accuracy of information

EXERCISE GOOD JUDGMENT WHEN SHARING INFORMATION WITH OTHERS ONLINE –

E-mail and chat messages that you send or receive are considered private and should
not be forwarded or copied to others without gaining the consent of all involved
participants. In general, messages posted to discussion boards and social media sites
can be read by the public. You may never know who might read or share what you post.
It is a good practice to always ask a post’s author for permission before sharing a post
with other parties.

• To protect your privacy and safety, do not share online any sensitive personal
information such as: - Your home address or phone number - Personal

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 2 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

conversations - Social plans, such as vacations - Financial information -

Usernames, passwords, or hints - Anything personal that you would not want
shared by others over the Internet

• If the material you share with others online came from another source, make
every effort to gain permission from the original author or copyright holder.
Copying someone else's work and passing it off as your own is plagiarism. It
damages your reputation and could subject you to serious academic and legal
consequences.

RESPECT DIVERSITY IN VIEWPOINTS - Be constructive and respectful when sharing

opinions, beliefs, and criticisms, or responding to those of others in the conversation.

• When sharing a viewpoint that differs from someone else’s, it is a best practice to
first acknowledge the other person by briefly restating what he or she said, but in
your own words. This lets the person know that you are listening and trying to
understand them.
• When presenting an opinion or criticism, it is helpful to use phrases that identify to
whose point of view you are referring. If the opinion is yours, you can begin with
the phrase “In my experience” or “In my opinion”. If it is a viewpoint of someone
else, make sure you identify that in your message (Example: “According to Eric
Ericson,” or “The president believes”).

Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

Rule 1: Remember the Human When communicating electronically, whether through email,
instant message, discussion post, text, or some other method, practice the Golden Rule:
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Remember, your written words
are read by real people, all deserving of respectful communication. Before you press
"send" or "submit," ask yourself, "Would I be okay with this if someone else had written
it?"

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life While it can
be argued that standards of behavior may be different in the virtual world, they
certainly should not be lower. You should do your best to act within the laws and ethical
manners of society whenever you inhabit "cyberspace." Would you behave rudely to
someone face-toface? On most occasions, no. Neither should you behave this way in the
virtual world.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace "Netiquette varies from domain to domain." (Shea,
1994) Depending on where you are in the virtual world, the same written

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 3 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

communication can be acceptable in one area, where it might be considered

inappropriateq in another. What you text to a friend may not be appropriate in an email
to a classmate or colleague. Can you think of another example?

Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth Electronic communication takes time: time
to read and time in which to respond. Most people today lead busy lives, just like you
do, and don't have time to read or respond to frivolous emails or discussion posts. As a
virtual world communicator, it is your responsibility to make sure that the time spent
reading your words isn't wasted. Make your written communication meaningful and to
the point, without extraneous text or superfluous graphics or attachments that may
take forever to download.

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online writing.colostate.edu One of the best things about the
virtual world is the lack of judgment associated with your physical appearance, sound of
your voice, or the clothes you wear (unless you post a video of yourself singing Karaoke
in a clown outfit.) You will, however, be judged by the quality of your writing, so keep
the following tips in mind: Always check for spelling and grammar errors Know what
you're talking about and state it clearly Be pleasant and polite

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge The Internet offers its users many benefits; one is the ease in
which information can be shared or accessed and in fact, this "information sharing"
capability is one of the reasons the Internet was founded. So, in the spirit of the
Internet's "founding fathers," share what you know! When you post a question and
receive intelligent answers, share the results with others. Are you an expert at
something? Post resources and references about your subject matter. Recently
expanded your knowledge about a subject that might be of interest to others? Share
that as well.
Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control What is meant by "flaming" and "flame wars?"
"Flaming is what people do when they express a strongly held opinion without holding
back any emotion." (Shea, 1994). As an example, think of the kinds of passionate
comments you might read on a sports blog. While "flaming" is not necessarily forbidden
in virtual communication, "flame wars," when two or three people exchange angry posts
between one another, must be controlled or the camaraderie of the group could be
compromised. Don't feed the flames; extinguish them by guiding the discussion back to
a more productive direction.

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy Depending on what you are reading in the virtual world,
be it an online class discussion forum, Facebook page, or an email, you may be exposed
to some private or personal information that needs to be handled with care. Perhaps
someone is sharing some medical news about a loved one or discussing a situation at
work. What do you think would happen if this information "got into the wrong hands?"
Embarrassment? Hurt feelings? Loss of a job? Just as you expect others to respect your

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 4 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

privacy, so should you respect the privacy of others. Be sure to err on the side of caution
when deciding to discuss or not to discuss virtual communication.

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power Just like in face-to-face situations, there are people in
cyberspace who have more "power" than others. They have more expertise in
technology or they have years of experience in a particular skill or subject matter.
Maybe it's you who possesses all of this knowledge and power! Just remember: knowing
more than others do or having more power than others may have does not give you the
right to take advantage of anyone. Think of Rule 1: Remember the human.

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes Not everyone has the same amount of
experience working in the virtual world. And not everyone knows the rules of
netiquette. At some point, you will see a stupid question, read an unnecessarily long
response, or encounter misspelled words; when this happens, practice kindness and
forgiveness as you would hope someone would do if you had committed the same
offense. If it's a minor "offense," you might want to let it slide. If you feel compelled to
respond to a mistake, do so in a private email rather than a public forum

2. CYBERCRIME

WHAT IS CYBERCRIME?

It is the Characteristics of the culture of computers, information, technology and

virtual reality.

Cybercrime is defined as a crime in which a computer is the object of the crime

(hacking, phishing, spamming and child pornography) is used as a tool to commit an
offense.

Cybercriminals may use computer technology to access personal information, business

trade secrets or use the internet for exploitative or malicious purposes.

Republic Act No. 10175 Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is a law in the Philippines
approved on September 12,2012 which aims to address legal issues concerning online
interactions and internet.

Republic Act No. 10173 Data Privacy Act of 2012 is an act protecting individual
personal information.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 5 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

COMMON FORMS OF CYBERCRIMES:

a. Copyright
The exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish,
perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize
others to do the same.

Copyright infringement is the violation, piracy or theft of a copyright holder's

exclusive rights through the unauthorized use of a copyrighted material or work.

b. Plagiarism
An act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of
another author without authorization.
c. Computer Addiction
• Offline: generally used when speaking about excessive gaming behavior, which
can be practiced both offline and online.
• Online: Also known as “Internet Addiction”, gets more attention in general from
scientific research than offline computer addiction, mainly because most cases
of computer addiction are related to the excessive use of the Internet. *Virtual
Self -The persona you create about yourself virtually.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

a. Hacking
• Unauthorized access of or interference with computer systems, servers,
or other information and communication systems
• Unauthorized access to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy electronic data
using computers or other information and communication systems
without the computer or system owner’s knowledge and consent
• The introduction of computer viruses resulting in the corruption,
alteration, theft, or loss of such data
• Illegal Access
• Illegal Interception
• Data Interference
• System Interference
• Misuse of Devices

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 6 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• Infection of IT Systems with Malware – if the act is committed against

critical infrastructure of the Philippines the, penalty is between 12-20
years reclusion temporal
• Six years up to twelve years of imprisonment also known as prison
mayor.

b. Computer-related forgery, fraud and/or identity theft

• An attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames,
passwords, and credit card details and (indirectly money), often for
malicious reasons.
• Phishing
• Pharming
• Spam
• Maximum of Php 200,000 fine or prison mayor
c. Electronic theft
• Illegal Downloading
• Obtaining files that you do not have the right to use from the internet.
• Digital Piracy
• Practice of illegally copying and selling digital music, video, computer
software, etc.
• Copyright Infringement
• Penalty of Php 50,000 – 500, 000 and or prison mayor
d. Cyberbullying
• The use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by
sending a message of an intimidating or threatening nature.
• The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (RA 10627)
e. Cybersex
• Willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or
indirectly of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity
with the aid of a computer system for favor or consideration.
• There is a discussion on this matter if it involves “couples” or “people in
relationship” who engage in cybersex.
• Penalty at least Php 200,000 and or prison mayor
f. Child Pornography
• Is a form of child sexual exploitation.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 7 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• Unlawful or prohibited acts defined and punishable by Republic Act No.

9775 or the AntiChild Pornography Act of 2009, committed through a
computer system.
• Penalty of 12-20 years of imprisonment or reclusion temporal

g. Cyber Defamation
• Is an unprivileged false statement of fact which tends to harm the
reputation of a person or company.
• Penalty of 6-12 years of imprisonment or prison mayor.

3. INTERNET THREATS

Hacking

Hacking is a term used to describe actions taken by someone to gain

unauthorized access to a computer. The availability of information online on the tools,
techniques, and malware makes it easier for even non-technical people to undertake
malicious activities. The process by which cyber criminals gain access to your computer.

What it can do:

• Find weaknesses (or pre-existing bugs) in your security settings and exploit
them in order to access your information.
• Install a Trojan horse, providing a back door for hackers to enter and search for
your information.

Malware

Malware is one of the more common ways to infiltrate or damage your

computer. Malicious software that infects your computer, such as computer viruses,
worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and adware.

What it can do:

• Intimidate you with scareware, which is usually a pop-up message that tells you
your computer has a security problem or other false information.
• Reformat the hard drive of your computer causing you to lose all your
information.
• Alter or delete files.
• Steal sensitive information.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 8 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• Send emails on your behalf.

• Take control of your computer and all the software running on it.

Pharming

Pharming is a common type of online fraud. A means to point you to a malicious

and illegitimate website by redirecting the legitimate URL. Even if the URL is entered
correctly, it can still be redirected to a fake website.

What it can do:

• Convince you that the site is real and legitimate by spoofing or looking almost
identical to the actual site down to the smallest details. You may enter your
personal information and unknowingly give it to someone with malicious intent.

Phishing

Phishing is used most often by cyber criminals because it's easy to execute and
can produce the results they're looking for with very little effort. Fake emails, text
messages and websites created to look like they're from authentic companies. They're
sent by criminals to steal personal and financial information from you. This is also
known as “spoofing”.

What it does:

• Trick you into giving them information by asking you to update, validate or
confirm your account. It is often presented in a manner than seems official and
intimidating, to encourage you to take action.
• Provides cyber criminals with your username and passwords so that they can
access your accounts (your online bank account, shopping accounts, etc.) and
steal your credit card numbers.

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to your computer or your

files and displays a message that demands payment in order for the restriction to be
removed. The two most common means of infection appear to be phishing emails that
contain malicious attachments and website pop-up advertisements.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 9 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

What it can do:

• There are two common types of ransomware:

o Lockscreen ransomware: displays an image that prevents you from
accessing your computer
o Encryption ransomware: encrypts files on your system's hard drive and
sometimes on shared network drives, USB drives, external hard drives,
and even some cloud storage drives, preventing you from opening them
• Ransomware will display a notification stating that your computer or data have
been locked and demanding a payment be made for you to regain access.
Sometimes the notification states that authorities have detected illegal activity
on your computer, and that the payment is a fine to avoid prosecution.

What you can do:

• Do not pay the ransom. These threats are meant to scare and intimidate you,
and they do not come from a law enforcement agency. Even if you submit
payment, there is no guarantee that you will regain access to your system.
• If your computer has been infected (i.e. you are unable to access your computer
or your files have been encrypted), contact a reputable computer technician or
specialist to find out whether your computer can be repaired and your data
retrieved.
• In order to lessen the impact of a ransomware infection, be sure to regularly
back-up your data with a removable external storage drive. It's possible that
your files might be irretrievable; having an up-to-date backup could be
invaluable.

Spam

Spam is one of the more common methods of both sending information out and
collecting it from unsuspecting people. The mass distribution of unsolicited messages,
advertising or pornography to addresses which can be easily found on the Internet
through things like social networking sites, company websites and personal blogs.

What it can do:

• Annoy you with unwanted junk mail.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 10 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• Create a burden for communications service providers and businesses to filter

electronic messages.
• Phish for your information by tricking you into following links or entering details
with too-good to-be-true offers and promotions.
• Provide a vehicle for malware, scams, fraud and threats to your privacy.

Spyware (Spyware & Adware)

Spyware and adware are often used by third parties to infiltrate your computer.

What it is:

Software that collects personal information about you without you knowing.
They often come in the form of a ‘free' download and are installed automatically with or
without your consent. These are difficult to remove and can infect your computer with
viruses.

What it can do:

• Collect information about you without you knowing about it and give it to third
parties.
• Send your usernames, passwords, surfing habits, list of applications you've
downloaded, settings, and even the version of your operating system to third
parties.
• Change the way your computer runs without your knowledge.
• Take you to unwanted sites or inundate you with uncontrollable pop-up ads.

Trojan Horses

A Trojan horse may not be a term you're familiar with, but there's a good chance
you or someone you know has been affected by one. A malicious program that is
disguised as, or embedded within, legitimate software. It is an executable file that will
install itself and run automatically once it's downloaded.

What it can do:

• Delete your files.

• Use your computer to hack other computers.
• Watch you through your web cam.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 11 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• Log your keystrokes (such as a credit card number you entered in an online
purchase).
• Record usernames, passwords and other personal information.

Viruses

Most people have heard of computer viruses, but not many know exactly what
they are or what they do. Malicious computer programs that are often sent as an email
attachment or a download with the intent of infecting your computer, as well as the
computers of everyone in your contact list. Just visiting a site can start an automatic
download of a virus.

What they can do:

• Send spam.
• Provide criminals with access to your computer and contact lists.
• Scan and find personal information like passwords on your computer.
• Hijack your web browser.
• Disable your security settings.
• Display unwanted ads.
• When a program is running, the virus attached to it could infiltrate your hard
drive and also spread to USB keys and external hard drives. Any attachment you
create using this program and send to someone else could also infect them with
the virus.

How will you know if your computer is infected?

Here are a few things to check for:

• It takes longer than usual for your computer to start up, it restarts on its own or
doesn't start up at all.
• It takes a long time to launch a program.
• Files and data have disappeared.
• Your system and programs crash constantly.
• The homepage you set on your web browser is different (note that this could be
caused by Adware that has been installed on your computer).
• Web pages are slow to load.
• Your computer screen looks distorted.
• Programs are running without your control.

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 12 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

• If you suspect a problem, make sure your security software is up to date and
run it to check for infection. If nothing is found, or if you are unsure of what to
do, seek technical help.

Wi-Fi Eavesdropping

WiFi eavesdropping is another method used by cyber criminals to capture

personal information. Virtual “listening in” on information that's shared over an
unsecure (not encrypted) WiFi network.

What it can do:

• Potentially access your computer with the right equipment.

• Steal your personal information including logins and passwords.

Worms

Worms are a common threat to computers and the Internet as a whole. A worm,
unlike a virus, goes to work on its own without attaching itself to files or programs. It
lives in your computer memory, doesn't damage or alter the hard drive and propagates
by sending itself to other computers in a network – whether within a company or the
Internet itself.

What they can do:

• Spread to everyone in your contact list.

• Cause a tremendous amount of damage by shutting down parts of the Internet,
wreaking havoc on an internal network and costing companies’ enormous
amounts of lost revenue.

IV. LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Direction: using your word processing software, prepare an answer or discussion of the
following task/statement below. Submit it in our submission link found in our moodle
course. Thank you.

1. List down the different cybercrime and treats that we can probably experience or
happening in using internet and social media applications.
2. Cite a Philippine Law pertaining to Cybercrime act.

V. ASSESSMENT TASKS:

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 13 of 14

 Republic of the Philippines
PARTIDO STATE UNIVERSITY
Camarines Sur

- To follow through google forms/quiz in Moodle LMS.

VI. REFERENCES/LEARNING RESOURCES:

• http://www.mccc.edu/~virtcoll/Netiquette
• http://ecampus.matc.edu/student_support/pdfs/7-essential-rules-of-netiquette.pdf
• https://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/cnt/rsks/cmmn-thrts-eng.aspx
• https://ftms.edu.my/v2/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/csca0201_ch01.pdf
• https://www.sutori.com/story/history-of-ict-information-and-communications-
technology--N7J51bQqSU7vLWcVfdn5M9qa
• https://www.livescience.com/20718-computer-history.html
• https://www.explainthatstuff.com/historyofcomputers.html

Prepared by: Reviewed by: Approved:

JONATHAN B. PAGA, MIT EMY S. LASARTE, EdD ARNEL B. MILLESCA, EdD, JD

FACULTY PROGRAM DIRECTOR CAMPUS DEAN

Module 5: The Netiquette and the Computer Ethics /Page 14 of 14