Social & Ethical issues, Intellectual property rights, Ethics.

Intellectual property rights.
Legal rights to which the creator of intellectual property, original creative works, are entitled. 

Types of intellectual property rights. 

1. Copyrights - exclusive right given to the owner of a copyright for a specific period. (Copyright Act 1987) 
                                    

2. Trademarks - sign which distinguishes the goods and services of one trader from those of another. A mark includes words, logos, pictures, names, letters, numbers or a combination of these.  

3. Patents - exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem.

 
Obtain a copyright

• sufficient effort has been expected to make the work original in character
• the work has been written down, recorded or reduced to a material form
• the author is qualified person or the work is made in Malaysia or the work is first published. 

Cyberlaws in Malaysia.

1. Digital Signature Act 1997
The Act mainly provides for the licensing and regulation of Certification Authorities (CA). CA issue Digital Signatures and will certify the identity of a signor by issuing a certificate. The Act also makes a digital signature as legally valid and enforceable as a traditional signature. The Digital Signature Act was brought into force on 1st October 1998.

2. Computer Crime Act 1997 
The Act makes it an offense to

1. Enter or attempt to enter into computers and computer systems without authorization.
2. Damage or alter data/information in computers or computer systems by planting viruses or other means.
3. Aid people in doing items 1 & 2.
4. Give passwords to people who are not authorized to receive it.

The Computer Crime Act was brought into force on 1st June 2000.

3. The Copyright ( Amendment ) Act 1997
Serves to protect the expression of thoughts and ideas from unauthorized copying and/or alteration.
The Copyright (Amendment) Act amends the Copyright Act 1987 to extend copyright law to the new and converged multimedia environment. The transmission of copyright works over the internet now clearly amounts to infringement. Technological methods of ensuring works and authorship info are not altered or removed is also protected. The Copyright ( Amendment) Act 1997 was brought into force on 1st April 1999.

4. The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998
Convergence of technologies is also resulting in the convergence of the following industries: telecommunications, broadcasting, computing and content.
The CMA provides for a restructuring of the converged ICT industry. It creates a new system of licenses and defines the roles and responsibilities of those providing communication and multimedia services. The Communications and Multimedia Act was brought into force on 1st April 1999.

5.  The Electronic Government Activities Act 2007
To facilitate the electronic delivery of government services to the public.

6.  Software Piracy and Digital Counterfeiting
Creating duplicates of software/digital items and then selling/using them as authentic items.