1. Legal and Ethical Issues Associated with Modern Technologies Tameka Williams AET 531 May 12, 2014 Dr. Carrie Lewis

2. Introduction When developing instructional content, educators must acknowledge the following legal and ethical guidelines: Intellectual Property Copyright Laws Fair Use Privacy Policies 3. Intellectual property can include anything that has been developed or created by someone. In this technological age, intellectual property is easy to create and simpler to access. This ease in access blurs the lines as it relates to the use of intellectual property. Copyrights and patents are two ways that owners can protect their intellectual property. Intellectual Property 4. Copyright is a law that safeguards original works upon creation (Copyright.gov, 2006). Modern technology can be transmitted throughout society via the world wide web. This transmission, unfortunately, encourages copyright infringement and difficult to regulate. Authors of original works are confused as to how one should feel about the technically advanced society. It is pleasing to find original works can be spread to a wider audience; however, it can also cause an increase in improper and illegal use of the learning content. Copyright 5. Fair Use Fair use allows educators to share information as long as it is for an educational purpose. There is a fine line between acceptable and fair use and infringement. It is important that educators research with an effort to completely understand limitations. The law calls for a balanced application of the four factors: purpose and character of the use nature of the copyrighted work amount and substantiality of the portion used effect of the use upon the potential market for/value of the copyrighted work (Crews, n.d., para 2). 6. Privacy policies outline the behavior that must be exhibited to keep information safe and confidential. In todays technologically advanced world, one must be careful of viruses and other tools that may gain access to the information. In an educational institution, these policies are put in place to ensure students, employees, and the organization itself how important it is to keep the information private. This helps to build trust and relationships in a world that is not very trustworthy. Privacy Policy 7. Modern technology can blur the lines of infringement. Educational institutions must remain aware of policies, guidelines, and laws when using information to create learning content. It would be beneficial for educational institutions to: acknowledge intellectual property understand copyrighting laws abide by the fair use policy develop privacy policies to ensure fair practice. Conclusion 8. References Copyright.gov. 2006. Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright. Retrieved from http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq- general.html#what. Crews, K. (n.d.). What is Fair Use? Columbia University. Retrieved from http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/fair-use/what- is-fair-use/.