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[DEMO] Computer Ethics Policy

Introduction

The American College of Greece (ACG) is committed to free and open inquiry and discussion, fair allocation of College resources, and the provision of a working environment free of needless disruption. To advance these goals, ACG has adopted the following policies on computer usage.

Authorized Use

  • American College of Greece computers and computer networks are to be used only by persons authorized by the College and only for College purposes.
  • College purposes include educational programs, research activities, administrative operations, and outreach activities.
  • Use of College facilities for any other purposes requires prior authorization.

Security and Integrity

  • No one shall knowingly endanger the security of any College computer or network facility.
  • No one shall willfully interfere with others’ authorized computer usage.
  • No one shall use the College’s communication facilities to attempt unauthorized use of, or interfere with others’ legitimate use of, any computer or network facility anywhere.
  • No computer may be connected to any College network unless it meets technical and security standards set by ACG’s Information Resources Management administration.

Responsible Use of Resources

  • All users shall share computing resources in accordance with established policies, giving priority to more important work and cooperating fully with other users.
  • No one without specific authorization shall use any College computer or network facility for non-College business.

Passwords and Access

  • No one shall give a computer password to an unauthorized person.
  • No one shall obtain another person’s computer password by any unauthorized means whatsoever.
  • No one except the system administrator in charge of a computer is authorized to issue passwords for that computer.

Prohibited Activities

  • No one shall engage in, encourage, or conceal from authorities any cracking, unauthorized tampering, or other unauthorized use or deliberate disruption of computers.
  • No one without specific authorization shall read, alter, or delete any other person’s computer files or electronic mail, even if the operating system permits such access.
  • No one shall copy or use software or data in violation of copyright laws, license agreements, or standards of academic honesty.
  • No one shall create, install, or knowingly distribute a computer virus, Trojan horse, or other surreptitiously destructive program on any College computer or network facility, regardless of whether any harm results.
  • No one without proper authorization shall modify or reconfigure the software or hardware of any College computer or network facility.

Data Protection and Privacy

  • Users shall not place confidential data into computers without protecting it appropriately.
  • The College cannot guarantee the privacy or authenticity of computer files or electronic communications unless special arrangements are made.

Electronic Communications

  • Users shall take full responsibility for messages transmitted through College computers and network facilities.
  • Users shall obey the policies of discussion forums in which they participate.
  • Laws and regulations concerning fraud, harassment, obscenity, and related matters apply to electronic communications as they do to other media.

Web Publishing

  • Users who publish World Wide Web pages or similar information resources on College computers shall take full responsibility for what they publish.
  • Users shall respect acceptable-use conditions, obey all applicable laws, and shall not publish commercial advertisements without prior authorization.
  • References and links to commercial sites are permitted.
  • Advertisements, especially paid advertisements, are not permitted.
  • Users shall not accept payments, discounts, free merchandise, services, or any other remuneration in return for placing content on College web pages or similar facilities.

Administration and Enforcement

  • Those who administer computers and network facilities shall perform their duties fairly and in accordance with College policies.
  • All disciplinary matters shall be referred to appropriate authorities through the Executive Director for Information Resources Management.

Email Policy

  • Electronic mail (e-mail) is intended for communication between individuals and clearly identified groups of interested individuals, not for mass broadcasting.
  • No one without prior authorization shall distribute the same or substantially the same e-mail message to more than one person without prior evidence that recipients wish to receive it.
  • Chain letters are prohibited.
  • The American College of Greece reserves the right to discard incoming mass mailings (spam) without notifying the sender or intended recipient.
  • The College also reserves the right to block Internet communications from sites involved in extensive spamming or other disruptive practices, even if this limits communication for College users.

Note

The original source of this document was developed by The University of Georgia. Academic institutions are encouraged to adapt it to their own needs.