Describe some virtues of the ethical codes of conduct adopted by professional societies such as the ACM and IEEE-CS, and list some shortcomings of these professional codes as well. In the final analysis, do the advantages of having a code outweigh the prospects of not having one? Use either an actual or a hypothetical case to establish the main points in your answer. Once you have assessed the individual strengths and weaknesses of professional codes, determine whether the overall benefits of having professional codes outweighs the disadvantages of not having them. Apply your conclusion to the following case: SCENARIO: Shutting Down the Original Napster Web Site Napster, a very popular site for sharing music online in the late 1990s, was founded by Shawn Fanning while he was a student at North Eastern University. Napster’s users were able to exchange copyrighted music files, in MP3 format, with one another. In December 1999, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued the Napster Web site for illegally distributing copyrighted music on the Internet. Napster responded by arguing that its activities were perfectly legal under the fair-use doctrine. However, the courts ultimately ruled against Napster. Although, the original Napster site ceased operations, it later reopened as a pay-per-song Web site, similar to iTunes, in cooperation with the RIAA.

Understanding Business
12th Edition
ISBN:9781259929434
Author:William Nickels
Publisher:William Nickels
Chapter1: Taking Risks And Making Profits Within The Dynamic Business Environment
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Describe some virtues of the ethical codes of conduct adopted by professional societies such as the ACM and IEEE-CS, and list some shortcomings of these professional codes as well. In the final analysis, do the advantages of having a code outweigh the prospects of not having one? Use either an actual or a hypothetical case to establish the main points in your answer.

Once you have assessed the individual strengths and weaknesses of professional codes, determine whether the overall benefits of having professional codes outweighs the disadvantages of not having them. Apply your conclusion to the following case:

SCENARIO: Shutting Down the Original Napster Web Site

Napster, a very popular site for sharing music online in the late 1990s, was founded by Shawn Fanning while he was a student at North Eastern University. Napster’s users were able to exchange copyrighted music files, in MP3 format, with one another. In December 1999, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued the Napster Web site for illegally distributing copyrighted music on the Internet. Napster responded by arguing that its activities were perfectly legal under the fair-use doctrine. However, the courts ultimately ruled against Napster. Although, the original Napster site ceased operations, it later reopened as a pay-per-song Web site, similar to iTunes, in cooperation with the RIAA.

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