Book details of 'Internet & Computer Ethics for Kids: (and Parents & Teachers Who Haven't Got a Clue.)'

Title	Internet & Computer Ethics for Kids: (and Parents & Teachers Who Haven't Got a Clue.)
Author(s)	Winn Schwartau
ISBN	0962870056
Language	English
Published	April 2001
Publisher	Inter-Pact Pr

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Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Computer ethics can be a very frustrating field. Professional organizations appear to have abandoned the area: they seem to have given up on the idea of "codes of ethics" and now prefer to write "codes of conduct." "Values education" has progressed very little in the last thirty years. All of us seem to be the disciples of Kohlberg, and assume that by sitting around discussing ethics, moral dilemmas, and scenarios, we will all somehow become moral individuals. And that's for the adults. For kids, the task is even more important, and much more difficult. Maybe it's impossible. But it is good to see that someone has at least given it a try. I don't agree with everything Winn has done, but he has produced a valuable and helpful tool. I hope that a great many people try it out, and, if it needs tuning, feed ideas back to improve it. This volume is a tool, and must be seen as such to be valued. Schwartau has, probably wisely, not attempted to provide a full examination of ethical theories or systems. The chapters are all very short: they are introductions, not expositions. (As Blaise Pascal famously noted, it takes much longer, and much more work, to write a short piece than a long one.) The text is generally possible for the sixth grade reader, and is backed up with a short section on relevant ideas from the law, topics to think about and discuss, and resources for further study and research. Unfortunately, the work starts out weakly. The introduction is vague. Seemingly the book is addressed to everyone. The preface also states that the book has questions, but no answers. A second introduction is more personal, but no clearer as to the intent of the text. Chapter one states that there are no rules, and then lays out some rules. Aside from the contradiction, which may be too subtle for the younger end of the audience, but which will probably be picked up by the later teens, relativism makes it difficult to discuss ethics at all. To the question of what ethics are, chapter two has little explanation except to say that they are the "little voices." A brief Internet history is probably supposed to point out that the Internet has grown too fast for formal regulation, in chapter three. Chapter four starts out by raging against stereotypes of all kinds, and then stereotypes the media. The text also tersely outlines various types of hackers. Chapter five is a scenario, a rather simplistic story of a young person who is very clearly dealt with unfairly by "the Establishment," whose only possible recourse is to make unauthorized alteration of data on a computer. The material starts to get stronger as it becomes more specific. Passwords, and the needs for strong ones, are discussed in chapter six. Graffiti is equated with web page defacement in chapter seven. Phone phreaking, war dialling, and anonymity are defined in eight to ten. Malware, viruses and trojan horse programs, are covered in chapters eleven and twelve. Chapters thirteen and fourteen deal with spoofing and spam. Chapter fifteen points out that you have no idea whether what is said on the net is true, which leads to discussions of scams, online business, and rumours in sixteen to eighteen. Stealing, in chapter nineteen, leads to examinations of software piracy and plagiarism. Chapters twenty two to twenty five look at the more ambiguous topics of social engineering, flaming, meeting people, and stalking. Technical subjects, digital special effects and eavesdropping, get a brief look in chapters twenty six and twenty seven. The topics get harder as chapter twenty eight deals with pornography, then two chapters on privacy, another on monitoring, and ratting on others. Although the topics could be presented in various sequences, it might have been better to place chapter thirty three, discussing ethics and the law, closer to chapter two. But it is also a good lead-in to civil disobedience and hacktivism, in chapter thirty four. The review of personal responsibility, in chapter thirty five, is very good. "Computer Police," in thirty six, deals mostly with law enforcement concerns, with a brief mention of vigilantism. An interesting juxtaposition with chapter thirty seven, on getting caught. Chapter thirty eight, asks who makes the rules, but deals primarily with the home and who is in charge. Again, making ethical decisions, in thirty nine, is good, but should be related to two and thirty three. Although it finishes off the book, chapter forty, and cyber-parenting, is the introduction for parents and teachers. It is quite realistic and balanced. A final set of pages is probably an important part of the book. A set of lined pages, they are important exercises for self-examination, headed with "My Personal CyberEthics," "My Family's CyberRules," "My Friends' CyberEthics," "CyberRules at My Friends' House," "CyberRules at School," "What My Parents Need to Learn," "What My Teachers Need to Learn," "My Company's CyberEthics and Rules," and "What I think I Need to Learn." I won't give this book to my grandchildren, even though the oldest would probably be able to read a good part of it. But I will give it to their mothers. Not being a marketroid, I will not say that this book is a "must have" for anyone with kids. Unlike many other books, and like many computer technologies, it must be used to be of any value. Parents can't simply present it to their children and forget it: to do so would be to teach that ethics are not important. If you want to get anything out of this work, you will have to read it with your kids, or give it to them to read, and discuss it with them. It can be read in an afternoon, but shouldn't be. The material should be taken a chapter at a time, perhaps once a week, perhaps at even longer intervals. It may take years to finish this slim volume (by which time all the URLs may be 404). As the adult you will have to be patient, and accept that the discussions may not proceed in straight lines, as you think they should. The end result, though, should be worth it. You'll have ethical kids. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2001
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Book description:

Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids (and Parents and Teachers Who Haven’t Got a Clue) The Book of cyber-ethical Questions for the Information Age The Title says it all. Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids (and Parents and Teachers Without a Clue) is going to be one of the most significant books of 2001. It discusses, in a non-technical language that everyone can understand, one of the most serious issues facing us today: Hackers, Hacking and Cyber-Ethics. 1. How should kids behave on the Internet? 2. How can parents help their technically fluent children? 3. What can the schools and teachers do to assist? Cyber Ethics is an important mission that you will want to be a part of, and this book is only the first of a series of books that will be appearing in the coming three years on the subject, all talking to a wide variety of issues. CyberEthics for Kids and Families! Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids is the first book to actively promote family and youth values and cyberethics in an entertaining, colorful way. All About Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids! Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids is a colorful, extensively illustrated book written in an easy to understand, non-technical format. No other book has been specifically targeted at non-technical parents, teachers and kids who are in the greatest need of ethical education on issues they don’t understand. This lack of cyber ethical knowledge: -Hampers a parent’s ability to raise their children with the appropriate amount of teaching and ethical foundation. -Creates a greater schism in families -Ultimately raises children with no cyber ethical guidance, which as we all know, if bad for business and society as a whole. Unlike the small handful of older books which preach ethics and tell people how to behave, Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids does not preach or suggest what is right or wrong behavior. Instead, it provides situational conundra for the reader, the parent and the educator to discuss, evaluate and form the basis for personal ethics. Internet and Computer Ethics for Kids is written so everyone, from all walks of life and education can read it – and understand it. Parents Kids Families Teachers School Districts Information Age Workers Government Employees Corporations to Teach Staff Ethics Technical Conferences