The Legislations That Protect Individuals and Groups Form Misuse of ICT

How It Affects Me

As a student who constantly uses a computer for my schoolwork, I have a large amount of important schoolwork stored in my computer. This legislation helps me in that people are prevented from hacking into my computer and stealing or erasing this valuable information. Even though there is a very good advantage to this legislation I feel that it simply puts fear in people to prevent the problem. I feel that some people are willing to risk prosecution because the legislation is not strict enough. I say this because everyday through my email account I receive numerous junk mail from organizations wanting me to buy they're products, and I feel that if the legislation was much stricter this could be prevented.

How it affects Adults In Employment

For people like my uncle Sean who I mentioned in Adult In Employment this legislation is most critical. My uncle Sean owns a delivery company and collects numerous amounts of data. Without this legislation he would be at high risk of having his computer system hacked into and lose large amounts of most crucial information. This legislation helps prevent this. Even though this legislation has a large crucial impact on his company it has major flaws, because I feel again it simply prevents. I feel as technology improves so should the legislations but this does not seem to be the case as hacking techniques, technologies improve and legislations are trailing to catch up.

The Health And Safety At Work Act

This legislation was mainly aimed at employers. It reads that a risk assessment must undertake at each work desk or workstation to insure that there are no problems and if there are it should be corrected. Work should be planned to allow some time for rest/break. Health and safety training must be provided to all members of stuff and appointments must be arranged for eye-tests and glasses if required.

How it affects me

At this moment in my life I feel this I feel this legislation does not really affect me for the simple reason that I am not employed yet, but I feel that it is an important legislation which will help me in the future. The legislation will help me to work in a save environment and make sure that my employer does not overwork me. If the employer complies with the legislation I will be able to work happily and concentrate on my work.

How it Affects Adults In Employment

My uncle Sean who owns a delivery company has to comply with this legislation as he is an employer. It allows his workers to work in a safe environment, and if they work in a safe environment they are able to concentrate more on the work therefore increasing the work rate. Even though this is a good advantage some employers like my uncle Sean feel that, as his work place needs someone with good eye sight as they have to handle many heavy products. The legislation is unfair as he has to pay for the employee to have an eye test. Which is unfair as it means the company will lose money.

Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act

This legislation was implemented in the year of 2000. It is a United Kingdom law on communications data. The legislation states the written information below:

* The government can demand that a public telecommunications service intercepts an individual's communications - this means interception warrants can be given for purposes of national security, preventing or detecting serious crime or safeguarding the economic well-being of the UK.

* The Home Secretary can serve interception warrants to perform mass surveillance - this means whilst the interception warrants normally have to specify the communications of an individual or set of premises to intercept, under certain scenarios the home secretary can order that the "external communications" of a telecommunications service be intercepted e.g. all the internet traffic (Web traffic is the amount of data sent and received by visitors to a web site) flowing through a particular ISP's (Internet Service Provider) machines if he deems it necessary for purposes of national security, preventing/detecting serious crime or safe guarding the UK's economic well being.

* The government can require ISPs (Internet Service Provider) to fit equipment that enables them to do perform surveillance - this means that the government can to acquire ISPs to install "back doors" into their systems for the purposes of monitoring

* The government can demand that decryption keys be handed over in order to access protected information - this means that information that requires a code, key to be accessed. The code or key can be demanded to be given to the government

* The government can access internet traffic (Web traffic is the amount of data sent and received by visitors to a web site) data

* It is illegal for surveillance data to be used in legal proceedings This means that were the government to illegally obtain your communications, the surveilled data cannot be used in a court of law

How it affects me

I feel that this legislation is good for me for the reasons that it keeps me safe, it makes sure that people around me are not doing illegal activities which could endanger my life. The negative aspect is that it makes me feel uncomfortable in that I am not always aware if someone is monitoring my private calls or mail.

How it Affects the community

I believe this legislation has a great advantage towards the community as it makes sure that their lives are not at danger. It gives the community comfort that the government is doing its duties to protect them from harm. The negative aspect of this legislation towards the community is that The definition of public telecommunications services is broad and could apply to internet services providers, phone companies, or even someone running a web site. This could make people in the community uncomfortable as they could feel they have no privacy.

Evolutions of legislations

Data Protection Act: I feel that this legislation has good advantages but too many flaws. I feel it simply prevents but does not totally stop. It could be improved by applying strong sentences for those caught disobeying this law, or re-write the law so that people are not able to overcome the law by words which have many definitions.

The Computer Misuse Act: This law is one of the most influential to regular computer users and I feel it should be re-written to match modern day society. I say this because I feel like stated before hacking techniques, technologies are improving while the law is made to tackle criminals of the 90s who have become cleverer. I feel that the law should not necessarily need to be re-written but to be re-worded to match today's hacking equipment and techniques.

The Health And Safety At Work Act: this legislation is good and gives employees a way of overcoming unsafe working environments. This legislation could be made better by making the legislation balanced, as I feel that the legislation is more in favour of employees than employers for example in some circumstances an employer has to pay for the employee to receive eye-tests if required to carry out the job.

Regulation Of Investigatory Powers Act: although with good intentions of keeping people safe. I feel this legislation from all that I have researched has the most flaws. I feel this legislation gives government and those of high authority to much power. The words used in the legislation have many definitions and could be easily manipulated to suite the government. For example the definition of public telecommunications services is broad and could apply to internet services providers, phone companies, or even someone running a web site which means that the government has free rights to intrude into almost any persons private information and communications.