Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
Quarter 1 – Module 7: Legal, Ethical & Societal Issues in Media and Information
What is copyright?
Copyright is mainly the protection of one’s expressions which only becomes tangible
and concepts when objects are created as manifestation of these expression. Copyright
could be a variety of protection provided by the laws to the authors of “original works of
authorship,” together with literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and bound different intellectual
works. This protection is obtainable to each revealed and unpublished works.
• Set of rights granted the author
• Creator of a piece, to limit others ability to repeat
• Redistribute and reshape the content.
Related Issues
A copyright protects solely original works of “authorship” enclosed within the following
seven categories:
• Literary works (including pc programs),
• Musical works, together with any incidental words,
• Dramatic works, together with any incidental music,
• Pantomimes and dance works,
• Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works,
• Motion photos and different audiovisual works,
• Sound recordings.
Registering Copyright
Majority of the state signatories of WIPO adhere to the Berne convention that
provides automatic copyright protection. This means that a registration or any other formality
is not required. As for most countries, including the Philippine, there is a system for voluntary
registration of works. Such system “help solve disputes over ownership or creation, as well
as facilitate financial transactions, sales, and the assignment and/or transfer of rights.”
Fair Use
Fair Use is the limitation and to the prerogative granted by copyright law to the author
of an ingenious work. samples of use embrace statement, search engines, criticism, news
coverage, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship.
Plagiarism
The plagiarism is copying or closely imitating the work of another author, composer, etc.,
while no permission and with the intention of passing the results of as original.
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
What is netiquette?
Netiquette refers to a collection of rules that governs what conduct is socially
acceptable in a web or digital scenario. It’s a social code of network communication.
Netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly on-line. It represents the importance of
correct manners and behavior on-line. In general, netiquette is that the set of skilled and
social etiquettes practiced and advocated in transmission over any electronic network.
Common pointers embody being courteous and precise, and avoiding cyber-bullying.
Netiquette additionally dictates that users ought to adapt copyright laws and avoid
over victimization emoticons. It could be a short type of network rule or net rule. The word
netiquette could be a combination of ‘net’ (from internet) and ‘etiquette’. It suggests that
respecting alternative users’ views and displaying common courtesy once posting your views
to on-line discussion teams.
10 Basic Rules of Netiquette or Internet
Etiquette Know your manners when using Technology. The rules of etiquette are just
as important in cyberspace as they are in the evidence of poor netiquette can stick around to
haunt you for much longer. Follow these basic rules of netiquette to avoid damaging your
online and offline relationships.
1. Remember That Real People Take Priority
If someone is in the room with you, stop what you are doing and look at them. And
don’t answer your cellphone unless it is to tell the person on the other end that you will call
them right back. If you are expecting an important call or email, let the person know upfront,
and apologize for taking the call. This is also true of public places, such as restaurants,
public transit, stores, and libraries. Avoid taking phone calls and having conversations in
these shared spaces.
2. If You Wouldn’t Say It to Someone’s Face, Don’t Say It Online
Name-calling, cursing, expressing deliberately offensive opinions – if you wouldn’t do
it to the face of anyone who might conceivably see what you write, don’t write it. This goes
for any social media site, forum, chat room, or email message, even if you think it can’t be
traced back to you.
3. If You Wouldn’t Show it in Public, Don’t Share It Online
Naked sex pictures, drunk pictures, drug use pictures, unedited home video - if you
would have a problem with your boss, your parents, or your kids seeing it now, or at any
point in the future, don’t post it online.
4. Don’t Exclude Your Audience
If you have an in-joke to share with one other person, or a small number of people in
a larger online group, send them a private message. Don’t make everyone else feel left out
by posting an obscure comment to your Facebook status, forum, or Instagram story.
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
5. Don’t “Friend” Then “Unfriend” People
NO one believes you have 1,000 friends, but it is insulting to be dropped from
someone’s friend list. Think about it before adding them or accepting their invitation. If you
don’t want to be in touch with them, don’t add them in the first place. If you want to stay in
touch for professional reasons, tell them you only use Facebook for close personal
friendships, and join LinkedIn or another professional networking site for more distant
contacts.
6. Don’t Overload System Resources With Enormous Files
You might think that sequence of nature pictures with inspirational statements is
wonderfully moving. It might even give you a sense of serenity. But that is the last thing it will
give the person you email it to if it crashes their server, depletes their inbox quota so their
emails get bounced for a week before they realize, or uses up the last bit of space they
needed to complete an important assignment. So post it to your own space and send people
a link. Don’t attached it to an email.
7. Respect People’s Privacy
Don’t forward information sent to you without checking with the original sender first.
Use BCC (blind carbon copy) rather than CC (Carbon Copy) if you are sending something
out to more than one person. You might think that we are sending online, but your friends
may not want their names and or email addresses publicized to people they do not even
know.
8. Don’t Repost Without Checking the Facts
That cure for cancer might sound pretty impressive, but it will cause upset if it is a
hoax. And urban myths add to the noise of the internet and waste people’s time. If you aren’t
sure of the facts, email it to someone who does know or can find out. Or do a search on
Google or snopes.com.
9. Check and Respond to Email Promptly
By all means, ignore and delete spam, unsolicited messages, and crazy stuff. But if
you have given someone your email address or if you are in a position where people could
reasonably be expected to contact you by email and your email address is public, have the
courtesy to reply to their message within a few days. If it is going to take longer to reply,
email them and tell them that.
10. Update Online Information That People Depend Upon
Don’t leave inaccurate information online just because you can’t be bothered to
update your website. If you are going to be unavailable, for example, don’t leave your hours
of operation online indicating you will be available. If you can’t keep your website up to date,
take it down.
Digital Divide, Addiction, Bullying
Digital Divide
Digital divide could be a term that refers to the gap between demographics and
regions that have access to trendy info and technology, and people that do not or have
restricted access. Before the late twentieth century, digital divide referred principally to the
division between those with and without phone access. The digital divide generally exists
between those in cities and people in rural areas; between the educated and the
uneducated; between socioeconomic groups; and, globally, between the more and less
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
industrially developed nations. Even among populations with some access to technology, the
digital divide can be evident in the form of lower-performance computers, lower-speed
wireless connections, lower priced connections such as dial-up, and limited access to
subscription-based content (Rouse, 2014).
Computer Addiction
A disorder in which the individual turns to the Internet or plays computer games to
change moods, overcome anxiety, deal with depression, reduce isolation or loneliness, or
distract themselves from overwhelming problems. The elderly, as well as children and
adolescents, are particularly vulnerable because they may not realize the extent of their
dependency. In many instances, individuals with computer addiction may seek help for
another condition, such as depression, phobias or other addictions (Shiel, 2018).
Bullying
Stopbullying.org (2019) defines bullying as unwanted, aggressive behavior among
school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is
repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who
bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
• An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength,
access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power
imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same
people.
• Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to
happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking
someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
Intellectual Property in International and Local Context
Intellectual property, or IP, as defined by the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO), is the “creation of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs
and symbols, names and images used in commerce.” Since the products of human intellect
have a direct influence on human civilization and on the development of societies, there
should be safeguards on intellectual property.
Laws are enacted to enforce and recognition toward the fruits of other people’s
ingenuity. Inventions or creations serve some benefits to user, thus in the logic of commerce
of business, inventions and creators should be properly compensated for their contribution. If
their intellectual property right is protected, people will be motivated to contribute more by
continuously inventing and creating for the public good on the spirit of fair play.
The WIPO is the “global forum for intellectual property service, policy, information,
and cooperation.” In the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property
Organization signed at Stockholm on 14 July 1967 and amended on 28 September 1979, it
has been agreed among the state signatories that the WIPO will be “responsible for the
promotion and protection of intellectual property throughout the world through cooperation
among state and, where appropriate, in collaboration with other international organizations,
and for the administration of various treaties dealing with intellectual property rights,” WIPO
has classified the forms of IP .
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
The Intellectual Property Law of the Philippines
The Philippines, as a State signatory in the Convention Establishing the World
Intellectual Property Organization, is duty-bound to pass a law on intellectual property
protection. Thus, the enactment of Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as “The Intellectual
Property Code of 1997”.
According to this piece of legislation, intellectual property rights consist of:
1. Copyright and related rights;
2. Trademarks and service marks;
3. Geographic indication;
4. Industrial designs;
5. Patents;
6. Layout-designs {Topographies) of integrated circuits; and
7. Protection of understanding information.
Copyright Protected Works
Under Philippine copyright, both original works and derivative works are protected.
Original works are those that are literary or artistic in natures which include the following:
• Books, pamphlets, article, and other writings
• Periodicals and newspapers
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
Media and Information Literacy 12 – HUMSS
• Lectures, sermons, addresses, dissertation prepared for oral delivery, whether or
not reduced in writing or other material form
• Letters
• Dramatic or dramatic-musical compositions; choreographic works or entertainment
in dumb show
• Musical compositions, with or without words
• Works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving, lithography or other
works of art; models or designs for works of art
• Original ornamental designs or models for articles of manufacture, whether or not
registrable as an industrial design, and other works of applied art
• Illustration, maps, plans, sketches, chart and three-dimensional works relative to
geography, topography, architecture or science
• Drawings or plastic works of scientific or technical character
• Photographic works including work produced by a process analogous to
photography; lantern sides
• Audiovisual works and cinematographic works and works produced by a process
analogous to cinematography or any process of making audio-visual recordings;
• Pictorial illustrations and advertisements
• Computer programs
• Other literary, scholarly, scientific and artistic works
Works Not Protected
There are also works that are not covered by copyright due to insufficient authorship
or due to the work being of importance to public interest.
1. Unprotected Subject Matter
• Any idea, produce, system, method or operation, concept, principle, discovery or
mere data as such, even if they are expressed, explained, illustrated or embodied in a mark
• News of the day and other miscellaneous facts having the character of mere items
of press information
• Any official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official
translation.
2. Works of the Government
• Any purpose of statutes, rules and regulations, and speeches, lectures, sermons,
addresses, and dissertations, pronounced, read or rendered in courts of justice, before
administrative agencies, in deliberative assembles and in meeting of public character. (Sec.
9, first par., P.D. No. 49)
Compiled by: Ms. Zyrill M. Quisquino Reference: Department of Education –Region VII Schools Division of Negros Oriental
