Copyright is a subject that has to be noted by those in the educational field, more specifically the copyright law Title 17. Basically, libraries are able to release copies or other reproductions under certain conditions for educational use. However, if these copies are used for other purposes and not classified as "fair use" then the person can be accused of copyright and lack of permission from the owner of publisher. To further this discussion, the University of Illinois Springfield had a speaker on this topic who is a lawyer that helps students whenever their online actions get them in trouble. The man made a great point that unfortunately most teenagers or young adults do not notice about how quickly a single picture (usually of something illegal) can quickly spread and get that person in trouble. Another comparison of this is the often use of downloading music and movies for free, especially now that it is easily accessible. Furthermore, college students are constantly notified about plagiarism. These students however do not always realize that plagiarism is a form of theft and copyrighting someone else's work. It is quite surprising how unaware people are of their actions and how they are classified as copyrighting. It also blew my mind how accessible and easy it has become to plagiarize someone's work or copyright. Growing technology makes this easy. Another scary topic of the discussion was online sexual predators and how internet makes victims more easily accessible and targeted. Its reality of the world today with the technology but is still terrifying. Internet has become a part of our daily lives and we must be aware of internet safety and be responsible for our actions whenever it comes to use of internet and media.
The Internet is one of the most useful inventions of the 20th century; however, with this invention comes the need to learn how to use it responsibly. I thought the best words of advice that C.L. Lindsay offered during his presentation was "If it is illegal in the real world, then it is illegal on the Internet." His second most important piece of advice: Fair and legal are not the same thing. Words to live by each time we click on our computers or tap on our devices..
ReplyDeleteI was glad he mentioned TurnItIn. There is definitely controversy about TurnItIn here at UIS. Many students feel that the company is making money off of work that they create. And that furthermore, a good professor should be able to tell when a student is cheating without resorting to third-party programs. Its an interesting debate, and one that has no clear cut answer.
I'm glad you enjoyed his speech and found it worth your time. I enjoy it every time I watch it! And as you can imagine, I was thrilled when UIS brought Mr. Lindsay to campus not once but twice. If his presentation helps just one student make better decisions about their online activity, it was well worth it.