Legal Issues
Data Protection Act 1998
Many businessess stores and use people's information but however, the data protection act prevents business from missusing peopl's information. The information held by people must be:
- obtained fairly and lawfully
- only used for the purpose that it was collected for
- accurate and up to date
- not kept for longer than neccessary
- processed in line with your rights
- subject to procedures to prevent unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage to personal data
The freedom of information only came in full effect in 2005. It gives individuals and businesses with the right to request information held by a public authority. The public authority must tell the applicant requesting the information whether they have it or not. They must supply the information within 20 working days if they have the information within the requested format. However, there are some excemptions to this act. For example, if the cost of information requested exceeds an appropriate limit, then the public authority may decide whether a greater public interest is being served by denying the request or supplying the information.
Other relevant legislation
The computer missues act 1990 is a law that legislates certain activities regarding computers. such as hacking into people's computer to retrieve certain information, or helping a person to gain access to information that is on someone else's computer.
The computer misuse act is split into three sections and makes illegal:
- unauthorised access to computer material
- unauthorised to access computer systems with intent to commit another offence
- unauthorised modification of computer material
Ethical Issues
Codes of practice exist in organisations maintain business ethics on:- use of email
- internet
- whistle-blowing
- organisational policies
- information ownership
Businesses can use email to give standard information to a large group of people. However, businesses can't use emails to send large dpcuments/attachments to a large group of people.
Internet
Many businesses have codes of practice that prevents people in the organisation from using the internet for wrong purposes such as watching pornographic videos etc
Whistle blowing
A whistle blower is an employee who raises concern about a business practice either to a management witthin the company or to an outside organisation.
Organisational policies
Organsation policies to ensure that their businesses practices with information can be done more ethically. for example, managing information and a just and fair manner.
Information ownership
This explains that people should be responsible for the information they have. for example, if you create information every day, then you should be accountable for the information you create.
Operational Issues
Businesses has store and manage countless pieces information and in some cases, some information are important than others. To make sure that the information is managed appropriately, different procedures are put in place such as:- security of information
- backups
- health and safety
- organisational policies
- business continuance plans
Businesses need to make sure that their information are protected and secured. They can do this by storing information on IT systems that will enable them to access the information anytime they want. It is important for businesses to have the right information when needed, because it helps make good decisions. Therefore, if a business doesn't take care of their information properly, it may lead to bad decision making.
Backups
Backups minimises the losses of important information. so many businesses use back ups to prevent information from being lost. some businesses create information every hour in order to be on the safe side. This means that if the information is destroyed or damaged, a copy is available so the business can continue as little disruption as possible.
Health and safety
Although computer equipment in itself is unlikely to be dangerous but businesses still make sure that workers aren't using computer equipment through out the day. For example, staying on the computer for the whole day maybe bad for the eye sight. Bad posture, incorrect positioning of equipment and susceptibility to repitive strain injury are health and safety risks that employers are legally required to take seriously.
Organisational policies
Organisational policies that relate the use of business information can help make sure that the decisions made are not affecting staff in any way.
Business continuance plans
These are the plans that a businesses sets in order to make sure that the business is capable of surving a worst case scenario. One plan that business may make is to create back up for information they have, in order to prevent the losses of imoportant information.
