TEACHING CYBER ETHICS TO AMERICA'S YOUTH

Library Administrator's Digest, May 2004

It's the parents' responsibility to teach kids respect for copyrighted works, according to a new survey on Internet downloading ethics commissioned by the Business Software Alliance (BSA).

The survey reveals that only 14 percent of U.S. adults say teaching the nation's youth to respect copyrighted material such as software, music and movies is a shared responsibility between parents and teachers. A whopping 4 out of 5 (78 percent) say parents bear the most responsibility, while a mere 7 percent think teachers are most responsible. Ipsos Public Affairs conducted the study last month in an omnibus survey of 1,000 respondents.

Other results of the survey include:

* Nearly all (95 percent) believe it is a "big deal" if a young person shoplifts a software program, CD or DVD from a store, yet about 1 in 3 (30 percent) say downloading files on the Internet without permission is acceptable.

* 63 percent believe it is never okay to download copyrighted works, such as a song or software, without authorization.

* Men were more accepting of downloading copyrighted works without authorization, with 34 percent finding it acceptable. Women were less tolerant, with just 27 percent citing it as acceptable.

"Given how many children use computers and have Internet access at school, it is even more important that both parents and teachers take an active role in teaching computer ethics and safe computer use," said Diane Smiroldo, vice president of public affairs for BSA.

News Release, Business Software Alliance, March 2004