Why do contemporary information systems technology and the I

Why do contemporary information systems\' technology and the Internet pose challenges to the protection of individual privacy and intellectual property? Give a current example.

Solution

The advancement in information technology is nothing but invasion in privacy of individuals. Data is collected, stored and monitored at many points in the web. For example, when a person does an online purchase, with the help of the current information technology, it is easy to track the banking details. Companies can identify what type of purchases are made by customers and recommend similar products to them without contacting customers. Credit card purchases make the personal data available to the telemarketers.

In relation to the intellectual property, the contemporary information systems have posed great challenges to the social practices and the laws related to intellectual property. Intellectual Property Rights covers copyrights, patent law and secret trade. Due to the advancement in information technology, it is now not easy to protect the computerized information. They can be copied and distributed in the network. Copyrights protects that the creator’s work cannot be copied by others. However in software developments, the competitors can copy the coding with minute differences without interfering in the copyrights and say that they own the coding. Similarly for trade secrets, formula or device or patterns can be easily copied using the high end information technology. Patent law protects the inventors however due to the challenges in the internet, individuals copy the information can be copied illegally and distributed over the network.