Technology over Time Essays

Technology over Time Essays Technology over Time Essay Technology over Time Essay Information Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and has been for quite some time. Everything from information storage capabilities to processing speeds are advancing in performance, costs, and quality. Naturally, the laws governing use of technology, relative to the ever-increasing, blurred lines of ethics, must improve also. The No Electronic Theft Act of 1997 (NET) and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act of 1978 (EFT) are some examples of recent improvements to law, and in the case of the EFT Act, new law written.No Electronic Theft (NET) Act of 1997 The No Electronic Theft Act of 1997 was a recent amendment to the U. S. Copyright Law. Congress convened and decided that some changes needed to be made in order to keep up with the pace of changing technology; this amendment addressed some of the problems of the day- like piracy and theft. Also the amendment helped define who was guilty of copyright infringement, and who was not. The damage from piracy had grown over the years as technology had developed and improved, making it easier to produce higher quality copies of copyrighted works in different formats (U. S.Copyright Office: No Electronic Theft Act Of 1997, 2005). Some of the technologies making it easier to pirate software include: the optical drive (ironically appearing in the U. S. in 1997), multimedia technology, hard drive technology (improved storage capacity), and software technology. Also there were technological advances in/with mobile devices, peer to peer software, wireless networks, and flash drives- all of which greased the wheel of piracy. Electronic Transfer Funds Act of 1978 Another enactment necessitated by increasing technological capabilities was the Electronic Fund Transfer Act of 1978 (EFT).The popularization of credit cards likely prompted Congress to draw-up and approve the EFT Act of 1978. Though, not as complex as the 90’s advancement, technology was on the move during the 1970’s. Just a year or two earlier the Visa Card debuted- coincidentally. Electronic transactions were becoming popular. ATM’s where popping-up and several different kinds of credit cards were available by 1978, the first appearing in the United States during the 1920’s (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2013). Naturally, as more electronic fund transactions occurred, the threat of theft increased, as well as the need for government.Conclusion As information technology advances, laws governing the use of this technology are written, enacted, and amended. Without frequently updated laws governing the use of information technology, everyone would be at risk- assuming the system would not succumb to chaos and corruption and utterly failing. References: Encyclopedia Britannica. (2013). Retrieved from britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/142321/credit-card U. S. Copyright Office: No Electronic Theft Act. (2005). Retrieved from copyright. gov/docs/2265_stat. html