Ethical Considerations in Use of ICT Platforms and Tools

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind such as books, music, software, art and inventions. Copyright is the legal right that protects the work of creators from being copied or used without their permission. Violations include copying a song, using software without a license and downloading movies illegally. Credit must always be given to the original creator when using their work.

Originality and Avoiding Plagiarism
Plagiarism means presenting someone else's work or ideas as one's own without giving proper credit. Its forms include copying text directly, paraphrasing without credit and submitting someone else's assignment as one's own. To avoid plagiarism, sources should always be cited, ideas should be expressed in one's own words and plagiarism checking tools such as Turnitin and Grammarly should be used. Unauthorized use of information sources is also considered unethical.

Content Accuracy and Integrity
Not all information on the internet is true. Fake news and misinformation spread very rapidly online. Misinformation refers to false information that is shared without the intent to deceive. Disinformation refers to false information that is deliberately spread to mislead people. Manipulation involves editing images, videos or facts to create a false impression, such as deepfakes. To verify information, one should check whether the source is a reliable website, look for multiple sources confirming the same fact, check the date of the article and use fact-checking websites. Only accurate and verified information should be shared in order to maintain content integrity.