Re: Ethics

Hey, Susan:  ;-)

Great topic and one that I think you and I are on the same page.   You 
would think this shouldn't have to be discussed however I run into the lack 
of ethics  more than I run into those who use it to guide their 
business.  Ethics and integrity seem to be very lean in business in general.

>At 12:56 PM 9/5/01 -0700, Susan Vollmer wrote:
>
>If anyone has any thoughts on the following, I would
>appreciate your input.
>Yesterday, a reporter asked me what is the point of industry
>organizations on web design if other people steal your writing and your
>photos.  He had just found out that a competing site
>had opened and stolen his copy and photos.

Short version: Some folks really don't know what "wrong" is and others just 
don't care....

Long winded version:  I think the "point" of each organization is different 
in focus.  And, the affectivity of that organization is directly related to 
the caliber of folks they attract as members.  No criteria for membership - 
the bar is low.   For example, whenever I consider partnering with a 
supplier I ask them what the qualifications are to represent them.  If they 
don't screen or interview to insure that they have credible, ethical folks 
as their partners and just take anyone who will pay the fee or sign on the 
line - I go in the opposite direction.

Add to that the market's perception of what the organization stands for - 
or not.  If this is not made clear, people can assume what a logo or a 
membership means when in fact it may mean something entirely different.

>It's
>unclear if the competing site is a member of the HWG,
>the IWA or anything else.  His point was that ethics
>should be the most important point of any industry
>organization.

You would think!!  For example the BBB controls rabidly the use of their 
logo and by whom.  To me that lends credibility stating your company is a 
member because of what that stands for.  Not everyone can successfully 
become a member and display that logo.

But, if folks don't check out who the BBB is (Broads for the Bettterment of 
Batavia?) and what it stands for, stating membership or displaying their 
logo is mute.  In the case of the BBB, they have made their policies clear 
and have done a consistent enough job for companies to want to be members 
because they know the "market" knows what the BBB stands for and 
against.  The BBB also insures their logo links to the information that 
qualifies why that business can and has their logo displayed.  This too 
qualifies the membership and the organization.

In the case of the HWG which is only an educational resource .org 
displaying the logo only means you are member who is committed to 
learning.  And, you would think that ethics would/should be part of 
that.  That said, it is very difficult to monitor a program like this with 
billions of Web pages and a gazzillion of Web files out there.

That said, many folks will see a logo on a site and assume it means more 
than it does.  When I used to have my office in a downtown district where 
folks could just walk in, I had a mother of a local high school student 
stop by and pretty much state I should hire her son because he had the same 
skills and experience as I did being he was an HWG member and all.......

Well, at the time I had run this business profitably for 4 years, had and 
college engineering and accounting courses under my belt added with 15 
years of corporate experience.  How could a HS kid get all that by virtue 
of being an HWG member? ;-)

>Is there any repercussion for a member caught stealing
>content?  Can the individual at least be removed as a
>member?

I would think moving forward this would be an important issue to address 
and feel it would be for the betterment of both the HWG/IWA to have 
standards/rules for logo display.  Hopefully the best of an educationally 
based and a professionally based org can compliment each other in that 
regard.  Still remains the problems of implementation and policing of logo use.

I would hope that if someone is caught in the act who is a member there 
should be some sort of action and resolution process that kicks in.

>Are there any steps that you take to protect yourself
>and your sites?

You can only do so much as far as messing with your code so it isn't easy 
to copy or disabling right click for graphics which is not 
recommended.  What I do is be on a constant "watch" for my information, 
graphics, files etc.  I feel this is part of the nature of the beast online 
added with the lack of ethics and integrity you mention.

>What recourses are there before hiring a lawyer?

You can ask the person to remove the information immediately and report 
them to their ISP by virtue of the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright 
Act).  Most hosting/ISPs have their policies in regards to this Act and how 
you need to submit a claim.  My experience has been when done properly and 
professionally, they take immediate action against those who stole your 
work by shutting them down.

If a professional request to the thief goes unanswered or they don't give 
you that warm fuzzy you need, you have no choice but to get an attorney and 
protect your work.

>If you obtain a computer science degree, is a class on
>ethics part of the required curriculum?

No idea.  I do watch the technology courseware that is spewed out on a 
regular basis whether through private "seminar" companies or local 
community colleges and ethics issues - in this field - are not addressed or 
even mentioned.

>My
>educational background is journalism, and any
>responsible journalist knows that you don't plagiarize
>information unless you want to be fired.

You are educated.  I think a big part of this problem is the folks who pull 
this do not have any real-world business experience or education to learn 
about such issues.  And, if they are not parented on these issues as a 
munchkin - well, that's why we have this situation.

I can't tell you how many times clients have asked me to use graphics from 
another site and were very surprised when I relayed the reality of that 
issue.  They didn't know - they just assumed because you can, means you do 
- regardless of the implications.  (Why is it "because I want to" seems to 
be the only good reason for many poor choices now a days not only online 
but I think in our culture in general? )

Online is just a reflection of off-line with a false sense of security and 
anonymity which makes those prone to this behavior to think they are more 
likely to get away with it.  Those whom I have caught in the act, react 
with venom and vigor as though how dare I report them for stealing my 
work!  If folks are not being taught about ethics from their parents or in 
our educational system, they aren't going to pick it up by osmosis.

>Anyway, if you would like to provide input on any or
>all of these questions, your thoughts would be
>appreciated.

Ethics goes two ways - from the company offering the services to the client 
who needs to learn just enough to know who has ethics and who doesn't.  My 
experience shows that in many cases cheap prices for low-par work dazzles 
some customers enough for them to not care about if ethics or integrity are 
in fact in even in play or considered.

Hence, why my business targets the kind of folks I can respect in the long 
run.  Because, if a potential client does not have the ethics or integrity 
that I can respect either in how they run their business or what they 
request I do on their behalf - I don't want their green.

/j

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