Play safe in cyberspace

Child pornography, chatting for illegal sex with under 18 children; or facilitating/resorting to prostitution either by ordinary user of Internet or email communication can result in cyber crime in the US

You are reading this article amidst the most tumultuous development in recent times from the United States that sparked an intense debate on cyber security vis-�-vis individual freedom and privacy. A 29-year-old computer technician who claims to have been working with the US National Security Agency, Edward Snowden, is in the centre of the storm. He chose to leave America for a safe haven in one of the special administrative regions (Hong Kong) under the control of the Peoples Republic of China before opting to leak the details of a top secret anti-terrorist US' programme that supposedly gathers vast amounts of data from millions of phone and Internet users.

This will have far-reaching consequences in America which has already been compelled to acknowledge the cyberspace as akin to any warzone where it needs to strategise its defenses against powerful adversaries with unmatched cyber-hacking skills like China. Added to that, the episodes of Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning (US Army soldier who supplied classified material to WikiLeaks) might also upset the US administration for another reason as they indicate a warning sign that younger generation of Americans have been willingly compromising on work ethics in favour of upholding, what they presume, the democratic values or individual freedom. In this backdrop, it's imminent that the US government, which has already been enforcing a strict domestic regime on cyber ethics, would go much deeper into it to further strengthen the code of internet behavior and integrity.

The term "cyberspace" was first used by renowned author and American-Canadian novelist William Ford Gibson in his 1984 work titled "Neuromancer." As you are aware, this metaphor portrays an imaginary "landscape" or "territory" as formed under a cluster of computer systems. The cyberspace facilitates human interactions, discussions or networking on social, cultural, political or economic issues at the global level. The US administration, which has completely measured the power of the cyberspace, recognised it as a component of the US national critical infrastructure. Visiting international students or temporary workers to the US or those who land in the country as inbound immigrants should always keep in mind that they are living in a high-sensitive cyber zone and they should adhere to cyber ethics, immaculately.

Cyber ethics is nothing but a code of responsible behavior on the Internet. It advocates high standards of Internet usage among "cyber citizens." Spreading rumours, harassing or stalking or embarrassing others on Internet; or threatening another person on the cyber space comes under a severe offence called cyber bullying. Copying or downloading any material that has copyright restrictions, unauthorised accessing of other's computer system and using hateful or rude language on Internet also amounts to violation of cyber ethics in the United States. One should not assume that cyber ethics is meant only for techies or computer professionals; it's to be adhered to by even an ordinary user of Internet and email communication. And, this is more so in America!

Our cyber footprints last forever in the cyberspace. If we are connected to the Internet, whatever that we do on our computer is automatically recorded somewhere on a server and it may be tracked or retrieved after several years also. In America, there is always a very strict vigilance on the cyber behaviour of Internet users. Cyber offenders like those who resort to child pornography, chatting for illegal sex with under 18 children; or facilitating/resorting to prostitution will be nabbed within no time.

Those who are planning for longer stays in the US as students or temporary workers or other category visitors should educate their children and family members also about the high-sensitive cyber zone in that country and equip them with the best Mantra of survival�BE NICE AND POLITE ON THE INTERNET!