Summary of Applicable Laws
Computer and network use is also subject to Indiana and Federal laws and regulations. Suspected violations of applicable law are subject to investigation by College and law enforcement officials. Among the applicable laws are (other laws may apply as well):Federal Copyright Law: U.S. copyright law grants authors certain exclusive rights of reproduction, adaptation, distribution, performance, display, attribution and integrity to their creations, including works of literature, photographs, music, software, film and video. Violations of copyright laws include, but are not limited to, the making of unauthorized copies of any copyrighted material (such as commercial software, text, graphic images, audio and video recordings) and distributing copyrighted materials over computer networks or through other means.
Federal Wire Fraud Law: Federal law prohibits the use of interstate communications systems (phone, wire, radio, or television transmissions) to further an illegal scheme or to defraud.
Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Law: Federal law prohibits unauthorized access to, or modification of information in computers containing national defense, banking, or financial information.
Federal Child Pornography Laws: Federal and Indiana laws prohibit the creation, possession, or distribution of graphic depictions of minors engaged in sexual activity, including computer graphics. Computers storing such information can be seized as evidence.
Pyramid schemes/Chain Letters: It is a violation of the Federal Postal Lottery Statute to send chain letters which request sending money or something of value through the U.S. mail. Solicitations through electronic messaging are also illegal, if they require use of U.S. mail for sending money/something of value.
Defamation: Someone may seek civil remedies if they can show that they were clearly identified as the subject of defamatory messages and suffered damages as a consequence. Truth is a defense against charges of defamation.
Common law actions for invasion of privacy: Someone may take seek civil remedies for invasion of privacy on several grounds.
Public disclosure of private facts: the widespread disclosure of facts about a person, even when true, may be deemed harmful enough to justify a lawsuit.
False light: a person wrongfully attributes views or characteristics to another person in ways that damage that person's reputation.
Wrongful intrusion: the law often protects those areas of a person's life in which they can reasonably expect they will not be intruded upon.
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