1. expectation damages / 'benefit of the bargain' damages 2. general/actual damages 3. liquidated/stipulated damages 4. reliance damages 5. restitution damages 6. special/consequential damages 7. punitive/exemplary damages | a. compensation agreed upon by the parties and set forth in the contract that must be paid by one or the other in the event that the contract is breached b. compensation determined by the amount of benefit unjustly received by the breaching party c. compensation for losses which are as a result of special facts and circumstances relating to a particular transaction which were foreseeable by the breaching party at the time of contract d. compensation which seeks to put the non-breaching party in the position he would have been had the contract been performed e. compensation for a loss that is the natural and logical result of the breach of contract f. compensation which is imposed by the court to deter malicious conduct in the future g. compensation necessary to reimburse the non-breaching party for efforts expended or expenses incurred in the reasonable belief that the contract will be performed |
UNIT 6
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW AND CYBERCRIME
ACTIVE VOCAVULARY
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Computer security
The development of information technology and e-commerce has presented exciting business opportunities. However, the increasing sophistication of the systems and applications available to end users has created significant legal challenges to individuals, companies, the legislature and legal advisors. The technology necessary to access the Internet has also enabled innovative illegal activities. These include the breach of computer security and unauthorized access to a computer commonly known as hacking. There is also the distribution of illegally obtained content from databases, as well as virus writing or virus spreading achieved by attacks on insecure servers that lack adequate protection. In the UK, the Computer Misuse Act deals with such illegal use, and also the publication and distribution of material that may be used to aid hacking. Unfortunately, unless you have adequate security systems in place, your business is at risk.
Cybercrime
There are cybercrimes that may affect you personally, such as credit card fraud online, commonly known as credit card scams, and identity (ID) theft, when financial benefit is obtained by deception using stolen personal information. In the USA, fraudsters, as they are known, who use a stolen identity to commit new crimes, may be charged with what is known in the States as aggravated ID theft. The Council of Europe Cybercrime Treaty, also signed by US and Japan, has the aim of international co-operation and mutual assistance in policing.
Other cybercrime may affect your business. There are cyberfraud, such as, where users are moved to fake, non-genuine sites, when they try to their bona fide bank website. Although banks have been raising public awareness of the practice by placing warnings on websites, some customers are still taken in by spam-emails inviting them to disclose account information.
Then, there is phishing, when a fraudster, by misrepresentation, gets Internet users to give out personal information in reply to spam e-mail sent unsolicited to a large number of people.
Internet users can also be tricked into money laundering activities which aid the transfer of illegal or stolen money.
Whether the fraudsters are using phishing or pharming, criminal prosecution remains difficult, largely because many of the criminals are based outside the territory in which the victim resides. Extradition proceedings are difficult and rare, although some national courts may have limited extra-territorial jurisdiction. Phishing legislation may be drafted but the real problem is the cross-boarder nature of the fraud.
Data protection
The way you collect, store and distribute information that constitutes personal data on identifiable individuals is now subject to Data Protection legislation. If, for example, you ask potential customers to supply their address details via the web in the process of requesting further information concerning your business, you should also provide the data subject with information about the purpose of collecting the data. If your web page contains data relating specific employees, remember that this will be information readily available internatioanlly and nationally. You must have the consent of the individuals concerned allowing you to make such information available. That consent must be informed and freely given. Care must be taken in the management of personal web servers and server software and clear guidelines given to staff about your Internet policy in order to avoid falling foul of the law, for example, the defamation act. Finally, in addition to ensuring that you do not infringe regulations, you need to consider how to future-proof contracts you enter into, by considering potential and unknown developments which may affect your business.
LANGUAGE FOCUS
1. Give Russian equivalents for the following English words and phrases:
legislature legal advisors illegal activities breach of computer security unauthorized access illegally obtained content credit card fraud credit card scams identity (ID) theft financial benefit deception fraudsters aggravated ID theft defamation act fake sites | bona fide phishing misrepresentation in reply to money laundering activities criminal prosecution to draft legislation to fall foul of the law to infringe regulations to affect business to take in to disclose account information to trick into to commit crimes to charge with a crime |