Legal and Ethical Issues

Legal

Authorship

The best thing to do when it comes to new business ventures or products is to patent your creations. Essentially it is claiming ownership of a name, idea or image - and using this in a professional manner to withhold the ethos of your company. These can come in different ways, for example someone may have the copyright of a lyric or tune but not the right to publish and record (or vice versa) - which complicates the dynamic in a creative industry, where we are in constant battle of what's original or creatively owned.

Data protection

Data protection is essentially looking after information that companies have gathered on their clients/customers. This is of paramount importance especially in todays climate where we see people personal data being more valuable than ever. Companies will pay a lot of money to see what you like and don't like as an individual, and companies will sell this as a whole algorithm for companies to use how they like. When you go onto any kind of official site it will ask you permission to gather data or accept cookies which is essentially saying we can gather what we want when you are on our site - you can actually just decline this but we are given the impression we won't be able to access the website until we do. This in many ways i a breach of the data protection act and yet we still see companies openly taking data without consent. 

Libel and Slander

This is essentially saying something that can damage a person or company and isn't factually true. An offence that companies will take very seriously in this day and age where word can be spread like wildfire on the internet. An example would be most obvious in politics, where we see politicians spreading rumours to essentially divert the public into fake ideals of other candidates. The same thing is found within the business and creative sector, what you say especially as an influential person, has serious repercussions.

Equality Act: Accessibility

The equality act is to be assured every person in use of the website or product is treated fairly, which could include deaf or blind people (e.g. captioning an image so it may be dictated) or offering some kind of assistance for people with learning difficulties.

Obscene Publications

It is the law the protects magazines and newspapers or any other media outlet from publishing obscene images or text. depending on the circumstance the obscenity act can come into play for example including sexualised images within a environment typically surrounded with young children would be considered a breach of the obscenity act. 

Computer Misuse

Essentially hacking but can delve into different areas such as revealing information from a company computer without permission. It would be using the technology of chosen company or industry and using it to reveal or steal information that is not permitted. 

Contracts 

Contracts are a written account of an agreement between individuals or sometimes a group of people. It is binding under the law once both contractees have signed it, for example: An employer offering a contract of 30 hours per week would be in breach of their contract if they deducted hours to 20 hours lets say. This is also apparent even in freelance contract, you must ensure you fulfilled the contract terms. 

Relationship with Client

This is essentially ensuring you are being amiable, repeatable and listening to your clients needs. Vital importance within any contractual agreement to ensure both people are comfortable with whatever terms are being agreed to - whether it be a transactional sale or a new employment. 

Blasphemy

Debates of politics, religion, race or gender - blasphemy is talking ill of a subject or group of people and is a major issue in the modern world moving away from its typical staple of being for religious people and turning more into racial and gender issues. Today every company works out a solid plan in retaliation to blasphemy tendencies.  

Representation

Ensuring you have a wide variety of emplyees from all walks of age, gender and race. This is important to be inclusive of your workers to make all kinds of people feel welcome and especially in the modern ages - unity has become most popular it is not only healthy but smart for new business to follow suit and include a range of representation.