Internet Law Terms and Definitions

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Hypertext The presentation of digital information in such manner that computer files are linked to other files concerning related subjects which may be stored on the same or other computers. These links are built into the text of a file and highlighted in some manner, so that a user may click on them and be instantly connected to the other files. Hypertext's most notable usages are on the World Wide Web, and, to a greater extent, in private organizational "intranets." SOFTWARE COPYRIGHT Computer programs are considered "literary works" for the purpose of copyright law. The 1980 amendments to the Copyright Act define a computer program as a "set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result." Phishing Email “Phishing” is an email scam that attempts to defraud people of their personal information including credit card number, bank account information, social security number, and their mother’s maiden name. Viruses & trojans These sciripts can be used to change or destroy data through email or through files Cable modem A modem supplied by a cable television operator that allows users to access the Internet or other information services over cable television networks, which comprise broadband coaxial cables and are capable of much greater speed than conventional twisted pair copper telephone lines. E-mail address law SB1506 California file sharers who trade songs or films without providing an e- mail address will be guilty of a misdemeanor, under the first-in-the-nation measure that could make it easier for law enforcement to track down people who illegally download copyrighted material. Telecommunications Act of 1996 A law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Clinton that extensively revises and updates the 1934 Communications Act, heretofore the principal law governing U.S. communications industries. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) An independent regulatory agency established by the 1934 Communications Act, the United States' principal legislative framework for the communications industries. DNS Domain Name Server – Used to map names to IP addresses and vice versa. Domain Name Servers maintain central lists of domain name/IP addresses and map the domain names in your Internet requests to other servers on the Internet until the specified web site is found. See Also: IP Address Go to top Wiretap Act Rule on the degree to which the federal Wiretap Act protects the privacy of e-mail, by deciding whether the act applies to e-mail held in temporary storage.

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	Did You Know?
	DNS translates the name into the corresponding IP address The Domain Name System is a system of mapping names to IP addresses. Because domain names are alphabetic, they're easier for humans to remember. The Internet, however, is really based on IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, DNS translates the name into the corresponding IP address. It is similar to a phonebook for the Internet. See: Domain Name System