Ethical concerns are often a part of of computer abuse. In cases involving hacking,
for example, ‘‘ignorance of proper conduct’’ or ‘‘misguided playfulness’’ may be the
problem. To some, the challenge of defrauding a computer system and avoiding detection
is irresistible because success brings recognition, notoriety, and even heroism. In these cases, ethical issues are overlooked and the costs of recovering from the abuse are ignored. The acceptability of these motives comes down to issues of morality. But ‘‘morality’’ in corporate cultures is typically a relative value. In one case, for example, a man named Fred Darm stole a computer program from a rival firm through his computer terminal. At his trial, the defense argued that it was common practice for programmers of rival firms to ‘‘snoop’’ in each other’s data files to obtain competitive information. Thus, when he was apprehended for his offense, Darm was not only surprised, he was quite offended