ABSTRACT

The ethical nature of the Internet has been likened to “a restroom in a downtown bus station,” where the lowest of the low congregate and nothing good ever happens. This manifestation of antisocial behavior can be attributed to one or more of the following:

The relative anonymity of those who use the net

The lack of regulation in cyberspace

The fact that one can masquerade as another on the Internet

The fact that one can fulfill a fantasy or assume a different persona on the net, thereby eliminating the social obligation to be accountable for one’s own actions

Whatever the reason, the Internet, also known as the “wild west” or the “untamed frontier,” is absent of law and therefore is a natural playground for illicit, illegal, and unethical behavior.