Internet Law Terms and Definitions

For help with your Internet Law case, contact one of our Internet Attorneys today for the assistance you need!

Bit A "binary digit," the smallest unit of measurement having values of 0 or 1. Bits are used to record the size of a data file on a computer, the capacity per second of a network, and so on. 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. Cyber-cash On the Internet, customers often purchase products or services by giving their credit card information to a supplier, who then submits a debit to the customer's account with a credit card agency. Cyber-cash provides a new alternative, for which no one standard approach is dominant. SSL Certificates A URL that begins with “https://” (instead of “http://”) indicates that information is being transmitted over a secure connection and the company has been issued an Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate. 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. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) An independent regulatory agency established by the 1934 Communications Act, the United States' principal legislative framework for the communications industries. Viruses & trojans These sciripts can be used to change or destroy data through email or through files 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." Ports Web pages are accessed on servers through ports. A port can be specified by following the URL with a colon and the port number. If no port is specified, the browser uses port 80 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.

For help with your Internet Law case, contact one of our Internet Attorneys today for the assistance you need!

	Did You Know?
	1996 Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (EFOIA) The 1966 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits any person to request access to federal agency records or information. Federal agencies are required to disclose records upon receipt of a written request, except for records that are protected from disclosure by nice exemptions or three exclusions in the Act. Persons are also able to request documents in an electronic format under the 1996 Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (EFOIA).