Ethics In The Computer Age (1984)

This dramatized educational film explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding computer use during the early rise of personal computing. It follows two teenage programmers who create a video game called *Oil’s Well* and license it to a software company, only to discover it’s being illegally copied and sold by pirates. Their excitement turns to dismay as they witness the financial and moral impact of software piracy firsthand.

The second half of the film shifts focus to a high school student using a computer to complete a report on Oliver Wendell Holmes. With the help of a tech-savvy friend, he accesses protected databases through a hacker network, justifying it as a harmless game. However, his unauthorized access to a hospital databank causes a system malfunction during a medical emergency, endangering a patient’s life.

Through these narratives, the film highlights themes of digital responsibility, privacy, and the real-world consequences of unethical computer behavior. Interviews with computer professionals underscore the growing threat of software piracy and hacking, emphasizing that actions taken on computers—though seemingly invisible—can have serious personal and societal consequences.

Keywords
computer gaming, ethics, hacking, software piracy, Oil’s Well, licensing, underground culture, game development, copyright infringement

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