Legal and regulatory environment that influenced the Internet Essay

The internet is a dynamic field which is a product of several influences, which at times are contradictory. The constitutions of several countries were created before the advent of the internet, the need to create and amend laws and regulations governing the internet have influenced the internet. However, two major issues that have been of legal and regulatory contention are privacy and security; this is because privacy seems to be conversely related with security. The internet has made it possible for detailed personal information to be easily availed and shared, this has however infringed on the personal rights of privacy, according to Frackman, et al. (2002), several acts such as Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act have influenced immensely the internet since firms have to comply with the provisions of the Acts on all the personal information they collect ,and the personal information availed as content in the internet, since availing much information infringes of personal rights . However the issues of electronic commerce, cyber crime, network and state security, intellectual property rights, consumer rights and exchange of credit information have called for sharing of more information on the internet. Laws and regulations, such as Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010, have called for extensive sharing of personal information on the internet, due to security concerns which in essence contradicts the objective of privacy. The privacy and security legal and regulatory environment have therefore greatly influenced the Internet. Explain how Dell initially used software and the Internet to increase sales and yield cost savings Dell is an international company offering computing services and products. Facing increasing costs in product distribution, the company founded the Integrated Dell Desktop (IDD); this offers simple desktop functionality to sales representatives, who are connected together via the internet. The system offers the clients the possibility of ordering bespoke systems directly from hence eliminating the middle men, therefore saving costs; this has been made possible by the company’s website dell. com and call centres. Dell was able to increase sales due to increased customer satisfaction, as a result of customers having the product of their selection. IDD also saved costs for dell, and improved profit for the company as well as offering competitive strategic advantage since the sales personnel were empowered to get any relevant information , since all the back end systems were integrated. In addition, the company was also to save on personnel costs, costs on offering training to the sales representatives were reduced as well as customers being able to get all the relevant information concerning the products from the website. Moreover, storage costs were reduced since the machines were produced depending on the customers’ customization and shipped to customer. IDD and the internet have therefore contributed to reducing costs and increasing sales at Dell.