§ 11-52-1 - Definitions.
SECTION 11-52-1
§ 11-52-1 Definitions. – As used in this chapter:
(1) "Access" means to approach, instruct, communicate with,store data in, enter data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of anyresources of, a computer, computer system, or computer network.
(2) "Computer" means an electronic, magnetic, optical,hydraulic or organic device or group of devices which, pursuant to a computerprogram, to human instruction, or to permanent instructions contained in thedevice or group of devices, can automatically perform computer operations withor on computer data and can communicate the results to another computer or to aperson. The term "computer" includes any connected or directly related device,equipment, or facility which enables the computer to store, retrieve orcommunicate computer programs, computer data or the results of computeroperations to or from a person, another computer or another device.
(3) "Computer data" means any representation of information,knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions which is being prepared or has beenprepared and is intended to be processed, is being processed, or has beenprocessed in a computer or computer network. "Computer data" may be in anyform, whether readable only by a computer or only by a human or by either,including, but not limited to, computer printouts, magnetic storage media,punched cards, or data stored internally in the memory of the computer.
(4) "Computer network" means a set of related, remotelyconnected devices and any communications facilities including more than onecomputer with the capability to transmit data among them through thecommunications facilities.
(5) "Computer operation" means arithmetic, logical,monitoring, storage or retrieval functions and any combination of them, andincludes, but is not limited to, communication with, storage of data to, orretrieval of data from any device or human hand manipulation of electronic ormagnetic impulses. A "computer operation" for a particular computer may also beany function for which that computer was generally designed.
(6) "Computer program" means a series of instructions orstatements or related data that, in actual or modified form, is capable ofcausing a computer or a computer system to perform specified functions in aform acceptable to a computer, which permits the functioning of a computersystem in a manner designed to provide appropriate products from the computersystems.
(7) "Computer services" includes computer time or services,data processing services, Internet service providers' networks and facilitieslocated in the state or information or data stored in connection with them.
(8) "Computer software" means a set of computer programs,procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of acomputer, computer program or computer network.
(9) "Computer system" means a set of related, connected orunconnected, computer equipment, devices, and software.
(10) "Data" means any representation of information,knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions which are being prepared or havebeen prepared and are intended to be entered, processed, or stored, are beingentered, processed, or stored or have been entered, processed, or stored in acomputer, computer system, or computer network.
(11) "Electronic mail service provider" means any business ororganization qualified to do business in the state of Rhode Island thatprovides registered users the ability to send or receive electronic mailthrough equipment located in this state and that is an intermediary in sendingor receiving electronic mail.
(12) "Financial instrument" includes, but is not limited to,any check, draft, warrant, money order, note, certificate of deposit, letter ofcredit, bill of exchange, credit or debit card transaction authorizationmechanism, marketable security, or any computerized representation of any ofthese.
(13) "Owner" means an owner or lessee of a computer or acomputer network or an owner, lessee, or licensee of computer data, computerprograms, or computer software.
(14) "Person" shall include any individual, partnership,association, corporation or joint venture.
(15) "Property" includes, but is not limited to:
(i) Real property;
(ii) Computers and computer networks;
(iii) Financial instruments, computer data, computerprograms, computer software and all other personal property regardless ofwhether they are:
(A) Tangible or intangible;
(B) In a format readable by humans or by a computer;
(C) In transit between computers or within a computer networkor between any devices which comprise a computer; or
(D) Located on any paper or in any device on which it isstored by a computer or by a human; and
(E) Computer services.
(iv) A person "uses" a computer or computer network when heor she:
(A) Attempts to cause or causes a computer or computernetwork to perform or to stop performing computer operations;
(B) Attempts to cause or causes the withholding or denial ofthe use of a computer, computer network, computer program, computer data orcomputer software to another user; or
(C) Attempts to cause or causes another person to put falseinformation into a computer.
(v) A person is "without authority" when: (A) he or she hasno right or permission of the owner to use a computer, or, he or she uses acomputer in a manner exceeding his or her right or permission or (B) he or sheuses an Internet service e-mail system offered by a Rhode Island based Internetservice provider in contravention of the authority granted by or in violationof the policies set by the Internet service provider.
(vi) Transmission of electronic mail from an organization toits members shall not be deemed to be unsolicited bulk electronic mail.
(16) "Services" includes, but is not limited to, computertime, data processing, and storage functions.
(17) "Source document" means an original document or recordwhich forms the basis of every electronic entry put into a computer, computersystem, or computer network.