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This assignment is due on February 21.  Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (assignments submitted 4 days late or later will have a maximum grade of 1 point).
This assignment is due on February 21.  Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (assignments submitted 4 days late or later will have a maximum grade of 1 point).


Please make sure the name of your file includes your name (example: Name_Assignment2.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. ''The '''upload file''' link is to the left, under '''toolbox'''.''  Once you've uploaded your file, please link to it following the format below:
''Please name your file "wikiusername_Assignment2," where "wikiusername" is replaced with your username, to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment or causing errors in the Wiki by including forbidden characters.'' So if your username is "jdoe" and your file is a Word document your file should be named "jdoe_Assignment2.doc."


*Name:  
Upload your rough draft here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Special:Upload Upload file]. If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Special:ImageList list of uploaded files].
*Prospectus title:  
*Link to prospectus: (the file you uploaded)


If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Special:ImageList list of uploaded files].
In the [[#Submissions|submissions]] section below please post the following information:


===Comments===
*Name or pseudonym:  
Everyone will receive an additional participation grade for this assignment. You should read through everyone's proposals after they are uploaded and add constructive comments below the proposal on which you're commenting. Comments should be submitted by March 6 so you have time to incorporate them, if applicable, into your project outline. '''Please remember to sign your comments!'''
*Prospectus title:  
 
*Link to prospectus: (add your link here)
===Submissions===
<br><br>
<b>Name:</b> Stefan Cheplick<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Social Finance and StockTwits
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Social_Finance_Internet_and_Society.doc]<br>
<b>Prospectus 2:</b> Bitcoins (in development. for fun.)
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:InternetandSociety_Bitcoins_SJC.doc]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Bitcoins have been an interesting trend to follow indeed. At one time I considered building a farm of my own, unfortunately it was literally impossible to find the video cards necessary to do it in bulk because the craze had reached its height. There are some interesting observations to be made here, and inspection of the available information could yield some interesting data under the right scrutiny. The main problem I see here is letting the project turn into something akin to a historical report of events. There is a broad article on the topic by Wired worth reading if you're interested. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/11/mf_bitcoin/all/1
[[User:BSK342|BSK342]] 14:19, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I think your project sounds interesting and may provide more of an honest forum on financial discussions than a cable news pundit who likely has a vested personal interest in recommending stock. For some reason I never thought of a website in which the benefit of the consumers through interaction was actually collective monetary gain... and the norms and rules that govern this exchange will be an interesting research question to explore. How do people prevent their personal interests from interfering with neutral and helpful financial advice?--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:49, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Stefan --- I'm interested in finance as well and was unaware of all these sites. Do your sites have anything in common with yahoo! finance (the largest finance site still) or google finance and so many more? I am wondering what the difference is between the large base of msg boards is and the sites. Perhaps some commentary on the difference between these new sites and the traditional finance web sites? Very interesting. Economics has been a big factor in our studies in this class --- wondering if you can extract the economic impact from your study. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 17:53, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hey Stefan, I don't know much about finnance, but I wonder if there are any specific moral issues worth focusing on? Are people using stocktwits info to make investment decisions? If so, how does the info get vetted? [[User:David Taber|David Taber]] 18:49, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Stefan, this subject is quite fascinating!  It’s the first time I’ve heard of it, which maybe shows how out of the loop I am, but I see the potential for making a system that does not depend on those who already control the existing monetary system.  For that very reason, I suggest that it might be interesting to hypothesize what their (the status quo’s) reaction might be, and what measures they might use to control or stamp out something like bitcoin.  What could bitcoin users do to defend their rights?  What impact might this have on international economics and law eventually?  Would governments welcome it or fight it?  Which kinds of governments?  All of them?  I think the ensuing battle might be similar to the recording industry giants and the movement to open channels for the independent producers.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 09:25, 12 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Sab<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b>
Free Online High-Quality Education: The Next Revolution on Internet?[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Sab_Assignment_2.doc_-_Copie.doc]<br>
--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 13:49, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
 
Hi Sab, I like your topic a lot because my project has to do also with distance education online. I’m working on the Open University case. It seems that you have a specific question that is related to the emergence of high-quality student-centric education system as a true public good, and I would say your question is good narrowed, but would be better if you work in just one of the cases of the four you mentioned—Sal Khan’s project, MITx, Harvard, and the London School of Economics. I’d like to know more about Khan’s project since we already know how the online paid degrees are in Harvard. Very interesting, good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC) 
 
 
Hi Sabrina, I find your topic very interesting! I am curious to find out how the lack of interaction between students and teachers affect the quality of online versus offline education, and how you are going to measure it? Or if you are interested in exploring how the lack of students and teachers interaction affect the quality of education, I suggest comparing a community with interaction to one without.  Best, Quynh. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 22:48, 4 March 2012 (UTC) Hello, Thanks for your comments. Intercations can be measured when you have forumn, lie lectures or section, wiki. Success is measurable by the rate of drop out, the rate of success, ect. Thanks again for helping me to be more precised. --[[User:Sab|Sab]] 12:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Make sure to narrow your thesis to something you can study and argue in a quantifiable way, but this sounds like an interesting concept. How much will you be using our specific class as a source? [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Our class is wonderful example of tools put in place to create interactivity between students and teachers. The quantitative part will be more an observation of the students community. When looking of forum, you can draw the best model that students are looking for. Therefore, I will try to find a way to quantify the criteria that students are looking for in an online education system.--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 12:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sabrina, I think this is a great topic. Your prospectus definitely references issues under the "politics and control" umbrella which this class studies. I think if you stay on that track to study the changes you will have a great study. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:00, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Hi Sab. You picked a wonderful topic. I completed most of my undergraduate degree through distance education, and had experienced DL at various institutions and levels. I am glad to see someone is interested in the rich opportunities DL offers.
 
This prospectus covers a lot of topics. With the 10-page limit you may want to narrow down to one or two. I suggest
 
A. the first thing you could do is to define your subject – free online education websites (e.g. MIT OpenCourseWare, Ted Talk, etc) or DL facilitated by educational institutions (e.g. Harvard Extension School, University of London International Programmes, etc), as both serve different purposes and are operated differently.
 
B. Out of all the areas you wish to explore, I personally would love to read about “the economic model of free online education websites” as well as “the construction of the teacher and student interactive community”. I think the quality of education and professionalism of teachers are really institution-dependent. HES here is a leader in providing quality education and best teachers because the school  obviously would not like to mess up the Harvard name *grin*. But I can imagine certain institutions may not stick to the same ideal. So I personally do not find this issue worthy of much ponderance.
 
As for copyright of the lectures, I think it’s an interesting issue as well. I’ve once asked Professor Allan Ryan, Harvard’s IP lawyer and the instructor of HES’ IP and Media Law courses, whether obtaining the copyright of the material we use in the DE courses is an issue. He replied that luckily , the US has a law that says using copyrighted material for educational purposes is considered fair use. So we are covered in most aspects. The relevant laws are 1) Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization Act of 2002, and 2) amendment to the US Copyright Law section 110(2). Hope this information helps! --[[User:YHHsiao|YHHsiao]] 10:25, 5 March 2012 (UTC) Yep, We have seen that in class. I wwas also suprised by the fair use for non profit education prurposes.--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 12:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Thank you for your suggestions. In fact, I plan just to observe the student community and try to make a matricial scheme that let emerge a model as intercativity, professionnalism of the teacher, free degree, non degree, tradename, etc. Then, I will try to see the issues that such model rise  like copyright, economic model--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 12:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sabrina, your project seems very interesting and I have always thought about education, degrees and online programs. I personally think that if a person wants an education he or she can do that either by means of a computer or by going to a library. On the other hand we must consider today’s job  market and the requirements (degrees) to meet in order to obtain a good job. I am curious to read your findings and I would like to wish you good luck on your paper. [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC) Thank you so much--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 12:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Great idea for a prospectus. Here are two of my immediate thoughts: I've often wondered if Khan Academy, for example, will someday be able to give out diplomas that employers respect? Since the release of Khan Academy I've noticed several other websites try to mimic it. Now Youtube is flooding with educational videos online(Google search results too). So, how will users of the Internet empower the best non-profit, online, community education platforms?    [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:16, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Very interesting topic and, to a degree, it somewhat overlaps with my proposed topic to study Khan Academy.  As for comments, I would just echo what some others have already mentioned: try to limit the scope of your thesis.  There is a lot of material to cover, and we only have so many pages.  I am struggling with this myself.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sab - interesting topic. I'd second (or third) the others in narrowing your thesis. DL is a huge topic. Looking forward to reading your conclusions! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:32, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sabrina - Great topic.  Agreeing with a lot of folks on here about narrowing your thesis and also agree with Qdang's comments.  One detail regarding the Khan academy which has videos covering Kindergarten-12th grade math, science topics including biology, chemistry, physics, and humanities on finance/history.  I mention this as another idea to focus on whether you're referring to online education in general or just online higher education (college/grad school).  And also decide whether to use the word "free" or not since a few examples (HES, London School of Economics) are not technically free but reasonably priced.  I think if you take the "free" out of the thesis statement/question it might help to encompass all of the examples instead of sort of contradicting it. Hope that makes sense!  I attached a couple links here that I thought are interesting including a blog written by an HES ALM graduate and the other has some interesting stats from an analysis/study conducted by the Department of Education.  Can't wait to read it! :)
[[http://harvardextended.blogspot.com/2008/09/final-thoughts-about-harvard-extension.html Final Thoughts About Harvard Extension]] [[http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf Meta-Analysis & Review of Online Learning Studies]] [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 07:15, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sabrina. This is a very interesting topic, especially given the example of Harvard Extension and MITx. I would love to read more on the differences about these two schools. Free online education is a definite step forward that will come sooner or later. Good luck.
 
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:02, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sabrina: Excellent topic! It is interesting to me about the assortment of online programs available. I came across this article which might be of interest:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2011/12/21/m-i-t-game-changer-free-online-education-for-all/
--[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 16:48, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I think that you raise some important questions and I like how you will compare various forms of affordable online education. Of course I think one area to focus on more is the socioeconomic background of the potential students. We may believe that Harvard Extension School’s online program, while affordable and perhaps stronger than Kahn’s program, may be the best solution for affordable education. But many people in developing countries won’t be able to afford such education, meaning that Kahn’s program is the only way they have may advance their own education. I think that accessibility should be considered as your work through this great topic. Good job and great topic.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:49, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
----
 
----
Sab, that is an interesting subject, dear to my heart.  I think you are doing well in researching a variety of online educational sources, sampling and demonstrating the whole spectrum, it seems.  Maybe a good question to ask and answer would be how those online degrees are considered by employers, universities, and other academics.  I wonder if someone getting an online Masters or even Doctorate would be considered by a “first tier” university for a teaching position.  It might be revealing to compare the experiences of a person who has taken both “in-class” courses and online courses.  Does that person feel that one had advantages or disadvantages over the other?  It will be informative for me to read your finished work.  I wish you well.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 10:57, 12 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> You-Hwa Hsiao<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b>
ACTA and the protests – a reaction to the governmental control extending into the cyber world[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Hsiao_assignment2.pdf]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
My greatest worry for this assignment is that it could easily become more a report on current events than an empirical study. There are a lot of observations to be made here, and although those observations are in part empirical it would be much easier to talk about the the material in a purely social context. Additionally the scope of your project could benefit from focus. Any single element of the hacktivist movement could serve as a worthy focal point for this project. All of these elements could benefit from further exploration. Good luck.
[[User:BSK342|BSK342]] 14:25, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi You-Hwa, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) sounds like a very interesting topic. I'm curious to hear more about how you plan to monitor the anti-ACTA community while you explore the impact of ACTA on online behavior. Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 19:48, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
Hi Aditkowsky. Thank you for your comment. You raised a very good question: how to monitor the anti-ACTA community. My current strategy is to continue googling the term Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and comb the results to see if there’s anything worth monitoring. Now I’ve found several websites that I will follow their updates:
 
1. Anonymous ( the hackers’ “official” website)
http://anonymousarmy.webs.com/acta.htm
I will exam their evolving discourse re. ACTA vis-à-vis freedom, etc.
 
2. Electronic Frontier Foundation https://www.eff.org/
 
3. Michael Geist’s blog
 
4. Google News
 
5. Wired.com  --> the website has been covering ACTA-related stories since two years ago.
 
6. More recommendations will be greatly appreciated! :)
 
--[[User:YHHsiao|YHHsiao]] 06:21, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
 
Hi You-Hwa Hsiao, I like the theme you propose and think it is narrowed to the ACTA case. You mention the question of how the ACTA galvanizes the Internet community, and that you want to follow the rest of the semester the development of this event. In this way, I would suggest your work to be more in an analytical sense than informative, developing interesting discussions and analysis with the information you will gather. Interesting topic, good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hello, I was confused by your topic at first. At the end I began to learn what the ACTA was in some of your research outline. Perhaps shed more light on the subject first and how it is working and with what cooperating nations. I am unaware of this currently. I think your study will be effective if you describe the factors going on and use some recent examples under the controversy to study the effects. Looking forward to learning more about this! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I like your prospectus and your topic is relevant. In particular, I find it interesting that hacking and cyberattacks are viewed as a sign of protest and that this protest element has assumed nontraditional forms. I think that you are covering a lot of ground with your thesis and you may want to focus on a particular dimension of ACTA/response to ACTA.
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:24, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I really like how you're exploring some issues of online vs. physical life in your topic.  I'm interested to see not just how your project develops but how your subject develops between now and the end of the course; it's such a current and evolving thing that you may get to study some really great major events related to it even in such a short span of time! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:06, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I think your topic is very relevant and I look forward to reading you paper. I am very curious to learn about these common (are they?) norms and values of the people in the virtual world vs those in the physical world and what it is exactly that they are protesting against [[User:MSS|MSS]] 16:43, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hello, I think your topic is very much related to the course and I will suggest the Lessig framework. I will also be interested in profiling the internet users that protest on and offline. Good luck!--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 18:12, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi You-Hwa, you raised many interesting questions in your prospectus. I am interested in finding out how the ACTA impact online behaviors, specifically, what are they trying to protect with the opposition? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 10:52, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi You-Hwa, have to concur with many folks on here and say what a cool and interesting topic.  I was also going to suggest the Lessig framework and agree with Aditkowsky on looking at anti-ACTA impact.  Curious to see how those sites you mentioned especially Anonymous will add color to your research.  If I come across any additional sites or see anything, I'll be sure to forward it along!  Good luck! [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 07:42, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
You-Hwa, I appreciate your prospectus. It is indeed interesting in how some hacker groups are protesting by attacking websites. I think the term for these people is Hacktivists? Not sure. In regards to your paper, I am incredibly interested in how the hacker groups develop their Hacktivsim. What is their management structure? Where do they organize? How does someone become a member? [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:04, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Very cool topic.  I too am very intrigued by the whole community of hacker groups that protest by attacking websites. My only comment is that I had a difficult time truly understanding what you will be measuring when you speak of online life and virtual life.  It would seem like each would have infinite things to measure, and it might be beneficial to define a short list so that the universe of things measured is well defined.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Very relevant topic. Seems like you will have a lot of research. How exactly do you intend to study or measure this? Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:36, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Hello You-Hwa. I find your topic very interesting because I am covering online piracy dilemma and I was always interested in ACTA especially after SOPA/PIPA fell through. What I might suggest is to also include how ACTA affected European nations. I remember that Poland was the one who said that they will not sign ACTA until others do. (http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/intellectual-property/2012/02/03/actas-eu-future-in-doubt-after-polish-pause-40094978/), which pretty much put ACTA at risk of not being signed by any European Nations. Anyway, good luck with your project. I look forward to reading more about ACTA.
 
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:09, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
You-Hwa: you're topic seems extremely interesting and as you stated very relevant to the course. Perhaps you at some case studies as well. I came across this article in the Washington Post which might be of interest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/acta-and-the-case-of-the-sopa-undead/2010/12/20/gIQA2amLzQ_blog.html
--[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 16:54, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi You-Hwa.  One aspect of your investigation particularly draws my attention, and I feel it is worth focusing on.  You bring out that states which are promoting ACTA have many internet user protesters who are fighting it.  States are supposed to represent their citizenry, at least in democratic countries, so if there is so much protest, are the states truly representing the majority of their people.  If not, who are they representing, and why?  Are the protesters, perhaps, a very vocal and active minority?  How can this be discerned so that the best interests of the majority are served, without infringing upon the interests of anyone?  Is that what ACTA truly seeks and would result in?  Is that what the hactivists truly seek?[[User:Mike|Mike]] 15:19, 12 March 2012 (UTC)
----
 
----
 
 
[[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 10:52, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Harvard212<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Being Nice and Free Speech on the Internet[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Harvard212_Assignment2.pdf]<br>
[[User:Harvard212|Harvard212]] 16:34 EST, 21 February 2012<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi Harvard212, I think you would have to apply what Rob said in class: cut your project in half, then in half, and whatever is left in third. This is not to say your topic is not interesting, I think it is, but—in my opinion—the question is very broad, and I would suggest to you to choose one part of being “nice” on the Internet, for example what kind of Etiquette can you find in a specific community (like we already analyzed in the Wikipedia’s case), or in a specific bloggers’ web page. Good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi @Harvard212, I'd love to hear more about the community you plan to study. It sounds like you've lined up a good framework for starting your review and it's now a matter of narrowing down the scope. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 19:41, 26 February 2012 (UTC)<br><br>
 
Hi Harvard: what is at stake? What are your research questions ultimately trying to determine? What are the effects of the presence or absence of policies? This has parallels to the politics and control of societies this class studyies with advances in technology. Should we care about etiquette when there is a marketplace of ideas? [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:11, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Agreed, this is certainly an interesting concept (what does "nice" mean? what are its implications? is it universal?) and I'll be interested to see how you narrow it down to a controlled topic for study.  Be careful not to give yourself too much; tons of background research is great but its real value often comes when you can focus it on something very specific [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:16, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Dear Sofia, I like your project very much but I too feel that it might be a bit too extensive. My suggestion would be to focus more on a single or few specific parts and then it will definitely be a great paper. [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Sofia, although I agree that the topic is a bit too broad or not very specific, I have to commend you on the structure of your proposal and how organized it is.  Well done!  Very easy to follow and great flow of connecting everything.  I also agree with others that focusing on one community will help set the framework even better and perhaps doing an online survey of some kind that's super simple, to the point, and gets people thinking about your questions in a fun/cool way could be really interesting.  It may be hard determining the "nice" definition but will be fun to dive into regardless and can also add a strong element to your research.  Perhaps you can focus on being "nice" on social networks and take it from there.  I attached a link that includes a report from the Pew Research Center on the "tone of life on social networking sites" (just published in Feb 2012) and an article on how being "nice" on social media makes a difference. On the page where you can download a PDF of the report, there are the survey questions associated with those findings. You totally don't have to go in that direction but thought it might be interesting to take a look at.  Look forward to reading your paper! :) [[http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Social-networking-climate.aspx Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project - The tone of life on social networking sites]] [[http://lorirtaylor.com/being-nice-on-social-media-makes-a-difference/ Being Nice on Social Media Makes a Difference]] [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 08:08, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Your project is ambitious and deals with philosophical/sociological questions regarding the expansive internet and how norms can benefit the entire community. While I am not sure if a general set of norms can be established with millions of users from across the world with their own agendas and online needs, obviously Wikipedia would be a good example of norms being established and these norms are established within the websites themselves. Are you focusing more on norms or norms "as set by law"? How do norms of one website vary with another similar website based on the needs of the consumer? Good start.
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:30, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting topic. Very curious to see if you are able to find an universal meaning of "nice". I do hope you have found someone to work in a group with, as this seems like a very extensive topic and corresponding reasearch. Good luck! [[User:MSS|MSS]] 17:10, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Harvard212, Interesting topic, but to narrow it down, I suggest choosing an online community, such as Wikipedia, and see how the "be nice" rule plays out. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 11:15, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
I would just reiterate what certain others have pointed out above: (i) finding a definition of "nice" may be difficult and (ii) you may benefit from tightening the scope of your work.  Otherwise, I think it looks like an outstanding area for research.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
You certainly picked an interesting thesis! Do you plan to focus on wikipedia only, or several online communities? May be helpful to make a comparison of the social norms on various platforms. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:41, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
@Harvard212 I agree with @Aberg in that it would be interesting to see how different online communities differ. Personally, I find the interactions on the site Pinterest interesting. Looking forward to how you continue to develop this project. --[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 17:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting topic. I am curious to see what the nicest communities are. You have the quite the task of examining many large and elaborate communities on the Internet. I would highly recommend that you narrow it down to the two or three largest. [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:36, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Harvard 212.  (Sofia?) I agree that narrowing down the scope will make your project most effective.  Nice can be relative, somewhat, so it seems to me that comparing the “norms for nice” of three or four online communities could be useful.  Then you could ask some questions like why a certain norm could be nice in one community, but possibly not necessary or out of place in another, if there is any such case.  Another question to explore is what can be the repercussion of not being nice, and what enforcement, if any, do communities put on such behavior.  Is it effective?  Does this control hamper any freedom of speech?  I might ask those questions.  I wish you the best on this interesting project![[User:Mike|Mike]] 15:42, 12 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> BSK342<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Community, Architecture, and Regulation in the Something Awful Forum Space
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Bsk342assignment2.pdf]<br>
[[User:BSK342|BSK342]] 21:30, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi BSK342, I really like your topic because part of the daily junk I find on the Internet comes from them. I know there are some very interesting forums and they have reliable information, but most of the time the information is just incomplete or not worthy to read. I only wonder how are you going to follow how members of the community engage in other spaces, because I think is quite difficult. Very interesting, good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Cool topic. I'm particularly interested in what you observe/learn about people's willingness to pay for additional services. So often websites/applications/businesses struggle with how to monetize a good idea - perhaps your research will shed some light on this for managers of online communities. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 19:57, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
I think your project sounds interesting and you are asking many questions that applies to all types of forums and online social behavior. Although I am not familiar with the Something Awful forums, I agree with Aditkowsky that it is interesting that the site does charge a subscription fee to post comments. This could be an interesting point of departure. Is the quality of the content stronger if people are paying for access? Does the subscription fee filter out those who may not be as serious about the forum? Good work.
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:40, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I definitely remember SA as a site I visited a lot when I was younger, I'm really looking forward to hearing what it has evolved into during the past years!  The focus on how sites manage to monetize themselves is a very good one, and one that always seems to be such a make or break moment.  I feel like SA is a place that tends to cater towards younger and more internet savvy viewers/members... how does that affect the process of attempting to gain profit off of it?  Are they more likely to pay to support something they care about, or are they less likely than an older person with less internet experience who is used to paying for everything? Have fun! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:25, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting topic.  There are many of these sites which have proliferated content across the WWW.  Although, I see it in trends.  Goregallery was one of these sites, then it was worth1000, something awful, and so on.  I think that users get a laugh out of it.  It used to be emails, then it was myspace, facebook, and so on and so forth.  Perhaps there is something more human in needing to share these laughs based in norms? 
[[User:Just Johnny|Just Johnny]] 03:49, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I am also particularly interested on the monetary part of your research questions. Will quality be better when paid for? Will people feel even more connected to the forum when they pay for it (us vs them?) Would it be the same if they made it free or the amount to be paid at the discretion of the user (the article of Chris Anderson,"the Long Tail" see class readings for February 14, 2012 might be useful.[[User:MSS|MSS]] 17:10, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi BSK342, I think you made an interesting proposal. I am interested in finding out why people would pay for this forum. Perhaps it is the "privilege" people buy for $9.99? I think your approach of observing how the policies and guidelines play out in practice is good. I suggest that you pick another forum (one without a privilege fee) to compare it with. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 11:39, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I am very interested in your topic, but struggled with two items: valuation and monetization.  It was unclear to me how you might value the content in order to set the price.  It was then unclear to me how that content may be monetized.  I think it may just have been because it is such a short space to cover all these details.  Good luck with the project.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I wonder how you will be able to determine the motivation behind paying for the ability to post in the forums? Also think your results will be very interesting! I agree with Qdang about making a comparison. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:48, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
The key here is figure out why and how consumers value certain sites over others. Considering that free is the standard on the Internet, I am interested to know why this site is able to charge $9.99 for access and get a decent following. Maybe it is the feeling of a tight, closed, and private community that people are willing to pay for? [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:36, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi BSK342.  I’m also wondering why people are going to pay $9.99 to post on that site.  I admit that I’m unfamiliar with such sites, but do understand the need people feel to belong to something, so I imagine that might have a lot to do with it.  Birds of a feather flock together, and so I think different forums will attract homogenous people to themselves, price or no price.  So, good question to research might be if charging a price has a positive or negative effect as far as drawing members.  What is the effect?  I also think, as Jimmyh commented, that some people will be filtered out by the price, but the serious participants will stay.  Your project will be interesting to read!  I wish you the best.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 16:22, 12 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Blake Geno<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Anonymity, Privacy and Evolving Tools
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Blakegeno_prospectus.odt]<br>
[[User:BlakeGeno|BlakeGeno]] 20:58, 21 February 2012 (UTC)
<b>Comments:</b><br>
Hi Blake, in thinking about your project, it might be interesting to select a few sites using [http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/108/ facebook connect] and evaluate how this option can impact user privacy and anonymity. It seems like this could sync up with the themes you discuss in your prospectus while also narrowing the scope. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:03, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
Hi Blake, what is the role of government (I know you mention law). What is the framework of the law. Do these sites do this as a courtesy to keep customers or as a reaction to government intervention? I like your study on the effects of all these things (law, norms) as a result from the code. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:14, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Blake Geno, when you say you intend to do: “I., II., III.” I would say only one of those items should be your topic. All three of them are very interesting and surely you would find substantial information. For example, I’ve read that Facebook do not really respect anonymity entirely, that when you decide to close your page they keep the information, and also their policies change very often, and this affect the users. Do we really have privacy and anonymity in Facebook? Good luck, interesting proposals.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hello Blake. Your project does pose some significant questions as to the types of data that sites like Facebook collect and what that information is used for. You can define the goal of collecting information into two categories; positive (improving the user experience) and negative (selling the information for marketing purposes). Great research question. Hopefully you will be able to focus on more specific dimension of this important.
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:48, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I'm interested in how exactly you are going to go about this.  It could be really neat to create a whole persona with the relevant info that a website wants and then try and link it across a large number of sites that demand a log in/personal info/etc. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:25, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
Hi Blake, Very interesting topic! Facebook was recently the focus of CNBC 60 min., and lights were shed on the topics you are discussing in our paper, especially the targeted adversising. In the show, I remember someone saying that FB advertising was an entirely different ballgame, as people on Facebook are not travelling from A to B but like to stay on the FB page and thus "want" to be distracted by advertising, whereas advertising in a traditional way aims on how to advertise for people who are going from one website to another and are not looking for distraction. I think that this would be very intersting for your project. If you google Facebook, CNBC and 60 min, you will probably find the show. Also, this article I just read on Forbes by Kashmir Hill, called "Facebook user unwittingly becomes sex lube pitchman thanks to sponsored stories", dated Feb 28, 2012, may interest you. [[User:MSS|MSS]] 17:28, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Blake, your prospectus is thought-provoking and as a Facebook user I would be very interested in your findings. I do however feel that it could get a bit complicated for what concerns the appropriate research but keep up with the good work. Good luck! [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi BlakeGeno, your prospectus contains many interesting and ambitious questions. As a suggestion, you can narrow it down by asking what effect does user identification have on the end user? Does the requirement of user identification prevent spamming and abusive comments? I am interested in finding out how you are going to answer this. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 12:05, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Timely topic.  Given the recent news on Facebook and Google and their collection of data, this is sure to be a rapidly growing area of research.  If you haven't already considered it, I would be interested in learning about data collection by an entity like Facebook or Google and the relationship with tethered devices.  How far does this information gathering extend without our even knowing it?
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Blake - sounds like you have your work cut out for you. you may want to narrow it down to only a few sites. will you study Google+ and Google's new privacy policy? [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:59, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
An aspect of your paper I would recommend you look into is: what do these sites want to do with our data? A common idiom today is that big data is the new oil. That large companies are looking for data scientist and large data experts so that they can examine and learn about their users. How much can our data really say about us and our preferences? What is beneficial about collecting our data?  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:41, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Blake, great topic and agree with many folks here as well to narrowing it a bit or focusing on a couple of sites.  I also thought of Google+ and their new privacy policies announced last Thursday.  Might be interesting to incorporate into your research.  Good luck! [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 22:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Blake.  I’ve wondered some of these same things.  You raise many questions, all good and in order, but even so, I too would suggest to keep in mind what Professor Rob said about ½, ½, then 1/3, in order to focus on specifics.  I think it would be interesting to know if that information solicited can or does sometimes leak, as I have heard that it does, even though Google, for example, swears up and down that your personal information is kept private.  Is it possible to create a truly anonymous persona for use on Facebook and forums?[[User:Mike|Mike]] 11:08, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Abby Bergman<br>
<b>Prospectus Title:</b> Pinterest: Visually Arrested<br>
<b>Link to Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:ABergman_Prospectus.pdf]<br>
[[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 19:55, 21 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi Abby, I think your proposal is very interesting, especially because it is addressing a topic we have covered in the course: the Fair Use in Copyright. I would say your results will be useful for this course because they promise to be a good example of what it is Fair Use. Good luck! great choice.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Abby, I applaud you for finding something meaty to explore with Pinterest. I'm curious as to how you will monitor instances of reported infringement on the site. Perhaps you could figure out which companies complain the most and then intentionally post their images so you can experience Pinterest's process for addressing potential infringement firsthand? (Maybe run that by one of the lawyers in class first....) Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:11, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
I think you raise some important questions in regards to copyright laws and Fair Use. Your questions are relevant and you have a good thesis question. I checked out pinterest.com for the first time now and I think the Fair Use argument is validated. Good job with the prospectus!
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:55, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Abby: I think this is an interesting study considering the reference to this site as one of the fastest growing sites (although on the side I didn't read the data to see how it's measured given web usage has grown exponentially and newer site's have advantages with more immediate availablility to an established larger user base of web users... (sorry) ). Is this study too similar to the Google case (meaning, why hasn't Pinterest been sued yet if it's different). I think if you bring up some good counterargument type material and anticipate any questions the reader might have your study is going to be really interesting. Thanks for telling me about Pinterest a couple weeks ago -- definitely looking forward to learning more! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:23, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
This seems like a really well thought out project; you know exactly the frame you want to look at this through and I think you'll come up with some very relevant conclusions.  Studying a site that is still on its way up will definitely give you a chance to keep this going and check your theories against what happens with Pinterest over the next year or two!  Good luck! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting! Your topic, questions and overall frame are very clear. Very curious about the outcome, I would think the hosting aspect is the sting. Good luck! [[User:MSS|MSS]] 17:42, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Abby, recently Pinterest is popping up everywhere. I think you have a good focus by exploring the possibility for copyright infringement. Your methodology, comparing Pinterest and Google Images, and investigating Pinterest's policy on using copyrighted material and the court's opinion in Perfect 10 vs Google case, is well planned out . Good job on your proposal! [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 18:41, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting line of research on a site that is clearly extremely hot right now.  I am impressed with your level of focus this early on in the process (review of cases, case study comparisons).  Good luck with this project.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
You bring up an interesting topic especially after our "Copyright" lecture and how it affects Pinterest given that Pinterest is all about pictures. Your questions is very clear and it looks like you really know what you are doing. Good luck.
 
I am interested to hear why Pinterest is considered to be so aesthetically pleasing.  I would also like to hear why this look appeals to woman more than men. Or maybe it is the concept behind Pinterest.  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:42, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:17, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
The copyright aspect of Pinterest is extremely interesting- as stated above. I found this article below which might be of some use:
http://amjadiqbal.com/lawsuit-against-image-search-googles-chances-are-bad.htm
 
Abby, I like your project, and will pay attention to your research, as I am planning to open an educational site, and have concerns about the issues you list.  I also wonder why it would be OK for Google images and not OK for Pinterest, so I think you picked a relevant and useful topic.  You organized your thoughts well in your prospectus.  Suggestion: Find out if there has been any attempt yet to sue Pinterest and what the outcome was.  How have they handled related complaints, if any, and what were the complaints?  Another question: Is there a clear legal definition of “transformative” and “potentially transformative”.  I would think that anything is “potentially” transformative, so I am wondering if that has a more specific meaning in legal jargon.  Good job![[User:Mike|Mike]] 11:56, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
--[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 17:53, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Jennifer Lopez<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> The New Era of Online Activism<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:LSTU_E-120_JenniferWLopez_Assignment_2.pdf Final Project Prospectus]<br>[[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 21:38, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b>
 
Hi Jennifer, I like your proposal of analyzing online activism sites like change.org, purpose.com, avaaz.org, although I think you should choose one of these for your project. I also think the effectiveness of online activism has been proven, because we have seen cases like the Arab Spring, the Occupy Wall Street and the Bank of America’s decision to rescind it’s proposal, but what I like of your project is that you will explain how they were effective and how the organizations began. Very interesting, good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Jennifer, I'm very much looking forward to seeing your video interviews once they come together. In additional to the perspectives of founders, I'm also interested to hear more from the participants in the campaigns you study. Perhaps you could reach out to community members as well. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:18, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
Interviews is a neat way to go about this project and this is an issue that always bothers me; just how much does power or activism on the internet translate to real impacts on people's lives?  Be careful to research without being biased though; as much as I generally agree with you that online activism is real-world effective, there may be some instances where it wasn't, and that could be just as interesting! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I am wondering if your study will examine the difference between these online sites as a change in our practice of democracy or just an extension of things that were already happening (offline clubs and organizations). Perhaps a study of data to measure participating voters since the advent of shared politicial information. Overall this is a very hot issue lately (Middle East, Russia, China) and will be interested in seeing the results of your research. Keep in mind different comparisons to offline users and participation rates on both ends. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:50, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Your topic is very relevant with the current affairs of United States and the world. I think it is safe to conclude that online protest movements are making a serious impact on political and social issues. As you continue your research, I would focus on how online protest movements are effective. I think your reference to Benkler's work is a good step in that direction. I think you should also explore the notion of empowerment and whether online protest sites may foster personal empowerment in the same and different ways as more traditional protest movements. What mechanisms were the same and different with the SOPA, Susan Komen and Bank of America online movements?
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 23:06, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Interesting! Looking forward to see the video's! I second the idea of Aditkowsky with regard to the views of actual participants and also if these differ from the views of the founders. Good luck! [[User:MSS|MSS]] 17:50, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Very interesting line of research and something that I believe is highly relevant to the real world.  I would be interested in learning about what has led to the success of certain online movements and what has led to the failure of others. If you were able to boil down a set of common characteristics to successful movements, that would be impressive.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I agree that it may be a good idea to also interview participants so that you can hear their perspective on participating as well as feeling like they are working towards effecting change. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 23:04, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Jennifer, interviewing Jeremy Heimans and creating video clips is an exciting approach to gather your data. I also like your idea of doing case studies, but perhaps just picking one from one site? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 23:56, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Online activism is a compelling story. I've seen it come in many forums. For example, on change.org people create petitions and disseminate them to interested users. On the other hand, there is hacktivism, where we see groups hack companies and take down websites in social protest. I think it is important for your paper to touch up on the types of activism, and maybe classify them as different forms of activism.  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:46, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hey Jennifer, you might want to gear your analysis toward highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of on-line organizing models, rather than just seeking to prove they are effective. [[User:David Taber|David Taber]] 19:08, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Wow, Jenn, frankly inspiring!  I’m interested because it is what I hope to do through a website community that connects students, world-wide in efforts for peace. The activism might not come in the form of protest so much, though, but rather in forming community centers that help others in need and incorporate student intercultural interchange.  The “status quo” group in society can also become quite reactionary towards any change, so I am wondering if there have been counter-efforts, using the internet; propaganda, if we want to call it that, to try to resist the current of change, and how the “cyber tug-o-war” played out.  Is the majority able to have a louder voice than an incumbent minority?  How can we be sure which is actually a majority or minority, or can this be digitally staged or faked?  Anyway, you organized very well, and I learned a lot reading your prospectus.  Thanks.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 13:41, 13 March 2012 (UTC) 
 
<b>Name:</b> Just Johnny<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Assignmnt 2
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Johnny_Assignment2.doc The Social Network]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br> A social network will be constructed for the course. Feel free to contact, as this may be a possible group project. [[User:Just Johnny|Just Johnny]] 21:48, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br><br>
 
Hi Just Johnny, although you mention social networks as your primary study for the final project, you address code, architecture, human behavior, interaction, norms inside it. I couldn’t grasp what was the main question you proposed, is it about the architecture of the social networks? If so, what is the discussion you’re presenting? Good luck on narrowing.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi JJ, this seems like a broad investigation (but you appear to have a focused plan of attack). I'd be intimidated by the broad scope but applaud you for your scope of work you want to address. This is very impressive. I wonder what the TA's feedback is for this. If you don't mind sharing I'd like to know more about this. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:54, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi @Just Johnny, I'm intrigued by your idea for creating a social network. You write that "code will be the law which dictates behavior within the site". I'd love to hear more about the underlying concept and specific vision for the site and how you plan to restrict choice and behavior through code. Also, what is the appeal of your site vs. the numerous other social networking sites and forums available to users? What is your value proposition? Looking forward to seeing how your site evolves over the rest of the semester. [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:25, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
You certainly are undertaking an ambitious project and I think your conclusions can be fascinating. I agree with a few points/questions made by Aditkowsky. From what I gather, you would like to create a Wikipedia-esque social network in which the content/services are generated by the users in a dynamic environment. You also mentioned that a screening process may be required to preserve the integrity of the site. Is this site intended to be a study or actually lead to a practical site that people would want to join? If so, I would imagine that some core service or services may need to be created to attract and motivate users to contribute to the site (i.e. Wikipedia and information). Good luck on this very ambitious concept.
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 23:15, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Hi JJ, fascinating and very interesting concept.  I agree with many of the points/questions that Aditkowsky raised.  Curious to see how it will be built out and what the interface/structure/UX will look like.  However you choose to build it, what will also be interesting is supplementing the architecture and premise for constructing it with data or articles that show what is effective, why certain social networking sites are more useful/stronger than others, and how it maintains itself as a "self-governing structure" similar to wikipedia.  Good luck, look forward to seeing it! [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 07:34, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
As the others have mentioned, wow! Very difficult and ambitious project, I'll definitely be following it closely. As Jimmyh mentioned, are you shooting for a broader appeal or do you think you will need to tweak your concept to focus heavily on one area in order to carve out a niche for yourself? [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Very ambitious and interesting indeed! It is however not really clear to me what it is what your aiming for directly, as the focus seems pretty broad. Very curious to see how this project will turn out. Good luck with narrowing it down.
[[User:MSS|MSS]] 19:00, 29 February 2012 (UTC)
 
My comments are similiar to those above: first, very impresseive.  Second, I had a tough time understanding the specific focus of the project.  I think it sounds very interesting and I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:13, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
You've laid out a monster of a project! Sounds fascinating. I'm also not sure what your focus/thesis is? Perhaps clarifying or narrowing your focus would be helpful. [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 23:08, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Just Johnny, I’m not exactly sure what your research question is. What are you trying to measure regarding social networking? Or are you trying to compare dating sites to social networking sites, such as Facebook? Perhaps you can pick two communities and compare their TOS or guidelines? Good luck! [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 00:48, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Johnny, if I understand right, the goal in your prospectus is to see how this online community would self govern, directed only by code, not hierarchy, at least for the most part, observing “human behavior and interaction,” as you said.  That’s an interesting study on human nature and the use of freedom of choice.  I agree with several above, that you might need to have some core attraction built into the site, in order to draw people, because there are already other social networks.  I was also counseled to narrow down my scope, so I suggest you keep this in mind, as your project is broad.  Suggestion: Deal with certain behaviors, and setting forth certain codes.  Deal with how to attract people who might be inclined to want to follow those codes.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 14:40, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Fabian Celis J<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> The Role of the Internet in Distance Education: The Open University Case<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Fabian_Celis_Assignment_2.doc Final Project Prospectus]<br>
[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 19:09, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
Hi Fabian, studying distance learning in the Internet age seems like a great topic - and very appropriate - for this class. One aspect that I'd like to hear more about is the creation of a classroom community despite geography. You might even consider using our class as a test case. For example, I attend class in person but for the past two weeks, I've been using Adobe Connect to participate in the robust discussion that's happening among students who are primarily not in the classroom. In a hybrid class like ours, how do you break down the wall that separates "distance" and "in-person" students to create a more cohesive community? What architecture, systems, and culture do you need to make it work? [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:34, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
I know you are attending this class (whether online or in person) but is there a chance you could also take the time to really dig into OU?  It would be interesting to see the different ways people that use it view it as a resource; clearly everyone does not approach it with the same background, goals, or skills [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Distance education is a great aspect of how the internet has changed how we learn as individuals. I took my first live online course last semester using a program called Elluminate and I would check out how these types of interfaces can change the entire process of how classes (particularly discussion-based classes) are taught and how students can interact with other individuals from across the whole country and the entire world. A comparison of how unique methodologies specific to online education improves the entire classroom experience when compared to traditional in-classroom methods would be a good approach. Great subject and good luck with your work.
 
Hi Fabian: great to see you are also looking at this. I've never seen the term "OU" so perhaps orient the reader to what this is. See my comments to other submissions regarding the Kahn. Are you looking at just the rules and community in these systems or are you also looking to document the effects of these platforms? If so, like I mentioned in the other submissions I'd look at social norms and the effects of these platforms. Very interested in this! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:59, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
It appears you and Sab have similar topics. They both touch the distance education aspect. You should look at the two comments I've left Sab for additional feedback. I also have my cents to chime in regards to your paper. My first thought about open universities was to think of open communities on the Internet. So, wikipedia comes to mind. It would be interesting if there are any similarities or parallels in the development of an open university and an open encyclopedia. For one, both need dedicated users who are willing to operate, and care for their open platform. So my main suggestion here is to look at other open communities for similarities, and differences. [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:23, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I wonder if you could use the Univeristy of Phoneix's model as a contrasting case study.  Hope this helps. [[User:Mvalerio|Mvalerio]] 03:26, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 23:27, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Great topic, very current. I agree with Jimmyh that a comparison to traditional class room education would be very interesting. Looking forward to see how this turns out. [[User:MSS|MSS]] 02:07, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Fabian, it looks like we are studying similiar concepts.  I am analyzing Khan Academy and its potential uses in developing nations for education.  I would be interesting in sharing ideas as we continue with our research.  Let me know if you would be interested.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Fabian, It is great that you are looking into distance education. Are you going to compare standard classroom education versus distance education? Or are you going to look at the tools that facilitate distance education? Or are you going to focus on the issues of distance education, such as copyright infringement? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 01:53, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Fabian. It’s great to see another DL-related project. Open University is an institution reputed for providing access to knowledge and education. I am thrilled to see that you are doing a case study on it. Your proposal looks good in general. My only comment is that you may wish to consider using Lessig’s theory (Code = Law) as an analytical framework to understand how the policies and technologies employed at OU help affect users’ experiences and communities at the institution. An institution as big as this one needs to regulate all kinds of activities to ensure everything is under control but not at the expense of the institution’s innovation and vibrance. I think the issue of politics and control relating to the institution’s DL delivery will be very relevant to this course. Looking forward to reading your paper. Good luck! :) --[[User:YHHsiao|YHHsiao]] 08:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
HI Fabian - I've also never heard of OU, so it's good that you included some background info. I agree with the person who mentioned comparing this to online uni of phoenix and how much that institution values open learning. It seems that there are lots of questions you can analyze with this case study (as you presented). Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 21:26, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Fabian.  I’m also interested in distance learning, and want to include an element of it into an international students’ website which offers free material, and also offers “for pay” material, but the profits help needy students in different parts of the world.  It is good that you explain about the OU, as I had heard of it, but didn’t know what it was about.  It’s fascinating.  I think you are on a good track in comparing it to “in classroom” university, the effectiveness and how it is measured, the acceptance or not by outside organizations of its diplomas, accreditation, and the pros and cons of taking classes in it.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 17:14, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> André Pase and Priscila Lollo<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> When two worlds collide, digital TV and online video in an age of transformation<br>
<b>Research Focus:</b> online video x tv<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Assigment2_andrepase_priscilalollo.pdf Assignment 2]<br>
[[User:Andrepase|Andrepase]] 20:17, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi André and Priscila, is this the question you’re proposing: can the laws for the traditional medium change the development of new one? and are you going to work on this question through the Brazilian case?[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Andre and Priscila, I also was not sure of your research question. I do understand you have stated aims to look into a few elements of these services, but what effects (if any) are you studying? A good topic however considering the tech wars going on right now in streaming video (NFLX, Verizon/Coinstar, AMZN, Comcast). Your international path will be interesting. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 21:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi André and Priscilla, I'm looking forward to learning more about how the Brazilian government and Brazilian companies and users are adapting to the changes in video delivery systems. I'm curious to hear more about the framework you plan to use for exploring the topic and I was also wondering if there is a specific community that you plan to follow. Since much of the class' focus seems to be on US and European examples, I think the Brazilian focus will be very interesting. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:43, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
Agreed with Alexis, having this focus outside of the general scope of the class will be a great resource for all of us as far as a fresh perspective and (probably) some interesting takes on the same issues that we haven't considered! I'll be curious to see how the flow of information and law and etc. go back and forth in Brazil and this Brazilian online space. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
I am really fond of your dual country approach too! Maybe for a community you can use You Tube users vs a Brazilian equivalent (if any)? [[User:MSS|MSS]] 02:07, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Your topic certainly has wide applications to how we view television in the modern age and legal discussions will certainly abound as a result. While I sense that you are examining the laws and market dynamics of the Brazilian model, I think you may want to hone in on a particular aspect of law as it relates to online television. Does a particular legal or governing aspect of the Brazilian model properly address piracy? How does the market shape the governance of online television? --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Interesting topic. A lot of media experts are trying to make sense of the convergence between digital TV and online video. Though really no one knows where it is headed. I personally recommend you look at some blog posts from Albert Wegner, a venture capitalist for Union Square Ventures. He thinks that television advertisements will get crushed almost exactly the same way print advertisements have suffered. Another thing I would consider looking into is the community building and social networking aspect behind digital video. For example, YouTube and Vimeo have rich interfaces where users can create their own television network, interact with their audience in real-time, and seamlessly collaborate with other users like them.  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:30, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I love the comparative aspect of the proposal.  I am very interested in learning how Brazil's legal structure might enable or limit the use of online video, especially realtive to US regulations. 
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi André and Priscila, I think it’s interesting that you are comparing Brazilian digital TV and online video. Perhaps you can compare Brazilian digital TV to one of the online video sites such as YouTube? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 03:57, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
It's a really interesting topic, especially now because of the non stop competition in online video business and how it changes TV in US and it would be interesting to see how it changes TV in emerging markets such as Brazil. I would like to see the legal aspecs of online video in Brazil as well as how it compares to US's.
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:28, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I think it's great that you've taken this outside of the US. Maybe you could also mention why certain videos from TV, etc (even from the UK) can't be streamed in the US due to copyright issues. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 21:26, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Andre and Priscila.  I agree that it is informative for us all to learn how this subject is playing out in places outside the U.S.  I lived in Brazil for 2 years in the 70’s and at that time some things were quite modern and others were not.  Maybe you could compare the troubles Youtube has at times with copyright infringement complaints, with the equivalent of such, if any, in Brazil.  How do the copyright laws compare with the U.S.?  Will the effect of this shift of media usage in Brazil be different from the effect in the U.S., possibly because the culture is different?[[User:Mike|Mike]] 17:43, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Alexis Ditkowsky<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> [http://pinterest.com/ Pinterest]<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Spring2012-BerkmanAssignment2-DitkowskyAlexis.pdf Final Project Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi Alexis, I saw the Pinterest page and found it very interesting! You pose some very interesting topics in your proposal: the role of women in…?, “off-brand” style of Pinterest, and Pinterest’s norms, but I encourage you to choose one of them because for me still wasn’t clear which is your main question. Good luck with your project.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:03, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis,
I would like to offer two sources which may be useful to supplement your research.  The first, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), are a list of 8 goals adopted by the United Nations in an effort to eradicate poverty by the year 2015.  Several of the goals involve online access for poor countries, and one goal specifically addresses gender equality.  [http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals Millennium Goals Main Site]  And the second source, [http://www.tigweb.org Taking IT Global], is rich in content and will provide a wealth of information and resource material.  Good luck with your project, it looks interesting and informative.[[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
 
Hi Alexis: I was previously just told of Pinterest and am even more fascinated given your mention of the majority of women users. Have you spoke with Abby yet? I think you two may have a common research focus on this. I love your mention of social norms on this and think your study's outline has a great approach. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:06, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
@Louiscelli Thanks so much! I will check these out. [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 20:47, 26 February 2012 (UTC) <br><br>
 
That's fascinating that 80% of Pinterest users are women; do you think that this gender ratio will become more balanced as pinterest gains public fame/acceptance?  I'd love to see how far you can push "off brand" uses of the site since I am always very interested in the (often incredibly clever or useful) ways in which sites end up providing something totally outside their original concept.  Good luck! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:46, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis, great topic! As for sites for marginalized communities by and for (mostly) women, maybe "gardenmoms" is also an interesting community to explore. It is a parenting resource website, where parents (mostly moms) ask questions to one another and exchange information. I am a member myself and think it may be right up your alley. Good luck! [[User:MSS|MSS]] 03:27, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Pinterest does sound powerful from my limited familiarity with the website and I think your approach toward examining social norms should lead to interesting conclusions.What social norms you are focusing on? You mentioned the discrepancies between males and females in internet usage. Is this a particular norm that you will be focusing on? What feature are you examining in the "community versus collection of individuals" norm? Sounds like an interesting topic and good luck!--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis, great topic.  I reacted the same way when I read that 80% of the Pinterest users are women, wow.  Very interested to see how your "board" takes shape and weaves in themes from the class or more specifically with marginalized communities interacting with technology.  Also really cool that Louiscelli brought up the MDG's, I agree that tying in how the site could be a tool to assist with notions of empowerment for women could be interesting.  Looking forward to reading it! [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 08:32, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Dear Alexis, sounds like a great project and already from your prospectus I have learned things that I wasn’t aware of. I agree with Louis on his suggestion of looking at the UN and their info. Good luck on your project! [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
It is great that you are exploring Pinterest. It has gotten a ton of media publicity over the last few weeks. It is incredible that 80% of its users are female without ever openly saying it is a site for one gender or the other. What does this say about the community around Pinterest? The design, aesthetics, and layout? I ask myself if there will someday be the "Pinterest model" where a female specific website should look and function a certain way.  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:39, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
I think this is an excellent topic and I would love to learn more about it as it relates closely to my work.  I work with the MDGs and helping traditionally excluded populations (women and the poor) reach those goals.  If you look into the literature on adolescent girls, secondary education and economic growth, you might find some interesting information on how this could be applied.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis, I think it is interesting that most of Pinterest users are women, and I also noticed that postings on Facebook regarding Pinterest pins have increased recently. I am now interested to try it out, since recently I have been collecting beautiful images and saving them directly into my desktop. Perhaps you can compare Pinterest to Google Images or Yahoo! Images, to examine why Pinterest is becoming so popular? Is it bookmarking, sharing and commentaries that makes it more popular and convenient than Google Images or Yahoo! Images? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 04:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis. What a lovely site! I played around a bit on the site. It is very interesting. Makes me wonder how one could incorporate the site into other social media to expand the possibilities of expression and interaction.
 
I pondered over the argument that women are still a marginalised community in the online space. Could it be that the cyberspace also reflects the division in the brick-and-mortar space in general? However, James Harris, our fellow classmate, argues in his final project that the Internet bridges the geographical gap in many aspects (he refers specifically to politics). By the same token, the Internet should be able to transcend gender division as well. But it does not look like the case. I am struck by the fact that only 15% of the Wikipedia contributors are women. This is definitely something worth looking into.
 
I will be looking forward to your online experiment with Pinterest. You already have a list of interesting and relevant questions to start with. With all the information from observing the female-dominant site, you may wish to come up with a hypothesis that explains the phenomenon. I am looking forward to your hypothesis. Good luck!
 
Great topic :) Really interested to read what you come up with about why women choose Pinterest over other sites. I personally like the site a lot and think it helps to organize your thoughts. Here is a cool article: [http://techland.time.com/2012/02/15/men-are-from-google-women-are-from-pinterest/ Men are from Google+, Women are from Pinterest]. You could draw a comparison between the two. Also, according to the article, most of Pinterest's UK users are men. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 21:26, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alexis.  I think your differentiation between a community and a collection of individuals is valid and interesting.  It would seem that the community would imply interaction, so I am curious how you will interact with other Pinterest members.  Your methodology of “pushing the envelope” in respect to norms is an innovative one in order to find out what the norms really are.  Congratulations.  Is there a way to find out how much interaction and intercommunication actually occurs amongst Pinterest users?  In respect to your interest toward technology and marginalized communities, I also suggest checking MDG’s.  I just took the course on International and Comparative Education with Professor Reimers, and MDG’s and internet usage came up a lot.  I think you might find some examples there.  I wish you great success!  We have similar goals.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 18:40, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
--[[User:YHHsiao|YHHsiao]] 09:58, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> James Harris<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> The Internet and “Bridging the Gap” in Politics<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:James_Harris_Assignment_2.doc Prospectus]<br>
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:28, 20 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br><br>
 
Hi Jimmy. First off I must thank you for bringing this extremely interesting topic to everyone’s attention. I must admit that as a foreigner, I had to look up Howard Dean to get an overview of who he is and how his Internet campaign had generated record high interest and income. For those who are unfamiliar with the issue (like yours truly), this site http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.01/dean.html  gives a general overview of the news event Jimmy refers to.
 
I agree with you wholeheartedly that the Internet has transcended the geographical division in many aspects. I am particularly interested to hear how the Internet alters the entire political landscape and what the evidences are. It seems what you are arguing that the social media are more than another medium of communication, but rather something that plays a transformative role in the realm of politics. This transformative role seems to be linked to its capability of creating populist sentiments ( when you mentioned SOPA). I’d love to see how you will develop and support these arguments. My topic is the popular response to the ACTA (please see above) and somewhat related to your argument. I am sure we can discuss further about the linkage between the Internet and social movements as we go along. Please keep all of us updated!
 
Hi James. Very interesting. I forgot about Howard Dean's momentum that had big roots in internet collaboration. Great point there. You might also want to reference Obama (I'm sure you will) for his "huge list" he had amassed. Hope is also doing a similar study on the effects of technology platforms like twitter that politicians used to connect to their constituents. I think your scope of work is well defined and it's outline provides an easy map for the reader to follow. Looking forward to your results! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 21:06, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
P.S. I agree with Fabiancelisj that since you are covering a lot of grounds, a case study of the former Vermont Governor will adequately address the issues you bring up. But I am not sure if you are going for a case study or a general theory-oriented research paper? It is probably something worth thinking about before you start. :)
 
Hi James: Again- great topic. It would be interesting to compare marketing techniques between previous presidents. I agree with the previous comments that perhaps you should narrow down your topic a bit. A particular case study would be extremely interesting- perhaps focus primarily on Howard Dean. --[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 19:08, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi James - Awesome topic! Do you plan to examine these movements as a participant or only as an observer? Perhaps you could try to look at how campaigns use of social media platforms and the net in general has affected those who don't have easy access to the Internet? Good luck and can't wait to read your final paper! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 21:41, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
--[[User:YHHsiao|YHHsiao]] 06:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
 
Hi James, I think your work will be unique because you’re addressing the internet in the political field. I personally suggest to dismiss some parts of your proposal and focus on the question you’re proposing of how social media does create the empowerment and populist energy, and you can do it with the good example of the former Vermong Governor. Through this example you can answer the questions you propose of the quick spread of information, the strategies of campains, and the flexibility of politicians due to this phenomenon. Good luck, very interesting field![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi James,
I love the concept, I’m just a little fuzzy on the thesis.  Is the main focus going to concentrate on the elected-official/constituent relationship, or the paradigm shift of political campaign support? [[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
Hi James, this is a great topic not only because of the timing but also because online campaigning and fundraising have had four years to evolve since the Dean and Obama campaigns in 2007/2008. One aspect you might decide to hone in on is the relationship of politicians to their constituents on their social networking sites. For example, Sarah Palin has been known to ban commenters who disagree with her viewpoint and Anthony Weiner used twitter to send provocative messages to his followers. Those are two high-profile ways of engaging or disengaging with followers but it might be interesting to look at a politician or two who actively foster an online community and respond thoughtfully and collaboratively to criticism vs. politicians who use social media as a one-way communications street. Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 22:42, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
<br><br>
 
Taking the idea of evolution of online fundraising and campaigning, and their effects, even farther, I was reading today that one of the Republican party leadership's major reasons for supporting SuperPACs (besides the obvious) is that they felt it evened the playing field against Obama moneywise.  Even though he too obviously benefits from major donations to his SuperPACs, some Republican strategists explained that the gap between his ability to raise millions in small increments and the ability of any Repub. candidate to try and do the same was just far too large to overcome.  So, Citizen's United is also in some ways related to this topic! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:54, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Great topic! As for different marketing on FB, please see my comments on Blakes prospectus above. I also very interested to see how the quick spread of information influences the political process, as this is indeed a (relative) novum, especially in politics. [[User:MSS|MSS]] 04:03, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Very cool topic.  You may want to look into some of the background on the White House's social media initiative that was launched some time ago as well as some of the background on how members of the congress and senate have been using social media.  I know alot of them have scrambled to set up social media teams to capitalize on the new media.  It might be interesting to compare those who failed to use it wisely and those whe thrive with it.  Some of those characteristics could be applied to campaign funding.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi James, Interesting topic! Just as a suggestion, perhaps you can use a SOPA case study to illustrate your point or describe how a politician used YouTube in his/her campaign. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 13:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi James, I think your topic is great. I am doing something similar with Twitter - using this tool as a way for politicians to reach constituents. Since it is an election year - are there any campaigns you would be interested in following to use as a case study? I also like the idea of analyzing how Howard Dean's campaign (as mentioned above) to help illustrate your thesis. --[[User:Hds5|Hds5]] 18:51, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
James, it sounds like you really know where you are going with your project, and mention many specifics you want to investigate and demonstrate.  That sounds very concrete and that you are off to a good start, but I agree with others that you might consider narrowing down how many questions you tackle.  Maybe you could also explain about your methodology of how to examine the questions you propose to answer.  Will you just look online?  Are there people involved in the politicians’ staffs that you can call, email, or interview?  Can you give examples of how specific politicians have been swayed by public feedback on the internet?  That might be informative.  It’s a relevant topic.  It will be interesting to read.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 19:13, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<b>Name:</b> Alex Lloyd-Evans<br>
<b>Prospectus Title:</b> Social Structure's on the Writer's Forums of Cracked.com<br>
<b>Research Focus:</b> [http://www.cracked.com/ Cracked]<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:AlexLE_Assignment_2.pdf Final Project Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi Alex, I saw the Cracked.com webpage, very interesting and funny! It seems you have a narrowed work to work in, because you propose to main questions to develop in your investigation : freedom of expression, and norms within the site. When you mention this is a good example of a very successful mix of controlled format and elite members of a website to control the power, I’d like to know what are your thoughts, do you agree? Is this essential to run a website like this? Good luck, interesting website![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex, this prospectus has hints of another plan I read regarding blogging and fame (will add the user after I go back to see which one it is). Your focus seems to be on the social norms and rules that govern this site. That is interesting considering users haved a perceived freedom to submit, although the editors are paid so there is some control here that is not communitarily (? really) enforced. Perhaps you can find some critisicms of this way of governance to something that would be otherwise thought of as an open community. Also looking forward to incorporating some funny lists! Great insight to look at rules at play and the effects. Good luck! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 21:11, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex,
Is this line correct – “free to enter forum”?  I don’t understand what that means.  This looks like it will be an interesting project.  I wonder if the editors will be surprised by your findings, or possibly take issue with your conclusion, depending on the outcome.  I am really looking forward to reading your paper.[[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
 
@Louiscelli I was trying to express that it is a closed forum in that you need an invite to enter, but that the invite is freely given as long as you bother to ask for it; thus it is a "free to enter" forum but not a totally open one.  I just phrased it terribly awkwardly. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 23:54, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex, unsolicited suggestion here but it would be really funny if your final project was formatted like a Cracked article and you gave the class an opportunity to post comments before the final submission. Then you could pull together a final version and comment on the process as it relates back to Cracked. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 22:48, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex, great topic, very curious to see what your outcomes will be, especially on the question who decides and (maybe even more) on what grounds and how static vs dynamics plays a role in that aspect. I second Alexis' idea of a Cracked article format. Good luck![[User:MSS|MSS]] 03:56, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hello Alex, you have an interesting challenge with your empirical research project since the answers to your research questions will require you to be actively involved in the whole article submission process. Do you plan on approaching the website in a similar way that the class approached the Wikipedia assignment? Good luck!--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:24, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex, your project seems very fun and interesting. I wasn’t aware of cracked.com before reading your prospectus. I would definitely suggest looking at the 1st amendment of the constitution but because of the complexity of the subject you could also consider looking at specific Supreme Court decisions. Good luck! [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Thanks for making me aware of cracked.com.  I had not come across it before.  I can't help it, but I agree with Aditkowsky's idea of submitting a cracked article format.
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex, I will definitely checkout Cracked.com! I suggest reading the community guidelines to see what topics are allowed. I am also interested in finding out the motivating factor behind posting to this forum versus another forum. [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 17:49, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex - just checked out the site and it looks really cool. Wondering how one becomes an editor (or are they included in the 'elite users' category?)? Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 21:41, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Alex.  Hmm, an interesting site.  It reminds me of Ripley’s Believe it or Not in some ways, so I would think it attracts interest.  Your project is narrow enough and focused enough, so I think you will do well on the paper.  I too, think like the others above that making your project interactive would be a good learning experience on how this particular community works.  I suppose you would be the “elite member” or editor, but it gets the point across.  In order to study the dynamic of a community which allows freedom, but under quite specific controls, it might be interesting to see if the site has changed much or at all due to new input since its beginnings.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 19:45, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
 
<br><br>
<b>Name:</b> Jeff Kimble<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Internet E-Commerce<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Jeff_Kimble_--_Assignment_2.doc]<br>
[[User:JeffKimble|JeffKimble]] 14:25, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
 
Hi Jeff, your project remembers me the phrase “buyers who bought this also bought this,” and the story of the author that became famous because of the long tail phenomenon. I think from the six questions you propose, number one encloses all of the other and it’s your starting point. Good luck with your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Jeff,
While I am sure there will be plenty of studies that address this, it will be nice to see the data synthesized, analyzed, and compacted into a short paper.  You certainly will have lots of data to pour through.  I will be particularly interested in some of your research as it will complement my project as well.  Good luck, and if I run across any statistics that may be beneficial to your research, I’ll be sure to forward it along.[[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
 
Hi Jeff, nice outline. I've made a couple other comments on some other prospectuses that it's very interesting for some of these studies to look at the economic effects. These studies are always interesting to me and your research might be able to be used as some sort of indicator / measuring stick for where we are headed. Perhaps a strong reference to amazon.com would be smart to incporate as well as the politics of their clashes with various states. Overall this will be an interesting project. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:57, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Be careful not to get too broad with your data collection and lose sight of a focus, but this sounds really neat.  One interesting aspect might be considering age.  Aditkowsky's comment about the difference between perception and reality with online markets and community rings true to me, and I think the fact that I'm 22 has a lot to do with that.  My parents are 65 and no force on Earth could convince them to use an online market over a brick and mortar one if there was any conceivable chance that the good existed in both formats.  Anyway, enjoy! I'm looking forward to reading your results. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:41, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
 
Hi Jeff, one thing you might consider exploring is how some people feel that e-commerce signals the end of a community even though many e-commerce sites actually promote a sense of community (e.g. etsy) and bring people together in spite of their geographical differences. This [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/12/independent_bookstores_vs_amazon_buying_books_online_is_better_for_authors_better_for_the_economy_and_better_for_you_.html Slate article] and the flurry of comments might be interesting for you to check out, although it doesn't focus on the online community angle. Cheers! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 22:59, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
 
You have a great topic and I like your approach. From what I can tell, you are dealing with a variety of discussion topics. From a personal standpoint, I would recommend focusing on how online shopping has changed consumer behavior. This direct can provide great insight into how these online sites market themselves. Good topic and good luck! --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)


Hi Jeff, I think it is interesting that you are looking into ecommerce and the impact on consumer habits. I think that determining the impact of customer reviews on trends is a good approach. I also interested in learning about the psychological factors as well, specifically addiction. Perhaps you can choose a case study to make your argument for this? [[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 18:00, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
==Comments==


Hi Jeff - At the end you mention addiction to online shopping. There are people who are addicted to shopping and e-commerce has exacerbated that. Also, compulsive shopping is another issue. This may be out of your focus, but you could also mention how the [http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/01/business/la-fi-1001-amazon-allentown-20111001 employees at Amazon's warehouses work in bad conditions]. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Everyone will receive an additional participation grade for this assignment. You should read through everyone's proposals after they are uploaded and add constructive comments below the proposal on which you're commenting. Comments should be submitted by March 5 so you have time to incorporate them, if applicable, into your project outline. '''Please remember to sign your comments by adding four tildes (<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>) to the end of your contribution. This will automatically add your username and the date/time of your post.''' If we don't know who you are we can't give you credit for finishing this assignment!


Hi Jeff!  I find your proposal very relevant and interesting.  I buy text books online at half.com, and now that I’m used to that, it would seem strange and expensive to buy any other way, so I see that psychologically, one becomes accustomed.  My daughter lives in Beijing and buys everything on taubau.com, a Chinese equivalent of ebay.  It’s becoming the norm over here.  I think you ask good questions about how this new way of buying affects individuals in their daily habits and even psychologically, as you brought out about addictions; also about how it affects society, the tax system, and the traditional “brick and mortar” stores. It must be difficult for stores with such high overhead to compete with online stores which don’t need to pay for such a facility or maybe so many employees.  I would be curious to know how widespread this trend is, geographically, demographically, and how all-inclusive it is as to the products one can buy.  Maybe these are some questions to examine.[[User:Mike|Mike]] 20:08, 13 March 2012 (UTC)
****


<br><br>
Dear fellow classmates.
<b>Name:</b> Louis Celli<br>
Being a day, or at least half a day late, I am hoping that I can be a dollar longer by providing my reactions, feedback, thoughts, suggestions, personal insight and hopefully other help by commenting on ten of my classmates rather than the required minimum of three. I only hope this will not irritate our accomplished instruction team by overkill.
<b>Prospectus title:</b> <i>e</i>-commerce Taxation<br>
As a long term civil and criminal trial and appellate lawyer I try to use the Who, What, When, Where Why and How approach and structure everything I write, so since it is hard to teach oneself, an old dog new tricks I will stay with what got me where I am (wherever that is) in this order:
<b>Prospectus:</b>[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Assignment_2_CELLI_Research_Prospectus.doc The Future of <i>e</i>-commerce Taxation]<br>
1. Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
<b>Comments:</b><br>
2. Personal Insight
3. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined),


Hi Louis, I was glad to see you chose taxation as your topic as well.  We have some different approaches, but if you're interested in joining forces, we may be able to give broader coverage for the topic as a team.  Internet taxation is a HUGE subject.  For example, we might focus on jurisdictional/ constitutional struggles within e-commerce taxation.  My suggestion is to narrow the focus and provide a more in depth analysis on that focus because the topic could literally fill volumes.  Let me know if you're interested, but no hard feelings if not. Good luck! -Daniel Perry [dperry 6 March] 2012 (UTC)
Assuming we all are bound to read every other classmates comments here, I will try to refrain from being repetitive as I wade down through the list of each of you.


I do feel that I felt a lack of detail by virtually every other student, however being only a fellow student and not one of the instructors; I do admit and recognize I may have missed the point of this exercise.


Hi Louis, your topic is interesting since it deals with taxation across states, I just would say you have to choose less questions from the list you’re proposing in order to have a more specific theme to work on during your research. It’s also valuable that you want to propose an e-commerce tax structure for all the states, but how are you going to measure the impacts and its viability? Good luck with your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Milena:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
My reaction is that I think this is a very worthy subject, that you have not been particularly detailed in your planned approach.
Personal Insight
My general topic is free speech and given most of my adult like I have been Constitutional and Criminal trial and appellate lawyer this subject is close to my heart. Last semester I took the Extension School’s class in Constitutional Law given by the Associate Dean and learned far more than I realized I still have to know. Fortunately, I earn an A-minus so I guess I did fairly well. You indicated you will get into some intellectual property issues such as copyright and also being well-versed in that subject as well which I still deal with almost on a daily basis and completed the school’s class in intellectual Property over the summer, I also may be able to provide some valuable suggestions.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
I suggest you obtain a copy of the Extension School main textbook entitled Institutional Powers and Constraints by Lee Epstein and Thomas G. Walker. It can be perused quickly if you start with reviewing the table of contents.


Hi Louis, your project sounds really interesting - I'm looking forward to seeing how your research comes together and what your final recommendations are. The scope does seem a bit daunting, though. Perhaps you could focus in on the impact to sellers and buyers, for example, and on the changed transaction experience for users. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 23:10, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
Becca:
<br><br>
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
This is a great subject for this assignment and I am impressed with the detail and diligence demonstrated in your prospectus. What could be more important than being concerned with the aspects of privacy given this is an online site?
Personal Insight
I am currently enrolled in a class here entitled “Mind, Brain, Health and Education. (MBHE).”  It is taught by a team of world-class instructors with major top experts in the field visiting and offering podcasts and other helpful papers and videos.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
I suggest you consider contacting Dr. Stephanie Peabody the director of the MBHE class who I am sure would be more than happy to give you some invaluable hints and references.


This sounds very ambitious and interesting, not to mention extremely relevantThe flat tax concept sounds workable and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing your results; I also selfishly hope you really delve into the legal/historical precedents for all of this quite a lot, since I love history and I feel like that's an area that could bear quite a lot of original thought. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:41, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
Aly:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
Your subject is in some ways similar to Becca's, and one of equal importance.  I would have liked to see a more in-depth prospectus.
Personal Insight
I have had a lifelong problem with an eating disorder. Last year I lost 100 lbs. and one time lost 216 lbs. in only nine months after I hit 412 lbs. so I can related to anyone else’s eating disorder. It is a subject all too often overlooked as a major health problem in our society.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
I recommend you also contact the Harvard MBHE staff as I suggested to Becca and take a close look at her excellent prospectus.


Hello Louis, I really like your topic a lot. I think it is great that you are actually doing research to reach an potential taxation solution/recommendation, which I assume will form the basis of your argument. Good work!--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
Maria:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
I was unaware of Tarngal and look forward to reading your Final Project. I do feel your paper was far too general and you too might benefit from following Becca’s model.
Personal Insight
I personally have some qualms with Laurence Lesing’s writings.  I feel he strayed often from the point and his personal opinions were too prevalent. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined),
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
Of course I recommend you study Facebook, My Space, Twitter and You Tube which are well written about for insight.


Hi Louis your project seems very interesting and it will be definitely exploring a very problematic world. I was just curious of one aspect, and I hope I didn’t get this wrong but you are trying to develop a tax system for all of the 50 states correct? And if so, my feelings are that it could be a bit complicated to have all 50 states agree on one tax rate. Do you think this will be a major issue or it can easily be overcome? Also, you probably have thought of this already since you mentioned constitutional aspects but I just thought of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 while first reading your prospectus. Anyways it sounds really interesting and I will have great pleasure in reading it once it will be completed. Good luck! [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
Steve:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
I think you made the same mistake I did if you take a look at my overly broad prospectus which I will significantly narrow down as I prepare for my Final Project.  I do feel that you should have been far more specific in how you are going to approach your Final Project.
Personal Insight
As stated above, I feel you made the same mistake I did and tackled a subject that is too overbroad.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
Take a look at Becca’s excellent work.


Hi Louis - sounds like a big project! I think you may have some challenges when trying to come up with a tax that everyone can live with. Perhaps you could look at how the EU taxes online goods and draw a comparison. I think they don't apply VAT on goods below a certain amount, like 30 euro. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Kaley:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
I think you took on the perfect subject, but feel your prospectus is too vague and ambiguous.
Personal Insight
My overbroad prospectus shows my interest in this subject, but your subject is thus close to where my heart and head is.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
I guessed you too look at Becca’s prospectus  (She may have to begin paying me a PR fee, ha, ha).
There are many online articles that cover free speech and cultural sensitivity and practicality that I suggest you research.


<b>Name:</b> Emanuele Dominici<br>
Susan:
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Terrorist Websites<br>
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Emanuele_Assignment_2.doc Final Project Prospectus]<br>
I am not familiar, although I feel I should be in MOOC.  I look forward to reading more about it in your Final Project. I do feel you need to be more specific where you will focus.
<b>Comments:</b><br>
Personal Insight
[[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 16:06, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br><br>
Given my embarrassing ignorance with the subject matter, I have no real insight to depart.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
Here I go again recommending you look at Becca’s treatment. I think you need to prepare a detailed Checklist and attempt not to miss too many stones being uncovered.
Matthew:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
I feel you have picked a great subject, but wish you had been far more specific.
Personal Insight
I look to Yelp, but to be honest have never been impressed, as I prefer Zagat
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined),
Perhaps you can set them straight. Ha,  ha. But feel you need to prepare a detailed checklist to investigate the subject.
Natalia:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
Like Steve and I, I think you took on too broad a subject. In fact you went even further than I did on a subject that has no boundaries
Personal Insight:
We both were overly broad.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined):
Assuming you are going to be counseled to narrow the subject as I was. When and if you are and do, I suggest you get a copy of the text for Harvard’s Constitutional Law class that I recommended above.


Hi Emanuel, your topic is very interesting, I assume you will research those laws that go in favor, or at least don’t prevent these terrorist organizations of continuing their activities. It would be interesting to know what legislation acts due to the foreign nature of these organizations. Good luck with your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Student  ID# 1078942:
Reaction (combined with Thoughts)
I have chosen your prospectus as one that stands out, perhaps not as much as my new role model Becca’s but I still believe you did a commendable job.  I still would like to see more detail however.
Personal Insight
This is perhaps one of the most important subjects in Cyberspace and given that China has more web users than we have people, it may be the # 1 subject relating to Internet control. Being a strong free speech advocate I look forward to your Final Project (I am assuming we all will be able to read each other’s Final Projects as we have with each other’s prospectuses.
Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined)
As I have with other suggestions above, I think you need to lay out a detailed outline of how you will prepare for the Final Project and stick to it.
[[User:Rich|Rich]] 13:23, 6 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Emanuele,
****
This is going to be an exciting paper indeed.  This is a whopper and you might have trouble containing it to 10 pages.  The First Amendment question might be a great place to start, then begin to wind in the Patriot act, while comparing it to the Espionage act of 1917.  I can’t wait to read this paper, good luck![[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
Hi Emanuele, very interesting topic. I'm trying to remember the show I listened to over the summer about infiltrating online forums that are used for recruiting new members. The story also touched on the use of video games for recruitment. I'll send the link once I remember what the show is.... Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 23:26, 26 February 2012 (UTC)


Hi Emanuele, Very interesting prospectus. I'm assuming we can only protect sites that advocate terrorism that are hosted on U.S. servers and don't really go after foreign ones. I'm surprised we actually have many terrorist websites on u.s. servers (even though I don't question our freedom to do so under 1st amendment). Perhaps you will cover how many of these domestic sites are in existence. You raise lots of privacy issues for someone who "dares" to operate one and make the government suspicious. Looking forward to your report [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:54, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Name or pseudonym: interestingcomments
*Prospectus title: “Does US Trade Treaties Advance Internet Freedom in South America.”
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:LSTUAssignment2.docx
[[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 18:47, 24 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Interstingcomments: I am curious if you would be able to observe blogs or online community discussions on this topic from the respective countries of study. The local citizen perspective might offer additional insight.   --[[User:Dear Alice|Dear Alice]] 13:54, 28 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Interestingcomments: You might be able to find some communities talking about this subject on globalvoicesonline.org. I think it can be a good idea to compare communities from each country to find out if they have the same opinion. [[User:Milenagrado|Milenagrado]] 16:00, 28 February 2013 (EST)


Wow, I wish I'd had this idea/had the sort of expertise and background you do to do it justice.  I'm curious about how you'll make distinctions between "terrorist websites" that exist with the specific purpose of encouraging/recruiting to/supporting terrorism and simply anti-U.S. or very pro-militant Islam.  The line is so blurry as to barely exist in most cases, which is obviously where the gov't runs into so much trouble in these types of effortsReally looking forward to this one.  [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:41, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: This is an interesting question and I think you could start by researching specific laws that would be relevant to your question. You might also research how US internet law affects Internet freedom in South America since this is probably connected.   


Hello Emanuele, You are engaging into a very difficult and complex element of the internet. The American-born cleric who was recently killed in Yemen heavily relied on the internet to communicate with terrorists and many of the foiled terrorist attempts are linked to him. I think he would be a good starting point in your research. Good luck.
*
--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
Interesting topic, I hadn't thought about the impact of treaties on internet freedom.  I would ensure that you more explicitly relate your topic back to the theme of control. Also, I am a little confused, are you arguing that the treaties do or do not have an impact?  "The significance of this paper should be able to add to the body of research concerning Internet freedoms around the world and how treaties with the United States contributes to the advancement of internet freedoms." implies that the treaties do contribute, but your hypothesis is about how they do not. I would also include specific verbiage from the treaties in your research, and highlight how the intended purpose (internet freedom) went awry. This will be a fascinating read!  [[User:Baughller|Baughller]] 19:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Thanks everyone for your precious advice and nice comments, I will definitely take into consideration your comments and I do realize that I have to narrow it down a bit. Thanks again![[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Emanuele - fascinating topic. Looks like you're stepping into 1st amendment territory. The US is very adamant about free speech and I doubt censoring of these sites (like the FBI guy mentioned) would happen. A comparison between US laws and French laws regarding terrorist websites may be interesting, too. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Pseudonym: "Asmith"
*Prospectus title: “Diaspora* A Social Network for the People by the People”
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Asmith_Assignment2.doc
[[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 00:10, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi ASmith. i think that your work it´s a perfect oportunity in order to expose a new theory, or an alternative of the concept of Intellectual Property in the network. because if the community make their own rules, maybe, can construct new limits, exceptions etc, in this area. Natalia ´´´´
*
:Asmith: Sounds like a perfect community to observe for this project. I would be interested to see if the diaspora community comes up with a governance model that mirrors other social networking models or if they come up with a truly unique model of their own. --[[User: Alice|Dear Alice]] 13:58, 1 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Asmith – Your proposal is clear and the questions you've set forth are important. In reference to your final paragraph, it may also be interesting to evaluate pros and cons surrounding centralized content control versus the lack thereof.  For example, from one perspective, a collaborative online community is important because everyone is considered equal (there is a flat/circular management structure).  From another perspective, however, when a primary leader (site administrative team) who controls online content is absent, decision-making processes change, i.e., when controversies or disputes arise, who addresses them?  Comparing Diaspora with other collaborative communities, such as Wikipedia, is an interesting approach to analyze the pros and cons of online community management.  As a conclusion, based on your findings, you may be able to set forth some important content management recommendations that highlight best practices for the Diaspora user-base. [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 11:44, 3 March 2013 (EST)


<br><br>
Hello Asmith: This is a very interesting topic, I am intrigued to see what model you use to best compare the benefits and the limitations of introducing this new type of platform.[[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)
<b>Name:</b> Julia Brav<br>
*
<b>Prospectus title:</b> [http://ask.metafilter.com/ Ask MetaFilter]<br>
ASmith:
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:JBrav_LSTU_E-120_Assignment_2.pdf Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
[[User:Jlynnping|Jlynnping]] 17:41, 21 February 2012 (UTC)Jlynnping
<br><br>


It will be interesting to note if there are any major points of contention that arise with regards to where the community wants to take Diaspora which causes a significant number of its members to break off and take a separate version in a different direction. I'm not sure if the way its copyrighted will allow this but they could always start from scratch. Linux, for example, allows for the source code to be  modified and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes by anyone and this aspect of it has resulted in several very powerful flavors emerging (Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE, CentOS, etc...)


Hi Julia, Great topic! (also doing Q&A study). The feedback I received centered around some of my broad aims, and I feel you did a great job zeroing in the community structure and rules regarding the MODS and the effect they have on the platform. Great job doing that. I received feedback to focus in on a particular aspect and I feel your prospectus is very close to what my revision may end up like. I'll be looking at wiki answers and yahoo answers. We can chat offline about our respective projects if you are interested. Good luck! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:42, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
I think it will also be interesting to compare the values of the community as it exists today compared to the values to the community as it grows and changes. For example, I'd guess that the community that is taking interest in Diaspora today is largely between the ages of approximately mid teens and late 20's/early 30's. I'd also venture a guess that they are fairly tech saavy. If the community continues to grow and appeal to the general population and in three to five years from now enjoys more mainstream popularity, it's probably safe to say that different decisions about what direction to take the project will emerge.  


In any case, this is a great topic choice. I'm sure it will be interesting to observe and write about.


ASmith: Really intriguing topic. I have mixed feelings about the ability of a dispersed community to handle social data better than a hierarchical corporation, or to gain traction in the market, but it'll be fascinating to see what they do, and how they do it. - Rob McLain


Hi Julia, I think your project will be interesting, and as for Brendan Long’s proposal about Q&A sites, I’d like to know more about the level of reliability of the answers one can find in this type of sites, and also who decides if the information is right or wrong. I’m not familiar with Q&A sites so I’m sure your project will help me to understand their structure better and how they function. Good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
[[User:CyberRalph|CyberRalph]] 08:32, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Julia, I really like how interactive your project is and how participating in the community is an important part of your research methodology. While moderation and desire for quality are two reasons why people might choose Ask MeFi over other sites, I'd be curious to hear more about how you find the quality and depth of responses on the site. For example, while other Q&A sites might be more of a free-for-all, are there times when quantity is of greater benefit than tightly proscribed quality? Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 01:40, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
ASmith:  Very interesting topic with a clear, well-developed question.  I'm sure you'll develop this more down the road, but it does seem like you'll probably be gathering very large amounts of data through the various community hubs you've identified.  How will you focus your observations?  Will you "observe" the community for a specific period of time or take more of a long-range perspective, considering how the community's come thus far in this stage of its development?  All in all, though, really looking forward to seeing what comes out of this project! [[User:Rebekahjudson|Rebekahjudson]] 17:01, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Interesting, I'm still not convinced that I'd be willing to pay the $5 when it's so easy to get info from other sources on the web, especially if you know how to look.  I like how involved in one community your project is (mine is similar in that I'm really trying to get a feel for a specific site and a specific group).  I'm interested to hear more about how their process works! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:41, 1 March 2012 (UTC)


Your paper sounds fairly broad at this point. I think it is interesting how the website moderators are actively involved with the content of the website and how they interact or dictate the social norms would be interesting. Good luck.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 19:20, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
ASmith:  I like your topic very much.  You have focused well and are looking at specific aspects for the marketing effort and the effects it has. I would be cautious about inserting yourself too much into the conversations as that may slant the results.  I think social media is one of the more interesting ways that companies are now communicating... and to what end does the voice of the many change how the company leans into its go forward strategy.
As a Starbucks girl I'll be looking forward to your outcomes!  : )  


Ah Metafilter is interesting. As its competitors in Yahoo Answers, Google Answers, Facebook, and Quora. MetaFilter fascinates me, however, because it does have the same venture capital funding or silicon valley press like the competitors I've listed above. How has it managed to keep its community intact? What is driving the content and hits on Google? I'll be interested to see why and how the MetaFilter community is better structured than its rivals.  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: It will certainly be an interesting project because you will get to see how a new social network grows. It will be interesting to see if people treat this social network similar to Facebook or act entirely differently!


Very cool topic. Interested to learn more about the driving force behind the site. Perhaps you could compare it to Quora which also has moderators that aren't too big brother-esque. good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


<br><b>Name:</b> Samantha Zakuto<br>
******
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Managing a Flexible Work/Life Balance: Legal Ramifications of Facebook <br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:2012_02_-_SZakuto_Prospectus.doc Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>


Hi Samantha, your topic is very interesting, of course offense is evident in the cases you gave as examples, but your question of why one employee was fired and the other not is the starting point of your investigation. As for the prohibition in Missouri of having contact between teachers and students, it seems unfair and this would not prevent ruinning the reputation of others, so the results of your investigation abouth the legislation applied in these cases promess to be interesting. Good Luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)  
*Pseudonym: Rich Cacioppo
*Prospectus title: "The Limits of Fee Speech In Light of Cultural Senility and Pragmatism"
*Link to Prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Internet_Control_proposal_February_24_2013.pdf
[[User:Rich|Rich]] 00:45, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Rich: Of the three case studies that you're considering, the FreeSpeechDebate at the University of Oxford seems to be the most appropriate because it specifically addresses the thrust of your research. Examining judicial opinions weighing all arguments and The Open Net Initiative at the Berkman Center both seem to be too ambitious in scope.[[User:JW|JW]] 20:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:HI RICH: Is an interesting topic, i think that you can make an introduction, about what is the meaning of "free speech", because, at the end, this is a relative concept, that depends, precisely, of the cultural context.  Natalia. ''''


Hi Samantha, this is a really interesting topic and there are numerous directions you could take it. If you're interested in honing in on the relationship between offline and online behavior and speech, I can send over a bunch of readings about student free speech in schools. Additionally, the boundary between online/in school is still hotly debated - the Supreme Court recently refused to hear appeals related to online attacks against school officials and students ([http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/court-rejects-appeals-in-_0_n_1210399.html Huffington Post]). Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:00, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
Hello Rich: I think as Natalia suggested defining your definition of free speech is critical to gain a greater understanding of the argument you will make within the parameters of the paper. Within different cultures this can be defined in many different ways and once you establish this it will be an easier journey to state and prove your case.[[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
Rich - I agree that this is a fascinating topic but feel that using so many other people as a lens in which to interpret, you will be limited by the page restriction, and also may run the risk of summarizing other works and not actually coming up with something novel that is uniquely your view and opinion. Otherwise, I think it would be interesting and can't wait to read! [[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 12:33, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Samantha, Great examples of two cases that had seemingly similar circumstances with different outcomes. I think using these two examples in your introduction is a great way to raise the legal issue of this! Lots of great questions that could be in play: state/federal law, additional past cases, discussion on future legislation and social effects of these laws (chilling effects)? Very interesting! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:36, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: I think that it would be particularly interesting to think about specific instances on the Internet where free speech should not be allowed. There are very few cases in which free speech is not allowed so I urge you to think about this for your project.


Interesting idea that is sadly relevant to my life and I suspect many others in the class.  I don't really like having a Facebook and I police it pretty carefully, but it's also the only way I have of contacting the vast majority of people who are my Facebook friends.  I'm especially interested on the ways in which the location you access a site from (home vs. school or work) can impact how liable you are for punishment.  That is a very interesting and muddy intersection of internet life and brick and mortar life. Good luck! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:57, 1 March 2012 (UTC)


Your topic is very interesting and pertinent to many issues we face today. I think that there is a battle between free speech and the effects of that free speech in the professional sphere. Even though, say, a school teacher does have the constitutional freedom to write some bigoted post on his or her Facebook page, the effects of that speech can be pronounced on that person's school. In a number of cases, teachers are either suspended or dismissed for Facebook comments in which there are two sides; those who say that he is simply exercising free speech and those who believe that no one of that opinion should be teaching children. Interesting topic.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:24, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Samantha,
*Pseudonym: AaronEttl
Great topic. After reading your prospectus it got me thinking about the federal government work environment. It may be interesting to do an analysis of the government agencies. You could compare which agencies (DOD, DHS, etc.) take action against employees? As a government employee I have worked in a few different agencies and "online rules" vary from each office. Just something to think about when trying to find an interesting environment to investigate. Good luck and I look forward to reading your final paper! --[[User:Hds5|Hds5]] 18:59, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Prospectus Title: "The Market's Impact on Operational Policies"
*Link to Prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:AaronEttl_Assignment2.docx
[[User:AaronEttl|AaronEttl]] 13:11, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Aaron,<br />
:I think focusing on the consequence these search engines have on the users, rather than the websites in the search results, is unique and will be really fascinating to look at. Although you did narrow down the specific community you would look at -- the SEO community -- I think you will need to narrow it down further, perhaps to a specific website or set of websites serving a larger online community.<br />
:One thing you didn't mention in your prospectus was how you would go about researching the SEO community. I think finding a specific community would be beneficial here as well -- it would give you a better idea as to what specific research methods you could employ. Once you have a more specific community I think everything else will fall into place.<br />
:[[User:BeccaLuberoff|BeccaLuberoff]] 17:51, 3 March 2013 (EST)


Awesome choice. I think that even if employers can't legally use this information against employees, they still may hold prejudices against employees or retaliate in other ways. Maybe that is something to consider, also. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Aaron: I think you pose many questions in your prospectus that would each individually be enough for a ten page paper. To narrow your feild of research i think it might be interesting to observe and stdy what goes into a successful kickstarter fund and derive from that observation conclusions about what the operations guide of kickstarter influences the kinds of funs that do well. "For Kickstarter, how does the level of regulation affect the integrity of those projects and is there any bias in the type of projects seen? " I think if you flip this around and look at the question from the bottom-up rather than the top-down you may have a more successful research question.  All my best. [[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 04:36, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
Aaron - I think you picked two great companies to look at because they are both inherently relevant and interesting! Only thing that you may want to consider is that it could be difficult to compare / contrast with page constraint in a meaningful way because they are not only both very different sites (fundraising site that is selling future products) and ad-hoc social video network, but also have very different policies (kickstarter being heavily marketed, including placement of projects and inclusion of certain projects in email updates, while letting others have to market for themselves - and my understanding of Chat Roulette is that it isn't moderated at all - but i haven't used).  You may be more successful in comparing similar sites with different policies or different sites with similar policies... that way you can isolate a variable and attribute changes to it.  With multiple floating variables, it will be tough to do in 10-12 minutes. Otherwise sounds fascinating and I can't wait to read! [[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 12:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Laurence Girard: This will be an interesting project and I am eager to see your results because I have used both of these websites in the past. It would also be interesting to see how these websites handle under the age of 18 using their websites. This is something I urge you to think about for chat roulette. Is there really a way for someone to verify that a user is 18? People can just lie clearly and say they are 18 even if they are not 18.


<br><br>
******
<b>Name:</b> Nicholas Thibodeau<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Anonymous<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Thibodeau_Assignment_2.pdf]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
[[User:Nthib|Nthib]] 17:59, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>


Hi Nicholas, your topic is very interesting, although there are limited resources of information of anonymous, as you mention. As I have understood, anyone can be part of anonymous, that’s what it is so difficult to identify their structure and how they function, but perhaps the more interesting part of your investigation would be why have they been successful in some cases. Good luck in your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*'''Pseudonym''': Hgaylor <br />
*'''Prospectus''':“Access for Open and Secure Communication” <br />
:An In-depth analysis of government’s role in the Global Collaborative Data Network. <br />
*'''Link to Prospectus''': http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/? title=File:Hunter_Gaylor_Prospectus(_Internet_Society).docx&oldid=9645
*
:Hunter: I like the idea of investigating the government’s role in controlling access. However, I found the explanation of your research paper’s quarry regarding the investigation of the ability to shut the system down in states of emergencies a bit confusing. All in all, I look forward to seeing how you develop your prospectus even further. [[User:AaronEttl|AaronEttl]] 14:21, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hunter, your idea is magnificent. I enjoy your paradox. The thing I notice best about your proposal is that you are using your own ideas, when you could always plagiarize unintentionally. [[User:Johnathan Merkwan|Johnathan Merkwan]] 19:27, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Hunter,  
:The idea of "digging" in to find out the real and factual government approach on this matter is great. I think you have alot of great material to work with and you are moving in the right direction. I would just advise you to order your ideas in a clearer way so that your reader doesn't get lost. Great idea! [[User:GregB23|GregB23]] 15:29, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Hunter, i think that this theme is a little too wide, so, in order to be more specific, you can take one of the liberties than can be affect by governments control, and analyze that.  Natalia. ´´´´


Hi Nicholas, I'm looking forward to learning more about Anonymous in your final report. While this may lead you to murky legal waters, it would be cool if you could find a way to engage with the community in some way, or at least explore the process of how one becomes a part of Anonymous. Here's what came up first when I Googled "how do you join anonymous": [http://thehackernews.com/2011/03/how-to-join-anonymous-hacker-identity.html The Hacker News]. It's very <i>Matrix</i>-y. Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:08, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
Hello Hunter: The broad scope of you paper may make it difficult to cover all the avenues in 8-10 pages. I think you should consider making this a thesis topic. There is a lot of areas and directions you can really go which would make it very thorough. It sounds very interesting and I am looking forward to seeing your paper progress. Good Luck.[[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)
<br><br>


Absolutely something I want to learn more about, looking forward to this. If you find a way to contact them (or research this otherwise but not sure how you would) I'm very curious about the number of people versus the actions performed by Anonymous.  Is it a broad based group? Is it just a few key individuals who do the most high-profile things, simply supported by a large group that agrees with those actions? etc. Good luck finding them! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:57, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: I think that it would be particularly interesting for you to not just focus on the US, but to compare and contrast other countries such as Egypt and China for this project. What do yo uthink?  


Hi Nicholas, Of all the prospectuses I've read I felt yours is among the best in terms of simplicity, relevance to our class and framework/outline plan. I feel you have made a great first step with how you will study a group on the web, what rules they play by, who the community is, and what are their politics of control (or the effect on them from outside politics and control, etc). Great --- looking forward to this! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:32, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hello Nicholas. Your topic sounds challenging since there doesn't seem to be a spokesman representing this movement or public statements. You will also be exploring how the "political protest" intersects with online technology. Are there other hacker groups like Anonymous? Are their tactics the same or different than Anonymous? Good luck with your research. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*Pseudonym: Dear Alice
*Prospectus Title: "One Company, Multiple Social Media Platforms, Numerous Conversations"
*Link to Prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Internet_Assignment_Two_Prospectus.docx
--[[User:Dear Alice|Dear Alice]] 17:50, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Dear Alice: I like the commercial aspect of your project. You don't mention this in your prospectus, so I'm wondering how is Starbucks driving traffic to the internal site? How are they driving it to their Facebook page? Are there rewards for the consumer if they post on either one? Do the rewards differ? How? Is there a dedicated group or person watching traffic on the internal page? What about the Facebook page? If yes, are they the same group? Will you be able to say something about the resources Starbucks allocates and if/how that has an impact on the response on either? Will you be monitoring for deleted posts? Finally, you aren't including Twitter in your project. Is there a reason?[[User:Raven|Raven]] 17:48, 1 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Dear Alice: I think this is a great starting point for a research paper, and I love the idea of looking at Starbucks, since it is such a huge corporation. However, I think your hypotheses are too easily proved. I think you could go much further with your topic if you think about questions after answering your initial questions...for instance, say posts/comments are regulated differently. Some questions to consider could be, shy would Starbucks spend more/less time managing comments on one site than another? Is there a pattern to how Starbucks regulates comments/posts on their different social media websites? What are the consequences of managing comments differently between websites? Does the user body have anything to do with how Starbucks regulates comments?…etc.<br />
[[User:BeccaLuberoff|BeccaLuberoff]] 18:36, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Dear Alice: Like @Raven, I love the commercial aspect of the paper!  and Also, agree with Becca in that the Hypothesis would be too evident.  I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the idea page gets more response then facebook, without doing any research. If it turns out that our assumption is wrong, then you definitely have something!  Maybe you could look at the threshold of types of comments that elicit response or get removed.  Or potentially find another company that has idea and facebook and see how the level of moderation or responsiveness differs.  Overall, I think it's a great idea! [[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 13:03, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Ah, the famous Anonymous. It seems that nothing goes by today without some activity from Anonymous. I am not really sure if you can get more information about them from the media and without getting in touch with them, but if you can somehow get the information from them personally or by getting some information that is unavailable anywhere online, it would be really cool. I suspect 4chan would be the best place to start looking. Good luck, can't wait to hear more about Anonymous from your project.
:@Phildade + @ Becca, wouldn't the cost/benefit be interesting? Although the website might get more responses in the aggregate, adding the costs of managing and maintaining that portion of the Starbucks website might make the Facebook response (assuming it is smaller, but still robust) much more attractive? Possibly that information wouldn't be worth as much to Starbucks, a company with a large marketing budget, but it might be interesting to a much smaller company, especially one with high visibility but no actual revenue stream, or a revenue stream that doesn't allow for a large marketing budget and a team to monitor a website? And wouldn't Facebook find this info important?
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:28, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
[[User:Raven|Raven]] 13:13, 5 March 2013 (EST)


I think now you may be able to get more info on anonymous given the recent arrests. May be helpful to compare/contrast anonymous with the wikileaks movement. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
:Alice: It seems a given that Starbucks would police its own social media site more vigorously than it would a Facebook page. Will you investigate the Starbuck's terms of service for the site, maybe in comparison to Facebook's terms of service? Are Starbucks terms more restrictive? Rob McLain


<b>Name:</b> Quynh Dang<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> [http://answers.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Agj1j2NWf7soiMwgqNKlvo6e5HNG;_ylv=3 Yahoo! Answers]<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Quynh_Dang_Prospectus.doc Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
[[User:Qdang|Qdang]] 18:14, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>


Hi Quynh Dang, the Q&A sites are a new topic for me, so I hope throughout your project I’ll became more familiar with them. As for the Julia’s project and Brendan Long’s project, which are also addressing this topic like yours, I’d like to know how do they manage the level of reliability of the answers. I also would like to see the results of your investigation, especially the part of the incentives they give to promote the participation of more people. Good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Alice:  I like your topic very much. You have focused well and are looking at specific aspects for the marketing effort and the effects it has. I would be cautious about inserting yourself too much into the conversations as that may slant the results.  I think social media is one of the more interesting ways that companies are now communicating... and to what end does the voice of the many change how the company leans into its go forward strategy.  
As a Starbucks girl I'll be looking forward to your outcomes! : )
[[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 17:22, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline


Hi Quynh, two things come to mind when reading your prospectus. 1) What's the value to <i>you</i> of having more points, particularly since there isn't a chat function and the users are anonymous? 2) You might want to connect with Julia Brav, who is evaluating Ask MetaFilter. Perhaps you could develop some sort of collaboration? Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:13, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: Good choice! One question I have is why you choose to only focus on Starbucks? Why not focus on multiple companies and compare the policies that multiple companies have regarding your chosen topic?  


Definitely talk to Julia Brav, you have an interesting opposite to her project's subject in some ways, especially with what behaviors are encouraged within the site.  I assume that simply by getting so much information, sheer mass filters out the worst effects of a totally open system... but maybe not? The point system seems like an equal motivator to both useful and spammy and unhelpful activities, so I'll be curious what your conclusions are about how that plays out in actuality.  Good luck with your research! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:01, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Quynh, I see you are also doing a study on Q&A. My focus was leaning towards the convergence of social media and Q&A (which can already be seen with Wiki answers). We can chat more offline about our common research questions and where we stray. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:28, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Michael Keane 
*"A Single Site Case Study of the Effect of Censorship on a Web Community" <br />
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:MichaelKeane_assignment2_prospectus.docx
[[User:Michaelekeane|Michaelekeane]] 18:20, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Keane, interesting assignment. I think it would be easier if you define the kind of content control you want to study by looking at how it is implemented (by law, for example) instead of looking at the purpose that explains it’s put into effect. I think it might be hard to find out certainly what intention does the subject has to exercise some kind of control, but you could for sure see how these controls are being implemented. --[[User:Maria|Maria]] 10:45, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Michael,
:I believe that your idea for this assignment fulfills the essence of it. I think you should define for this prospectus what type of content control you will focus your analysis on. You might also include what reactions the members have to the various forms of censorship.[[User:GregB23|GregB23]] 15:34, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:You’ve chosen a very interesting topic that most of us have probably considered at some point. It’s often difficult to know where to draw the line when making policy decisions of this sort – to create a system that handles edge cases judiciously – and some people clearly aren’t even trying to create a fair system. I wonder what you can generalize from a case study like this. In short, how much variance do you think there is in the forms that censorship takes in web communities? It seems that there are powerful conventions and practical limitations with regards to how content control is done, such that many of the same features keep reappearing again and again.


Hello Quynh. I think ''Yahoo! Answers'' is an interesting site that I have participated in. One of the problems with ''Yahoo! Answers'' (which I do not find with other sites such as Wikipedia) is that the validity of the answers provided is based  on the number of answers submitted (as well as the rating system which you described). I have participated in Yahoo Answers in the past and often receive 2-3 answers at the most, which doesn't make me feel confident that I am getting the right answer.  I think a fascinating point of focus is the "competitive" element of the scoring. Do gaining points and achieving different levels encourage better answers or cause competitive respondents to provide less accurate answers for the mere aspiration of gaining points? Good luck with your project. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
:At the end of your final paragraph, you say that removing entire discussions is a highly effective approach to content control. Would you mind elaborating on this? What standard of effectiveness are you using? Is something that merely keeps the community silent effective, or something that keeps it happy? What makes banning members sometimes less effective in comparison?
:[[User:Julian|Julian]] 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)


Even though I don't know anything about Yahoo Answers, it would be interesting to see how they operate and learn more about it. I personally do not understand how the best answer is chose, why is it chosen in terms of criteria and if there is anything in return to participation on yahoo answers!. Good luck. [[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 16:32, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: This is a good topic and I think you should talk about what rights users should have in terms of free speech and administrators (sometimes unjustfully) banning people from a community. Should site owners have total control or should their be limits on what administrators can do because of freedom of speech?


I've looked at Yahoo Answers a few time, but I haven't found very accurate answers. Maybe this is due to the anonymity. Sites like Quora or even Reddit seem better equipped for this, perhaps due to moderating? Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


<br><br>
*Name or pseudonym: Natalia
<b>Name:</b> Christopher Mejo<br>
*Prospectus title: “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, RIGHTS TO INFORMATION AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH ON INTERNET: CONFLICTING RIGHTS?”
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Building a New Online Community in Drupal<br>
*Link to prospectus:http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Natalia_Assignment2.docx
<b>Prospectus:</b> [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Final_project_prospectus.doc Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
[[User:chrism|chrism]] 18:40, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>


Hi Christopher, sorry if my question is trivial but what do you mean by saying that you will have to contemplate several non-democratic values to make sure your website runs smoothly? And also I’m curious if you’re creating this website to answer the questions of your project about freedom of expression and reputation of the website. Good luck with your website and final project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*
:Daniel Cameron Morris comments: Natalia, Your topic is very interesting, like mine (please comment!) quite broad and could as a suggestion focus completely on one case study that you think most illustrates and answers your hypothesis. I saw that you gave three, just curious as to is there one that is the overarching example for national and internatinal jurisprudence, or does this fall more into the realm of international governing bodies... or decided by national standards? Ultimately are you asking, is freedom of speech or protection of ideas more important on the internet? I like how you tie in that curbing freedom of expression starts to curb human rights, but that some regulation is necessary in civilization. A suggestion is to offer a framework that can be used interactively, involving a way for future bodies looking at legislation on intellectual property and freedom of speech and benchmarks for them to judge whether a law or regulation is infringes on human rights, or is necessary for to preserve civilization. [[User:Daniel Cameron Morris|Daniel Cameron Morris]] 20:33, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Kaley Sweeney comments: Hi Natalia, I agree with Daniel that your paper can use more focus. The topic of intellectual property is exceptionally broad and can encompass an enormous number of cases, law, international interpretation, etc. It might be helpful to narrow down on one or two case studies that particularly peak your interest that you feel make a major statement for the future of IP and confirm your hypotheses. Perhaps you can also focus on one of your three questions, as there are many discussion points buried within each, within the context of one particular country. Intellectual property is interesting to explore, particularly as the changing nature of social sharing is entirely shifting the concept. If you can hone in on one refined idea, I think you can find yourself developing some fascinating ideas and predictions. 
:Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Michael Keane comments: This is certainly an interesting topic and you definitely have plenty to work with.  I see the others mentioned that you might need more focus but I assume you've already intended to do once your project unfolds and begins to take shape.  I too have a broad topic (censorship) but I am limiting its use to one particular website. Good luck with your work and I would be interested in reading the final paper.[[User:Michaelekeane|Michaelekeane]] 11:58, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*


Hi Christopher, I'm curious to hear more about how you plan to attract readers and community members to your site. What's the value proposition? Do people want financial and investment advice from their peers? Who is your target audience and what sites are they currently engaging with and how are they engaging with them? Developing your own site and attracting users in the next two months is quite an undertaking - maybe there's a way to explore the issues you raise in your prospectus by looking at existing forums for where people discuss finance? I can't say I go to this kind of site myself but [http://www.finance30.com/ Finance 3.0] came up during a Google search as did this article [http://www.accountingdegree.com/blog/2009/50-awesome-social-networks-for-finance-geeks/ 50 Awesome Social Networks for Finance Geeks]. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:22, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
:Aly Barbour comments:  I'm afraid I must ring in with the crowd on this. I'm very curious as to how you will decide to go about observing this question in terms of a specific community. What can be learned about  intellectual property rights and infromation  from observing a group which disseminates information? One example, and i wish it were still active, is Oink a music sharing community geared towards spreading rare and hard to find eps. With such a sight it'd be interesting to view how the owners of the material,  small bands, microlabels handle the spread of information. In the music scene  the rapid ability to share music  illegally has meant that a lot of bands get heard by a magnitude larger an audience.  Or perhaps observing a site where people share photos and see what lengths people go to in order to maintain their ownership over an image ( watermarks etc.. who owns memes, do the owners of angry cat own the rights to the angry cat meme?) etc etc. can't wait to see what you do! All my best. [[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 14:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Agreed @Aditkowsky, I'll be interested to see what approach you take towards building up site membership.  You may want to find a more specific niche that you notice is going unfulfilled on some of the main financial websites. I'm also interested that you're intentionally using advertising from day 1- it'd be great if you could find some way to get feedback from site viewers on how that affects their feelings about the site as a whole. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 21:57, 1 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: I suggest that you check out the digital mellenium copyright act and also check out companies like Associated Content (now Yahoo voices!) and Demand Media Studios for this assignment! -Laurence Girard....also think about bloggers who may copy other people's material!
******


Your project sounds very challenging and will require a detailed understanding of programming which I assume you have. As I understand it, the niche of the site will be economics/investment. I would be interested in knowing whether governance techniques for other sites will be the same for an investment basics site. One can only assume that the nature of governance (and the personal information provided) will be different between a financial site and say a video game or online game site (perhaps not).--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*Rebekahjudson
*Title: "'Weird Twitter': Critique from Within?"
*Link to Prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Judsonprospectus.rtf
[[User:Rebekahjudson|Rebekahjudson]] 21:09, 25 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Rebekahjudson: Fascinating, I had not heard of this. Do users of Weird Twitter self-identify using that label? How do participants signal they are contributing to Weird Twitter rather than just making a joke or nonsensical post on Twitter? To the untrained eye, it doesn't seem like there's much community going on here - but maybe that's the point. I very curious to know how, without a centralized "Weird Twitter" aggregate or some other means to look for Weird Twitter posts (save the map you mentioned), a community of "Weird Twitters" can exist and interact with one another.  Look forward to hearing more about this. [[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 15:52, 27 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Rabekah- Your proposal sounds like an interesting subject. Is this group something that you have taken part in, or is your statement “Critique from Within” to be interpreted that Weird Twitter is critiquing Twitter or the Twitter community from within? It looks like you have a good outline and a method that will lead you to interesting material. I am wondering how this relates to censorship or control. Does the tweeting of Weird Twitter have any sort of influence on the broader Twitter community? Do members of a group in Twitter influence one another in a way that has some sort of an influence on the group as a whole?[[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 20:07, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Rebekah, this is an interesting online community - one I hadn't previously been familiar with, but fascinating to learn about. My main thought while reading this is the longevity of this community. Google Analytics has shown the search rate for "Weird Twitter" drop dramatically in the past month. I wonder if the loose group of individuals may be fluid in their terminology, and therefore be a bit difficult to track down. On that note, well done selecting several twitter users from the start to monitor. I imagine if they are consistent in their "Weird Twitter" tweets, you will also find yourself becoming familiar with the online community that extends beyond these users. My second thought would be the impact this community - fluid as it may be - has on the wider twitter community. If they are not operating under a single hashtag, how do new users find them?  How do they distinguish themselves?
:Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Rebekah, I love this topic! I've been a fan of horse_ebooks and Riff Raff, but was unaware of any umbrella term under which they belonged.  
:Though both personalities tweet in this poetical anarchist fashion, disregarding traditional language conventions,  I would never associate them together because of their vastly motivations. Riff Raff wants fame and fortune. Horse_ebooks wants to be invisible. However, according to the Chicago Reader's Weird Twitter map, Riff Raff and Horse_ebooks hold similarly prominent positons in spite of their real life differences. The concept of "Weird Twitter" is completely reader-defined, and I think requires exploration of the population who appreciates these aliases and associates them with one another, perhaps in contrast to Weird Twitter author's real motivations. One last thing is to explore is how Twitter's architecture (i.e. the 150 character confines) have altered how we think to use language  and enable/prevent "weird Twitter." Here are some relevant articles about Horse_ebooks and Riff Raff: http://gawker.com/5887697/    http://gawker.com/5912835/riff-raffs-got-a-record-deal-making-sense-of-the-most-viral-human-being-in-music 
:[[User:Jax|Jax]] 21:07, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
I love the idea of how you are analyzing a community that is critiquing a larger popular community. I wonder if it is worthwhile to look into the culture: similarities and differences between the two and analyze it from there (major themes etc). It may be tricky to code themes because of time frames, or timing, so be careful! Also, be sure to include why core members are core members, and why they are the ones you are watching out for. I would also be careful in defining what are considered norms on Twitter and Weird Twitter.
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
Laurence Girard: Good topic and one thing I would suggest is that you compare this structure to the structure of a typical forum with threads and categories etc. Are there any similarities that you might be able to map in a neat diagram?
*
There was a recent article about Weird Twitter and Creepy Twitter:  http://www.theawl.com/2013/03/spy-twitter-is-weird-twitte  [[User:Ryanb|Ryanb]] 11:12, 12 March 2013 (EDT)


Hi Chris, I'm not really sure what Drupal CS is. Perhaps an introduction to what this is would give me a better idea with where you are going with your research. I do see the link to it at the bottom, but think you may confuse the reader if you don't orient them outright. I'll follow-up and see what your framework develops into. Looking forward to learning about another new platform! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:26, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Chris - quite the undertaking! I personally tend to stay away from sites with Ads, so it will be interesting to see how that aspect affects your users. Looking forward to reading more about this! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 22:22, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Name or pseudonym: Joshywonder
*Prospectus title: Lawbuzz_Prospectus
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Lawbuzz_Prospectus_-_Joshywonder.Feb25.13.docx
*
:Joshywonder: It might be difficult to study the now archived site as many of the posts/pages are not good links.  In your research question you proposed to measure the anonymous users' "reactions when this privacy was stripped away" - will this be entirely interpreted/extrapolated from posts made on the site? [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 15:57, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Joshywonder: I think you have a fabulous idea and have sources that have interested you on this topic. I wonder if you are interested in discussing the difference between Canadian English versus either the United States English or "Official English" as it may be. [[User:Johnathan Merkwan|Johnathan Merkwan]] 19:13, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Joshywonder: This is a very interesting case that you site. Was there a public response to this incident? Did the individual who brought the suit suffer in reputation either from the content of the site or from the attention given to the lawsuit? Is the site something that you personally took part in? Do you think that anonymous posters or posters using pseudonyms make a valuable contribution to discussion in public internet forums? It looks like you have developed your method and you have plenty of interesting information to choose from. I think that an important factor in your write-up will be to narrow your presentation to the details you think will best inform your audience of the issues at stake and best illuminate the specific case as a study subject. [[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 20:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
Joshywonder: I am very fascinated with your topic, but am curious about the idea of whether or not it is important the users are all from Canada and if the anonymous users are from there? I also wonder, if this may be of importance to your project: If the power of the courts and laws are aligned with what is happening online? What I mean is, what legal tests are there used to determine what is deemed private and so forth, and if they are aligned with peoples online experiences?
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)


<br><br>
Laurence Girard: I think that the main thing you are going to want to consider here is defamation of character vs. freedom of speech. Shouldn't people be allowed to say what they want about other people the same way we are allowed to say what we want about politicians as long as it is true to some extent??
<b>Name:</b> Brendan Long<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Question & Answer Website Services and the Impact of Social Media<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b>[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Final_Project_Prospectus_-_Long%2C_Brendan.doc Prospectus]<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>
[[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:47, 21 February 2012 (UTC)


Hi Brendan, since you mention you will provide a timeline and historical content of the Q&A sites and social media, and also a comparison of them and impact of the social media on them, I would suggest your work to be more focused on the analysis of the information you find. This means that although the overview of Q&A is necessary for your work, we already know more or less the social media, and I like to read about your question of Q&A functions within these sites, which is a topic totally new, at least for me. Good luck, very interesting![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


<br>
*Matthew D. Haney
Hi Brendan,
*"Online Review Platform Yelp – filtering for hire?"
Cool idea. I’m not on facebook, so I wasn’t aware that there was a separate section for answer seekers. I use dedicated Q & A sites quite a bit. The one’s that make me register before looking at them, I usually pass by.  Mostly, I use sites dedicated to Android programming, other IT community sites, specific auto repair questions, and one legal questions site.  On two occasions, I paid a small fee for “good” answers on JustAnswers.com.
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Matthew_D_Haney_-_Assignment_2_Prospectus%2C_02262013.docx
The sites I have found to be credible and useful are; avvo (A V V O - looks like a W when they are close together).com for legal questions, JustAnswer.com (this is the site where I agreed to “donate” a token fee for a correct answer), forum.xda-developers.com for some of my Android questions, liliputing.com (again for Android), and Cyanogenmod.com (yep, again for Android stuff).
*
It’s been my experience that experts tend to collect in likeminded online communities.  I’m not sure what social network sites offer, but I think that intrinsically technical question seekers might need to go outside of the general social network platform in search of community sites dedicated to the specific topic. It will be a really interesting study – I’m looking forward to seeing your results. Best of luck. [[User:Louiscelli|Louiscelli]]<br><br>
:Matthew: You and RobMcLain have proposed the same research questions about Yelp. Maybe you can collaborate?[[User:JW|JW]] 22:04, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Hi Brendan, Julia Brav and Quynh Dang are also looking at aspects of Q&A sites - it might be fun to try to find a way to work with them. In terms of your prospectus, I'm most intrigued by how successful Q&A is on social networking sites. What are the benefits and challenges? And how much is success dependent on your personal ability to engage your friends/contacts/followers vs. a larger community's engagement with a dedicated Q&A site? [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:29, 27 February 2012 (UTC)  
*
:Matthew, your writing is very scientific; and I applaud you for this. The reader can be left skeptical and that is a matter of definition. Keep up the good work. [[User:Johnathan Merkwan|Johnathan Merkwan]] 19:27, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Matthew: Wonderful topic, I think you’ll have a lot of fun with this research topic. Although you have wonderful sources, I was wondering to know how you will gather the data, and do you think that Yelp will be able to provide you with clarification of removed posts? Censorship plays an important role within this topic; will you use any interesting cases to defend your paper? [[User:User777|user777]] 18:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)


It seems one like one major thing that the Q and A sites have going for them is that they've managed to entrench themselves in certain communities already; fans of certain types of video games know the best sites, engineers know the best sites for that, etc. It'll be interesting to see what you find with social media sites and how they are going to try and balance their broad appeal with an attempt to create very specifically useful Q and A sections.  Good luck! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:01, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
:Matthew: Working together sounds like a great idea. Shoot me an email and let's talk about it - mclain@fas dot harvard dot edu


So your main goal is to examine how social media can influence the popularity (and authenticity) of Q & A sites? I would imagine that social media can be viewed as a means for advertising or popularizing Q & A sites. Would your focus be on how users of a Q & A site may choose to popularize that site through their Facebook or twitter accounts? One interesting point may be to examine the behavior of users who choose to popularize Q & A sites through social media. Do they feel that a certain answer is significant that everyone should know? Is a certain type of answer or topic the reason why they would likely integrate social media? --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: Interesting...you might investigate whether this would fall under the realm of false advertising.  
*
:Matthew: Agree w/ Jonathan, you have a very clear-cut and concise approach to your topic and research.  Excellent job narrowing focus and coming up with a means to test it.  My only feedback would be around the volume of businesses you are testing - I would suggest testing upwards of 10 (of each - 10 advertising, 10 not) to ensure that your results yield a conclusive result. Unless you've already done a proof of concept and know that 5 apiece will suffice.  [[User:Baughller|Baughller]] 19:30, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Excited about all of the research on Q&A sites! Like others mentioned, may be good to team up. I agree with AlexLE that many Q&A sites are "entrenched" in specific communities. May be something to look at. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:04, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
******


<br><br>
*Milenagrado
<b>Name:</b> Hope Solomon<br>
*"Duolingo and Copyright Issues"
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Communicating with Constituents through Twitter<br>
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assignment2milenagrado.doc
<b>Prospectus: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Assignment_2_Hope_Solomon.doc Prospectus]<br>
[[User:Milenagrado|Milenagrado]] 21:34, 25 February 2013 (EST)
Comments:</b><br>
*
[[User:Hds5|Hds5]] 14:22, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
:Milena: I think the idea of contacting the users through Twitter, Facebook, and Duolingo’s blog is a good resource to provide some context as to the structure of the site. I also feel that it would be helpful if you could find out how the policies have changed in the past as a result of previous laws. [[User:AaronEttl|AaronEttl]] 14:36, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Milena, what an interesting topic. Duolingo reminds me of a wikipedia of sorts in the ways it relates to copyrighted information. As crowdsourced information has grown in the past few years, I imagine you may also find similar information on how copyright is addressed in recent case studies. Another question to ask would be how users can ensure the translation is accurate? If you delve into the terms & conditions, you may also wish to see how Duolingo holds users accountable and verify the information is indeed an accurate representation of the initial intent. There are many concepts to delve into here, but I think you have done a very nice job of boiling it down to the main concerns the site may encounter moving forward.Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Dear Milena Grado, I found your paper proposal quite interesting. I haven’t heard about Duolingo, however I have few questions: What about the translation [if] being out of context? What about sentence structure? Culture/ How precise is the translation? If so, what kind of copy rights will this serve gather, in order to protect the translation services? I noted that you will be gathering information through “Twitter, Facebook and Duolingo's blog- very interesting! Do you have specific way of analyzing this data? Use/volume based? Good luck with the paper, I think it’s quite an interesting topic to write a paper on.
:[[User:User777|user777]] 17:42, 4 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Hope Solomon, it seems that architecture and norms used on twitter have favored the political leaders in their campaigns. I wonder if there’s any limitation to its usage for political purposes, and if so you include them in your project. Good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
:Milena: How will you choose which users to contact? How will you ensure it's a representative sample? The danger in this approach is that your conclusions about the site may be skewed by your user sample. Otherwise, though, your project incorporates some great questions. Rob McLain


Hi Hope, this is a great topic and I look forward to following your research for the rest of the semester. It might be helpful to identify different kinds of twitter "engagement" and make an attempt at quantifying them. For example, how many @ replies are there vs. general status updates? Is there some way to evaluate the "quality" of the tweets? Do the politicians make use of hashtags and, if so, to what effect? It might also be interesting to note the number of followers at the start and end of the project. And finally, by the end of the project, do you have any best practices for politicians for how to engage their community and get (or at least seem like you're getting) things done? Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:38, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
******


Great idea- how will you deal with the fact that many politicians Twitter feeds are at least partially actually managed by a series of pr experts/interns who follow set instructions for the material they post? I obviously don't know if this is true for the specific ones you mentioned, but it would be an interesting extra layer where the format of the site actually creates a false sense of closeness for subscribers. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:01, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
* Pseudonym: Tessa May
* Prospectus title: Moderation or Censorship in LinkedIn Groups?
* Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Tessa_May_Assignment_2.pdf
[[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 02:52, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Tessa - this looks well-thought out and do-able within the parameters of the class. Reading through your prospectus, the following questions occurred to me: Do the deleted users have something in common? Are the moderators of the groups you are observing similar in some way? (For example, do they have manager or above in their title?)Is there a higher authority or forum for protesting deletions? And finally, in a professional forum such as LinkedIn, how would you distinguish keeping the conversation professional or productive or on-topic vs. censorship?[[User:Raven|Raven]] 12:03, 27 February 2013 (EST)


I think this is a great idea. I think the investigation into your research questions will answer questions I have -- meaning I don't much suggestion for the framework of your study --- just that I'm interested in what results you find. The only *I* would do (but not telling you to do) is to compare the usage of twitter in D.C. to other big cities? Good luck! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 20:23, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
:''Reposted following deletion/edit conflict'' [[User:Raven|Raven]] 13:31, 27 February 2013 (EST)


Great topic!Is Twitter more a tool for the politicians to advertise themselves rather than an interactive tool between constituent and politician? Is there solid evidence that Twitter really has initiated change (constituent protest on Twitter leads to reforms by politician)? I look forward to reading your paper. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
:Tessa,<br/>
:This looks really, really fascinating! I'm curious - are you considering comparing multiple groups in differing categories? I ask because it may be interesting to see if two groups in similar categories have similar patterns in deleting posts. <br />
:Another thing that came to mind: it may be interesting to look at the profiles of the group members to see if there is any pattern between those whose posts are deleted, those who tend to align with group moderators, etc….since LinkedIn profiles generally provide members' current, and often prior, employment and education, you may be able to identify a pattern based on members' socioeconomic status.<br />
:[[User:BeccaLuberoff|BeccaLuberoff]] 18:15, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Tessa,
:This looks very interesting and you seem to have your ideas extremely clear. I love the idea of having a survey sent to group owners at the end of your investigation period. I would also suggest, if I may, to contact Linkedin directly and see if they have a comment in regard. [[User:GregB23|GregB23]] 15:22, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Tessa: I think you’ve picked out a great topic for your research paper. I am an active user of Linkedin, and participate in quite a few groups, and you are correct, that posts are being deleted without notice, which sometimes makes it hard to fallow the group/topic itself. I see that you have a perfect strategy for your paper, which I think will definitely help you generate a great paper. How many groups will you audit? How often will you review a group? Good luck on your paper, and I look forward to read your final work (if class permits).  
:[[User:User777|user777]] 18:21, 4 March 2013 (EST)


*
:Daniel Cameron Morris comments: Tessa, exploring the idea of censorship on LinkedIn groups sounds good. My suggestion is perhaps attempting to see why some might censor or remove content, for example, if the poster is attempting to get them to go to another group on the same topic. Perhaps content subtractions occur when the owner(s) of the group want simply to exert more control over the group as opposed to encouraging as many comments as possible. Other times, comments might be deleted due to not fitting into the general standards of professionalism that is expected on LinkedIn. Mabye you can come up with your own categories for deleted comments to expand on this, and determine if the deletions are leaning more toward censorship or content control. [[User:Daniel Cameron Morris|Daniel Cameron Morris]] 19:52, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Greetings Daniel: Moderation or Censorship in Linkden Groups really caught my, in regards to the fact that this is a very provocative title. In your prospectus it is interesting to note how you plan on gathering data with regards to specific groups within the site. Being that LinkedIn has captured the social media market for the professional, how will you be able to identify would would need to be cencsorn in a group that is by membership only? Secondly I am very much looking forward to see how Moderation is pulled in to groups. I like the idea of individuals within groups being limited in comments and mailing so that a, "only bully" in a specific network will not hog all of the conversation and in turn add to a more healthy convention of conversation- Hunter [[User:HunterGaylor|HunterGaylor]] 15:57, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
Tessa May:


I can say from experience, Twitter has been the most beneficial platform to me. I have made invaluable connections, found work, and interacted with some interesting people. I've often thought about Twitter's community and communication guidelines. Why are they so effective? What drives the tweet traffic on Twitter? I concluded that it is powerful and effective because it is completely open. There are no walls to stop anyone from interacting or sharing information with anyone else. It is the first entirely open communication platform. I am writing my prospectus on StockTwits, which is an app similar to Twitter. We should talk if you would like to field an interesting discussion. [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:51, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
I suspect LinkedIn will be a good platform from which to derive your observations as it is obviously intended to be for professional/career/business purposes and therefore just about everyone with an account will ultimately be driven by the motivation to enhance their career goals. While I haven't observed too much conflict on LinkedIn (as opposed to say, Facebook, for example where disagreements can be sharp and common) I suppose egos can quickly flare up and agendas can easily clash as individuals attempt to push their company, career and professional point of view on to others.  


Hi Hope - very cool! I think Twitter is the culprit here. I too wonder how twitter updates by PR instead of the politician will affect your study? Looking forward to hearing what you find out. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:11, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
I noticed that you are using the deletion of a post as the metric for censorship. You may also want to consider a slightly less rigid although probably no less effective metric for censorship - bullying and pig-piling. I've noticed, based on my personal use of social networks, that there is a tendency for a community to post overly large quantities of aggressive and oppositional rhetoric in response to something they disagree with, even if similar (and seemingly redundant in message) responses have already been posted. In other words, there is more than one way to censor and you may want to consider people applying the herd mentality to discussions when adding little to no additional minimal value as another form of censorship to your list of observable behavior. Granted it may be difficult to define and therefore measure this behavior, but it may prove valuable just the same.
[[User:CyberRalph|CyberRalph]] 09:09, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Thanks for the comments! These have been really helpful as I try to narrow down my focus a bit more. --[[User:Hds5|Hds5]] 19:00, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


<br><br>
*Alicia Phan | APhan
<b>Name:</b> Yerzhan Temirbulatov<br>
*"Assignment#2 - Law As Culture; Facebook & Privacy Rights"
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Endless war on piracy<br>
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/AliciaPhan_Assignment2.docx
<b>Prospectus: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:YerzhanTemirbulatov_EndlessWarOnPiracy.doc Prospectus]<br>
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 08:24, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Comments:</b><br>
*
[[User:Erzhik|Erzhik]] 20:42, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
:Alicia: If you feel that it's relevant to your paper, I would be interested in reading your analysis of the pending class action [http://www.fraleyfacebooksettlement.com Fraley v. Facebook].[[User:JW|JW]] 22:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Alicia: While I agree with this statement, I think it needs to be substantiated: "More than ever people are learning about our laws through the mass media, and believing in the media’s representation of the legal realm".  I think your methodology is a little too vague as I'm unclear on precisely what parts of Facebook you will be observing: globally public comments?  Posts made by businesses?  Comments made by others on subscribed updates? [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 16:01, 2 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Yerzhan, I think your second question is the center of your investigation, because you can investigate what were the effects of the shutting down of Megaupload. As for the question of SOPA/PIPA and ACTA role in the online copyright piracy, I would say this would not be certainly defined in the near future, at least in the next weeks—just my opinion. Good luck!, interesting project.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:16, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*
:Daniel Cameron Morris User Comments: Alicia, Your examination of privacy rights on social networking sites such as Facebook is fascinating. I would ask, 'Are our intellectual property rights waived automatically when we use a limited privacy social network site?' The topic seems really hot right now, and going into the various privacy settings on Facebook and arguments pro and con in light of legal decisions in the United States and other nations, even international bodies, will be enlightening to fellow Facebook fans. A suggestion could be analysis of each privacy setting, with pro and con arguments for personal privacy being intellectual property that must be waived to share with others. Pretty sure that is what already happens, but really without the examination my comments are just speculation. I await your comments on my proposal as well. Thanks!
:[[User:Daniel Cameron Morris|Daniel Cameron Morris]] 22:07, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Alicia: Your focus on the interpretivity of law, rather than its logical or declarative features, would be well-served by an analysis of how culturally-generated ideas about justice and how communities should be organized can develop into effective regimes of social order on social networks like Facebook.
[[User:Johnfloyd6675|Johnfloyd6675]] 16:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)  


Hi Yerzhan, I'm very interested in the discussion of Russian torrent sites, particularly since so much of the class discussion is geared toward the US. I'd love to see a comparison between a site like Megaupload and the leading Russian torrent sites, and I'd also love to learn more about emergence of Tribler and its potential impact on file sharing. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:47, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Yerzhan, Coming from someone who feels their argument was too broad I feel you have a great focus of study with this. It is straightforward, a hot current issue and I feel you have set yourself up to do the research to investigate your questions. I am looking forward to the effects of these sites (is it a constant cat and mouse game) or do the crackdowns represent preventative medicine that discourages further spread. Maybe including hacker attacks post big crackdowns? Looking forward to this [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:57, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Assignment 2 _USER777 .
*Facebook-Marketing-Power of "Like"
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:USER777_Assignment_2.docx
[[User:User777|user777]] 11:35, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:User777: I am left wondering precisely what the research questions are and/or the methodology you will use to prove your hypotheses. Something like "I will also look at the “display ad” effectiveness that drives a significant demand for both online and in-store purchases" is a massive research project in and of itself and would realistically require access to private information controlled by businesses. [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 16:06, 2 March 2013 (EST)


Your topic certainly is relevant to the course discussion. I am not sure if it will be too challenging to analyze the effects of the megaupload closure since the arrests occurred not too long ago (maybe I'm underestimating the dynamic quality of the internet). Good luck with your work. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
Hi User777: This is a very big topic, and I'm wondering if you are still in the formative portion of your project. Facebook has gotten a lot of attention on how and what shows up in the newsfeed and how this has an effect on the number and quality of likes, especially for advertisers. Have you considered narrowing your topic to the question of whether or not Facebook's policies are aligned with their advertisers? In the past few days, quite a number of articles have shown up questioning whether increased participation on the newsfeed is increasing advertisers' costs. What types of posts are most likely to show up in a newsfeed? What percentage of an advertiser or a users' friends get to see posts? Other than purchasing advertising, what things can advertisers or users do to increase this percentage? These questions might help to focus your thinking. I'm looking forward to your results.[[User:Raven|Raven]] 11:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
This is a very interesting topic. I am left wondering though, what you deem to be major brands that you should look into and how they "market" their products so that people "like" it. How does the idea of social media connect to users liking the product? Is it just the fact that social media networking is powerful and constitutes a lot of people following brands online and liking stuff? What about other types of "likes"....like when people "like" pictures, quotes etc...is that a type of marketing strategy as well? What methodology will you go about to link that a lot of "likes" is a marketing strategy - what I mean is that, the more likes = the more successful a product is? How might you determine that? I am interested to see the end result of your project!
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
Very interesting topic, and highly ambitious. Have you thought about specifics for how to go about your research?  What about looking at specific sites that allow users to use a Facebook login to access content, and reviewing their revenues?  Ex: Livestrong or Spotify. If you were to focus on the "power of like", I am curious if there is a way to chart likes on Facebook (similar to Youtube video views) that you could bump against a company's published financials.  [[User:Baughller|Baughller]] 19:45, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Interesting extension of the discussions we've had in class, I'll be interested to see how good the statistics you can find are.  Is this the sort of thing where the given statistics are totally trustworthy?  [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:01, 5 March 2012 (UTC)


Very well crafted proposal and specific research questions (compared to mine which is still a bit broad).  This is a great extension of our classwork and I think the comparative nature of it will be very valuable.
******
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


Great prospectus. Russian torrent sites are prevalent and I think your research is worthwhile. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:04, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
*Muromi
*Prospectus Title: Maintaining Stability in China's Cyberspace
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Muromi_assignment_2.pdf
--[[User:Muromi|Muromi]] 12:02, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Muromi: Instead of using Lessig's four factors, I thihttp://www.charitywatch.org/nk it would be interesting to use Zittrain's generativity lens to examine how China manages to innovate in spite of all the existing controls. I'd be curious to find out in what respects China's cyberspace is (or could) be unlimited.[[User:JW|JW]] 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Muromi, I think that is an extremely interesting final project, and I am looking forward to reading it once you are done. A few years ago I was a visiting professor of law at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, and I ran smack into the firewall many times. I think facebook was still allowed at that time, but many of the other sites weren't, so I had to use programs like anonymouse.org to get around the firewall. I also used QQ with my Chinese girlfriend and she was always scared that our conversations were being monitored for content. The only critique I have is that you may be studying too many different aspects of the firewall. You only have 10 pages to write, you might consider focusing on a few specific aspects of the firewall and the reasons they are in place. i.e. Google is currently banned in China, but is that because the government doesn't like what Google turns up or because they want to protect the competitive advantage of Baidu? etc.. [[User:Joshywonder|Joshywonder]] 09:49, 3 March 2013 (EST)


<br><br>
******
<b>Name:</b> Tara Baechel<br>
<b>Prospectus title:</b> The Internet, Adoption and the Privacy of Minors<br>
<b>Prospectus: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Baechel_Assignment_2.pdf Prospectus]<br>
Comments:</b><br>
[[User:TBaechel]] 21:25, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>


Hi Tara, your proposal is very interesting and I’d like to know who was the actor that promoted this change you have noted in this website. In the second part you propose, I’d like to know what are the reasons of the people who adopt a child when they do not have the resources to support the adoption costs. Is there any kind of abuse they have detected and they decide to help these children? Good luck with your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
* Zak Paster
* Online Giving: A New Fundraising Era
* http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Zak_Paster_Assignment_2_Online_Fundraising_Communities_2-26-13.docx
* [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 12:49, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Zak Paster: How will you estimate "effective fundraising" for Research Question A?  Question C seems large enough to be the entire project as "conduct external research about online giving and associated industry trends" is a large undertaking. [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 14:54, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Zak Your NGO sounds great.  Good luck with it.  My question, which I don't know if you'll be able to tackle in this project relates to control.  How much tension is there between having an outside entity give you a "pre-formed" website, social media strategy, etc. that may be quite good, and the fund-raising organization's ability to create their own content.  Also, just as you want to be sure that the fundraising websites ensure funds go to the advertised cause, donors want to know how their money is being spent.  Can organizations have links to places like charitywatch.org or charitynavigator.org?
:[[User:Susan Goldstein|Susan Goldstein]] 09:12, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Zak: Great Topic. The notion that online fundraising has been getting in recent months is overwhelming. The effective fundraising idea comes with the clear revelation that the internet is very powerful tool. With tools like Kick starter, and rocket hub are able to cast a wider net that will allow more individuals to participate in supporting a cause. However, with regards to control one must ask themselves with a wider net and more individuals having the ability to contribute, how will one be able to control how that money is being accounted for and that it is coming from individuals that are proper for that organization. This is a new eara of Fundraising, both in the public and private sector. On must not loose focus on how effective is new era will be providing an easier access to funds. I am very much looking forward to your final project. Best of Luck and great Topic choice! I am very encouraged that someone is shedding light on potential positive effect this can have for the NGO world. Hunter [[User:HunterGaylor|HunterGaylor]] 16:06, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
Zak:


Hi Tara, I think you raise really interesting questions about whether the release of private information online helps or hinders adoption agencies' marketing efforts. I might suggest that instead using fundraising websites set up by parents as a complement to your main research topic, you could look to forums/discussion boards that include potential and current adoptive parents. What can you learn about their preferences from monitoring those communities? What might adoption agencies learn that could affect the way they communicate with parents pursuing adoption? Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 02:56, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
You have a strong, well thought-out structure to your research. I don't know if it will help, but the US government hosts the Combined Federal Campaign (http://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/) which tracks and publishes the efficiency of the charities it sponsors. Another suggestion: You may want to consider looking at http://www.kickstarter.com/ as another possible target of evaluation. Among many other things, they helped launch Diaspora, a social networking alternative to Facebook and MySpace, which is still going strong.


Hi Tara, I agree with Aditkowsky. What are the effects of privacy information on the process? Is this the largest site or just a site of interest? Perhaps include a basic summary of the leading groups before exploring the specific rules and framework of this site and then diving into your privacy questions. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:55, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
[[User:CyberRalph|CyberRalph]] 10:26, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Zak:
Your approach to the analysis of online fundraising seems rigorous and likely to yield actionable, material knowledge of the distinctions between online platforms for fundraising. It will be important to ensure that analysis of each platform is done in context, to assess the generative potential of each platform in those situations to which it's best suited.
[[User:Johnfloyd6675|Johnfloyd6675]] 16:51, 5 March 2013 (EST) 16:49, 5 March 2013 (EST)
******


Your topic is powerful. My brother adopted two children many years ago and he never had this wealth of information on perspective children. I think that moral issues may arise (as you mentioned) regarding the type and amount of information released concerning these children, both in the adoption process and many years later when these children are part of the internet public record. Hopefully you will be able to find more focus as you continue your research. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*RobMcLain
*Under the Watchful Eye: Community, Connivery, and Censorship on Yelp
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/RobMcLain_Assignment2.docx
*
:RobMcLain: You and Matthew D. Haney have proposed the same research questions about Yelp. Maybe you can collaborate?[[User:JW|JW]] 22:04, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:RobMcLain: It would appear we indeed have nearly identical projects - let's team up :) [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 14:50, 2 March 2013 (EST)


Very interesting, and the point about this information coming back to haunt the children later in their life is a very strong one that hadn't occurred to me.  Do you think that the lack of information, while better for the children, may actually deter potential parents to some degree? I know adoption is something that people generally are very committed to if they are considering it, but would a lack of information actually hinder the ability of some sites/groups to draw in possible adoptive parents?  [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:01, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
:Matt: Absolutely! Let's get in touch - mclain@fas dot harvard dot edu


Hi Tara, from your prospectus, your project seems very interesting but also very difficult. I have some knowledge even though limited of the minors world and legal issues. I worked in the DA’s Office Domestic Violence Unit and I personally encountered many problems regarding information and minors. Because of this, I am very eager to read your final project once it is completed. Good luck! [[User:Emanuele|Emanuele]] 11:21, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
RobMcLain: Fantastic topic. I've personally experienced some of yelp's connivery. When I was running a popular downtown restaurant in Texas we held the top Yelp ranking until we decided not to pay for advertising on Yelp. After that decision  our 5-star ratings began to disappear into thin air.  I am curious how you plan to track and observe so many actions on such a large site where moderation isn't necessarily noted. I'd be very interested to see how you narrow your research. All my best. [[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 03:58, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Fascinating stuff. I too wonder if potential adopters would be discouraged by a lack of information on adoptees? May be something worth considering. Good luck, looks like it will be very interesting! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:11, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
Hi Rob, I think this is a great topic!  I've watched a comment of mine  disappear off a restaurant site -- it's interesting to have the tie in to the advertising and of course the benefit for the particular venue in keeping their "star" rating. It's a big challenge to dive into Yelp but it will be amazing for you to find links to different ways these sites may scheme to have a contrived presence to the public.  Are you planning on comparisons to Open Table or Around Me?  Yelp is probably big enough to tackle as is, but you may open up some really great discussions for all the others as well.  Amazing project!
[[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 17:27, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline 


Interesting topic.  Definitely two fields that I know very little about, but would love to learn more.  I look forward to reading your final project.
******
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


<br><br>
*Caroline
<b>Name:</b> Manuel Valerio<br>
*The Right to be Forgotten
<b>Prospectus title:</b> Internet, fame and speed to Market<br>
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Righttobeforgotten.doc
<b>Prospectus: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:MPValerio_Assignment-2_Internet_Fame.pdf]<br>
[[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 13:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Comments:</b><br>
*
[[User:Mvalerio|Mvalerio]] 21:38, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
:Caroline: You may want to discuss the statue of repose and the statute of limitations in your paper, if you feel that these statutes are relevant.[[User:JW|JW]] 23:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Caroline: Fascinating issue, but you may need to pick a community to observe in order to test the framework. I'm thinking of an app like SnapChat, for example. SnapChat lets users send photos and videos to one another and then deletes that content after a certain time limit. Here, the ability to be forgotten is built into the technology of the platform. How does the community use SnapChat? Is it for "sexting" as many people fear, or are there other practices involved? This might help you explore the role of architecture in the right to be forgotten, not just law. What if Facebook and Google gave you the option to publish something temporarily? [[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 15:30, 27 February 2013 (EST)


Hi Manuel, I think indeed this phenomenon of being relatively unknown to an overnight sensation is very interesting. It reminds me the Youtube phenomenon, which you can also take a look at, in which a random video becomes famous and the producer receives a call with a great amount of money for advertisement. But I didn’t grasp the essence of the question you will work on, is it what influences this rapid change? Good luck!, interesting idea.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Caroline: I love your ideas but you have so many i don't know where your focus is. I think your primary topic, "research how this regulation [ the right to forget] and potential similar regulations in North America would impact the Internet.  "  will be difficult to approach as that's all theoretical. What would be something you could actively observe? Perhaps looking at a community and following the recency of topics posted? Cheers. [[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 04:46, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*


Hi Manuel, in addition to the ideas you raise in your prospectus, I'd be interested in hear more about the specific role of an online community (or communities) in propelling a person or product to prominence. What quality of the community and what actions taken by the users contributed to the outcome? Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 16:04, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
The right to be forgotten is a very interesting start to your project. What I propose is that you look into a focus or community or example of what you may mean by that. For example, you can look into teachers who were fired from posting up comments on their students on Facebook. It is important to narrow your scope, whether it be a certain case or a law you found that prohibits or encourages this new phenomenon of "not" forgetting. Also, you can look into how the privacy rights on the community you are studying changed to either perpetuate this or help falter it.
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Manuel, I think your prospectus is interesting. The word "fame" is interesting because I was thinking similar thoughts in terms of data: what is the effect and time response from posting to users read to popularity. There are lots of factors at play such as establishing popularity when running your own site versus participating on a popular site by having a popular comment. I do see the difference there. Let me know if you need additional feedback about what I mean. Good luck ! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:42, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Thanks guys!!! I greatly appreciate the comments/feedback and look forward to more as I narrow the scope and flesh out the paper! [[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 18:05, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline
******


Dear Manuel, I did not really get your research question. What answer are you planning to give? How do you plan to sue Lessig framework. I am unsure about the claim that it is really new and the role of internet. I will maybe also see the connection with other media such as tv shows. Best of luck!!!--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 15:16, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Prospectus;_Johnathan_Merkwan.docx is my Prospectus; please read and enjoy. I look forward to constructive comments. [[User:Johnathan Merkwan|Johnathan Merkwan]] 13:46, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Jonathan: Unfortunately your file is no longer on the server - I also tried searching for it on the "uploaded files" page but to no avail [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 16:10, 2 March 2013 (EST)


Your topic is interesting and I too have wondered how the internet has sped up fame for a particular star. You seem to be focusing on blogging, which may pose complications since there are many other online avenues that can contribute to the rise of a popular musician or actor. To separate blogs from youtube, review sites and music sites may be challenging. Are you focusing on the collective blogsphere of amateur individuals, or professional blogs written by well-known bloggers?--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 22:56, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
:Johnathan Merkwan: Johnathan, it seems like you have a lot of ideas and are attempting to address several broad areas, including international, sociological, and architectural perspectives through field world. Reading this prospectus, I was confused at a few points, such as "According to each face as an old friend, I have been studying the relativity of facial recognition.. " This sounds interesting, but I'm not entirely certain what it means. Does this mean you are comparing the new friends you are adding to the old friends you deleted? You say, "Now  Facebook has deemed my friendships “real,”" but do not specify how Facebook has promoted this realness. I think something valuable in your prospectus so far is your investigation of "the spellcheck, autocorrect, and various prompted questions Facebook has alerted me to, and in doing so shall see how each action makes a difference, contextually." I think you should continue with this line of questioning, investing how facebook's suggestions influence our behavior on the site. Here is a tool to analyze your personal facebook behavior: http://www.wolframalpha.com/facebook/ and another useful facebook statistic link http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6128/The-Ultimate-List-100-Facebook-Statistics-Infographics.aspx .
:[[User:Jax|Jax]] 20:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)


One interesting aspect of this is whether the "fame" produced by an internet-fueled sudden rise to stardom is as permanent as fame that came through more traditional channels would be. Look at the Lana Del Rey pushback with her terrible performance on SNL; since then she has done much better on Letterman, but her album has been regarded critically as pretty average, and that sudden internet fame may end up disappearing as quickly as it came. Blogs are very focused in the moment, especially pop-culture ones.  Is that really conducive to creating long-lasting success? I'm really looking forward to reading this one. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
::Thank you, Jax, for your comment. I will try to elucidate some of these issues that are inherent in my document. I admit it may be difficult for people to accurately spell my name. That addressed, how about a brief understanding of my perspective. With the War on Terror as it were, why is it necessary to altercate between various nations of power the mere definition of a word? Susan Goldstein, or Einstein, are not tangentially related; wherefore, the understanding of this situation is supposed to be confusing. I do dearly appreciate your response, yet it was and is not directed at me; much less johnathan Merkwan, or alan Ginsberg. If this has made things worse, I can only say things in person, not via computer. Thus, your links are a fabulous addition to my ideas, as intentionally, crude and misleading as they might be... (I call this, "intrigue". So, as this idea develops, I will keep you updated with pop culture as I see it, in the light of the Lacanian disposition this proposal defined cohesively, yet, clearly has accepted your suggestions sic collaboration.[[User:Johnathan Merkwan|Johnathan Merkwan]] 22:24, 4 March 2013 (EST)


Along with the characteristics of a community that help propel a video to "fame," I would also be interested in commonalities among "famous" videos. Is there a certain formula for getting one's video to catch on?
::: I am very confused! Did I edit the wrong prospectus? [[User:Jax|Jax]] 10:22, 5 March 2013 (EST)
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


Hi Manuel - do you plan to focus only on blogging? it may be worthwhile to compare how fame is achieved in the blogosphere vs YT. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:04, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
******


<br><br>
*Name or pseudonym: Free speech,
<b>Name:</b> Marjolein Siegenthaler<br>
*Prospectus title: “The study of Internet control on online travel community.
<b>Prospectus name:</b> Airbnb.com <br>
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Free_speech_-_Assignment_2.docx
<b>Prospectus:</b> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Assignment_2_Marjolein_Siegenthaler.doc<br>
([[User:Free speech|Free speech]] 14:13, 26 February 2013 (EST))
<b>Comments:</b><br>[[User:MSS|MSS]] 22:13, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
*
:Free_speech: It is a very interesting point of view. It is important to see how people can face constraints all over the Internet.[[User:Milenagrado|Milenagrado]] 17:00, 28 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi, this could be an interesting topic. I assume you have some connection to the forum beforehand, because it seems like somewhat of a random choice of community. I like how you will analyze both site specific rules of participation and countrywide laws that are applicable. As a Canadian, if I were to join the forum and participate I would be bound by the laws of Canada and the rules of forum. In contrast, and American would be bound by the laws of the US and forum as well. So perhaps the site acheives greater uniformity in participation through their own regulations than the laws of the countries. :[[User:Joshywonder|Joshywonder]] 09:59, 3 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Marjolein, your project seems interesting, especially when regarding the vandalism question. When reading the case you presented, I remembered the several cases of vandalism that have taken place through Facebook. But thinking deeply, I think in the facebook cases it’s the user’s fault, because he was who agreed to have appointments with unknown people, and in the case of airbnb.com the user would have to prove that it was actually the website’s fault because of the information exchange limitation. Good luck![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)  
Hi Free Speech: I'm looking at your prospectus, and the target community. You say 'the community operating in the business of discount travels'. I'm wondering if you have considered focusing on the consumer or the provider or the columnist/blogger portion of this community. I ask because I'm guessing the constraints: legal; market; and norm would probably be different, and the site owners could (although from a quick search, I can't see that they do) also use the site architecture to limit how each of these three groups participate on the site. There is, of course, a fourth group to consider, advertisers (a subset of providers, I'm assuming), and how the advertisers' perspective might limit what the site owners are willing to allow on the site. Finally, do the authors of the featured blogs comment in the forums? Are their comments given special weight? Do travel services providers show up in the forums in their professional capacity? Do they do so in an informational or customer service role? Great topic. I'm looking forward to your results. [[User:Raven|Raven]] 11:34, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
Questions that comes up when reading your proposal is: how might you connect all of these questions together and how do things like the market link to regulation on the website? How might this internet control you perceive me relevant to general travel websites and what is significant in your study? What I mean by that is...what about control on the website? Why does it matter?
Other than that, interesting topic and I look forward to seeing the final product of your project! Flyertalk seems like a very fascinating community. [[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Marjolein, I think looking at the rules and norms for airbnb is a great topic. You might consider looking at [http://www.couchsurfing.org/ Couchsurfing.org] as a point of comparison since the culture explicitly values the connection between hosts and guests. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 16:13, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
******


Dear Marjolein, I am personally interested in your subject because few days ago a friend of mine told me to put my vocational house on it. Regarding, your question, I will also check what kind of policy do airbnb put in place to refrain such behavior, like credit card number given to the police, check of the identity, etc? And how does this comply with the protection of privacy? I like the idea of Adi to compare policy with other similar websites. Best of luck.--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 14:42, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*Phillip Dade
*The DPLA, is it Additive? Subtractive? Redundant? (DPLA = Digital Public Library of America)
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:DADE_-_2nd_Assignment_-_DPLA.doc
[[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 15:01, 26 February 2013 (EST)


Hi Marjolein, I think this study could be interesting if you use the site as a model for the study of law and responsibilities these sites and similar ones have to the safety of it's users. Other services come to mind especially craigslist (craigslist killer and staged robberies) and facebook (similar tragedies). Is the answer already there? Meaning, is there anything up for debate or do further legal questions loom on the horizon. Perhaps exploring any pending cases on this site or similar community exchange sites can lead to more answers. Good luck! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:38, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
:Phil: I wonder how you will [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Final_Project#Research_questions "avoid direct engagement with members of the community"] when you've stated that you will interact with and interview DPLA players and opponents. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, such as the teaching staff approving your methodology?[[User:JW|JW]] 23:20, 26 February 2013 (EST)
::* @JW - that is a good question, my thought is that I will be interviewing people who are "Pro DPLA" or "Against DPLA" so there is not much I could do to "influence their behavior to inherently change what I am trying to observe." - but I have not discussed with teaching staff, so I could be a little off. [[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 23:17, 1 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hey Phillip, I am very excited to see the direction that you take regarding the DLPA, specifically in regards to the potential subtractiveness of the organization. It is always interesting
to see the how the members of the community will add to the over all effectiveness of engagement with regards to organization. Because DLPA is stated that, “The hope is that broad access to scientific results will encourage faster progress on research and will let anyone apply the knowledge for technological advances. The ability to shed light on the effectiveness will be exciting to see. "-HunterGaylor" [[User:HunterGaylor|HunterGaylor]] 15:50, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:I thought the title was a bit odd. Since so few people are familiar with the DPLA, wouldn’t it be better to give more context? “Additive” and “subtractive” can be a little confusing when one doesn’t know what the noun means, since those words are used regularly in very different ways. I would suggest something along the lines of “Evaluating the Effectiveness of the DPLA.”


Great research questions, this seems like a nightmare of potential legal problems that could be tied up across different national systems.  What if they went back to their country before you realized they damaged your home? How do you even get at them?  But at the same time, it seems like the site would be wise to totally protect itself from any liability, and function only as an intermediary, with no guarantee. If they could be found responsible for damages they'd be doomed, and very open to possible scamming too. Neat project. [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
:The argument about it contributing to social stratification was quite familiar for me; it seems to be used against many new technologies and developments.


Hi Marjolein,
:Good luck with your project. It sounds quite interesting. I think it’s a good idea to implement it as a video, in terms of accessibility. [[User:Julian|Julian]] 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)
I thought I'd send you a link to coverage on AirBNB from Gawker (http://gawker.com/airbnb/), stemming from the singular incident described in your prospectus. These reports have an overwhelming negative (and arguably libelous) slant (but that's Gawker for you). I hope that these might be useful in your investigation.[[User:Jlynnping|Jlynnping]] 16:25, 5 March 2012 (UTC)


Hello Marjolein, Your topic certainly touches upon some general legal arguments that may apply to any media outlet in which there is a transaction of some sort. If you look at newspapers that have “want ads” and postings, an argument could be made that the newspaper is in some way liable since there was a payment for the want ad to be published. Your questions on how the site regulates the type of information provided, and whether that regulation diminishes or increases the chances that arrangements not working out, should lead to interesting avenues of thought. I would consider examining policies on two different fronts; how the regulation of information attracts users, and how the regulation of information increases the likelihood of transactions working out.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:59, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
******


In terms of community devlopment, AirBnb is an interesting case. Like the people mentioned above, a single incident where a AirBnb user trashes another AirBnb user's apartment can break the entire community. What is worth looking into here is the fragility behind the AirBnb community. In addition, what are the steps AirBnb is taking to support that fragility? I'm also curious to hear what your opinion is on AirBnb and hotels. Would you rather use AirBnb or a hotel? Why? What is AirBnb doing with its community and users that is worse or better than a hotel?  [[User:Scheplick|Scheplick]] 14:54, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
*Name: Susan Goldstein
*Prospectus title: “What is the Definition of “Open” in a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC)?”
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Susan_Goldstein_Assignment2.docx
[[User:Susan Goldstein|Susan Goldstein]] 15:44, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Susan: I'm curious why you chose those three particular courses to observe. Would it be possible to observe the same (or very similar) course(s) across two to three platforms? (e.g., edX, Coursera, and Udacity)[[User:JW|JW]] 22:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)
::JW: I edited out why I chose these courses from the prospectus to get it down to 397 words :)  I wanted to stick with Coursera and edX because they are the most well known and I'm particularly interested in Harvard's (edX) participation. My decision was more practical than scientific.  I chose courses that were beginning at the end of Feb to mid-March in subjects I thought I'd understand enough to be able to follow conversations about the course.  I like your idea of studying similar courses across the different platforms, but am limited by our time frame for this assignment.
*
:Susan: I have never heard of a MOOC. I wondered if  an "expert" or credentialed person in the field of study would be allowed to register for the class.  If so, how would they be treated?  --[[User:Dear Alice|Dear Alice]] 14:42, 1 March 2013 (EST) 
::Dear Alice: Anyone can register for a MOOC. An expert in the field of study could register, but would only do so if they wanted to see how someone else was teaching the subject or if they wanted to learn about an aspect of the subject they wanted to learn more about. Since a MOOC is not the same as taking a course for credit to meet the academic requirements of a school, an expert couldn't "cheat" by taking a MOOC to get an easy A. One of the reasons people enroll in MOOCS is to prepare themselves to take a course for credit.
Susan [[User:Susan Goldstein|Susan Goldstein]] 20:27, 2 March 2013 (EST)  


Hi Marjolien - cool topic, I have a few friends who use Airbnb all the time.  Especially here in NY it's quite popular and also agree re: the concept of using the site vs a hotel.  I found a random blog post regarding the site and whether it's legal or not.  [[http://www.blogiversity.org/blogs/willburns1/archive/2011/06/01/is-airbnb-a-good-idea-or-bad-idea-is-it-even-legal.aspx Is Airbnb a Good Idea or Bad Idea?]] [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 22:42, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Marjolein-  
*Kaley Sweeney
I literally was talking about Airbnb with a friend who recently started using their services when I came across your prospectus. Very interesting idea for I had not known about it till about an hour ago. He stated that they now have an insurance policy (around $50k) for such incidencesI wonder what they do to suppress some of the bad press, as any business wouldI also wonder what type of personality and what circumstances would drive someone to let strangers into their homes. Hope this helps.  [[User:Mvalerio|Mvalerio]] 02:58, 6 March 2012 (UTC)  
*Internet in North Korea: The Changing Scene of Totalitarian Control Under Kim Jung-Un
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/KaleySweeney_Prospectus.docx
Kaley Sweeney 15:47, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Kaley: The part of your prospectus that most caught my attention is the very end: "the changes that are beginning to unfold with the rise in mobile internet access in the country." I would read a 10-page paper entirely focusing on mobile Internet access in North Korea![[User:JW|JW]] 21:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Kaley: I like your topic because it sheds light on democratic freedoms.  Will the expansion of Internet usage in North Korea bring new forms of democracy to a select group of citizens?  Will outside influences, that emerge via the Internet, begin to alter government relations?  At the end of your prospectus, you mention that you...''”wish to examine the forces that have perpetuated the insulation of the country from the technological revolution and the changes that are beginning to unfold with the rise in mobile internet access in the country.”'' To narrow your focus, you may want to consider highlighting a few primary forces, i.e., norms, market, etc., with descriptions surrounding each forceTo answer the latter part (changes that are beginning to unfold in North Korea), what types of changes are you referring to?  Do you plan to analyze technological changes, societal changes, or both?  To this end, defining a few categories may bring additional structure/clarity to your analysis. [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 11:37, 3 March 2013 (EST)
*
: Hi Kaley, you have a very interesting topic here. But for such a topic, are there enough data and info that's accessible? Because Kim JungUn's policy shifts are so recent, it might be too soon and more difficult to observe and analyze any social and cultural changes within North Korea as a result of mobile internet access. Are there any websites and/or organizations that track internet usage in North Korea? Their reports may be helpful resources--[[User:Muromi|Muromi]] 10:16, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Great topic and research questions. I use airbnb a lot and am yet to have a bad experience. I've also read recently that airbnb stepped up security and updated their policies. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 05:04, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Studying rules and norms for this is an excellent idea.  I have nothing to add except that you did a great job of crafting some very precise research questionsI am sure they will lead you in the right direction for a great project.
*Raven
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Prospectus Title: Creating Valuable Content: Commenters and Your Commenting Community
*Link to Prospectust: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/?title=File:Raven_Assignment_2_Due_February_26_2013.docx&oldid=9718
[[User:Raven|Raven]] 15:59, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Raven: Cool topic. When you talk about the "quality of comments" it will be important to address the question, "according to whom?" Is it according to the managers of the site, the community of the site, or to society at large? You might also explore how comments are moderated. It seems like the NY Times screens submissions from commenters whereas The Economist and Boing Boing are more lenient. Is that true? It looks like you can flag or report inappropriate comments on Economist and Boing Boing - does user-generated moderation have an effect on the quality of the comments? I'm also interested to know whether you get higher quality comments with pseudonyms (people are perhaps more willing to be open and express one's view anonymously) or with real names (people are perhaps more willing to be articulate and tolerant). How much identity should be revealed to facilitate the most productive comments? Lastly, with regard to "comment quality categories," here are some other categories you might consider in addition to the ones you mention: Openness (willingness to share private information), Conversation potential (the extent there is discussion among commenters), Healthy debate (whether opposing viewpoints are respected), Spam ( whether comments are just a plug for blog or site), Barrier to entry to comment (easy to do or hard?), and flexibility of comment system (ability to see recommended comments or unfiltered). You may want to narrow these down for the scope of the paper but just something to think about. [[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 14:47, 27 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Raven,  It will be interesting to see which site (anonymous vs. registered users) create more tolls, flame wars, and other aspects to the online world that does not seem to exist in the offline spaceThe reverse is to see if the sites that require registration will create more fruitful conversations or of they’re equal in quality/quantity to the ones that allow anonymous commenters. [[User:Saridder|Saridder]] 16:00, 4 March 2013 (EST)


<br><br>
*
<b>Name:</b> Gregorian Hawke<br>
: Hi Raven, interesting topic you have there! I agree with Asmith that it's important that you define "quality of comments." Relatedly, I think you should consider the demographics that frequent The NYTimes, The Economist, and Boing Boing - the type of demographics will affect the type of comments as well. Also to consider is that both The New York Times and The Economist require digital subscription after a limited number of free articles, so that again too may affect what kind of people are reading those two. --[[User:Muromi|Muromi]] 09:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)
<b>Prospectus name:</b> twentymine.com <br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Talk_to_Strangers_v1.0.odt<br>
<b>Comments:</b><br>


Gregorian, love the topic, since I love the gaming community.  You may consider stabilizing/ balancing the results with a focused cross section of communities.  I don't mean to let it get out of hand, as a focused paper is good, but there may be some differences worth evaluating as reference.  Best of luck -Daniel Perry [dperry] 6 March 2012 (UTC)
******


*saridder: Steve Ridder


Hi Gregorian, wow your case really surprised me, I think you probably had been for a while in this community to receive this computer parts, isn’t it? As for your proposal, I wonder how will you measure the level of trust between members of a community. I’m also interested in your results of which environment is more likely to have trust among its members, because it seems that in the videogame environment the level of trust is high after some time. Good luck, very interesting proposal![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*The Digital Marketplace


Hi Gregorian, I am wondering if you need to draw any parralels to other sites of similar gaming nature or if your focus on this one site will be an adequate study (not to critisize --- these are merely questions since I'm unaware of the fellow's feedback). Whatever your revision is I think the study of trust itself is interesting when documenting any online community especially this one. Good luck! [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 19:34, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Link:  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Steve_Ridder_Assignment_2.docx


Hi Gregorian, I love your Minecraft story and I think it would be very interesting to focus in on this community. Maybe you could look specifically at your own relationship with the members of your sub-community and the ways in which you built trust through gaming together. Have fun! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 16:19, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
[[User:Saridder|Saridder]] 16:18, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Saridder: Your proposal made me think of another topic I was considering for this project. This may be a bit of a tangent from what you're looking to do, but when you talk about the shift towards a knowledge economy, peer production, and the future of work, I immediately thought about Yammer, often called "Facebook for companies." Yammer is a social network for employees at a company to use. Last year it got bought by Microsoft for $1+ billion. Users can only connect with other Yammer users at that company. But they can post status updates, photos, documents and it has pretty much all the same features as Facebook. Yammer is touted as a way to "flatten hierarchy" and empower employees by giving everyone a voice. It provides a collaboration tool for people from all over the world. But I wonder, how does this affect the balance of power in companies? Yes, users can sign up for the service for free without their company's permission. But the company can also pay for a premium Yammer account, which gives them greater control over their Yammer community. What elements of control are at work here (i.e. does the architecture of the site encourage some acceptable work practices, but not others) ? How much control do administrators of a Yammer network have over the contents of the network? Does this shift the balance of power in the workplace because employees can interact in a peer network, rather than through a top down hierarchy? Just an idea as you narrow down your topic. [[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 13:01, 27 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Saridder – First, I have to say that I think you are very ambitious! You have a lot going into your prospectus. I think 8-10 pages will only allow you to skim the surface of this broad subject area. I suggest that you select one of these companies or forums and use it as a model to explore your question. I would also suggest narrowing your question to one main question with a couple of sub-questions. This part of the exercise is often the hardest part, but it will allow you to dig a little deeper into one most interesting topic. I am looking forward to reading your perspective in this emerging subject. [[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 21:11, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Michael Keane comments: Well this is certainly an interesting topic, but you definitely have your work cut out for you. I'm not sure how one goes about prognosticating the future. I assume you are going to use recent history and developments to help you extrapolate information, but that can be a tough thing to do. I hope we are able to read each others final work as it will be interesting to see what patters you expect to develop.
[[User:Michaelekeane|Michaelekeane]] 11:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)
******


Gregor, Your idea and the way you connect the “small talk” and the trust that can come up from it is interesting. Some features of the some community seem to increase the trust between the users. I will be very interested in the result of your study. And if, except yourself, other users have similar experiences to share. I never did! Good luck
*María Paz Jurado
--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 14:57, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*Internet regulation in Argentina, the case of Taringa!
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/MariaPazJurado-Assignment2.pdf
--[[User:Maria|Maria]] 16:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:María: I suggest focusing your analysis on only one part of Taringa: posts, communities, music, or games. Also, it might be interesting to compare and contrast that part of Taringa to another country's equivalent, e.g. Reddit, Craigslist, [http://store.steampowered.com/about/ Steam], etc.[[User:JW|JW]] 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Maria: I agree with JW that trying to follow Taringa! Musica and Taringa! Juegos in addition to the main site would be too large a scope for such a small study. [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 14:48, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Maria:  I think using the four “areas to analyze the Internet” (market, architecture, norms, and laws) is an excellent idea and provides structure to your final paper.  To make your focus more narrow, you may want to select an example under each domain, supported by an explanation. When analyzing Taringa!’s architecture, you could highlight a few pros and cons surrounding user interactions; when examining the norms within each community, you could outline examples and draw comparisons; when analyzing the market, you could primarily focus on the exchange of music, with specific examples.  Overall, I think your explanation is clear and the approach you've outlined will allow you to collect useful data to answer your primary questions.[[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 17:13, 2 March 2013 (EST)


Hey Gregorian, I think the idea of looking at the internet as a forum for non-monetary, trust-based material exchanges is a good one. It would be great if there was one community you could look at where those exchanges have succeeded and failed, or where there are formal or informal criteria for when a level of trust has been established to allow a transaction to take place. [[User:David Taber|David Taber]] 19:34, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Great anecdote from Minecraft!  You may want to come up with a very simple survey to measure "trust," ie. a number scale from 1 to 10 and they rate how much they would trust a stranger in real life, in Minecraft, on a gaming forum, etc. Might help you to quantify answers a little better.  I know this will be a fun one to read! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
*John Floyd
*Emergent Institutions: Technical Innovation in the Absence of Governance
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Floydprospectus.txt
[[User:Johnfloyd6675|Johnfloyd6675]] 16:53, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:John - You haven't clearly outlined your process or your specific questions, or what specific tools you'll use to come to your conclusions. That said, the overall topic is a fascinating one. To help you narrow your focus, here are some questions: What access do I have? What overall question most appeals to me? How can I relate it to the course goals? How can I answer that question given the access I have? What is it I am hoping to conclude? Does this conclusion relate directly to the course goals? What evidence will support or disprove this conclusion? How can I gather it efficiently? Will this be sufficient to meet the terms of the final assignment? Can I do this in the time provided? Am I willing to do this?
Good luck. I look forward to your final result. [[User:Raven|Raven]] 16:46, 28 February 2013 (EST)
*


I like the psychological/behavioral aspect of your topic. I think that internet users in online communities may develop a sense of trust in much the same way that all of us do in our everyday lives; we develop trust by interacting with someone continuously. However I think that trust in today’s digital age is weighed against the potential misuses of that trust (i.e. fraud, identity theft). Of course trust is also built on common interests and can be augmented by exchanging advice that leads to a more rewarding product or discussion. Your topic is a bit broad but I think you can find some interesting conclusions about trust and how the internet has shaped that trust.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:59, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
:Hi John, it will be interesting to see if the behaviors found in these online communities will differ from the politics, alliances, and cabals of the real world. I'm most interested to see if the internet is a better coordination and orchestration mechanism for organizing, and can people online respond quicker, more effectively, and efficiently than offline groups to adapt to the changing political landscapes this game provides. [[User:Saridder|Saridder]] 15:59, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi John,
Great choice of subject, i find it fascinating how these communities of random people from around the globe come together and work together to a certain goal as a community. [[User:DanielReissHarris|DanielReissHarris]] 17:27, 4 March 2013 (EST)


I also think a survey to measure trust is a good idea. Sounds interesting. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 04:54, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
******
Hi Gregorian-
I wonder if any analogies can be made between those that give unknown graduates money to pay down their student loans.  There have been cases where a graduate sets up a website and random people donate untold amounts to help someone they don't know out.  I wonder if the same underlying phenomenom exists between your idea and this trusting of the money to actually go to where it was intended.  I suppose with donation idea there is no feedback besides a possible thank you email. Hope this helps.  [[User:Mvalerio|Mvalerio]] 03:07, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


This is certainly a very unqiue proposal. I know very little about the community, but my initial reaction was similiar to one or two commenters above: it may be best to focus on a subset of the large community and see how trust is gained at that level.
*Pseudonym: CyberRalph
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Prospectus: Anonymous and Their Aggressiveness in the Twittersphere
<br><br>
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Martins_Assignment2.docx
<b>Name:</b> Mike Brant<br>
[[User:CyberRalph|CyberRalph]] 16:55, 26 February 2013 (EST)
<b>Prospectus Title:</b> Children for Peace/Youth for Peace Online Community<br>
*
<b>Prospectus:</b> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Children_for_Peace-Youth_for_Peace_Online_Community_-Mike_Brant.doc<br>
:Hi Ralph, I think that sounds like an interesting project. I know it may be difficult, but I'd also be interested in discovering how those ananymous twitter accounts interact with real life. Are multpiple people using the same account? Are those people actually the ones doing any hacking? Almost certainly those accounts would be monitored by the authorities if they were claiming responsibility and the users identities would be discoverable.[[User:Joshywonder|Joshywonder]] 09:39, 3 March 2013 (EST)
[[User:Mike|Mike]] 22:35, 21 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
*
:Hi CyberRalph: This is an interesting topic.  As I read your prospectus, the notion of responsibility and liability came to mind.  If this group advertises cyber-attacks, can they inevitably be held accountable?  For example, could law enforcement officials follow the leads to IP addresses, and ultimately discover the group(s) behind such attacks?  It may be interesting to compare the concepts of online crime with other forms of illicit activities (is online crime more isolated and easier to commit without paying the consequences?). As an intro or conclusion, you may also want to consider highlighting current trends with cyber-attacks and security measures that governments/large companies take. Furthermore, to strengthen your analysis, it would be interesting if you state your personal hypothesis upfront, followed by your question surrounding motivation for these types of attacks. [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 11:34, 3 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Mike, congrats, more than a project for our class you’re developing a project to promote peace in the world. I think the main question you’re trying to answer is how the other organizations have reached the international spectrum, so once you have understood how they did it, you can start implementing the results in your own project. Good luck with this project!, and hope you can take to the international step.[[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)  
CyberRalph: Definitely an interesting and timely topic, but I wonder if Twitter is really the best forum for gleaning insight into the ''motivation'' of Anonymous members.  After all, on Twitter, you're essentially getting the PR, the end result.  For a previous project, I actually spent some time hanging out in Anonymous IRC chat rooms and found that the conversations there offered a lot more insight into the diversity of perspectives within the group and might give you a lot more material to work from. Of course, you'd have to be careful with your methodologies and think about the ethical issues involved, but these are still public forums.  At the very least, you could check out other areas online that might allow you to grasp more of the conversation going on, especially when we're talking about such a heterogeneous group. Good luck! [[User:Rebekahjudson|Rebekahjudson]] 16:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)
******


Hi Mike, I'm impressed by this study because I was so intimidated at the prospect of myself having to dive into this study. My first thoughts were that there are so many factors at play when talking about world peace BUT many of the things we study such as architecture and social norms are the forces that are in constant play where this is concerned. In addition to that it is certainly a study of "politics and control" so I think your study could be very relevant. The intimidating factor is the sheer amount of data and politics to sort through, especially considering all the different types of culture involved and the introduction of technology. Recent events in the Middle East may give clues. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:44, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Name or pseudonym: Julian
*Prospectus title: We the People: On the Effectiveness of Public Outreach
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Julian_Assignment2.txt
[[User:Julian|Julian]] 17:10, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Julian:You've presented some intriguing research questions. In part, it sounds like you plan to measure effectiveness numerically. If so, I look forward to the statistical analyses in your paper, possibly accompanied by figures/graphs/charts/etc.[[User:JW|JW]] 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Julian, I find tools to promote public engagement very interesting and useful, great topic to investigate about. It might be useful for you to see also moveon.org and signon.org, the latter is actually a website to create petitions and promote them through online communities. It might be interesting to compare how both government and NGOs use different approaches to deal with the same kind of issues. --[[User:Maria|Maria]] 11:08, 3 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Mike, you raise some interesting points in your prospectus. I wonder about some of the challenges of using an online platform for engagement with kids (at least in the US, there are [http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/coppafaqs.shtm lots of rules] governing communications to children under the age of 13) and about how you might connect with kids/youth who have limited or no access to the Internet. Perhaps your research will help address some of those issues. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 16:41, 27 February 2012 (UTC)


Mike, if I have well understood your objective is to create a community of children willing peace and acting in different way for it. Your research question is about the online norms to regulate this community? As a consequence, I would rather stick on this and see the censorship issues and also investigate on how to deal with kids rather than go to see the success of peace teaching in the world which is a totally different and hard subject? Best of luck!! By the way, no website yet about this project?--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 14:20, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
Hi Julian, I think this is a great topic.  It was interesting to watch the federal government grapple with the issues of the 'X" number of signatures and what was going to fly to see a formal response. If you are able to track a couple of specific issues that are current and newsworthy (guns etc) you may see an ebb and flow of signatures based on the public interest that is hyped by media (both social and corporate) 
It may be of interest to take two sides of the same coin to measure the results -- in the gun example you can't get much more polar than that as a debate and how the website will play a role in topics such as that would be a great paper.
Good Luck!
[[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 17:15, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline
******
*Aly Barbour
*Prospectus:  The prevalence and moderation of the ‘Pro-Ana’ movement
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Abarbour_prospectus.docx
[[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 17:17, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Aly Barbour: In order to narrow your field research, it will be interesting if you focus on one or two specific communities. It will be better wether they have an intense activity.
*
:Hi Aly, it was shocking to read about these communities, very interesting subject to investigate. I think it’s a good idea to focus in comparing activities in pro anorexia communities and recovery support groups in reddit.com, leaving aside the other platforms to narrow your scope. I think you should also define what will you observe from these communities in order to reach a conclusion for your investigation: do you want to know how control is being implemented? Or maybe focus in one particular constraint and see how it plays a role in regulating the community?--[[User:Maria|Maria]] 11:40, 3 March 2013 (EST)  


Mike, if there is another website you know of that is focused on fostering international dialogue amongst youth, you might want to just focus on that one community? [[User:David Taber|David Taber]] 19:20, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
: Hi Aly, this is a very interesting topic! I was not aware of the Pro-Ana movement at all - When I saw the title I thought Ana was a person. Because of country laws and the way companies like Facebook have been clamping down on these communities, will you be able to directly observe any specific  communities? Are they operating overtly? I browse Lookbook.nu now and then and once came upon the criticism that only super skinnies gather there (if you google it, there are communities against Lookbook because of this). Perhaps this might be helpful.  --[[User:Muromi|Muromi]] 09:30, 5 March 2013 (EST)


It seems to me that a site that children could actually access and participate in would need to have stronger regulation than just "golden rule" and the basic Wikipedia sort of social contract, as successful as it has been.  This may be my bit more pessimistic view of human nature online, but I think that it is hard to market a site related to youth and children if they can't participate much on it, and hard to market a site children can participate in without pretty clear and strong protections for them... I'll be interested to see what you conclude.  [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)


While I consider your goal of a peace-oriented website to be a valiant effort, I am not sure if you can regulate “negative” material that almost certainly will abound if users are left to contribute to the materials, which in turn could lead to political problems. I am just not sure how you could regulate the recognition of problems if the goal of the website is to find a peaceful solution to those problems (perhaps it is just the political scientist in me). UNCESCO, is, if I’m not mistaken, a United Nations organization, and therefore likely works with the various other UN groups on their specific goals. You are dealing with an interesting political issue as it relates to online forums and good luck with your research. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:59, 5 March 2012 (UTC)


I love this proposal and the concept of bringing youth around the world together to promote peace.  I would like to stay in touch as you develop your research as I work in the development field and focus children.  I am looking for ways to bring technology to them for educational as well as social capital purposes.
******
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


Very interesting topic. Looking forward to reading about how you're able to regulate childrens' activities on the site. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 04:54, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
*Pseudonym: JW


<br><br>
*Prospectus title: Reddit's Dox Paradox: Proper or Not?
<b>Name:</b> David Taber<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> Coffee Shop vs. Grocery Store: Where and how local news is discussed on the web
[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:David_Taber_prospectus_E-120.odt]<br>
<b>Comments</b><br>
[[User:David Taber|David Taber]] 16:15, 23 February 2012 (UTC)<br>
I could have sworn I uploaded this on Tuesday, but it appears I forgot to hit submit. Sorry!<br><br>


Hi David, I think your topic is very interesting in the sense that this is a unique environment for local participation, ulike the Globe. By the way, why do you prefer “local” instead of “hyperlocal,” I personally like more hyperlocal because it gives a far more local sentiment than the Globe, which apparently is local but it covers foreign affairs. I think your results on the structure comparison will be very interesting. Good luck with your project![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Link to prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:JW_Assignment2.txt
[[User:JW|JW]] 17:36, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:JW: One of the most interesting constrains here relates to social norms - doxxing is used as a way to regulate and control speech. If you post truly terrible things, the article on the Violentacrez seems to suggest, you ought to be outed to the public. On the one hand, this policy may reduce offensive material - people may be scared to post things like child pornography for fear of being publicly shamed. But "justifiable doxxing" also leads to a kind of vigilantism which has all kinds of moral implications. Who decides who deserves to be outed? It would be interesting to observe doxxing behavior on Preddit and Reddit to see if there is any recognition of where moral boundaries are drawn, if any. Is there any discussion of when doxxing is justifiable (i.e. journalism) and when it is not (i.e. trolling) ? Reddit's stance was clearly: doxxing is bad, period. But do community members feel differently? [[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 12:30, 27 February 2013 (EST)
*
:I think that’s an interesting topic, which surprisingly we haven’t covered much in class yet. It raises many interesting questions. In what ways, and how does the legal system protect anonymity? And are those protections by design, or unintentional as Section 230 was by operating separately from the rest of the legislation with which it was supposed to be packaged? Should those laws be there, or were they mistakes? Often, normative questions reduce to tradeoffs. In this case, it’s the classic tradeoff between privacy and incentivizing socially advantageous behavior.


Hi David, I wonder if your prospectus is making assumptions about the results of your research and if you will write your research to conclude with your assumptions. It sounds like you prefer universal hub (or no)? Perhaps a more neutral approach to determining what effects each site has and what types of users your find before reporting results? [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:39, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
:Also, have you decided which of Lessig’s four constraints you’ll be using? Are you sure you’ll only be using one? It seems that there are critical points to be made from more angles, and could probably be done without extending scope to beyond what is manageable with the time and length constraints. [[User:Julian|Julian]] 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
This is very interesting of a topic. I hope you consider talking a bit about privacy rights incorporating it into whether or not doxxing is considered proper. Also, it may be of interest to your topic to discuss why certain members are targeted and what are the commonalities in the ones targeted. I look forward to the final product of your project!
[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi David, I really like your concept and I think it also touches on the issue of fair use we read about this week. It might also be interesting to note how much of the original article is reposted and how much additional commentary Universal Hub makes on the article. I've found that commentors can often be negligent when it comes to reading the original source so you might want to take that into consideration when evaluating the differences in comments. Good luck! [[User:Aditkowsky|Aditkowsky]] 16:41, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
Interesting topic! I am not sure why you chose Reddit in particular for doxxing - could you elaborate?
******


Dear David, I thing you have found there a real way to compare 2 comparable materials and will have great and maybe unexpected results. What will be interesting is if you find comments from a common commentator to see the difference in the speech depending on the website. I would also link your comparison to the difference in the tons adopted by both websites that can influence the content of the comments left. Best of luck!
*Pseudonym: Jax, formerly known as Jaclyn Horowitz
--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 14:05, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
*Prospectus Title: Ignorance and the Colonization of Rap Genius
*Link to Prospectus: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Jax_Assignment2.docx
[[User:Jax|Jax]] 17:57, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Jax:  This is an interesting topic and one that will allow you to make many connections between the artists and those who critique the artists.  You mention that you’re...''“interested in examining the characteristics of popular contributions and contributors in relation to broader reader and contributor demographics, exploring whether objectivity can emerge in this venue.”''  What preliminary hypotheses do you have?  Does this website cater to the Ivy League crowd or does it attract rap enthusiasts from all walks of life?  Examining demographics and objectivity is a valid approach, but stating your hypotheses upfront may provide an interesting twist.  Do you think people are generally objective or subjective, and what demographics do you think most reviewers represent?  If you follow this method, the data you collect will either confirm or negate your upfront interpretations.  All in all, this is a very current topic and I look forward to learning about your findings. [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 17:21, 2 March 2013 (EST)


What a great way to be able to study the effect of the form information is presented in, nice idea.  My instinct is that certain people will heavily trust one or the other more, even if the same info is given in both.  I'm also interested in how certain info (say a very serious and depressing story) would be altered in order to fit into both? How does that work, if a particular story doesn't really feel natural to appear on the Hub site? [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
Jax: Of all the topics posted I'm more drawn towards yours.  I read a very interesting article ( though my google-fu currently fails me)  underlining the similarities between opera and rap.  One of the ways mentioned was that in order to appreciate either one must know the history of the genre in order to draw meaning from the references.  I worry however that when you start to reach  outside the community (rappers opinions on the site, social critiques) your analysis from observing the community from within will become watered down and lost among a much broader subject.[[User:Alybarbour|Alybarbour]] 15:11, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hello David. Good job with your focus and I think you raise some interesting questions involving both the blog-type dissemination of information (Universal Hub) with straight news reporting. Certainly the tone of the writer (neutral versus commentary) and the internet environment (moderated versus unmoderated) can alter how a piece of news is perceived by the consumer. With regards to the commentary-laden journalism, this question applies to a variety of cable news networks like Fox News that have introduced political commentary into what should otherwise be considered headline news reporting. But you raise interesting questions about how the consumers can “interact” with the news and therefore the extent of that freedom to interact with the news may alter how they perceive the news. Good job and I look forward to reading your paper.--[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:38, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Jax:  I'm so interested in this topic and I think you articulated it very well! My one suggestion would be to make sure that you very carefully define the abstract standards against which you're judging the site--namely "objectivity."  After all, what does "objectivity" mean in this context?  Is it objectivity on the part of the site's administrators to curate the lyrics in such a way that don't cater to any particular readership? And is that even in line with the object of the site itself, given its stated aims?  I.e. are you developing a critique of the site's premise, or searching for any disconnects between the premise and the administrators' behavior?  Overall, I think that your question about the "distribution of power" throughout the site might be a more useful frame, one that gets at essentially the same issues without getting bogged down in abstract semantics that could prove distracting from your essential question. Looking forward to reading more! [[User:Rebekahjudson|Rebekahjudson]] 16:40, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi David: This is a very interesting prospective on a common debate.It will be interesting to see how previous comments on the Hub influence future stories. --[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 18:44, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Jax: It will be interesting to see how the profiteering attitude of Rap Genius' operators interacts with the essentially commercial and dramatized character of rap lyrics. The direct involvement of high capital (AH) speaks to the emptiness of Rap Genius' engagement with its subject, as the company's mission drives it away from an authentic phenomenology of urban poverty. Whether Rap Genius as a developing community can successfully interrogate the role that violence, debauchery and lawlessness play in the aesthetic power of rap music remains to be seen, but the sort of superficial glamorization that Rap Genius seems designed to promote will be a useless tool for its exegetical task.
[[User:Johnfloyd6675|Johnfloyd6675]] 17:10, 5 March 2013 (EST)


Hi David - good job on your thesis. I think the comparison is a great idea. [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 04:54, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: Interesting project! I think one thing that you will want to focus on is observing who uses the website. The website was founded by Ivy league graduates, but will it be used by individuals of a similar level of education? If not, who will moderate the comments or will the comments be moderated at all?


******


Interesting topic (and even more interesting title).  I think your analysis of the structure will be quite valuable.  Similar to Jimmy's comment above, I am interested in what may be simple interaction versus commentary and how that may shape the actual news being delivered.
*'''Becca Luberoff'''<br />
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 22:52, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*'''Prospectus title:''' Issues of Privacy and Security in Online Mental Health Communities <br />
<br><br>
*'''Link to Prospectus:''' http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:BeccaLuberoff_Assignment2.docx <br />
[[User:BeccaLuberoff|BeccaLuberoff]] 19:41, 26 February 2013 (EST)
*
:Becca: I've noticed that Google caches content from purportedly private forums. If content from your three closed communities is publicly searchable, how does that affect privacy issues?[[User:JW|JW]] 22:42, 26 February 2013 (EST)
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:Becca: I followed the link to the "Living with Bipolar Disorder" category on bphope.com and it appeared that the most recent post was 3 months ago with many being from years ago.  Will not being able to observe activity (particularly censoring) in real-time have an impact on the research? [[User:Mattyh|Mattyh]] 14:42, 2 March 2013 (EST)
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:Hi Becca, Interesting topic and it will be interesting to see how the online components and ‘permanent record’ of comments (architecture) might prohibit and skew the conversation vs. offline, real-world conversations. Will questions asked be inhibited by the semi-public aspect of online forums, preventing people from receiving better care than the privacy the offline world affords? Or will the open aspect of the community allow the best comments to bubble up and be connected to experts who would otherwise not have seen the question if it was asked in the offline world.
:[[User:Saridder|Saridder]] 15:59, 4 March 2013 (EST)


<br><br>
:Becca, nice work! This is a really important topic, and I like the focus you have in terms  comparing three different sites around one issue, bipolar disorder. You may want to evaluate the "explicitness and freedom" around specific criteria. If posts contain unique identifying information such as location of medical care or personal qualities (birthdates, current location, physical features) , if posters are frequent posters, if posters refer directly to one another by (user)name are just a few factors that may indicate how intimate, free, and explicit the forums are. Though I have never been on any of these message boards, I could imagine that market forces may influence the community's behavior as well. For instance, are there advertisements on the site? Spam? Doctor's opinions? Donation links? Another perspective to consider, though this could probably be another paper in and of itself, is how does the specific disorder affect the user's online experience and how well does the site cater to these differences? I know you will probably not get to explore this, but just something that I was considering while reading your prospectus. Thanks for this project, and I look forward to reading your work! [[User:Jax|Jax]] 10:22, 5 March 2013 (EST)
<b>Name:</b> Carl Fleming<br>
<b>Prospectus Title:</b> Khan Academy<br>
<b>Prospectus:</b> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Image:Fleming_Assignment_2.doc<br>
[[User:Cfleming27|Cfleming27]] 18:17, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
<b>Comments</b><br>


Hi Carl, I find your topic very interesting in part because I’m also interested in distance education. I’m working on the Open University case, but I’m anxious about your results of the Khan’s Academy. Sab is also working on this topic, but she has four topics: Khan’s Academy, MITx, London School of Economics, and Harvard Distance Education. Since we already know how the paying distance education works, I’m interested in your topic because it is totally free and it will probably be a competition in the education field in the near future. Good luck, very interesting topic![[User:Fabiancelisj|Fabiancelisj]] 00:24, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Laurence Girard: Hi! It would be interesting to see if there are any website out there in which healthcare professionals moderate the comments or if the websites you have chosen are simply more similar to Yahoo Answers! I know for a fact that there are some websites in which doctors answer questions such as health tap and it would be interesting for you to include some websites that include health professionals in your analysis.  
******


Hi Carl, I also find the topic fascinating due to my interest in online/distance education and simply for the history of how Khan Academy got started where Sal (up until recently, correct me if I'm wrong) had been making the videos from home. What would be a cool angle to the research is once you come up with your set of questions is to take it a step further by interviewing those who have used the site extensively, who have had great success with it/or not, or to somehow contact Sal himself and ask to do a phone interview.  I know that might sound crazy or too bold, but you never know what may come of itI attached a link to his TED talk in March 2011 here, you might have already seen it but still interesting to reviewExcited to see how it shapes up. :) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFEUsudhfs Salman Khan TED: Let's Use Video to Reinvent Education]] [[User:JennLopez|JennLopez]] 08:56, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Pseudonym: baughller
*Prospectus title:  Ethical Implications of Personalized Search
*Link to Prospectus:http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assignment_2_-_Prospectus.docx
*
:I really like the comparison you drew between online libraries and physical libraries such as the library of congress. I think this can serve as a good comparison point for most of your research and provide valuable information. The idea of DuckDuckGo and being given similar information could be a big theme/discourse for your project as well.  :[[User:AaronEttl|AaronEttl]] 14:39, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Hi Baughller: This is an interesting topic. Given your research focus area, it may be interesting to forecast the future in relation to identity-type searches (from your perspective).  For example, if search results continue to show information based on people’s background / historical searches, what will the long-term outcomes be?  Is this a positive search trend or a negative trend, and why?  I think it may also be interesting to look at this scenario from a marketing viewpoint.  Today, advertisements frequently appear as we surf the web, based on our preferences; this wasn't the case years ago.  To that end, how is this new trend changing certain products and/or services?  Are some industries profiting more than others, or can all types of marketing reap the benefits?  Overall, your topic is very relevant in the current Internet environment, and this search-reality may only be in its infancy. [[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 17:27, 2 March 2013 (EST)
*
:@Baughller : I agree with @Zak in that the topic is fascinating! I never gave it much thought but it totally makes sense! I have always been on the side of personalization when it comes to ad's, as I would prefer they be relevant to me in the event that I have to view them at allThe personalization of search results and comparison to library of congress is great and a topic I think worth exploring. Only feedback I would give is that I think you need a stronger, more solidly stated research question and hypothesis, but as I said, the area of research is awesome so I'm sear whatever slice of it you choose to explore will follow suit! [[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 13:12, 5 March 2013 (EST)


I am very amazed to discover your prospectus as it is very similar to mine. Regarding your first question I am wondering if the success of the Academy lies on the architecture, your answer will be very interesting to me, or if it lies on the way Kahn taught the subject. My feeling is that the second option is the right one. As for your second question, this article and especially the comments associated to it can help you to get some answer. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/07/ff_khan/all/1
Laurrence Girard: I think the fundamental question that you need to deal with is whether or not this feature helps people find more relevant information or infringes on their privacy!
As for me, Kahn Academy is a wonderful free supplement to traditional offline education but does not reach the objective targeted. This is, as Gates says, a first step to the Revolution.
I like your research questions but I am losing some logical links with the methodology used. Why not focusing on the use of the Academy in the traditional education space in California, and check the result of the evaluation, if any, on “impoverished” students.
Same for “Critique of the Academy”, I do not see the link. I would rather focus on the constructivism, the interactivity and the quality of the teaching (cf. the article).
<br><br>--[[User:Sab|Sab]] 13:49, 4 March 2012 (UTC)


Interesting question, I'm glad so many people are focusing on education from a variety of different angles. I feel like some very relevant conclusions could be drawn from compiling the 5 or so different reports that look at the intersections of internet and education.  Good luck! [[User:AlexLE|AlexLE]] 01:22, 5 March 2012 (UTC)
******


Hi Carl,
*Laurence Girard
I was really excited to see that you're focusing on Khan Academy (I learned about it only recently, and I've since become semi-addicted to doing practice questions). I think a comparative study of the Academy's architecture vs. that of traditional education methods could yield very interesting results. I'd also be curious to hear your thoughts on user-coaches (that is, how any user can theoretically provide coaching in addition to Sal Khan's coaching videos), and how you think that adds or detracts (or both) from the Academy's overarching mission.[[User:Jlynnping|Jlynnping]] 16:14, 5 March 2012 (UTC)


Hello Carl. You raise some interesting questions as to how the online education system would be created and communicated to the consumer, particularly in the norms/motivation for the site to “control” what curriculum is formed. Although this is largely unrelated to your thesis topic, I think a point of consideration that you may want to include in your conclusion is that much of the developing world do not own computers, let alone enjoy basic human rights such as potable water and shelter. The online education community may have boundaries and can be limitless. But online education for poor countries is only useful if those countries are making efforts to provide computers (public or private) to the people that would benefit the most from such an education. --[[User:Jimmyh|Jimmyh]] 17:38, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Laurence Girard Prospectus


Hi Carl: Great topic- looking forward to reading your final paper. Focusing on how the site influences impoverished countries is extremely interesting. The previous comment about most developing countries not owning computers is certainly a valid point.  It would be interesting to analyze which countries are represented on the site. --[[User:Szakuto|Szakuto]] 18:05, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
*Question: What effect does reading online health information have on the health of our society?


Hey Carl: great topic --- I was excited to see when I saw the first submission regarding the Kahn Academy up top. What about social norms? They might be a good area of interest to focus in on as well (results for third world versus stigma of non traditional degrees and how they intersect). I like your focused approach --- many topics have gotten "broad" comments (including mine) so I think you have a great start. [[User:Brendanlong|Brendanlong]] 18:34, 6 March 2012 (UTC)
Many people search for online health information on a daily basis, but most of this information is not reviewed by physicians. As a result, many people self-diagnose and as a result this can result in very dangerous health outcomes. I am interested in studying websites such as WebMD and seeing what type of impact this has on people’s health.  


Hi Carl - interesting topic! well done. I'm looking forward to reading what those who focus on Khan Academy come up with. I agree with others that it may be good to analyze the represented countries and pinpoint the under or unrepresented ones. Good luck! [[User:Aberg|Aberg]] 04:54, 7 March 2012 (UTC)
I am particularly interested in seeing how online health  content relates to online health products. For example, perhaps someone reads an article on WebMD about how Vitamin D affects their health and then as a result they buy it on Amazon.com. What types of supplements are people buying and what affect is this having on their health?I am also interested in websites such as Teladoc.com where users can consult with physicians. In other words, I am interested in studying how people access health information, products, and consultations online.  I have read one statistic that says 80% of people in our country search for online health information. For this reason, I think this will be a particularly interesting project to complete and is relevant to the healthcare debate in our country. We need to focus more on prevention and less on treatment and the Internet can certainly be one modality for doing this. I am interested to hear about what my fellow classmates have to say about my chosen assignment.
*
:Laurence: This sounds like a very interesting topic, but would be a huge project to undertake.  Can you find one community where people are talking about health issues?  I imagine every major disease or condition has some kind of community such as the American Cancer Societies’ Online Communities and Support [[http://www.cancer.org/treatment/supportprogramsservices/onlinecommunities/index]]  and choose one or two subgroups to study.  Then I think you would be able to look at issues similar to those that Becca will be looking at for her project about Issues of Privacy in Online Mental Health Communities.  [[User:Susan Goldstein|Susan Goldstein]] 14:48, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Laurence – Your subject is interesting. Is there a data source containing the information that you are interested in? How would it be known if someone looked up a disease on WebMD, then went to Amazon and purchased a supplement that might be suggested for treating it? Google or other companies that send out tacking cookies might collected this type of information. Access to this data is an important factor for your study. Also, does your subject relate to control or censorship? If the data cannot be collected easily, the subject might need to be narrowed or focused on an area where you can collect data. [[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 21:32, 4 March 2013 (EST)
*
:Michael Keane comments: Wow, this seems very ambitious. I wouldn't even know how to go about collecting the kinds of data that would be necessary to complete such a project.  Do you have a plan for where or how you can obtain this kind of information in order to analyze it? I recently took a visualization class where students had to write code in python that would go out and collect and scrub data of one's choosing from the internet. Are you planning on utilizing some strategy such as that?  Good luck with your assignment. [[User:Michaelekeane|Michaelekeane]] 11:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)
*
This seems very big of a topic. I would try to narrow it down to only one of the sites and something particular on the website. It might be even more important to narrow down your question to what type of health information and how you are attaining your information (Just by the users of the websites?) and whether or not the users or the websites would necessarily be representative of everyone reading health information...Goodluck with your project! I look forward to the final product! [[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Latest revision as of 10:12, 12 March 2013

Submission Instructions

This assignment is due on February 21. Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (assignments submitted 4 days late or later will have a maximum grade of 1 point).

Please name your file "wikiusername_Assignment2," where "wikiusername" is replaced with your username, to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment or causing errors in the Wiki by including forbidden characters. So if your username is "jdoe" and your file is a Word document your file should be named "jdoe_Assignment2.doc."

Upload your rough draft here: Upload file. If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the list of uploaded files.

In the submissions section below please post the following information:

  • Name or pseudonym:
  • Prospectus title:
  • Link to prospectus: (add your link here)

Comments

Everyone will receive an additional participation grade for this assignment. You should read through everyone's proposals after they are uploaded and add constructive comments below the proposal on which you're commenting. Comments should be submitted by March 5 so you have time to incorporate them, if applicable, into your project outline. Please remember to sign your comments by adding four tildes (~~~~) to the end of your contribution. This will automatically add your username and the date/time of your post. If we don't know who you are we can't give you credit for finishing this assignment!

Dear fellow classmates. Being a day, or at least half a day late, I am hoping that I can be a dollar longer by providing my reactions, feedback, thoughts, suggestions, personal insight and hopefully other help by commenting on ten of my classmates rather than the required minimum of three. I only hope this will not irritate our accomplished instruction team by overkill. As a long term civil and criminal trial and appellate lawyer I try to use the Who, What, When, Where Why and How approach and structure everything I write, so since it is hard to teach oneself, an old dog new tricks I will stay with what got me where I am (wherever that is) in this order: 1. Reaction (combined with Thoughts) 2. Personal Insight 3. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined),

Assuming we all are bound to read every other classmates comments here, I will try to refrain from being repetitive as I wade down through the list of each of you.

I do feel that I felt a lack of detail by virtually every other student, however being only a fellow student and not one of the instructors; I do admit and recognize I may have missed the point of this exercise.

Milena: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) My reaction is that I think this is a very worthy subject, that you have not been particularly detailed in your planned approach. Personal Insight My general topic is free speech and given most of my adult like I have been Constitutional and Criminal trial and appellate lawyer this subject is close to my heart. Last semester I took the Extension School’s class in Constitutional Law given by the Associate Dean and learned far more than I realized I still have to know. Fortunately, I earn an A-minus so I guess I did fairly well. You indicated you will get into some intellectual property issues such as copyright and also being well-versed in that subject as well which I still deal with almost on a daily basis and completed the school’s class in intellectual Property over the summer, I also may be able to provide some valuable suggestions. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) I suggest you obtain a copy of the Extension School main textbook entitled Institutional Powers and Constraints by Lee Epstein and Thomas G. Walker. It can be perused quickly if you start with reviewing the table of contents.

Becca: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) This is a great subject for this assignment and I am impressed with the detail and diligence demonstrated in your prospectus. What could be more important than being concerned with the aspects of privacy given this is an online site? Personal Insight I am currently enrolled in a class here entitled “Mind, Brain, Health and Education. (MBHE).” It is taught by a team of world-class instructors with major top experts in the field visiting and offering podcasts and other helpful papers and videos. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) I suggest you consider contacting Dr. Stephanie Peabody the director of the MBHE class who I am sure would be more than happy to give you some invaluable hints and references.

Aly: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) Your subject is in some ways similar to Becca's, and one of equal importance. I would have liked to see a more in-depth prospectus. Personal Insight I have had a lifelong problem with an eating disorder. Last year I lost 100 lbs. and one time lost 216 lbs. in only nine months after I hit 412 lbs. so I can related to anyone else’s eating disorder. It is a subject all too often overlooked as a major health problem in our society. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) I recommend you also contact the Harvard MBHE staff as I suggested to Becca and take a close look at her excellent prospectus.

Maria: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I was unaware of Tarngal and look forward to reading your Final Project. I do feel your paper was far too general and you too might benefit from following Becca’s model. Personal Insight I personally have some qualms with Laurence Lesing’s writings. I feel he strayed often from the point and his personal opinions were too prevalent. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined), Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) Of course I recommend you study Facebook, My Space, Twitter and You Tube which are well written about for insight.

Steve: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I think you made the same mistake I did if you take a look at my overly broad prospectus which I will significantly narrow down as I prepare for my Final Project. I do feel that you should have been far more specific in how you are going to approach your Final Project. Personal Insight As stated above, I feel you made the same mistake I did and tackled a subject that is too overbroad. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) Take a look at Becca’s excellent work.

Kaley: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I think you took on the perfect subject, but feel your prospectus is too vague and ambiguous. Personal Insight My overbroad prospectus shows my interest in this subject, but your subject is thus close to where my heart and head is. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) I guessed you too look at Becca’s prospectus (She may have to begin paying me a PR fee, ha, ha). There are many online articles that cover free speech and cultural sensitivity and practicality that I suggest you research.

Susan: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I am not familiar, although I feel I should be in MOOC. I look forward to reading more about it in your Final Project. I do feel you need to be more specific where you will focus. Personal Insight Given my embarrassing ignorance with the subject matter, I have no real insight to depart. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) Here I go again recommending you look at Becca’s treatment. I think you need to prepare a detailed Checklist and attempt not to miss too many stones being uncovered. Matthew: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I feel you have picked a great subject, but wish you had been far more specific. Personal Insight I look to Yelp, but to be honest have never been impressed, as I prefer Zagat Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined), Perhaps you can set them straight. Ha, ha. But feel you need to prepare a detailed checklist to investigate the subject. Natalia: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) Like Steve and I, I think you took on too broad a subject. In fact you went even further than I did on a subject that has no boundaries Personal Insight: We both were overly broad. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined): Assuming you are going to be counseled to narrow the subject as I was. When and if you are and do, I suggest you get a copy of the text for Harvard’s Constitutional Law class that I recommended above.

Student ID# 1078942: Reaction (combined with Thoughts) I have chosen your prospectus as one that stands out, perhaps not as much as my new role model Becca’s but I still believe you did a commendable job. I still would like to see more detail however. Personal Insight This is perhaps one of the most important subjects in Cyberspace and given that China has more web users than we have people, it may be the # 1 subject relating to Internet control. Being a strong free speech advocate I look forward to your Final Project (I am assuming we all will be able to read each other’s Final Projects as we have with each other’s prospectuses. Suggestions, Other Help and Feedback (combined) As I have with other suggestions above, I think you need to lay out a detailed outline of how you will prepare for the Final Project and stick to it. Rich 13:23, 6 March 2013 (EST)

Interestingcomments 18:47, 24 February 2013 (EST)

Interstingcomments: I am curious if you would be able to observe blogs or online community discussions on this topic from the respective countries of study. The local citizen perspective might offer additional insight. --Dear Alice 13:54, 28 February 2013 (EST)
Interestingcomments: You might be able to find some communities talking about this subject on globalvoicesonline.org. I think it can be a good idea to compare communities from each country to find out if they have the same opinion. Milenagrado 16:00, 28 February 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: This is an interesting question and I think you could start by researching specific laws that would be relevant to your question. You might also research how US internet law affects Internet freedom in South America since this is probably connected.

Interesting topic, I hadn't thought about the impact of treaties on internet freedom. I would ensure that you more explicitly relate your topic back to the theme of control. Also, I am a little confused, are you arguing that the treaties do or do not have an impact? "The significance of this paper should be able to add to the body of research concerning Internet freedoms around the world and how treaties with the United States contributes to the advancement of internet freedoms." implies that the treaties do contribute, but your hypothesis is about how they do not. I would also include specific verbiage from the treaties in your research, and highlight how the intended purpose (internet freedom) went awry. This will be a fascinating read! Baughller 19:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Asmith 00:10, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Hi ASmith. i think that your work it´s a perfect oportunity in order to expose a new theory, or an alternative of the concept of Intellectual Property in the network. because if the community make their own rules, maybe, can construct new limits, exceptions etc, in this area. Natalia ´´´´
Asmith: Sounds like a perfect community to observe for this project. I would be interested to see if the diaspora community comes up with a governance model that mirrors other social networking models or if they come up with a truly unique model of their own. --Dear Alice 13:58, 1 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Asmith – Your proposal is clear and the questions you've set forth are important. In reference to your final paragraph, it may also be interesting to evaluate pros and cons surrounding centralized content control versus the lack thereof. For example, from one perspective, a collaborative online community is important because everyone is considered equal (there is a flat/circular management structure). From another perspective, however, when a primary leader (site administrative team) who controls online content is absent, decision-making processes change, i.e., when controversies or disputes arise, who addresses them? Comparing Diaspora with other collaborative communities, such as Wikipedia, is an interesting approach to analyze the pros and cons of online community management. As a conclusion, based on your findings, you may be able to set forth some important content management recommendations that highlight best practices for the Diaspora user-base. Zak Paster 11:44, 3 March 2013 (EST)

Hello Asmith: This is a very interesting topic, I am intrigued to see what model you use to best compare the benefits and the limitations of introducing this new type of platform.Interestingcomments 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)

ASmith:

It will be interesting to note if there are any major points of contention that arise with regards to where the community wants to take Diaspora which causes a significant number of its members to break off and take a separate version in a different direction. I'm not sure if the way its copyrighted will allow this but they could always start from scratch. Linux, for example, allows for the source code to be modified and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes by anyone and this aspect of it has resulted in several very powerful flavors emerging (Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE, CentOS, etc...)

I think it will also be interesting to compare the values of the community as it exists today compared to the values to the community as it grows and changes. For example, I'd guess that the community that is taking interest in Diaspora today is largely between the ages of approximately mid teens and late 20's/early 30's. I'd also venture a guess that they are fairly tech saavy. If the community continues to grow and appeal to the general population and in three to five years from now enjoys more mainstream popularity, it's probably safe to say that different decisions about what direction to take the project will emerge.

In any case, this is a great topic choice. I'm sure it will be interesting to observe and write about.

ASmith: Really intriguing topic. I have mixed feelings about the ability of a dispersed community to handle social data better than a hierarchical corporation, or to gain traction in the market, but it'll be fascinating to see what they do, and how they do it. - Rob McLain

CyberRalph 08:32, 5 March 2013 (EST)

ASmith: Very interesting topic with a clear, well-developed question. I'm sure you'll develop this more down the road, but it does seem like you'll probably be gathering very large amounts of data through the various community hubs you've identified. How will you focus your observations? Will you "observe" the community for a specific period of time or take more of a long-range perspective, considering how the community's come thus far in this stage of its development? All in all, though, really looking forward to seeing what comes out of this project! Rebekahjudson 17:01, 5 March 2013 (EST)


ASmith: I like your topic very much. You have focused well and are looking at specific aspects for the marketing effort and the effects it has. I would be cautious about inserting yourself too much into the conversations as that may slant the results. I think social media is one of the more interesting ways that companies are now communicating... and to what end does the voice of the many change how the company leans into its go forward strategy. As a Starbucks girl I'll be looking forward to your outcomes!  : )

Laurence Girard: It will certainly be an interesting project because you will get to see how a new social network grows. It will be interesting to see if people treat this social network similar to Facebook or act entirely differently!


Rich 00:45, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Rich: Of the three case studies that you're considering, the FreeSpeechDebate at the University of Oxford seems to be the most appropriate because it specifically addresses the thrust of your research. Examining judicial opinions weighing all arguments and The Open Net Initiative at the Berkman Center both seem to be too ambitious in scope.JW 20:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
HI RICH: Is an interesting topic, i think that you can make an introduction, about what is the meaning of "free speech", because, at the end, this is a relative concept, that depends, precisely, of the cultural context. Natalia. '

Hello Rich: I think as Natalia suggested defining your definition of free speech is critical to gain a greater understanding of the argument you will make within the parameters of the paper. Within different cultures this can be defined in many different ways and once you establish this it will be an easier journey to state and prove your case.Interestingcomments 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Rich - I agree that this is a fascinating topic but feel that using so many other people as a lens in which to interpret, you will be limited by the page restriction, and also may run the risk of summarizing other works and not actually coming up with something novel that is uniquely your view and opinion. Otherwise, I think it would be interesting and can't wait to read! Phildade 12:33, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: I think that it would be particularly interesting to think about specific instances on the Internet where free speech should not be allowed. There are very few cases in which free speech is not allowed so I urge you to think about this for your project.


AaronEttl 13:11, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Aaron,
I think focusing on the consequence these search engines have on the users, rather than the websites in the search results, is unique and will be really fascinating to look at. Although you did narrow down the specific community you would look at -- the SEO community -- I think you will need to narrow it down further, perhaps to a specific website or set of websites serving a larger online community.
One thing you didn't mention in your prospectus was how you would go about researching the SEO community. I think finding a specific community would be beneficial here as well -- it would give you a better idea as to what specific research methods you could employ. Once you have a more specific community I think everything else will fall into place.
BeccaLuberoff 17:51, 3 March 2013 (EST)

Aaron: I think you pose many questions in your prospectus that would each individually be enough for a ten page paper. To narrow your feild of research i think it might be interesting to observe and stdy what goes into a successful kickstarter fund and derive from that observation conclusions about what the operations guide of kickstarter influences the kinds of funs that do well. "For Kickstarter, how does the level of regulation affect the integrity of those projects and is there any bias in the type of projects seen? " I think if you flip this around and look at the question from the bottom-up rather than the top-down you may have a more successful research question. All my best. Alybarbour 04:36, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Aaron - I think you picked two great companies to look at because they are both inherently relevant and interesting! Only thing that you may want to consider is that it could be difficult to compare / contrast with page constraint in a meaningful way because they are not only both very different sites (fundraising site that is selling future products) and ad-hoc social video network, but also have very different policies (kickstarter being heavily marketed, including placement of projects and inclusion of certain projects in email updates, while letting others have to market for themselves - and my understanding of Chat Roulette is that it isn't moderated at all - but i haven't used). You may be more successful in comparing similar sites with different policies or different sites with similar policies... that way you can isolate a variable and attribute changes to it. With multiple floating variables, it will be tough to do in 10-12 minutes. Otherwise sounds fascinating and I can't wait to read! Phildade 12:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: This will be an interesting project and I am eager to see your results because I have used both of these websites in the past. It would also be interesting to see how these websites handle under the age of 18 using their websites. This is something I urge you to think about for chat roulette. Is there really a way for someone to verify that a user is 18? People can just lie clearly and say they are 18 even if they are not 18.

  • Pseudonym: Hgaylor
  • Prospectus:“Access for Open and Secure Communication”
An In-depth analysis of government’s role in the Global Collaborative Data Network.
Hunter: I like the idea of investigating the government’s role in controlling access. However, I found the explanation of your research paper’s quarry regarding the investigation of the ability to shut the system down in states of emergencies a bit confusing. All in all, I look forward to seeing how you develop your prospectus even further. AaronEttl 14:21, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Hunter, your idea is magnificent. I enjoy your paradox. The thing I notice best about your proposal is that you are using your own ideas, when you could always plagiarize unintentionally. Johnathan Merkwan 19:27, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Hunter,
The idea of "digging" in to find out the real and factual government approach on this matter is great. I think you have alot of great material to work with and you are moving in the right direction. I would just advise you to order your ideas in a clearer way so that your reader doesn't get lost. Great idea! GregB23 15:29, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Hunter, i think that this theme is a little too wide, so, in order to be more specific, you can take one of the liberties than can be affect by governments control, and analyze that. Natalia. ´´´´

Hello Hunter: The broad scope of you paper may make it difficult to cover all the avenues in 8-10 pages. I think you should consider making this a thesis topic. There is a lot of areas and directions you can really go which would make it very thorough. It sounds very interesting and I am looking forward to seeing your paper progress. Good Luck.Interestingcomments 06:44, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: I think that it would be particularly interesting for you to not just focus on the US, but to compare and contrast other countries such as Egypt and China for this project. What do yo uthink?

--Dear Alice 17:50, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Dear Alice: I like the commercial aspect of your project. You don't mention this in your prospectus, so I'm wondering how is Starbucks driving traffic to the internal site? How are they driving it to their Facebook page? Are there rewards for the consumer if they post on either one? Do the rewards differ? How? Is there a dedicated group or person watching traffic on the internal page? What about the Facebook page? If yes, are they the same group? Will you be able to say something about the resources Starbucks allocates and if/how that has an impact on the response on either? Will you be monitoring for deleted posts? Finally, you aren't including Twitter in your project. Is there a reason?Raven 17:48, 1 March 2013 (EST)
Dear Alice: I think this is a great starting point for a research paper, and I love the idea of looking at Starbucks, since it is such a huge corporation. However, I think your hypotheses are too easily proved. I think you could go much further with your topic if you think about questions after answering your initial questions...for instance, say posts/comments are regulated differently. Some questions to consider could be, shy would Starbucks spend more/less time managing comments on one site than another? Is there a pattern to how Starbucks regulates comments/posts on their different social media websites? What are the consequences of managing comments differently between websites? Does the user body have anything to do with how Starbucks regulates comments?…etc.

BeccaLuberoff 18:36, 3 March 2013 (EST)

Dear Alice: Like @Raven, I love the commercial aspect of the paper! and Also, agree with Becca in that the Hypothesis would be too evident. I'm pretty sure we can all agree that the idea page gets more response then facebook, without doing any research. If it turns out that our assumption is wrong, then you definitely have something! Maybe you could look at the threshold of types of comments that elicit response or get removed. Or potentially find another company that has idea and facebook and see how the level of moderation or responsiveness differs. Overall, I think it's a great idea! Phildade 13:03, 5 March 2013 (EST)
@Phildade + @ Becca, wouldn't the cost/benefit be interesting? Although the website might get more responses in the aggregate, adding the costs of managing and maintaining that portion of the Starbucks website might make the Facebook response (assuming it is smaller, but still robust) much more attractive? Possibly that information wouldn't be worth as much to Starbucks, a company with a large marketing budget, but it might be interesting to a much smaller company, especially one with high visibility but no actual revenue stream, or a revenue stream that doesn't allow for a large marketing budget and a team to monitor a website? And wouldn't Facebook find this info important?

Raven 13:13, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Alice: It seems a given that Starbucks would police its own social media site more vigorously than it would a Facebook page. Will you investigate the Starbuck's terms of service for the site, maybe in comparison to Facebook's terms of service? Are Starbucks terms more restrictive? Rob McLain


Alice: I like your topic very much. You have focused well and are looking at specific aspects for the marketing effort and the effects it has. I would be cautious about inserting yourself too much into the conversations as that may slant the results. I think social media is one of the more interesting ways that companies are now communicating... and to what end does the voice of the many change how the company leans into its go forward strategy. As a Starbucks girl I'll be looking forward to your outcomes!  : ) Caroline 17:22, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline

Laurence Girard: Good choice! One question I have is why you choose to only focus on Starbucks? Why not focus on multiple companies and compare the policies that multiple companies have regarding your chosen topic?

Michaelekeane 18:20, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Hi Keane, interesting assignment. I think it would be easier if you define the kind of content control you want to study by looking at how it is implemented (by law, for example) instead of looking at the purpose that explains it’s put into effect. I think it might be hard to find out certainly what intention does the subject has to exercise some kind of control, but you could for sure see how these controls are being implemented. --Maria 10:45, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Michael,
I believe that your idea for this assignment fulfills the essence of it. I think you should define for this prospectus what type of content control you will focus your analysis on. You might also include what reactions the members have to the various forms of censorship.GregB23 15:34, 4 March 2013 (EST)
You’ve chosen a very interesting topic that most of us have probably considered at some point. It’s often difficult to know where to draw the line when making policy decisions of this sort – to create a system that handles edge cases judiciously – and some people clearly aren’t even trying to create a fair system. I wonder what you can generalize from a case study like this. In short, how much variance do you think there is in the forms that censorship takes in web communities? It seems that there are powerful conventions and practical limitations with regards to how content control is done, such that many of the same features keep reappearing again and again.
At the end of your final paragraph, you say that removing entire discussions is a highly effective approach to content control. Would you mind elaborating on this? What standard of effectiveness are you using? Is something that merely keeps the community silent effective, or something that keeps it happy? What makes banning members sometimes less effective in comparison?
Julian 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: This is a good topic and I think you should talk about what rights users should have in terms of free speech and administrators (sometimes unjustfully) banning people from a community. Should site owners have total control or should their be limits on what administrators can do because of freedom of speech?

Daniel Cameron Morris comments: Natalia, Your topic is very interesting, like mine (please comment!) quite broad and could as a suggestion focus completely on one case study that you think most illustrates and answers your hypothesis. I saw that you gave three, just curious as to is there one that is the overarching example for national and internatinal jurisprudence, or does this fall more into the realm of international governing bodies... or decided by national standards? Ultimately are you asking, is freedom of speech or protection of ideas more important on the internet? I like how you tie in that curbing freedom of expression starts to curb human rights, but that some regulation is necessary in civilization. A suggestion is to offer a framework that can be used interactively, involving a way for future bodies looking at legislation on intellectual property and freedom of speech and benchmarks for them to judge whether a law or regulation is infringes on human rights, or is necessary for to preserve civilization. Daniel Cameron Morris 20:33, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Kaley Sweeney comments: Hi Natalia, I agree with Daniel that your paper can use more focus. The topic of intellectual property is exceptionally broad and can encompass an enormous number of cases, law, international interpretation, etc. It might be helpful to narrow down on one or two case studies that particularly peak your interest that you feel make a major statement for the future of IP and confirm your hypotheses. Perhaps you can also focus on one of your three questions, as there are many discussion points buried within each, within the context of one particular country. Intellectual property is interesting to explore, particularly as the changing nature of social sharing is entirely shifting the concept. If you can hone in on one refined idea, I think you can find yourself developing some fascinating ideas and predictions.
Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Michael Keane comments: This is certainly an interesting topic and you definitely have plenty to work with. I see the others mentioned that you might need more focus but I assume you've already intended to do once your project unfolds and begins to take shape. I too have a broad topic (censorship) but I am limiting its use to one particular website. Good luck with your work and I would be interested in reading the final paper.Michaelekeane 11:58, 5 March 2013 (EST)
Aly Barbour comments: I'm afraid I must ring in with the crowd on this. I'm very curious as to how you will decide to go about observing this question in terms of a specific community. What can be learned about intellectual property rights and infromation from observing a group which disseminates information? One example, and i wish it were still active, is Oink a music sharing community geared towards spreading rare and hard to find eps. With such a sight it'd be interesting to view how the owners of the material, small bands, microlabels handle the spread of information. In the music scene the rapid ability to share music illegally has meant that a lot of bands get heard by a magnitude larger an audience. Or perhaps observing a site where people share photos and see what lengths people go to in order to maintain their ownership over an image ( watermarks etc.. who owns memes, do the owners of angry cat own the rights to the angry cat meme?) etc etc. can't wait to see what you do! All my best. Alybarbour 14:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: I suggest that you check out the digital mellenium copyright act and also check out companies like Associated Content (now Yahoo voices!) and Demand Media Studios for this assignment! -Laurence Girard....also think about bloggers who may copy other people's material!

Rebekahjudson 21:09, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Rebekahjudson: Fascinating, I had not heard of this. Do users of Weird Twitter self-identify using that label? How do participants signal they are contributing to Weird Twitter rather than just making a joke or nonsensical post on Twitter? To the untrained eye, it doesn't seem like there's much community going on here - but maybe that's the point. I very curious to know how, without a centralized "Weird Twitter" aggregate or some other means to look for Weird Twitter posts (save the map you mentioned), a community of "Weird Twitters" can exist and interact with one another. Look forward to hearing more about this. Asmith 15:52, 27 February 2013 (EST)
Rabekah- Your proposal sounds like an interesting subject. Is this group something that you have taken part in, or is your statement “Critique from Within” to be interpreted that Weird Twitter is critiquing Twitter or the Twitter community from within? It looks like you have a good outline and a method that will lead you to interesting material. I am wondering how this relates to censorship or control. Does the tweeting of Weird Twitter have any sort of influence on the broader Twitter community? Do members of a group in Twitter influence one another in a way that has some sort of an influence on the group as a whole?Tessa May 20:07, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Rebekah, this is an interesting online community - one I hadn't previously been familiar with, but fascinating to learn about. My main thought while reading this is the longevity of this community. Google Analytics has shown the search rate for "Weird Twitter" drop dramatically in the past month. I wonder if the loose group of individuals may be fluid in their terminology, and therefore be a bit difficult to track down. On that note, well done selecting several twitter users from the start to monitor. I imagine if they are consistent in their "Weird Twitter" tweets, you will also find yourself becoming familiar with the online community that extends beyond these users. My second thought would be the impact this community - fluid as it may be - has on the wider twitter community. If they are not operating under a single hashtag, how do new users find them? How do they distinguish themselves?
Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Rebekah, I love this topic! I've been a fan of horse_ebooks and Riff Raff, but was unaware of any umbrella term under which they belonged.
Though both personalities tweet in this poetical anarchist fashion, disregarding traditional language conventions, I would never associate them together because of their vastly motivations. Riff Raff wants fame and fortune. Horse_ebooks wants to be invisible. However, according to the Chicago Reader's Weird Twitter map, Riff Raff and Horse_ebooks hold similarly prominent positons in spite of their real life differences. The concept of "Weird Twitter" is completely reader-defined, and I think requires exploration of the population who appreciates these aliases and associates them with one another, perhaps in contrast to Weird Twitter author's real motivations. One last thing is to explore is how Twitter's architecture (i.e. the 150 character confines) have altered how we think to use language and enable/prevent "weird Twitter." Here are some relevant articles about Horse_ebooks and Riff Raff: http://gawker.com/5887697/ http://gawker.com/5912835/riff-raffs-got-a-record-deal-making-sense-of-the-most-viral-human-being-in-music
Jax 21:07, 4 March 2013 (EST)

I love the idea of how you are analyzing a community that is critiquing a larger popular community. I wonder if it is worthwhile to look into the culture: similarities and differences between the two and analyze it from there (major themes etc). It may be tricky to code themes because of time frames, or timing, so be careful! Also, be sure to include why core members are core members, and why they are the ones you are watching out for. I would also be careful in defining what are considered norms on Twitter and Weird Twitter. APhan 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: Good topic and one thing I would suggest is that you compare this structure to the structure of a typical forum with threads and categories etc. Are there any similarities that you might be able to map in a neat diagram?

There was a recent article about Weird Twitter and Creepy Twitter: http://www.theawl.com/2013/03/spy-twitter-is-weird-twitte Ryanb 11:12, 12 March 2013 (EDT)

Joshywonder: It might be difficult to study the now archived site as many of the posts/pages are not good links. In your research question you proposed to measure the anonymous users' "reactions when this privacy was stripped away" - will this be entirely interpreted/extrapolated from posts made on the site? Mattyh 15:57, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Joshywonder: I think you have a fabulous idea and have sources that have interested you on this topic. I wonder if you are interested in discussing the difference between Canadian English versus either the United States English or "Official English" as it may be. Johnathan Merkwan 19:13, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Joshywonder: This is a very interesting case that you site. Was there a public response to this incident? Did the individual who brought the suit suffer in reputation either from the content of the site or from the attention given to the lawsuit? Is the site something that you personally took part in? Do you think that anonymous posters or posters using pseudonyms make a valuable contribution to discussion in public internet forums? It looks like you have developed your method and you have plenty of interesting information to choose from. I think that an important factor in your write-up will be to narrow your presentation to the details you think will best inform your audience of the issues at stake and best illuminate the specific case as a study subject. Tessa May 20:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)

Joshywonder: I am very fascinated with your topic, but am curious about the idea of whether or not it is important the users are all from Canada and if the anonymous users are from there? I also wonder, if this may be of importance to your project: If the power of the courts and laws are aligned with what is happening online? What I mean is, what legal tests are there used to determine what is deemed private and so forth, and if they are aligned with peoples online experiences? APhan 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: I think that the main thing you are going to want to consider here is defamation of character vs. freedom of speech. Shouldn't people be allowed to say what they want about other people the same way we are allowed to say what we want about politicians as long as it is true to some extent??

Matthew: You and RobMcLain have proposed the same research questions about Yelp. Maybe you can collaborate?JW 22:04, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Matthew, your writing is very scientific; and I applaud you for this. The reader can be left skeptical and that is a matter of definition. Keep up the good work. Johnathan Merkwan 19:27, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Matthew: Wonderful topic, I think you’ll have a lot of fun with this research topic. Although you have wonderful sources, I was wondering to know how you will gather the data, and do you think that Yelp will be able to provide you with clarification of removed posts? Censorship plays an important role within this topic; will you use any interesting cases to defend your paper? user777 18:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Matthew: Working together sounds like a great idea. Shoot me an email and let's talk about it - mclain@fas dot harvard dot edu

Laurence Girard: Interesting...you might investigate whether this would fall under the realm of false advertising.

Matthew: Agree w/ Jonathan, you have a very clear-cut and concise approach to your topic and research. Excellent job narrowing focus and coming up with a means to test it. My only feedback would be around the volume of businesses you are testing - I would suggest testing upwards of 10 (of each - 10 advertising, 10 not) to ensure that your results yield a conclusive result. Unless you've already done a proof of concept and know that 5 apiece will suffice. Baughller 19:30, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Milenagrado 21:34, 25 February 2013 (EST)

Milena: I think the idea of contacting the users through Twitter, Facebook, and Duolingo’s blog is a good resource to provide some context as to the structure of the site. I also feel that it would be helpful if you could find out how the policies have changed in the past as a result of previous laws. AaronEttl 14:36, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Milena, what an interesting topic. Duolingo reminds me of a wikipedia of sorts in the ways it relates to copyrighted information. As crowdsourced information has grown in the past few years, I imagine you may also find similar information on how copyright is addressed in recent case studies. Another question to ask would be how users can ensure the translation is accurate? If you delve into the terms & conditions, you may also wish to see how Duolingo holds users accountable and verify the information is indeed an accurate representation of the initial intent. There are many concepts to delve into here, but I think you have done a very nice job of boiling it down to the main concerns the site may encounter moving forward.Kaley Sweeney 20:41, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Dear Milena Grado, I found your paper proposal quite interesting. I haven’t heard about Duolingo, however I have few questions: What about the translation [if] being out of context? What about sentence structure? Culture/ How precise is the translation? If so, what kind of copy rights will this serve gather, in order to protect the translation services? I noted that you will be gathering information through “Twitter, Facebook and Duolingo's blog- very interesting! Do you have specific way of analyzing this data? Use/volume based? Good luck with the paper, I think it’s quite an interesting topic to write a paper on.
user777 17:42, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Milena: How will you choose which users to contact? How will you ensure it's a representative sample? The danger in this approach is that your conclusions about the site may be skewed by your user sample. Otherwise, though, your project incorporates some great questions. Rob McLain

Tessa May 02:52, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Tessa - this looks well-thought out and do-able within the parameters of the class. Reading through your prospectus, the following questions occurred to me: Do the deleted users have something in common? Are the moderators of the groups you are observing similar in some way? (For example, do they have manager or above in their title?)Is there a higher authority or forum for protesting deletions? And finally, in a professional forum such as LinkedIn, how would you distinguish keeping the conversation professional or productive or on-topic vs. censorship?Raven 12:03, 27 February 2013 (EST)
Reposted following deletion/edit conflict Raven 13:31, 27 February 2013 (EST)
Tessa,
This looks really, really fascinating! I'm curious - are you considering comparing multiple groups in differing categories? I ask because it may be interesting to see if two groups in similar categories have similar patterns in deleting posts.
Another thing that came to mind: it may be interesting to look at the profiles of the group members to see if there is any pattern between those whose posts are deleted, those who tend to align with group moderators, etc….since LinkedIn profiles generally provide members' current, and often prior, employment and education, you may be able to identify a pattern based on members' socioeconomic status.
BeccaLuberoff 18:15, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Tessa,
This looks very interesting and you seem to have your ideas extremely clear. I love the idea of having a survey sent to group owners at the end of your investigation period. I would also suggest, if I may, to contact Linkedin directly and see if they have a comment in regard. GregB23 15:22, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Tessa: I think you’ve picked out a great topic for your research paper. I am an active user of Linkedin, and participate in quite a few groups, and you are correct, that posts are being deleted without notice, which sometimes makes it hard to fallow the group/topic itself. I see that you have a perfect strategy for your paper, which I think will definitely help you generate a great paper. How many groups will you audit? How often will you review a group? Good luck on your paper, and I look forward to read your final work (if class permits).
user777 18:21, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Daniel Cameron Morris comments: Tessa, exploring the idea of censorship on LinkedIn groups sounds good. My suggestion is perhaps attempting to see why some might censor or remove content, for example, if the poster is attempting to get them to go to another group on the same topic. Perhaps content subtractions occur when the owner(s) of the group want simply to exert more control over the group as opposed to encouraging as many comments as possible. Other times, comments might be deleted due to not fitting into the general standards of professionalism that is expected on LinkedIn. Mabye you can come up with your own categories for deleted comments to expand on this, and determine if the deletions are leaning more toward censorship or content control. Daniel Cameron Morris 19:52, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Greetings Daniel: Moderation or Censorship in Linkden Groups really caught my, in regards to the fact that this is a very provocative title. In your prospectus it is interesting to note how you plan on gathering data with regards to specific groups within the site. Being that LinkedIn has captured the social media market for the professional, how will you be able to identify would would need to be cencsorn in a group that is by membership only? Secondly I am very much looking forward to see how Moderation is pulled in to groups. I like the idea of individuals within groups being limited in comments and mailing so that a, "only bully" in a specific network will not hog all of the conversation and in turn add to a more healthy convention of conversation- Hunter HunterGaylor 15:57, 4 March 2013 (EST)

Tessa May:

I suspect LinkedIn will be a good platform from which to derive your observations as it is obviously intended to be for professional/career/business purposes and therefore just about everyone with an account will ultimately be driven by the motivation to enhance their career goals. While I haven't observed too much conflict on LinkedIn (as opposed to say, Facebook, for example where disagreements can be sharp and common) I suppose egos can quickly flare up and agendas can easily clash as individuals attempt to push their company, career and professional point of view on to others.

I noticed that you are using the deletion of a post as the metric for censorship. You may also want to consider a slightly less rigid although probably no less effective metric for censorship - bullying and pig-piling. I've noticed, based on my personal use of social networks, that there is a tendency for a community to post overly large quantities of aggressive and oppositional rhetoric in response to something they disagree with, even if similar (and seemingly redundant in message) responses have already been posted. In other words, there is more than one way to censor and you may want to consider people applying the herd mentality to discussions when adding little to no additional minimal value as another form of censorship to your list of observable behavior. Granted it may be difficult to define and therefore measure this behavior, but it may prove valuable just the same. CyberRalph 09:09, 5 March 2013 (EST)

APhan 08:24, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Alicia: If you feel that it's relevant to your paper, I would be interested in reading your analysis of the pending class action Fraley v. Facebook.JW 22:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Alicia: While I agree with this statement, I think it needs to be substantiated: "More than ever people are learning about our laws through the mass media, and believing in the media’s representation of the legal realm". I think your methodology is a little too vague as I'm unclear on precisely what parts of Facebook you will be observing: globally public comments? Posts made by businesses? Comments made by others on subscribed updates? Mattyh 16:01, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Daniel Cameron Morris User Comments: Alicia, Your examination of privacy rights on social networking sites such as Facebook is fascinating. I would ask, 'Are our intellectual property rights waived automatically when we use a limited privacy social network site?' The topic seems really hot right now, and going into the various privacy settings on Facebook and arguments pro and con in light of legal decisions in the United States and other nations, even international bodies, will be enlightening to fellow Facebook fans. A suggestion could be analysis of each privacy setting, with pro and con arguments for personal privacy being intellectual property that must be waived to share with others. Pretty sure that is what already happens, but really without the examination my comments are just speculation. I await your comments on my proposal as well. Thanks!
Daniel Cameron Morris 22:07, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Alicia: Your focus on the interpretivity of law, rather than its logical or declarative features, would be well-served by an analysis of how culturally-generated ideas about justice and how communities should be organized can develop into effective regimes of social order on social networks like Facebook.

Johnfloyd6675 16:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)

user777 11:35, 26 February 2013 (EST)

User777: I am left wondering precisely what the research questions are and/or the methodology you will use to prove your hypotheses. Something like "I will also look at the “display ad” effectiveness that drives a significant demand for both online and in-store purchases" is a massive research project in and of itself and would realistically require access to private information controlled by businesses. Mattyh 16:06, 2 March 2013 (EST)

Hi User777: This is a very big topic, and I'm wondering if you are still in the formative portion of your project. Facebook has gotten a lot of attention on how and what shows up in the newsfeed and how this has an effect on the number and quality of likes, especially for advertisers. Have you considered narrowing your topic to the question of whether or not Facebook's policies are aligned with their advertisers? In the past few days, quite a number of articles have shown up questioning whether increased participation on the newsfeed is increasing advertisers' costs. What types of posts are most likely to show up in a newsfeed? What percentage of an advertiser or a users' friends get to see posts? Other than purchasing advertising, what things can advertisers or users do to increase this percentage? These questions might help to focus your thinking. I'm looking forward to your results.Raven 11:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)

This is a very interesting topic. I am left wondering though, what you deem to be major brands that you should look into and how they "market" their products so that people "like" it. How does the idea of social media connect to users liking the product? Is it just the fact that social media networking is powerful and constitutes a lot of people following brands online and liking stuff? What about other types of "likes"....like when people "like" pictures, quotes etc...is that a type of marketing strategy as well? What methodology will you go about to link that a lot of "likes" is a marketing strategy - what I mean is that, the more likes = the more successful a product is? How might you determine that? I am interested to see the end result of your project! APhan 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Very interesting topic, and highly ambitious. Have you thought about specifics for how to go about your research? What about looking at specific sites that allow users to use a Facebook login to access content, and reviewing their revenues? Ex: Livestrong or Spotify. If you were to focus on the "power of like", I am curious if there is a way to chart likes on Facebook (similar to Youtube video views) that you could bump against a company's published financials. Baughller 19:45, 5 March 2013 (EST)


--Muromi 12:02, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Muromi: Instead of using Lessig's four factors, I thihttp://www.charitywatch.org/nk it would be interesting to use Zittrain's generativity lens to examine how China manages to innovate in spite of all the existing controls. I'd be curious to find out in what respects China's cyberspace is (or could) be unlimited.JW 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Hi Muromi, I think that is an extremely interesting final project, and I am looking forward to reading it once you are done. A few years ago I was a visiting professor of law at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, and I ran smack into the firewall many times. I think facebook was still allowed at that time, but many of the other sites weren't, so I had to use programs like anonymouse.org to get around the firewall. I also used QQ with my Chinese girlfriend and she was always scared that our conversations were being monitored for content. The only critique I have is that you may be studying too many different aspects of the firewall. You only have 10 pages to write, you might consider focusing on a few specific aspects of the firewall and the reasons they are in place. i.e. Google is currently banned in China, but is that because the government doesn't like what Google turns up or because they want to protect the competitive advantage of Baidu? etc.. Joshywonder 09:49, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Zak Paster: How will you estimate "effective fundraising" for Research Question A? Question C seems large enough to be the entire project as "conduct external research about online giving and associated industry trends" is a large undertaking. Mattyh 14:54, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Zak Your NGO sounds great. Good luck with it. My question, which I don't know if you'll be able to tackle in this project relates to control. How much tension is there between having an outside entity give you a "pre-formed" website, social media strategy, etc. that may be quite good, and the fund-raising organization's ability to create their own content. Also, just as you want to be sure that the fundraising websites ensure funds go to the advertised cause, donors want to know how their money is being spent. Can organizations have links to places like charitywatch.org or charitynavigator.org?
Susan Goldstein 09:12, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Zak: Great Topic. The notion that online fundraising has been getting in recent months is overwhelming. The effective fundraising idea comes with the clear revelation that the internet is very powerful tool. With tools like Kick starter, and rocket hub are able to cast a wider net that will allow more individuals to participate in supporting a cause. However, with regards to control one must ask themselves with a wider net and more individuals having the ability to contribute, how will one be able to control how that money is being accounted for and that it is coming from individuals that are proper for that organization. This is a new eara of Fundraising, both in the public and private sector. On must not loose focus on how effective is new era will be providing an easier access to funds. I am very much looking forward to your final project. Best of Luck and great Topic choice! I am very encouraged that someone is shedding light on potential positive effect this can have for the NGO world. Hunter HunterGaylor 16:06, 4 March 2013 (EST)

Zak:

You have a strong, well thought-out structure to your research. I don't know if it will help, but the US government hosts the Combined Federal Campaign (http://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/) which tracks and publishes the efficiency of the charities it sponsors. Another suggestion: You may want to consider looking at http://www.kickstarter.com/ as another possible target of evaluation. Among many other things, they helped launch Diaspora, a social networking alternative to Facebook and MySpace, which is still going strong.

CyberRalph 10:26, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Zak:

Your approach to the analysis of online fundraising seems rigorous and likely to yield actionable, material knowledge of the distinctions between online platforms for fundraising. It will be important to ensure that analysis of each platform is done in context, to assess the generative potential of each platform in those situations to which it's best suited. Johnfloyd6675 16:51, 5 March 2013 (EST) 16:49, 5 March 2013 (EST)

RobMcLain: You and Matthew D. Haney have proposed the same research questions about Yelp. Maybe you can collaborate?JW 22:04, 26 February 2013 (EST)
RobMcLain: It would appear we indeed have nearly identical projects - let's team up :) Mattyh 14:50, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Matt: Absolutely! Let's get in touch - mclain@fas dot harvard dot edu

RobMcLain: Fantastic topic. I've personally experienced some of yelp's connivery. When I was running a popular downtown restaurant in Texas we held the top Yelp ranking until we decided not to pay for advertising on Yelp. After that decision our 5-star ratings began to disappear into thin air. I am curious how you plan to track and observe so many actions on such a large site where moderation isn't necessarily noted. I'd be very interested to see how you narrow your research. All my best. Alybarbour 03:58, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Hi Rob, I think this is a great topic! I've watched a comment of mine disappear off a restaurant site -- it's interesting to have the tie in to the advertising and of course the benefit for the particular venue in keeping their "star" rating. It's a big challenge to dive into Yelp but it will be amazing for you to find links to different ways these sites may scheme to have a contrived presence to the public. Are you planning on comparisons to Open Table or Around Me? Yelp is probably big enough to tackle as is, but you may open up some really great discussions for all the others as well. Amazing project! Caroline 17:27, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline

Caroline 13:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Caroline: You may want to discuss the statue of repose and the statute of limitations in your paper, if you feel that these statutes are relevant.JW 23:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Caroline: Fascinating issue, but you may need to pick a community to observe in order to test the framework. I'm thinking of an app like SnapChat, for example. SnapChat lets users send photos and videos to one another and then deletes that content after a certain time limit. Here, the ability to be forgotten is built into the technology of the platform. How does the community use SnapChat? Is it for "sexting" as many people fear, or are there other practices involved? This might help you explore the role of architecture in the right to be forgotten, not just law. What if Facebook and Google gave you the option to publish something temporarily? Asmith 15:30, 27 February 2013 (EST)
  • Caroline: I love your ideas but you have so many i don't know where your focus is. I think your primary topic, "research how this regulation [ the right to forget] and potential similar regulations in North America would impact the Internet. " will be difficult to approach as that's all theoretical. What would be something you could actively observe? Perhaps looking at a community and following the recency of topics posted? Cheers. Alybarbour 04:46, 5 March 2013 (EST)

The right to be forgotten is a very interesting start to your project. What I propose is that you look into a focus or community or example of what you may mean by that. For example, you can look into teachers who were fired from posting up comments on their students on Facebook. It is important to narrow your scope, whether it be a certain case or a law you found that prohibits or encourages this new phenomenon of "not" forgetting. Also, you can look into how the privacy rights on the community you are studying changed to either perpetuate this or help falter it. APhan 17:28, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Thanks guys!!! I greatly appreciate the comments/feedback and look forward to more as I narrow the scope and flesh out the paper! Caroline 18:05, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline

Jonathan: Unfortunately your file is no longer on the server - I also tried searching for it on the "uploaded files" page but to no avail Mattyh 16:10, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Johnathan Merkwan: Johnathan, it seems like you have a lot of ideas and are attempting to address several broad areas, including international, sociological, and architectural perspectives through field world. Reading this prospectus, I was confused at a few points, such as "According to each face as an old friend, I have been studying the relativity of facial recognition.. " This sounds interesting, but I'm not entirely certain what it means. Does this mean you are comparing the new friends you are adding to the old friends you deleted? You say, "Now Facebook has deemed my friendships “real,”" but do not specify how Facebook has promoted this realness. I think something valuable in your prospectus so far is your investigation of "the spellcheck, autocorrect, and various prompted questions Facebook has alerted me to, and in doing so shall see how each action makes a difference, contextually." I think you should continue with this line of questioning, investing how facebook's suggestions influence our behavior on the site. Here is a tool to analyze your personal facebook behavior: http://www.wolframalpha.com/facebook/ and another useful facebook statistic link http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6128/The-Ultimate-List-100-Facebook-Statistics-Infographics.aspx .
Jax 20:38, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Thank you, Jax, for your comment. I will try to elucidate some of these issues that are inherent in my document. I admit it may be difficult for people to accurately spell my name. That addressed, how about a brief understanding of my perspective. With the War on Terror as it were, why is it necessary to altercate between various nations of power the mere definition of a word? Susan Goldstein, or Einstein, are not tangentially related; wherefore, the understanding of this situation is supposed to be confusing. I do dearly appreciate your response, yet it was and is not directed at me; much less johnathan Merkwan, or alan Ginsberg. If this has made things worse, I can only say things in person, not via computer. Thus, your links are a fabulous addition to my ideas, as intentionally, crude and misleading as they might be... (I call this, "intrigue". So, as this idea develops, I will keep you updated with pop culture as I see it, in the light of the Lacanian disposition this proposal defined cohesively, yet, clearly has accepted your suggestions sic collaboration.Johnathan Merkwan 22:24, 4 March 2013 (EST)
I am very confused! Did I edit the wrong prospectus? Jax 10:22, 5 March 2013 (EST)

(Free speech 14:13, 26 February 2013 (EST))

Free_speech: It is a very interesting point of view. It is important to see how people can face constraints all over the Internet.Milenagrado 17:00, 28 February 2013 (EST)
Hi, this could be an interesting topic. I assume you have some connection to the forum beforehand, because it seems like somewhat of a random choice of community. I like how you will analyze both site specific rules of participation and countrywide laws that are applicable. As a Canadian, if I were to join the forum and participate I would be bound by the laws of Canada and the rules of forum. In contrast, and American would be bound by the laws of the US and forum as well. So perhaps the site acheives greater uniformity in participation through their own regulations than the laws of the countries. :Joshywonder 09:59, 3 March 2013 (EST)

Hi Free Speech: I'm looking at your prospectus, and the target community. You say 'the community operating in the business of discount travels'. I'm wondering if you have considered focusing on the consumer or the provider or the columnist/blogger portion of this community. I ask because I'm guessing the constraints: legal; market; and norm would probably be different, and the site owners could (although from a quick search, I can't see that they do) also use the site architecture to limit how each of these three groups participate on the site. There is, of course, a fourth group to consider, advertisers (a subset of providers, I'm assuming), and how the advertisers' perspective might limit what the site owners are willing to allow on the site. Finally, do the authors of the featured blogs comment in the forums? Are their comments given special weight? Do travel services providers show up in the forums in their professional capacity? Do they do so in an informational or customer service role? Great topic. I'm looking forward to your results. Raven 11:34, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Questions that comes up when reading your proposal is: how might you connect all of these questions together and how do things like the market link to regulation on the website? How might this internet control you perceive me relevant to general travel websites and what is significant in your study? What I mean by that is...what about control on the website? Why does it matter? Other than that, interesting topic and I look forward to seeing the final product of your project! Flyertalk seems like a very fascinating community. APhan 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Phildade 15:01, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Phil: I wonder how you will "avoid direct engagement with members of the community" when you've stated that you will interact with and interview DPLA players and opponents. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, such as the teaching staff approving your methodology?JW 23:20, 26 February 2013 (EST)
  • @JW - that is a good question, my thought is that I will be interviewing people who are "Pro DPLA" or "Against DPLA" so there is not much I could do to "influence their behavior to inherently change what I am trying to observe." - but I have not discussed with teaching staff, so I could be a little off. Phildade 23:17, 1 March 2013 (EST)
Hey Phillip, I am very excited to see the direction that you take regarding the DLPA, specifically in regards to the potential subtractiveness of the organization. It is always interesting

to see the how the members of the community will add to the over all effectiveness of engagement with regards to organization. Because DLPA is stated that, “The hope is that broad access to scientific results will encourage faster progress on research and will let anyone apply the knowledge for technological advances. The ability to shed light on the effectiveness will be exciting to see. "-HunterGaylor" HunterGaylor 15:50, 4 March 2013 (EST)

I thought the title was a bit odd. Since so few people are familiar with the DPLA, wouldn’t it be better to give more context? “Additive” and “subtractive” can be a little confusing when one doesn’t know what the noun means, since those words are used regularly in very different ways. I would suggest something along the lines of “Evaluating the Effectiveness of the DPLA.”
The argument about it contributing to social stratification was quite familiar for me; it seems to be used against many new technologies and developments.
Good luck with your project. It sounds quite interesting. I think it’s a good idea to implement it as a video, in terms of accessibility. Julian 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)

Susan Goldstein 15:44, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Susan: I'm curious why you chose those three particular courses to observe. Would it be possible to observe the same (or very similar) course(s) across two to three platforms? (e.g., edX, Coursera, and Udacity)JW 22:28, 26 February 2013 (EST)
JW: I edited out why I chose these courses from the prospectus to get it down to 397 words :) I wanted to stick with Coursera and edX because they are the most well known and I'm particularly interested in Harvard's (edX) participation. My decision was more practical than scientific. I chose courses that were beginning at the end of Feb to mid-March in subjects I thought I'd understand enough to be able to follow conversations about the course. I like your idea of studying similar courses across the different platforms, but am limited by our time frame for this assignment.
Susan: I have never heard of a MOOC. I wondered if an "expert" or credentialed person in the field of study would be allowed to register for the class. If so, how would they be treated? --Dear Alice 14:42, 1 March 2013 (EST)
Dear Alice: Anyone can register for a MOOC. An expert in the field of study could register, but would only do so if they wanted to see how someone else was teaching the subject or if they wanted to learn about an aspect of the subject they wanted to learn more about. Since a MOOC is not the same as taking a course for credit to meet the academic requirements of a school, an expert couldn't "cheat" by taking a MOOC to get an easy A. One of the reasons people enroll in MOOCS is to prepare themselves to take a course for credit.

Susan Susan Goldstein 20:27, 2 March 2013 (EST)

Kaley Sweeney 15:47, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Kaley: The part of your prospectus that most caught my attention is the very end: "the changes that are beginning to unfold with the rise in mobile internet access in the country." I would read a 10-page paper entirely focusing on mobile Internet access in North Korea!JW 21:33, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Hi Kaley: I like your topic because it sheds light on democratic freedoms. Will the expansion of Internet usage in North Korea bring new forms of democracy to a select group of citizens? Will outside influences, that emerge via the Internet, begin to alter government relations? At the end of your prospectus, you mention that you...”wish to examine the forces that have perpetuated the insulation of the country from the technological revolution and the changes that are beginning to unfold with the rise in mobile internet access in the country.” To narrow your focus, you may want to consider highlighting a few primary forces, i.e., norms, market, etc., with descriptions surrounding each force. To answer the latter part (changes that are beginning to unfold in North Korea), what types of changes are you referring to? Do you plan to analyze technological changes, societal changes, or both? To this end, defining a few categories may bring additional structure/clarity to your analysis. Zak Paster 11:37, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Kaley, you have a very interesting topic here. But for such a topic, are there enough data and info that's accessible? Because Kim JungUn's policy shifts are so recent, it might be too soon and more difficult to observe and analyze any social and cultural changes within North Korea as a result of mobile internet access. Are there any websites and/or organizations that track internet usage in North Korea? Their reports may be helpful resources. --Muromi 10:16, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Raven 15:59, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Raven: Cool topic. When you talk about the "quality of comments" it will be important to address the question, "according to whom?" Is it according to the managers of the site, the community of the site, or to society at large? You might also explore how comments are moderated. It seems like the NY Times screens submissions from commenters whereas The Economist and Boing Boing are more lenient. Is that true? It looks like you can flag or report inappropriate comments on Economist and Boing Boing - does user-generated moderation have an effect on the quality of the comments? I'm also interested to know whether you get higher quality comments with pseudonyms (people are perhaps more willing to be open and express one's view anonymously) or with real names (people are perhaps more willing to be articulate and tolerant). How much identity should be revealed to facilitate the most productive comments? Lastly, with regard to "comment quality categories," here are some other categories you might consider in addition to the ones you mention: Openness (willingness to share private information), Conversation potential (the extent there is discussion among commenters), Healthy debate (whether opposing viewpoints are respected), Spam ( whether comments are just a plug for blog or site), Barrier to entry to comment (easy to do or hard?), and flexibility of comment system (ability to see recommended comments or unfiltered). You may want to narrow these down for the scope of the paper but just something to think about. Asmith 14:47, 27 February 2013 (EST)
Hi Raven, It will be interesting to see which site (anonymous vs. registered users) create more tolls, flame wars, and other aspects to the online world that does not seem to exist in the offline space. The reverse is to see if the sites that require registration will create more fruitful conversations or of they’re equal in quality/quantity to the ones that allow anonymous commenters. Saridder 16:00, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Raven, interesting topic you have there! I agree with Asmith that it's important that you define "quality of comments." Relatedly, I think you should consider the demographics that frequent The NYTimes, The Economist, and Boing Boing - the type of demographics will affect the type of comments as well. Also to consider is that both The New York Times and The Economist require digital subscription after a limited number of free articles, so that again too may affect what kind of people are reading those two. --Muromi 09:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)
  • saridder: Steve Ridder
  • The Digital Marketplace

Saridder 16:18, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Saridder: Your proposal made me think of another topic I was considering for this project. This may be a bit of a tangent from what you're looking to do, but when you talk about the shift towards a knowledge economy, peer production, and the future of work, I immediately thought about Yammer, often called "Facebook for companies." Yammer is a social network for employees at a company to use. Last year it got bought by Microsoft for $1+ billion. Users can only connect with other Yammer users at that company. But they can post status updates, photos, documents and it has pretty much all the same features as Facebook. Yammer is touted as a way to "flatten hierarchy" and empower employees by giving everyone a voice. It provides a collaboration tool for people from all over the world. But I wonder, how does this affect the balance of power in companies? Yes, users can sign up for the service for free without their company's permission. But the company can also pay for a premium Yammer account, which gives them greater control over their Yammer community. What elements of control are at work here (i.e. does the architecture of the site encourage some acceptable work practices, but not others) ? How much control do administrators of a Yammer network have over the contents of the network? Does this shift the balance of power in the workplace because employees can interact in a peer network, rather than through a top down hierarchy? Just an idea as you narrow down your topic. Asmith 13:01, 27 February 2013 (EST)
Saridder – First, I have to say that I think you are very ambitious! You have a lot going into your prospectus. I think 8-10 pages will only allow you to skim the surface of this broad subject area. I suggest that you select one of these companies or forums and use it as a model to explore your question. I would also suggest narrowing your question to one main question with a couple of sub-questions. This part of the exercise is often the hardest part, but it will allow you to dig a little deeper into one most interesting topic. I am looking forward to reading your perspective in this emerging subject. Tessa May 21:11, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Michael Keane comments: Well this is certainly an interesting topic, but you definitely have your work cut out for you. I'm not sure how one goes about prognosticating the future. I assume you are going to use recent history and developments to help you extrapolate information, but that can be a tough thing to do. I hope we are able to read each others final work as it will be interesting to see what patters you expect to develop.

Michaelekeane 11:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)

--Maria 16:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)

María: I suggest focusing your analysis on only one part of Taringa: posts, communities, music, or games. Also, it might be interesting to compare and contrast that part of Taringa to another country's equivalent, e.g. Reddit, Craigslist, Steam, etc.JW 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Maria: I agree with JW that trying to follow Taringa! Musica and Taringa! Juegos in addition to the main site would be too large a scope for such a small study. Mattyh 14:48, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Maria: I think using the four “areas to analyze the Internet” (market, architecture, norms, and laws) is an excellent idea and provides structure to your final paper. To make your focus more narrow, you may want to select an example under each domain, supported by an explanation. When analyzing Taringa!’s architecture, you could highlight a few pros and cons surrounding user interactions; when examining the norms within each community, you could outline examples and draw comparisons; when analyzing the market, you could primarily focus on the exchange of music, with specific examples. Overall, I think your explanation is clear and the approach you've outlined will allow you to collect useful data to answer your primary questions.Zak Paster 17:13, 2 March 2013 (EST)

Johnfloyd6675 16:53, 26 February 2013 (EST)

John - You haven't clearly outlined your process or your specific questions, or what specific tools you'll use to come to your conclusions. That said, the overall topic is a fascinating one. To help you narrow your focus, here are some questions: What access do I have? What overall question most appeals to me? How can I relate it to the course goals? How can I answer that question given the access I have? What is it I am hoping to conclude? Does this conclusion relate directly to the course goals? What evidence will support or disprove this conclusion? How can I gather it efficiently? Will this be sufficient to meet the terms of the final assignment? Can I do this in the time provided? Am I willing to do this?

Good luck. I look forward to your final result. Raven 16:46, 28 February 2013 (EST)

Hi John, it will be interesting to see if the behaviors found in these online communities will differ from the politics, alliances, and cabals of the real world. I'm most interested to see if the internet is a better coordination and orchestration mechanism for organizing, and can people online respond quicker, more effectively, and efficiently than offline groups to adapt to the changing political landscapes this game provides. Saridder 15:59, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Hi John,

Great choice of subject, i find it fascinating how these communities of random people from around the globe come together and work together to a certain goal as a community. DanielReissHarris 17:27, 4 March 2013 (EST)

CyberRalph 16:55, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Hi Ralph, I think that sounds like an interesting project. I know it may be difficult, but I'd also be interested in discovering how those ananymous twitter accounts interact with real life. Are multpiple people using the same account? Are those people actually the ones doing any hacking? Almost certainly those accounts would be monitored by the authorities if they were claiming responsibility and the users identities would be discoverable.Joshywonder 09:39, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi CyberRalph: This is an interesting topic. As I read your prospectus, the notion of responsibility and liability came to mind. If this group advertises cyber-attacks, can they inevitably be held accountable? For example, could law enforcement officials follow the leads to IP addresses, and ultimately discover the group(s) behind such attacks? It may be interesting to compare the concepts of online crime with other forms of illicit activities (is online crime more isolated and easier to commit without paying the consequences?). As an intro or conclusion, you may also want to consider highlighting current trends with cyber-attacks and security measures that governments/large companies take. Furthermore, to strengthen your analysis, it would be interesting if you state your personal hypothesis upfront, followed by your question surrounding motivation for these types of attacks. Zak Paster 11:34, 3 March 2013 (EST)

CyberRalph: Definitely an interesting and timely topic, but I wonder if Twitter is really the best forum for gleaning insight into the motivation of Anonymous members. After all, on Twitter, you're essentially getting the PR, the end result. For a previous project, I actually spent some time hanging out in Anonymous IRC chat rooms and found that the conversations there offered a lot more insight into the diversity of perspectives within the group and might give you a lot more material to work from. Of course, you'd have to be careful with your methodologies and think about the ethical issues involved, but these are still public forums. At the very least, you could check out other areas online that might allow you to grasp more of the conversation going on, especially when we're talking about such a heterogeneous group. Good luck! Rebekahjudson 16:47, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Julian 17:10, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Julian:You've presented some intriguing research questions. In part, it sounds like you plan to measure effectiveness numerically. If so, I look forward to the statistical analyses in your paper, possibly accompanied by figures/graphs/charts/etc.JW 21:22, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Hi Julian, I find tools to promote public engagement very interesting and useful, great topic to investigate about. It might be useful for you to see also moveon.org and signon.org, the latter is actually a website to create petitions and promote them through online communities. It might be interesting to compare how both government and NGOs use different approaches to deal with the same kind of issues. --Maria 11:08, 3 March 2013 (EST)


Hi Julian, I think this is a great topic. It was interesting to watch the federal government grapple with the issues of the 'X" number of signatures and what was going to fly to see a formal response. If you are able to track a couple of specific issues that are current and newsworthy (guns etc) you may see an ebb and flow of signatures based on the public interest that is hyped by media (both social and corporate) It may be of interest to take two sides of the same coin to measure the results -- in the gun example you can't get much more polar than that as a debate and how the website will play a role in topics such as that would be a great paper. Good Luck! Caroline 17:15, 5 March 2013 (EST) Caroline

Alybarbour 17:17, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Aly Barbour: In order to narrow your field research, it will be interesting if you focus on one or two specific communities. It will be better wether they have an intense activity.
Hi Aly, it was shocking to read about these communities, very interesting subject to investigate. I think it’s a good idea to focus in comparing activities in pro anorexia communities and recovery support groups in reddit.com, leaving aside the other platforms to narrow your scope. I think you should also define what will you observe from these communities in order to reach a conclusion for your investigation: do you want to know how control is being implemented? Or maybe focus in one particular constraint and see how it plays a role in regulating the community?--Maria 11:40, 3 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Aly, this is a very interesting topic! I was not aware of the Pro-Ana movement at all - When I saw the title I thought Ana was a person. Because of country laws and the way companies like Facebook have been clamping down on these communities, will you be able to directly observe any specific communities? Are they operating overtly? I browse Lookbook.nu now and then and once came upon the criticism that only super skinnies gather there (if you google it, there are communities against Lookbook because of this). Perhaps this might be helpful. --Muromi 09:30, 5 March 2013 (EST)


  • Pseudonym: JW
  • Prospectus title: Reddit's Dox Paradox: Proper or Not?

JW 17:36, 26 February 2013 (EST)

JW: One of the most interesting constrains here relates to social norms - doxxing is used as a way to regulate and control speech. If you post truly terrible things, the article on the Violentacrez seems to suggest, you ought to be outed to the public. On the one hand, this policy may reduce offensive material - people may be scared to post things like child pornography for fear of being publicly shamed. But "justifiable doxxing" also leads to a kind of vigilantism which has all kinds of moral implications. Who decides who deserves to be outed? It would be interesting to observe doxxing behavior on Preddit and Reddit to see if there is any recognition of where moral boundaries are drawn, if any. Is there any discussion of when doxxing is justifiable (i.e. journalism) and when it is not (i.e. trolling) ? Reddit's stance was clearly: doxxing is bad, period. But do community members feel differently? Asmith 12:30, 27 February 2013 (EST)
I think that’s an interesting topic, which surprisingly we haven’t covered much in class yet. It raises many interesting questions. In what ways, and how does the legal system protect anonymity? And are those protections by design, or unintentional as Section 230 was by operating separately from the rest of the legislation with which it was supposed to be packaged? Should those laws be there, or were they mistakes? Often, normative questions reduce to tradeoffs. In this case, it’s the classic tradeoff between privacy and incentivizing socially advantageous behavior.
Also, have you decided which of Lessig’s four constraints you’ll be using? Are you sure you’ll only be using one? It seems that there are critical points to be made from more angles, and could probably be done without extending scope to beyond what is manageable with the time and length constraints. Julian 19:39, 4 March 2013 (EST)

This is very interesting of a topic. I hope you consider talking a bit about privacy rights incorporating it into whether or not doxxing is considered proper. Also, it may be of interest to your topic to discuss why certain members are targeted and what are the commonalities in the ones targeted. I look forward to the final product of your project! APhan 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Interesting topic! I am not sure why you chose Reddit in particular for doxxing - could you elaborate?

Jax 17:57, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Hi Jax: This is an interesting topic and one that will allow you to make many connections between the artists and those who critique the artists. You mention that you’re...“interested in examining the characteristics of popular contributions and contributors in relation to broader reader and contributor demographics, exploring whether objectivity can emerge in this venue.” What preliminary hypotheses do you have? Does this website cater to the Ivy League crowd or does it attract rap enthusiasts from all walks of life? Examining demographics and objectivity is a valid approach, but stating your hypotheses upfront may provide an interesting twist. Do you think people are generally objective or subjective, and what demographics do you think most reviewers represent? If you follow this method, the data you collect will either confirm or negate your upfront interpretations. All in all, this is a very current topic and I look forward to learning about your findings. Zak Paster 17:21, 2 March 2013 (EST)

Jax: Of all the topics posted I'm more drawn towards yours. I read a very interesting article ( though my google-fu currently fails me) underlining the similarities between opera and rap. One of the ways mentioned was that in order to appreciate either one must know the history of the genre in order to draw meaning from the references. I worry however that when you start to reach outside the community (rappers opinions on the site, social critiques) your analysis from observing the community from within will become watered down and lost among a much broader subject.Alybarbour 15:11, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Jax: I'm so interested in this topic and I think you articulated it very well! My one suggestion would be to make sure that you very carefully define the abstract standards against which you're judging the site--namely "objectivity." After all, what does "objectivity" mean in this context? Is it objectivity on the part of the site's administrators to curate the lyrics in such a way that don't cater to any particular readership? And is that even in line with the object of the site itself, given its stated aims? I.e. are you developing a critique of the site's premise, or searching for any disconnects between the premise and the administrators' behavior? Overall, I think that your question about the "distribution of power" throughout the site might be a more useful frame, one that gets at essentially the same issues without getting bogged down in abstract semantics that could prove distracting from your essential question. Looking forward to reading more! Rebekahjudson 16:40, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Jax: It will be interesting to see how the profiteering attitude of Rap Genius' operators interacts with the essentially commercial and dramatized character of rap lyrics. The direct involvement of high capital (AH) speaks to the emptiness of Rap Genius' engagement with its subject, as the company's mission drives it away from an authentic phenomenology of urban poverty. Whether Rap Genius as a developing community can successfully interrogate the role that violence, debauchery and lawlessness play in the aesthetic power of rap music remains to be seen, but the sort of superficial glamorization that Rap Genius seems designed to promote will be a useless tool for its exegetical task. Johnfloyd6675 17:10, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: Interesting project! I think one thing that you will want to focus on is observing who uses the website. The website was founded by Ivy league graduates, but will it be used by individuals of a similar level of education? If not, who will moderate the comments or will the comments be moderated at all?

BeccaLuberoff 19:41, 26 February 2013 (EST)

Becca: I've noticed that Google caches content from purportedly private forums. If content from your three closed communities is publicly searchable, how does that affect privacy issues?JW 22:42, 26 February 2013 (EST)
Becca: I followed the link to the "Living with Bipolar Disorder" category on bphope.com and it appeared that the most recent post was 3 months ago with many being from years ago. Will not being able to observe activity (particularly censoring) in real-time have an impact on the research? Mattyh 14:42, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Becca, Interesting topic and it will be interesting to see how the online components and ‘permanent record’ of comments (architecture) might prohibit and skew the conversation vs. offline, real-world conversations. Will questions asked be inhibited by the semi-public aspect of online forums, preventing people from receiving better care than the privacy the offline world affords? Or will the open aspect of the community allow the best comments to bubble up and be connected to experts who would otherwise not have seen the question if it was asked in the offline world.
Saridder 15:59, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Becca, nice work! This is a really important topic, and I like the focus you have in terms comparing three different sites around one issue, bipolar disorder. You may want to evaluate the "explicitness and freedom" around specific criteria. If posts contain unique identifying information such as location of medical care or personal qualities (birthdates, current location, physical features) , if posters are frequent posters, if posters refer directly to one another by (user)name are just a few factors that may indicate how intimate, free, and explicit the forums are. Though I have never been on any of these message boards, I could imagine that market forces may influence the community's behavior as well. For instance, are there advertisements on the site? Spam? Doctor's opinions? Donation links? Another perspective to consider, though this could probably be another paper in and of itself, is how does the specific disorder affect the user's online experience and how well does the site cater to these differences? I know you will probably not get to explore this, but just something that I was considering while reading your prospectus. Thanks for this project, and I look forward to reading your work! Jax 10:22, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurence Girard: Hi! It would be interesting to see if there are any website out there in which healthcare professionals moderate the comments or if the websites you have chosen are simply more similar to Yahoo Answers! I know for a fact that there are some websites in which doctors answer questions such as health tap and it would be interesting for you to include some websites that include health professionals in your analysis.

I really like the comparison you drew between online libraries and physical libraries such as the library of congress. I think this can serve as a good comparison point for most of your research and provide valuable information. The idea of DuckDuckGo and being given similar information could be a big theme/discourse for your project as well.  :AaronEttl 14:39, 2 March 2013 (EST)
Hi Baughller: This is an interesting topic. Given your research focus area, it may be interesting to forecast the future in relation to identity-type searches (from your perspective). For example, if search results continue to show information based on people’s background / historical searches, what will the long-term outcomes be? Is this a positive search trend or a negative trend, and why? I think it may also be interesting to look at this scenario from a marketing viewpoint. Today, advertisements frequently appear as we surf the web, based on our preferences; this wasn't the case years ago. To that end, how is this new trend changing certain products and/or services? Are some industries profiting more than others, or can all types of marketing reap the benefits? Overall, your topic is very relevant in the current Internet environment, and this search-reality may only be in its infancy. Zak Paster 17:27, 2 March 2013 (EST)
@Baughller : I agree with @Zak in that the topic is fascinating! I never gave it much thought but it totally makes sense! I have always been on the side of personalization when it comes to ad's, as I would prefer they be relevant to me in the event that I have to view them at all. The personalization of search results and comparison to library of congress is great and a topic I think worth exploring. Only feedback I would give is that I think you need a stronger, more solidly stated research question and hypothesis, but as I said, the area of research is awesome so I'm sear whatever slice of it you choose to explore will follow suit! Phildade 13:12, 5 March 2013 (EST)

Laurrence Girard: I think the fundamental question that you need to deal with is whether or not this feature helps people find more relevant information or infringes on their privacy!

  • Laurence Girard
  • Laurence Girard Prospectus
  • Question: What effect does reading online health information have on the health of our society?

Many people search for online health information on a daily basis, but most of this information is not reviewed by physicians. As a result, many people self-diagnose and as a result this can result in very dangerous health outcomes. I am interested in studying websites such as WebMD and seeing what type of impact this has on people’s health.

I am particularly interested in seeing how online health content relates to online health products. For example, perhaps someone reads an article on WebMD about how Vitamin D affects their health and then as a result they buy it on Amazon.com. What types of supplements are people buying and what affect is this having on their health?I am also interested in websites such as Teladoc.com where users can consult with physicians. In other words, I am interested in studying how people access health information, products, and consultations online. I have read one statistic that says 80% of people in our country search for online health information. For this reason, I think this will be a particularly interesting project to complete and is relevant to the healthcare debate in our country. We need to focus more on prevention and less on treatment and the Internet can certainly be one modality for doing this. I am interested to hear about what my fellow classmates have to say about my chosen assignment.

Laurence: This sounds like a very interesting topic, but would be a huge project to undertake. Can you find one community where people are talking about health issues? I imagine every major disease or condition has some kind of community such as the American Cancer Societies’ Online Communities and Support [[1]] and choose one or two subgroups to study. Then I think you would be able to look at issues similar to those that Becca will be looking at for her project about Issues of Privacy in Online Mental Health Communities. Susan Goldstein 14:48, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Laurence – Your subject is interesting. Is there a data source containing the information that you are interested in? How would it be known if someone looked up a disease on WebMD, then went to Amazon and purchased a supplement that might be suggested for treating it? Google or other companies that send out tacking cookies might collected this type of information. Access to this data is an important factor for your study. Also, does your subject relate to control or censorship? If the data cannot be collected easily, the subject might need to be narrowed or focused on an area where you can collect data. Tessa May 21:32, 4 March 2013 (EST)
Michael Keane comments: Wow, this seems very ambitious. I wouldn't even know how to go about collecting the kinds of data that would be necessary to complete such a project. Do you have a plan for where or how you can obtain this kind of information in order to analyze it? I recently took a visualization class where students had to write code in python that would go out and collect and scrub data of one's choosing from the internet. Are you planning on utilizing some strategy such as that? Good luck with your assignment. Michaelekeane 11:56, 5 March 2013 (EST)

This seems very big of a topic. I would try to narrow it down to only one of the sites and something particular on the website. It might be even more important to narrow down your question to what type of health information and how you are attaining your information (Just by the users of the websites?) and whether or not the users or the websites would necessarily be representative of everyone reading health information...Goodluck with your project! I look forward to the final product! APhan 17:42, 5 March 2013 (EST)