Control and Code I: Regulation of Technology

Code is law; the architecture of the Internet and the software that runs on it will determine to a large extent how the Net is regulated in a way that goes far deeper than legal means could ever achieve. Technological advances have also produced many tempting options for regulation and surveillance that may severely alter the balance of privacy, access to information and sharing of intellectual property. In this class we delve into the technological alternatives that will shape interactions over the Internet as well as the implications of each on personal freedom, privacy and combating cyber-crime.

Readings

• Lawrence Lessig, Code 2.0, Chapter 5: Regulating Code
• Lawrence Lessig, Code 2.0, Chapter 7: What Things Regulate
• Anonymity Ending in China Blogs?
• Bill Gates on DRM
• Steve Jobs on DRM
• Ethan Zuckerman, Global Voices: A technical guide to anonymous blogging - a very early draft.
• Wired, DRM is Dead, But Watermarks Rise From Its Ashes
• Ars Technica, Why watermarks will never replace DRM

Additional Readings

• Digital Imprimatur