Technologies and Politics of Control - User contributions [en]

Final Projects

2014-05-13T13:03:03Z

Jradoff:

{{AssignmentCal}}

== Instructions ==

''Please name your file "wikiusername_Final," 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_Final.doc."

'''Upload your file here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:Upload Upload file]

Once you've uploaded your file, please link to it following the format below:

*Name or Pseudonym:
*Title:
*Link:

If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:ImageList list of uploaded files].

<big><big>'''Also, the course evaluation is now live. [http://www.extension.harvard.edu/course-evaluations Log in to the HES website] to complete the evaluation.'''</big></big>

==Submissions ==

*Name or Pseudonym: [[User:Castille|Castille]] 23:45, 9 May 2014 (EDT)
*Title: Self Help or Self Harm? Tumblr's governance of its self harm communities
*Link:http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:CastilleRath_LSTU_FINAL_PAPER.doc

------
*Name or Pseudonym: ([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 18:06, 12 May 2014 (EDT))
*Title: Controlling our personal genomes: How has 23andMe changed its policies, norms, and architecture in response to the recent FDA ban and how has this impacted data sharing?
*Link: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Monroe_Final.docx

----

*Name or Pseudonym: ([[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 21:51, 12 May 2014 (EDT))
*Title: Forum policy guidelines at Anandtech.com: Examining the CPU's and Overclocking sub-forum behavioral characteristics.
*Link: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Dancoron_Final.doc

----

*Name or Pseudonym: [[User:Drogowski|Drogowski]] 00:30, 13 May 2014 (EDT)
*Title: Censoring the Bitcoin Community
*Link: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Bitcoin_Project,_Daniel_Rogowski.docx

----

*Name or Pseudonym: [[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 00:30, 13 May 2014 (EDT)
*Title: Comparing Forum Communities for Two Major Online Games
*Link: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:LSTU_Assignment5.pdf

The Internet as a Tool of Education

2014-04-29T17:26:14Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''April 29'''

You are enrolled in (and hopefully not yet tired of!) a class with students across the country and around the globe, where, through a mix of in-person and online learning, we have been able to explore considerable territory around the Internet and how it is controlled. We have availed ourselves of many of the benefits of the web in doing so: all of our class reading has been publicly-accessible web sites, we use Internet applications like Adobe Connect and the HES platform to deliver content and solicit responses, and the syllabus itself is built on open-source coding designed for collaborative engagement.

But we are still in a fairly traditional model of pedagogy - though one that I hope has been effective this semester. As we wind down our studies, consider for a moment the ways in which this technology can be used for far more radical forms of education, and who stands to benefit from such tools.

Joining us will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/jreich Justin Reich], Berkman Fellow and the Richard L. Menschel HarvardX Research Fellow, and [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/aenriquez Ana Enriquez], Berkman Fellow and Head Teaching Fellow of CopyrightX.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Modern distance education

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course Wikipedia, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)]

* [http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2013/05/is_a_mooc_a_textbook_or_a_course.html Justin Reich, Is a MOOC a Textbook or a Course?]

* [http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506376/ivy-league-20-or-just-another-petscom/ Lee Gomes, Ivy League 2.0 or Just Another Pets.com?]

; What is new and what is not?

* [http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/mediaberkman/2012/03/01/rb-192-wikis-teaching-and-the-digital-divide/ Radio Berkman, Wikis, Teaching, and the Digital Divide] (audio, about 18 mins., listen to all)

; Concerns, doubts, and issues

* [http://chronicle.com/article/The-Document-Open-Letter-From/138937/ Open letter to Michael Sandel from the San Jose State University Department of Philosophy]

* [http://harry-lewis.blogspot.com/2013/05/moocs-and-moods.html Harry Lewis, MOOCs and MOODs]

; Case Studies - HarvardX and CopyrightX

* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/tfisher/IP/CopyrightX_Assessment.pdf William Fisher, CopyrightX]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2381263&download=yes Andrew Dean Ho, HarvardX and MITx: The First Year of Open Online Courses]

== Optional Readings ==

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Asellars|Asellars]] 15:29, 21 January 2013 (EST)'''</div>

----

It caught my attention when Justin Reich in the Radio Berkman podcast points out how technology adoption in schools, particularly wiki use, needs to be paired with a human development strategy (which is usually more often found in schools with higher socioeconomic status). I believe that with human development, the right path can be taken in making sure that technology covers an existing need in a better way than a traditional teaching method would; rather than adopting a new technology that covers non existing need and is therefore unsuccessful. I think this ties with Justin’s observation that technology should be in the service of learning.
[[User:Luciagamboaso|Luciagamboaso]] 11:12, 26 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Is MOOC a Textbook - really got my attention and more importantly, I guess, my imagination - wow to think that someday classrooms could be obsolete is truly fascinating to say the least - But what really got me thinkig is that a bunch of teachers say about 10-20 could come together and basically start thier own online university in just a matter of weeks or months, and get accrediation online accrediation in a few years - and basically work from home perpetually - Or selling their courses to different universities across the globe - Why not, labs and the such could be duplicated - mail order chemistry and biology kits would be all the rage - and you end up creating a new e-commerce. Or not.
[[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 13:14, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----

In related news, a very interesting read... [http://complex.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/04/22/it_s_not_beijing_s_hackers_you_should_be_worried_about_it_s_moscow_s The Complex: It’s Not Beijing’s Hackers You Should Be Worried About, It’s Moscow’s]

"The Russian forces in Ukraine have integrated cyber operations and conventional military tactics in seamless fashion, current and former U.S. officials and experts say." ... "It was textbook operation that combined centuries old combat tactics with cyber-age assaults." ... "U.S. intelligence agencies were largely caught off guard by the Russian invasion. The occupying forces limited their use of radios and cell phones and went mostly undetected by the United States' surveillance networks, current and former officials said, an indication of the Russians' technological savvy." ... "The Russian success is especially stinging for the U.S. because these types of blended attacks -- cyber strikes launched alongside military operations -- are what U.S. military and intelligence officials have for years said will be the hallmarks of America's future way of fighting a war." --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 14:09, 23 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Has anyone seen this: [http://time.com/74703/net-neutrality-fcc-rules-plan-angers-advocates/]? It's really thought provoking. On one hand, I see that there is a pertinent argument in that Internet startups might be likely to fail due to not being able to afford to pay the advertising premiums that larger, more established companies can pay, but on the other hand, hasn't this been done already, to some extent? It seems that most internet users utilize search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. to find information, and all of these have advertisers whose sites are pushed to the top of the search results. Add to that the fact that results are almost always displayed based on what sites are visited most, meaning that the largest companies who can afford to either pay to advertise on the site or via other media are already going to be exponentially more likely to garner further clicks, as they will appear before a smaller Internet start up, for instance. It certainly appears that net neutrality is already a mere theory rather than an actual practice. [[User:Castille|Castille]] 18:45, 24 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Listening to the Radio Berkman piece about wikis, teaching, and the digital divide leaves me with some questions about the emphasis on collaboration. While collaboration is an invaluable social skill that should, in a general sense, be fostered in students, it seems that this obscures the fact that many students are not at their best when forced into a collaborative activity. I don't mean to suggest that teachers shouldn't make sure that their students have the ability to collaborate with others, but that still seems distinct from how some students really learn the information/skills at hand. For some, the learning process is less successful/efficient when it's collaborative, and I think there's a trend right now to celebrate collaboration in a way that erases the needs of these other students. This seems to be a particular trend in the tech industries... it makes me think of the increasingly popular open office plans that are supposed to make collaboration easier in the workplace. This mood and the excitement about this way of operating/conducting business reminds me of some of the sort of whimsical, utopian ideas people first had about the Internet. [[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 23:12, 25 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Obviously, as a student enrolled at HES, I think online learning is a wonderful advancement and will change the face of education. Online learning will not only allow individuals more equal access to higher education, but could alleviate the problems that have been incurred by Public universities, like overcrowding and under funding. With this being said, it is likely that online learning will expand to grade school (especially since high schools all over the country have already started online programs), which presents a bevy of potential problems. Technology is a wonderful thing, and same with online education, however there is no substitute for the social and emotional learning one gets from peer-to-peer interaction, especially during one's formative years.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 16:44, 27 April 2014 (EDT)

----

I greatly enjoyed the Gomes article about the impact of online education on quality & level of education, prestige and market value of online education platforms. I agree with Castille that there is no substitute for peer-to-peer interaction and the active & passive learning that are offered by the classroom experience. I also valued Gomes's illustration of the current market for online education and possible advancements and pitfalls that the online model offers. Friends who have received online degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level experience both direct and more subtle discrimination in the current employment environment, and for me the true value of a degree of course lies in return on investment- there is learning for learning's sake, but far more crucial in today's for-profit educational model is the assurance of upward income mobility and increased marketability that comes with a degree. Like several authors this week, I too anticipate a shift in attitude towards online education and hope that online degrees come to hold the same cachet as typical college and university degrees. [[User:akk22|akk22]] 12:08, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The advances in technology obviously have a great effect in providing greater access to education, especially to people in economically disadvantaged and under developed areas. However, as education and technology improves, I think we will see a shift in how the two interact. There are so many tools that allow for a more catered and individualized approach to education. I think technology will allow for students to pursue different interests and not be constricted to the limited subjects taught at high schools and grade schools.
Technology I think will eventually allow us to expand the spectrum of what is taught, shifting from the one-size fits all approach and allowing students to develop other interests. With that said, the importance of social connectivity at schools is important and should never be ruled out. However, greater integration of technology to the school system will fill a gap that at times educators are not able to.
[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 19:39, 27 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The economics behind MOOCs encourage universities to push the movement forward, and I think forcing traditional education workflow in these systems will not maximize the full potential of MOOCs. As previously stated, people learn the best through different mechanisms (collaborative groups or single handedly or a mix of both). I think MOOCs have the potential to be flexible in adjusting not only to a student's interest but also learning style. Personally, I think the biggest barrier of MOOCs is encouraging students to attend and stick to the course schedule. If the dropout rate is high, is that the fault of the MOOC program or the undisciplined student? Hopefully a variety of startups and universities will approach the question of optimizing online education to generate intelligent, efficient thinkers. ([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 17:37, 28 April 2014 (EDT))

:I had some similar thoughts about the difficulty of getting students to stay involved with MOOCs. I can imagine that it's much more difficult to stay involved if you're not equipped with some study skills. Technological literacy is obviously required, but I would be curious to know how skills like time management, organization, and various other study skills effect how likely it is a student will stick with the course. I'm sure interest in and purpose of the course are major factors, but knowing how you best succeed as a student must be important too. I wonder if any online courses have some information or suggestions about this? Most of the skills I imagine I would apply here are things I learned in a traditional classroom as a kid-- keeping lists, tracking assignments, etc. [[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 09:30, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----
Here's my sampling (and analysis) of the comments made by some of the critics of MOOCs: a) inexperienced founders lacking domain expertise; b) venture capital “bubble”; c) dismissive based on current problems / i.e., no expectation for continuous innovation; d) social arguments about some people being left behind; e) the old guard defending aspects of their product which are in fact not valued quite as much by potential customers as they think it should be; f) failure of the old guard to acknowledge large markets they are currently underserving; g) protective of tradition.

It's interesting how many of the criticisms of MOOCs parallel various critiques of various applications of the Internet before growth and innovation transformed whole industries: examples include games, ecommerce, online encyclopedias, social networking, etc. Online education will be no different.

Another observation: people just hate the idea that their favorite university / alma mater might be sharing some of its pedagogy with the hoi poloi. There's a large contingent of Harvardians and Ivy Leaguers who absolutely detest the idea of the Extension School. It wouldn't be a surprise that some would also detest MOOCs, due to the feeling that it makes their education feel less elite (or the similar perception that students in extension programs are free riders on the university's reputation).
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 13:26, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

The Internet as a Tool of Education

2014-04-29T17:25:36Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''April 29'''

You are enrolled in (and hopefully not yet tired of!) a class with students across the country and around the globe, where, through a mix of in-person and online learning, we have been able to explore considerable territory around the Internet and how it is controlled. We have availed ourselves of many of the benefits of the web in doing so: all of our class reading has been publicly-accessible web sites, we use Internet applications like Adobe Connect and the HES platform to deliver content and solicit responses, and the syllabus itself is built on open-source coding designed for collaborative engagement.

But we are still in a fairly traditional model of pedagogy - though one that I hope has been effective this semester. As we wind down our studies, consider for a moment the ways in which this technology can be used for far more radical forms of education, and who stands to benefit from such tools.

Joining us will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/jreich Justin Reich], Berkman Fellow and the Richard L. Menschel HarvardX Research Fellow, and [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/aenriquez Ana Enriquez], Berkman Fellow and Head Teaching Fellow of CopyrightX.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Modern distance education

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course Wikipedia, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)]

* [http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2013/05/is_a_mooc_a_textbook_or_a_course.html Justin Reich, Is a MOOC a Textbook or a Course?]

* [http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506376/ivy-league-20-or-just-another-petscom/ Lee Gomes, Ivy League 2.0 or Just Another Pets.com?]

; What is new and what is not?

* [http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/mediaberkman/2012/03/01/rb-192-wikis-teaching-and-the-digital-divide/ Radio Berkman, Wikis, Teaching, and the Digital Divide] (audio, about 18 mins., listen to all)

; Concerns, doubts, and issues

* [http://chronicle.com/article/The-Document-Open-Letter-From/138937/ Open letter to Michael Sandel from the San Jose State University Department of Philosophy]

* [http://harry-lewis.blogspot.com/2013/05/moocs-and-moods.html Harry Lewis, MOOCs and MOODs]

; Case Studies - HarvardX and CopyrightX

* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/tfisher/IP/CopyrightX_Assessment.pdf William Fisher, CopyrightX]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2381263&download=yes Andrew Dean Ho, HarvardX and MITx: The First Year of Open Online Courses]

== Optional Readings ==

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Asellars|Asellars]] 15:29, 21 January 2013 (EST)'''</div>

----

It caught my attention when Justin Reich in the Radio Berkman podcast points out how technology adoption in schools, particularly wiki use, needs to be paired with a human development strategy (which is usually more often found in schools with higher socioeconomic status). I believe that with human development, the right path can be taken in making sure that technology covers an existing need in a better way than a traditional teaching method would; rather than adopting a new technology that covers non existing need and is therefore unsuccessful. I think this ties with Justin’s observation that technology should be in the service of learning.
[[User:Luciagamboaso|Luciagamboaso]] 11:12, 26 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Is MOOC a Textbook - really got my attention and more importantly, I guess, my imagination - wow to think that someday classrooms could be obsolete is truly fascinating to say the least - But what really got me thinkig is that a bunch of teachers say about 10-20 could come together and basically start thier own online university in just a matter of weeks or months, and get accrediation online accrediation in a few years - and basically work from home perpetually - Or selling their courses to different universities across the globe - Why not, labs and the such could be duplicated - mail order chemistry and biology kits would be all the rage - and you end up creating a new e-commerce. Or not.
[[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 13:14, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----

In related news, a very interesting read... [http://complex.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/04/22/it_s_not_beijing_s_hackers_you_should_be_worried_about_it_s_moscow_s The Complex: It’s Not Beijing’s Hackers You Should Be Worried About, It’s Moscow’s]

"The Russian forces in Ukraine have integrated cyber operations and conventional military tactics in seamless fashion, current and former U.S. officials and experts say." ... "It was textbook operation that combined centuries old combat tactics with cyber-age assaults." ... "U.S. intelligence agencies were largely caught off guard by the Russian invasion. The occupying forces limited their use of radios and cell phones and went mostly undetected by the United States' surveillance networks, current and former officials said, an indication of the Russians' technological savvy." ... "The Russian success is especially stinging for the U.S. because these types of blended attacks -- cyber strikes launched alongside military operations -- are what U.S. military and intelligence officials have for years said will be the hallmarks of America's future way of fighting a war." --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 14:09, 23 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Has anyone seen this: [http://time.com/74703/net-neutrality-fcc-rules-plan-angers-advocates/]? It's really thought provoking. On one hand, I see that there is a pertinent argument in that Internet startups might be likely to fail due to not being able to afford to pay the advertising premiums that larger, more established companies can pay, but on the other hand, hasn't this been done already, to some extent? It seems that most internet users utilize search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. to find information, and all of these have advertisers whose sites are pushed to the top of the search results. Add to that the fact that results are almost always displayed based on what sites are visited most, meaning that the largest companies who can afford to either pay to advertise on the site or via other media are already going to be exponentially more likely to garner further clicks, as they will appear before a smaller Internet start up, for instance. It certainly appears that net neutrality is already a mere theory rather than an actual practice. [[User:Castille|Castille]] 18:45, 24 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Listening to the Radio Berkman piece about wikis, teaching, and the digital divide leaves me with some questions about the emphasis on collaboration. While collaboration is an invaluable social skill that should, in a general sense, be fostered in students, it seems that this obscures the fact that many students are not at their best when forced into a collaborative activity. I don't mean to suggest that teachers shouldn't make sure that their students have the ability to collaborate with others, but that still seems distinct from how some students really learn the information/skills at hand. For some, the learning process is less successful/efficient when it's collaborative, and I think there's a trend right now to celebrate collaboration in a way that erases the needs of these other students. This seems to be a particular trend in the tech industries... it makes me think of the increasingly popular open office plans that are supposed to make collaboration easier in the workplace. This mood and the excitement about this way of operating/conducting business reminds me of some of the sort of whimsical, utopian ideas people first had about the Internet. [[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 23:12, 25 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Obviously, as a student enrolled at HES, I think online learning is a wonderful advancement and will change the face of education. Online learning will not only allow individuals more equal access to higher education, but could alleviate the problems that have been incurred by Public universities, like overcrowding and under funding. With this being said, it is likely that online learning will expand to grade school (especially since high schools all over the country have already started online programs), which presents a bevy of potential problems. Technology is a wonderful thing, and same with online education, however there is no substitute for the social and emotional learning one gets from peer-to-peer interaction, especially during one's formative years.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 16:44, 27 April 2014 (EDT)

----

I greatly enjoyed the Gomes article about the impact of online education on quality & level of education, prestige and market value of online education platforms. I agree with Castille that there is no substitute for peer-to-peer interaction and the active & passive learning that are offered by the classroom experience. I also valued Gomes's illustration of the current market for online education and possible advancements and pitfalls that the online model offers. Friends who have received online degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level experience both direct and more subtle discrimination in the current employment environment, and for me the true value of a degree of course lies in return on investment- there is learning for learning's sake, but far more crucial in today's for-profit educational model is the assurance of upward income mobility and increased marketability that comes with a degree. Like several authors this week, I too anticipate a shift in attitude towards online education and hope that online degrees come to hold the same cachet as typical college and university degrees. [[User:akk22|akk22]] 12:08, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The advances in technology obviously have a great effect in providing greater access to education, especially to people in economically disadvantaged and under developed areas. However, as education and technology improves, I think we will see a shift in how the two interact. There are so many tools that allow for a more catered and individualized approach to education. I think technology will allow for students to pursue different interests and not be constricted to the limited subjects taught at high schools and grade schools.
Technology I think will eventually allow us to expand the spectrum of what is taught, shifting from the one-size fits all approach and allowing students to develop other interests. With that said, the importance of social connectivity at schools is important and should never be ruled out. However, greater integration of technology to the school system will fill a gap that at times educators are not able to.
[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 19:39, 27 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The economics behind MOOCs encourage universities to push the movement forward, and I think forcing traditional education workflow in these systems will not maximize the full potential of MOOCs. As previously stated, people learn the best through different mechanisms (collaborative groups or single handedly or a mix of both). I think MOOCs have the potential to be flexible in adjusting not only to a student's interest but also learning style. Personally, I think the biggest barrier of MOOCs is encouraging students to attend and stick to the course schedule. If the dropout rate is high, is that the fault of the MOOC program or the undisciplined student? Hopefully a variety of startups and universities will approach the question of optimizing online education to generate intelligent, efficient thinkers. ([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 17:37, 28 April 2014 (EDT))

:I had some similar thoughts about the difficulty of getting students to stay involved with MOOCs. I can imagine that it's much more difficult to stay involved if you're not equipped with some study skills. Technological literacy is obviously required, but I would be curious to know how skills like time management, organization, and various other study skills effect how likely it is a student will stick with the course. I'm sure interest in and purpose of the course are major factors, but knowing how you best succeed as a student must be important too. I wonder if any online courses have some information or suggestions about this? Most of the skills I imagine I would apply here are things I learned in a traditional classroom as a kid-- keeping lists, tracking assignments, etc. [[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 09:30, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

----
Here's my sampling (and analysis) of the comments made by some of the critics of MOOCs: a) inexperienced founders lacking domain expertise; b) venture capital “bubble”; c) dismissive based on current problems / i.e., no expectation for continuous innovation; d) social arguments about some people being left behind; e) the old guard defending aspects of their product which are in fact not valued quite as much by potential customers as they think it should be; f) failure of the old guard to acknowledge large markets they are currently underserving.

It's interesting how many of the criticisms of MOOCs parallel various critiques of various applications of the Internet before growth and innovation transformed whole industries: examples include games, ecommerce, online encyclopedias, social networking, etc. Online education will be no different.

Another observation: people just hate the idea that their favorite university / alma mater might be sharing some of its pedagogy with the hoi poloi. There's a large contingent of Harvardians and Ivy Leaguers who absolutely detest the idea of the Extension School. It wouldn't be a surprise that some would also detest MOOCs, due to the feeling that it makes their education feel less elite (or the similar perception that students in extension programs are free riders on the university's reputation).
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 13:25, 29 April 2014 (EDT)

Assignment 4 Submissions

2014-04-22T20:33:02Z

Jradoff:

{{AssignmentCal}}

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_Assignment4," 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_Assignment4.doc."

'''Upload your rough draft here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:Upload Upload file]'''

'''If you'd like peer feedback on an updated version of your rough draft, you can submit it here: [[Assignment 4 Peer Review]]'''

Please make sure the name of your file includes your name or pseudonym (example: Name_Assignment4.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. Please follow the format below:

*Name or pseudonym:
*Project title:
*Link to rough draft: (add your link here)

If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:ImageList list of uploaded files].

==Submissions==

{{AssignmentInfo|Dan Coronado|Examining Anandtech's forum policy - Through the four modalities of Regulative Constraint|
[[http://http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/?title=File:Dancoron_Assignment4.doc&oldid=1988]]}}
([[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 15:20, 22 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Akk22|Gendered Online Communities|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Akk22_assignment4.docx‎]]}}
([[User:Akk22|Akk22]] 14:02, 22 April 2014 (EDT))

{{AssignmentInfo|Margo Monroe|Controlling our personal genomes|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Monroe_Assignment_Four.docx]]}}
([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 08:21, 1 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Philip Seyfi|Bounties and underrepresented topics|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/LSTUE-120Assignment4.pdf]]}}
([[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 04:52, 22 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 09:01, 22 April 2014 (EDT)|Who Sets the Norm on Youtube Communities?|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Assingment_4.docx]]}}

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Castille Rath|Self Help or Self Harm?: Tumblr's governance of its self harm community|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:CastilleRath_ASSIGNMENT_FOUR.doc]]}}
([[[User:Castille|Castille]] 11:40, 22 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|jkelly|Regulation of User Comments on Bitch Media|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Jkelly_assignment4.odt]]}}
[[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 12:37, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Daniel Rogowski|Censoring the Bitcoin Community|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Bitcoin_Project,_Daniel_Rogowski.docx]]}}
([[[[User:Drogowski|Drogowski]] 12:54, 22 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Psl|Crowd Control: PubMed Commons scientific forum|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:PSLAssignment4_DRAFT_withSupp.pdf]]}}
[[User:Psl|Psl]] 13:17, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Twood|They’re Not Gonna Take It: YouTube’s Control Of The Anime Mashup Community
|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Twood_assignment_four_final_project_draft.doc]]}} [[User:Twood|Twood]] 13:22, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Erin Saucke-Lacelle|Rough Draft: Effect of rules & regulations on political discussion|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Assignment4-ErinSaucke-Lacelle.pdf]]}}
[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 15:36, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Jon Radoff|Rough Draft: Comparing Forum Communities for Two Major Online Games|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Radoff_Assignment4.pdf]]}}
[[User:Jradoff|Jon Radoff]] 16:30, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----

Hacking, Hackers, and Hacktivism

2014-04-22T13:46:20Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''April 22'''

Spend five minutes with anyone who studies “hackers” and you will quickly learn that the term is used to define a wide array of discrete subcultures, from homebrew computer programmers all the way through to military-industrial network vulnerability experts. If there is one unifying characteristic amongst all of these cultures (and there may not be), it is most likely the acknowledgement between these groups that the limitations imposed by code as a mode of regulating behavior can, and should, be subverted. Today we look to hackers, who they are, what they do, and what rules and norms govern those who do not recognize code as a governing influence.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Defining hackers, hacking, and hacktivism

* [http://gabriellacoleman.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Coleman-Phreaks-Hackers-Trolls.pdf Gabriella Coleman, Phreaks, Hackers, and Trolls: The Politics of Transgression and Spectacle (from ''The Social Media Reader'')]

* [http://vimeo.com/46450688 Molly Sauter, Activist DDOS Campaigns: When Similes and Metaphors Fail] (video, watch from to 1:56 to 21:44)

:* Sauter uses the term "DDoS" throughout. This is an abbreviation for "distributed denial of service," a specific form of attack to a web server described in more detail [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDos#Distributed_attack here].

* [https://soundcloud.com/bwalker/doing-it-for-the-lulz Benjamen Walker, Doing it for the LULZ (from ''Too Much Information'')] (11:00 to 22:45 only, language at times is NSFW. ''Too Much Information'' drifts between fiction and non-fiction, but this excerpt is non-fiction.)

; Law and law enforcement

* [http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/docs/ccmanual.pdf United States Department of Justice, Prosecuting Computer Crimes] (read pages 1-11: Introduction to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Key Definitions)

* [http://www.cjr.org/cloud_control/scripps_hackers.php Sarah Laskow, Reporting, Or Illegal Hacking]

; Case studies

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Payback Wikipedia, Operation Payback]

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Chanology Wikipedia, Project Chanology]

* [http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2013/impact-aarons-law-aaron-swartzs-case Andy Sellars, The Impact of "Aaron's Law" on Aaron Swartz's Case]

* [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/04/appeals-court-reverses-hackertroll-weev-conviction-and-sentence/ David Kravets, Appeals Court Reverses Hacker/Troll "Weev" Conviction and Sentence]

* [http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2013/1113/Hacking-tool-threatens-Healthcare.gov-site Jeff Ward-Bailey, Hacking Tool Threatens Healthcare.gov Site]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/past-debates/item/576-the-cyber-war-threat-has-been-grossly-exaggerated Intelligence Squared Debate: "The Cyberwar Threat Has Been Grossly Exaggerated"] (an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford-Style_debate#Oxford-Style_debate Oxford-style debate] with Marc Rotenberg, Bruce Schneier, Mike McConnell, and Jonathan Zittrain; watch the video of the debate)

* [http://www.law.northwestern.edu/lawreview/v107/n2/795/LR107n2Matwyshyn.pdf Andrea Matwyshyn, Hacking Speech: Informational Speech and the First Amendment]

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/technology/chinese-hackers-infiltrate-new-york-times-computers.html?_r=0 Nicole Perlroth, Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months (''New York Times'')]

* [https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-parties-use-influence-to-halt-operation-payback-101120/ TorrentFreak, Pirate Parties Use Influence to Halt Anonymous’ Operation Payback]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/events/2012/10/soghoian Christopher Soghoian, The Growing Trade in Software Security Exploits]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 10:28, 17 December 2013 (EST)</div>

:In July 2012, someone successfully hacked my iphone and installed spy software on it. Any and all movements on my iPhone were being stored/tracked unbeknownst to me, including app activity (Chase Bank, emails, etc) for one month. I found out about it when I had taken my iPhone in a shop to get checked out - the screen would glitch at times and would randomly lose about 1% per minute. (I learned this was when my GPS data was being tracked up to minute). Among other things, the next step was to file a police report of this incident for my personal safety, as I’ll never be certain which data of mine was compromised. At the time I went to local police, either they didn’t care enough or they just didn’t have proper protocol to handle it.
:I understand this is a miniscule crime, in comparison to the huge cyber-crimes in the class readings. However, it lead me to research how equipped local police are for such smaller incidences. The result: They're not. (yet). I’m certain similar, smaller crimes will only increase over time and will be dealt with by the local police. While crime is increasingly moving online, state and local police are having a hard time keeping up. If the case is significant enough, the police have to hire specialized cyber-security companies to conduct digital investigations. The techniques the police will need to be equipped with are going to have to be more “IT specialist” and less “Law and Order” over the next few years. It seems hackers will be one step ahead, at a local level, until the police shift their skill set to more IT training. [[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 02:41, 21 April 2014 (EDT)

:: I'm very glad you mentioned this because I completely agree. On a smaller level such as the local police, I agree that they do not have the resources or the structure in place yet to deal with hacking of cell phones and breaches of personal information. While large national crimes are handled properly, there should also be an active protocol for situations such as this, which happen very often. The lack of a targeted action by law enforcement against these small time criminals facilitate identity theft and unless there is a strong development in the law enforcement IT department, chances are these crimes will only increase with time. [[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 09:16, 22 April 2014 (EDT)
-----
Cyber warfare will take on a greater importance in conventional warfare and Government hackers will be crucial to this. It only makes sense as weapons, communications and systems become more sophisticated. Hackers may be used to break into countries systems to steal data and cause widespread disruption or break into the phones of country leaders and their key staff. This is evidenced in the Ukraine crisis by relentless hacking attacks on Russian websites by Ukraninan hackers and visa-versa. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-05/russia-ukraine-standoff-going-online-as-hackers-attack.html [[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 01:06, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

----
Andy, thanks for your article on the Aaron Schwartz prosecution. As you put it, "CFAA is shockingly broad when it is laid out" -- but that's not the only issue with it. It's just another case of private industry co-opting the criminal justice system to enforce things that ought to be largely handled by the civil system (which strikes me as lousy public policy). As you noted in your quote from the CFAA itself, "access in violation of an agreement or contractual obligation, such as an acceptable use policy or terms of service agreement..." In other words, the CFAA makes it a crime to violate the AUP or TOS with your ISP. Outside of copyrights and information technology stuff, how common is it for the US government to get involved in criminalizing the violations of contracts between private parties?
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 09:46, 22 April 2014 (EDT)

Privacy Part 2: Government Surveillance

2014-04-08T12:35:58Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''April 8'''

Last week we looked at big-picture concepts of privacy and how the Internet and Internet companies reflect these issues. This week we dive into the specific question of surveillance by governments: how the Internet allows governments to observe their (and other governments') citizens, and what that does to us and the Internet as a system.

Joining us for this week are Berkman fellow and online security expert [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/bschneier Bruce Schneier] and Berkman Clinical Instructional Fellow [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/cwalsh Kit Walsh].

There is a [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/2014/04/unownedinternet related event] at Harvard Law School earlier on this class day that may be of interest to students (RSVP required).

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Government vs. Corporate Surveillance

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/11/04/yes-there-actually-is-a-huge-difference-between-government-and-corporate-surveillance/ Brian Fung, Yes, There Is Actually a Huge Difference Between Government and Corporate Surveillance]

* [https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/the_trajectorie.html Bruce Schneier, The Trajectories of Government and Corporate Surveillance]

* [http://towcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Letter-Effect-of-mass-surveillance-on-journalism.pdf Emily Bell et al., Comment to Review Group on Intelligence and Communication Technologies Regarding the Effects of Mass Surveillance on the Practice of Journalism] (pages 9-12 ("Mass surveillance raises issues beyond individual surveillance," "Secret and confusing law," and "Chilling Effects") only)

; Case Study - the NSA Scandal and Surveillance Policy

* [http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/nov/01/snowden-nsa-files-surveillance-revelations-decoded#section/1 The Guardian, NSA Surveillance Revelations Decoded] (peruse)

* [https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying/timeline Electronic Frontier Foundation, Timeline of NSA Domestic Spying] (peruse)

* [http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115002/invasive-nsa-will-protect-us-cyber-attacks Jack Goldsmith, We Need an Invasive NSA]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2014/01/edward_snowden_doesn_t_deserve_clemency_the_nsa_leaker_hasn_t_proved_he.single.html Fred Kaplan, Why Snowden Won't (and Shouldn't) Get Clemency]

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0d_QDgl3gI Bruce Schneier, The Battle for Power on the Internet] (approx. 12:30, watch all)

; Surveillance and U.S. law

* [http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2013/nsas-spying-powers-reading-statute Kit Walsh, The NSA's Spying Powers: Reading the Statute]

* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/10/23/laura-donohues-comprehensive-case-bulk-metadata-collection/ Steve Vladeck, Laura Donohue's Comprehensive Case Against Bulk Metadata Collection]

:* If you're interested, the Donohue article can be found [http://justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Just-Security-Donohue-PDF.pdf here].

== Optional Readings ==

* The Jennifer Granick / Orin Kerr debates on metadata and the Fourth Amendment

:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/23/metadata-fourth-amendment/ Granick's opening]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/23/debate-metadata-fourth-amendment-reply-jennifer-granick/ Kerr's response]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/27/metadata-4a-round2-jg/ Granick's reply]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/27/debate-round-2-metadata-fourth-amendment-response/ Kerr's sur-reply]

* [https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/09/the_limitations.html Bruce Schneier, The Limitations of Intelligence]

* [http://iheid.revues.org/321 Johannes Köppel, The International Dimension of the SWIFT Affair]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

Maybe I'm missing something, but what, exactly, has the government been doing with the information they have gotten through the NSA? It doesn't seem like they've been using it to incriminate individual citizens or even monitor them too extensively-- otherwise, wouldn't they have been able to track down would-be criminals prior to them committing crimes, a la Minority Report? They also don't seem to be monitoring it for the purpose of censorship, as is the case in China and Russia or the HUAC. And how are they even conducting their "research"? Do individuals actually go through all of that information, or is it a case whereby a machine compiles data and directs NSA employees' attentions only to cases where there are a multitude of 'questionable' searches/calls/etc.? As far as foreign policy is concerned, the act of spying on other governments has been practiced since the beginning of history. Does the advent of technology change what is acceptable in regards to spying, or only make it more accessible? With nuclear war so very possible in our times, it seems like some sort of action must be taken to monitor the intentions of other countries and their relations with the US and alliances with other countries, since transparency seems to be an impossible ideal for all countries.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 15:52, 5 April 2014 (EDT)

:* The problem is that we don't know what they do with the information because that is secret, and is also used for secret trials in secret courts. The problem is that even if the use of the information is benevolent and well-intentioned, it is worrisome because we're creating the technological foundation for totalitarianism. Now, I don't actually think we're extremely close to creating a totalitarian state but it doesn't mean that it isn't worrisome or that in the wrong political environment we might eventually get there. [[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 08:25, 8 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The Guardian article- informative content, but I want to comment on its amazing user interface. This is where the web should be heading. In the same way that HTML provides markup to words and sentences, the interactive features of this article help to mark up the thoughts & ideas presented in the article. Very nicely done. [[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 22:55, 6 April 2014 (EDT)

----

I am very interested to see what new data mining policies are made or both the government and corporations. Despite the reveal that we lack privacy (collection of lots of personal data from each sector), it would be nice if we had the right to know which data and on what terms data is collected on us. Agreed these are probably in the majority of privacy agreements I don't read. Trying harder to be transparent and clear with these privacy regulations would help society to at least be not as shocked by large government leaks.
([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 17:58, 7 April 2014 (EDT))

----

The Brian Fung article makes a fine point about the higher "cost" of switching from the United States to a different country, due to the government's monopoly on a range of services. However, this strikes me as a weak way to compare corporate data mining to government intrusion. In my opinion, the purpose of having a Constitution containing guaranteed rights is so that these costs need not be considered or incurred in the first place. If the US government needs to collect private information about its citizens, then it needs to be done within the restrictions of the Fourth Amendment. If exceptions need to be made it needs to be done with the public's knowledge and consent. [[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 08:35, 8 April 2014 (EDT)

Privacy Part 2: Government Surveillance

2014-04-08T12:25:55Z

Jradoff:

Privacy Part 2: Government Surveillance

2014-04-08T12:25:36Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''April 8'''

Last week we looked at big-picture concepts of privacy and how the Internet and Internet companies reflect these issues. This week we dive into the specific question of surveillance by governments: how the Internet allows governments to observe their (and other governments') citizens, and what that does to us and the Internet as a system.

Joining us for this week are Berkman fellow and online security expert [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/bschneier Bruce Schneier] and Berkman Clinical Instructional Fellow [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/cwalsh Kit Walsh].

There is a [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/2014/04/unownedinternet related event] at Harvard Law School earlier on this class day that may be of interest to students (RSVP required).

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Government vs. Corporate Surveillance

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/11/04/yes-there-actually-is-a-huge-difference-between-government-and-corporate-surveillance/ Brian Fung, Yes, There Is Actually a Huge Difference Between Government and Corporate Surveillance]

* [https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/the_trajectorie.html Bruce Schneier, The Trajectories of Government and Corporate Surveillance]

* [http://towcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Letter-Effect-of-mass-surveillance-on-journalism.pdf Emily Bell et al., Comment to Review Group on Intelligence and Communication Technologies Regarding the Effects of Mass Surveillance on the Practice of Journalism] (pages 9-12 ("Mass surveillance raises issues beyond individual surveillance," "Secret and confusing law," and "Chilling Effects") only)

; Case Study - the NSA Scandal and Surveillance Policy

* [http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/nov/01/snowden-nsa-files-surveillance-revelations-decoded#section/1 The Guardian, NSA Surveillance Revelations Decoded] (peruse)

* [https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying/timeline Electronic Frontier Foundation, Timeline of NSA Domestic Spying] (peruse)

* [http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115002/invasive-nsa-will-protect-us-cyber-attacks Jack Goldsmith, We Need an Invasive NSA]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2014/01/edward_snowden_doesn_t_deserve_clemency_the_nsa_leaker_hasn_t_proved_he.single.html Fred Kaplan, Why Snowden Won't (and Shouldn't) Get Clemency]

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0d_QDgl3gI Bruce Schneier, The Battle for Power on the Internet] (approx. 12:30, watch all)

; Surveillance and U.S. law

* [http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2013/nsas-spying-powers-reading-statute Kit Walsh, The NSA's Spying Powers: Reading the Statute]

* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/10/23/laura-donohues-comprehensive-case-bulk-metadata-collection/ Steve Vladeck, Laura Donohue's Comprehensive Case Against Bulk Metadata Collection]

:* If you're interested, the Donohue article can be found [http://justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Just-Security-Donohue-PDF.pdf here].

== Optional Readings ==

* The Jennifer Granick / Orin Kerr debates on metadata and the Fourth Amendment

:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/23/metadata-fourth-amendment/ Granick's opening]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/23/debate-metadata-fourth-amendment-reply-jennifer-granick/ Kerr's response]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/27/metadata-4a-round2-jg/ Granick's reply]
:* [http://justsecurity.org/2013/09/27/debate-round-2-metadata-fourth-amendment-response/ Kerr's sur-reply]

* [https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/09/the_limitations.html Bruce Schneier, The Limitations of Intelligence]

* [http://iheid.revues.org/321 Johannes Köppel, The International Dimension of the SWIFT Affair]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

Maybe I'm missing something, but what, exactly, has the government been doing with the information they have gotten through the NSA? It doesn't seem like they've been using it to incriminate individual citizens or even monitor them too extensively-- otherwise, wouldn't they have been able to track down would-be criminals prior to them committing crimes, a la Minority Report? They also don't seem to be monitoring it for the purpose of censorship, as is the case in China and Russia or the HUAC. And how are they even conducting their "research"? Do individuals actually go through all of that information, or is it a case whereby a machine compiles data and directs NSA employees' attentions only to cases where there are a multitude of 'questionable' searches/calls/etc.? As far as foreign policy is concerned, the act of spying on other governments has been practiced since the beginning of history. Does the advent of technology change what is acceptable in regards to spying, or only make it more accessible? With nuclear war so very possible in our times, it seems like some sort of action must be taken to monitor the intentions of other countries and their relations with the US and alliances with other countries, since transparency seems to be an impossible ideal for all countries.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 15:52, 5 April 2014 (EDT)

* The problem is that we don't know what they do with the information because that is secret, and is also used for secret trials in secret courts. The problem is that even if the use of the information is benevolent and well-intentioned, it is worrisome because we're creating the technological foundation for totalitarianism. Now, I don't actually think we're extremely close to creating a totalitarian state but it doesn't mean that it isn't worrisome or that in the wrong political environment we might eventually get there. [[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 08:25, 8 April 2014 (EDT)

----

The Guardian article- informative content, but I want to comment on its amazing user interface. This is where the web should be heading. In the same way that HTML provides markup to words and sentences, the interactive features of this article help to mark up the thoughts & ideas presented in the article. Very nicely done. [[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 22:55, 6 April 2014 (EDT)

----

I am very interested to see what new data mining policies are made or both the government and corporations. Despite the reveal that we lack privacy (collection of lots of personal data from each sector), it would be nice if we had the right to know which data and on what terms data is collected on us. Agreed these are probably in the majority of privacy agreements I don't read. Trying harder to be transparent and clear with these privacy regulations would help society to at least be not as shocked by large government leaks.
([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 17:58, 7 April 2014 (EDT))

Assignment 3 Submissions

2014-04-01T22:57:53Z

Jradoff:

{{AssignmentCal}}

'''''Please note that the deadline for this assignment has moved from March 25th to April 1st.'''''

This assignment is due on April 1st. 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_Assignment3," 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_Assignment3.doc."

'''Upload your file here: [[Special:Upload|Upload file]]'''

Once you've uploaded your file, please link to it following the format below:

*Name or pseudonym:
*Description:
*Link to your outline: (the file you uploaded)

If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [[Special:ImageList|list of uploaded files]].

==Submission Instructions==

You can use the same bullet format if you wish:

*Name or pseudonym:
*Description:
*Link to your outline:

Optionally you can use a new template to create a title box for your assignment. In order to do this use the following format:

<pre>
{{AssignmentInfo|Name|My assignment description|Link to your file}}
</pre>

If used properly you should see the following:
{{AssignmentInfo|My Name|My assignment description|http://yourlinkhere}}

And if you're feeling very adventurous, you may also use some new templates for comments and responses:

<pre>
{{Comment|type your comment here}}
</pre>

Should look like:
{{Comment|Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor inviduntut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. }}

You can enter a response in a similar way:

<pre>
{{Response|type your response here}}
</pre>

Should look like:
{{Response|thank you very much for commenting on my assignment.}}

'''If you are not using the comment boxes, please remember to sign your postings 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.'''

==Submissions==

----
{{AssignmentInfo|Lucia Gamboa|Framework of control in government run collaborative platform|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Luciagamboaso_Assignment3.docx}}

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Daniel Rogowski|Censorship on Bitcoin's Forum|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Drogowski_assignment_3.docx}}[[User:Drogowski|Drogowski]] 14:23, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

----
{{AssignmentInfo|Akk22|Gendered Online Communities: Targeted Harassment and Successful Interventions |
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Assignment3.docx]]}}
[[User:Akk22]]

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Dan Coronado|Examining forum control policies at Anandtech.com – the good, the bad and the ugly!|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Dancoron_Assignment3.docx]]}}
[[User:Dancoron]]

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Castille Rath|Tumblr's Self-Harm Blogs|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/CastilleRath_ASSIGNMENT_THREE.doc]]}}
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 11:52, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

----
{{AssignmentInfo|Jane Kelly|Bitch Media's Comment Policy & User Behavior|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Jkelly_assignment3.odt}}

{{AssignmentInfo|Watson|Assignment 3 Project Outline|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Watson_assignment3.docx}}

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Margo Monroe|Controlling our personal genomes|
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Assignment3Outline_Monroe.docx]]}}
([[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 08:21, 1 April 2014 (EDT))

----

{{AssignmentInfo|PSL|PubMed Commons|
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Psl_Assignment3Outline.pdf}}
[[User:Psl|Psl]] 12:34, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo| [[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 13:58, 1 April 2014 (EDT) |An Analysis of Two Youtube Communities and Norms|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:LSTU_Assingment_3.docx}}

----

{{AssignmentInfo|Philip Seyfi|Reputation systems and unbalanced communities|
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/LSTUE-120Assignment3_%281%29.pdf}}
[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 14:00, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

----

{{AssignmentInfo|VACYBER|The DEFCON Hacker Community: a response to the recent leaks of increased governmental surveillance?|
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/VACYBER_Assignment_3.pdf}}
[[User:VACYBER]]

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{{AssignmentInfo|MikeJohnson| Twitch Plays Pokémon - How Mediating Gameplay Changes the Game|
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/MikeJohnson_Assignment3.pdf}}
[[User:MikeJohnson|MikeJohnson 15:22, 1 April 2014 (EDT)]]

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{{AssignmentInfo|Twood|YouTube’s Independent Music Communities: Mechanisms and Effects of Control|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Twood_Assignment3.docx}}

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{{AssignmentInfo|Erin Saucke-Lacelle|Effect of rules & regulations on political discussion|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Assignment3-ErinSaucke-Lacelle.pdf}}

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{{AssignmentInfo|Emmanuelsurillo|MacRumors Forums|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Harvard_Paper_3_Third_Draft_.docx}}

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{{AssignmentInfo|TriciaByrnes|Are moderators an effective way of policing a forum|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Assignment_3_LSTU_120.doc}}
[[User:TriciaBy|TriciaBy]] 16:54, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

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{{AssignmentInfo|Vance Puchalski|Regulators and the Spread of (Mis)Information|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Puchalski-Assignment3.docx; http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Puchalski-Raw_Data.xlsx}} [[User:Vance.puchalski|Vance.puchalski]] 16:59, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

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{{AssignmentInfo|Art.Mescon|The Void Between Etsy.com and Its Sellers|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Art.Mescon_Assignment_3.docx}}
[[User:Art.Mescon|Art.Mescon]] 17:05, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

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{{AssignmentInfo|Jradoff|Comparison of Free-to-Play Online Game Communities|http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Radoff_LSTU120_Assignment3.rtf}}
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 17:05, 1 April 2014 (EDT)

Peer Production: Development from the Edges and from the Crowd

2014-03-25T18:18:23Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''March 25'''

Beyond merely providing a forum for political activism, scholars are increasingly aware of the benefits the Internet provides as a mode of production. How can the Internet help us make things together? How much hierarchy and control is needed to produce? How good is the material that peer production creates? And finally, what are the risks to producers (and society) inherent to peer production?

Joining us this week is [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/rfaris Rob Faris], the Research Director for the Berkman Center.

== Assignments ==

'''''The deadline for [[Assignments#Assignment_3:_Project_Outline|Assignment 3]] has moved from March 25th to April 1st.''''' All other deadlines will not change.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings ==

; Development from the edges

* [http://web.mit.edu/evhippel/www/democ1.htm Eric Von Hippel, ''Democratizing Innovation''] (Chapter 1, focus on pages 1-3 and 13-15, skim rest)

; Development as a crowd

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2013/12/hergueux Jerome Hergeaux, Cooperation in a Peer Production Economy: Experimental Evidence from Wikipedia] (video, watch from beginning to 47:50)

* [http://video.mit.edu/watch/news-information-and-the-wealth-of-networks-9187/ Yochai Benkler, News, Information and the Wealth of Networks] (video, watch from 8:32 to 26:07)

:* if you’re not familiar, you may want to spend a little time looking at Wikipedia’s entry on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seti@home Seti@home].

* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~cebrian/p78-tang.pdf John Tang et al, Reflecting on the DARPA Red Balloon Challenge (''Communications of the ACM'')]

; Crowd intelligence

* [http://www.randomhouse.com/features/wisdomofcrowds/excerpt.html James Surowiecki, ''The Wisdom of Crowds''] (read excerpt)

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2006/11/30/cass-sunsteins-infotopia/ Ethan Zuckerman, Review of Cass Sunstein’s “Infotopia”]

== Optional Readings ==

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipedia Wikipedia, Reliability of Wikipedia]

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uJWwLVkKTU Jonathan Zittrain, Minds for Sale] (video, watch all)

* [http://rcmap.hatnote.com/#en Hatnote, Real Time Wikipedia Changes Map]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

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COMMENTS ON "Jerome Hergeaux, Cooperation in a Peer Production Economy: Experimental Evidence from Wikipedia"

Coming from an operations research background, I find the application of game theoretic approaches to this project rather interesting. However, there are other aspects which were not taken into account. For example, the utility of social recognition derived by contributors to Wikipedia can be obtained at significantly reduced cost and risk compared to other options like authoring a book or publishing a paper in a peer-reviewed journal. Furthermore, the results are immediate so the perceived utility is also immediate.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 08:40, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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QUALITY OF CONTENT FROM PEER PRODUCTION IN WIKIPEDIA

Because Wikipedia content lacks originality and are mostly copied from other sources, I beg to differ on the usefulness of mentioning contributions to Wikipedia in one's resume. Real scholars would rather contribute to peer-reviewed journals where the benefits are far greater, including promotion and salary increase if working in an academic institution. So while Wikipedia content may be useful to the general public, the quality of the content may not be of high academic value.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 09:17, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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I think that one of the great examples of Democratizing Innovation are games... A number of highly successful games have been initially created as mods developed by gamers, and later turned into commercial products by the companies whose games were built upon... Some examples off the top of my head include many Half Life/Source engine based multiplayer games, DotA - originally based on Warcraft III, or, outside of video games, the many unofficial rulebooks, expansions and modifications of Dungeons & Dragons or some of the Wizards of the Coast's collectible card games. --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 10:24, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OPEN COLLABORATION NETWORK

SETi@HOME gave me an idea to enhance air transport safety. The case of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 might have been more clear if air traffic is also being monitored by air control gamers and air traffic control towers can receive alerts, comments, and suggested routings from these gamers in real-time over the internet. For this to be possible, satellite and transponder data from all aircrafts need to be available, also in real-time over the internet, to the gamers. Software programmers can also develop new codes which can analyze traffic patterns or which can make predictions of flight paths based on current and new vectors using the real-time data.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:02, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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PEER PRODUCTION BY AMSAT ENTHUSIASTS OF SECOND INTERNET

When I read how I could access internet for free via the AMSAT satellites, I decided to get the amateur radio license (call sign KC9HKA) while in West Lafayette, IN. I was just curious to find out latest information about AMSAT and found this:

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Chaos-Computer-Club-Hackerspace-Global-Grid-SOPA-Protect-IP-Nick-Farr,news-13742.html

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:26, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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I will have to look into the AMSAT satellites. Just recently we were discussing an article that appeared in the Daily Mail regarding an "OuterNet."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2552177/Forget-Internet-soon-OUTERNET-Company-plans-beam-free-wi-fi-person-Earth-space.html

The collaboration of people who "tinker" with technology is a fascinating subject. It remains much easier to verify results than from within the academic write-ups. [[User:VACYBER|VACYBER]] 13:23, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

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Thus far, most "peer production" has been limited to the entirely digital world. I'm interested in the intersection between peer-production and the emerging technology of 3D printing. It seems to me that most of the things sold on etsy.com could be printed by a 3D printer; there are even technologies emerging that allow printing of electronic circuits (e.g., the Kickstarter EX project). Clothing seems like one of the first things that could be a mass-market success for 3D printing. It seems like there's a huge range of new issues that will emerge, not only in the area of intellectual property but also things like product liability, etc. Once the technology exists on a massive scale at consumer homes, it seems like some of the same things that promote prosocial peer-production behavior, as discussed by the writers/speakers in this section, could unleash even more world-changing innovation once it includes the world of physical goods.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 14:18, 25 March 2014 (EDT)

Collective Action, Politics, and Protests

2014-03-11T19:55:37Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''March 11'''

Last class we learned about SOPA, and the fear that it engendered in many Internet commentators. SOPA lead to what is often considered the high-water mark of American engagement online in domestic policy circles (so far). But the Internet has been used for collective action since its inception. When does this work? When does it fail? Who gets included and who are we leaving behind? Does the Internet serve as a better facilitator to protests in some areas versus others?

Today will be an exploration of online protests and collective action, both in general and through the lens of some famous recent examples. Along the way we'll grapple with limitations of online protest activity, the criticisms weighed against online protest behavior, and some of the ethical questions that come up when different organizations fight for attention to their specific causes.

Joining us this week will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/aliciasn Alicia Solow-Niederman], a Berkman project manager who studies collective action online.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings/Watchings ==

; Framing

* [http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/forums/civic_media.html MIT Communications Forum, What is Civic Media?] (skim)

* [http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~farrell/blogpaperfinal.pdf Daniel Drezner and Henry Farrel, The Power and Politics of Blogs] (read introduction, "The networked structure of the blogosphere;" skim "How skewedness affects politics;" read "The constraints on blog influence" and conclusion)

* [http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/4609956/SAIS%20online%20organizing%20paper%20final.pdf?sequence=1 Bruce Etling et al., Political Change in the Digital Age: The Fragility and Promise of Online Organizing] (read introduction, "Digital Technologies, Information and Political Transitions," "Online Organizing and Contentious Politics," and "The Uncertain Future of Digital Organizing")

; Case Studies

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2295953 Yochai Benkler et al., Social Mobilization and the Networked Public Sphere: Mapping the SOPA/PIPA Debate] (read 4-10, skim 12-38, read 39-46)

:* You may also want to play around with the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/research/mediacloud/2013/mapping_sopa_pipa/# controversy mapper] Media Cloud put together in connection with this report.

* [http://civic.mit.edu/blog/erhardt/mapping-the-trayvon-martin-media-controversy Erhardt Graeff, Mapping the Trayvon Martin Media Controversy]

* [http://www2.scedu.unibo.it/roversi/SocioNet/AdamicGlanceBlogWWW.pdf Lada Adamic and Natalie Glance, The Political Blogosphere and the 2004 U.S. Election: Divided They Blog] (read introduction, analysis, and conclusion – i.e., pages 1-3 and 8-15)

* [http://journalistsresource.org/studies/international/global-tech/social-media-protest-egypt-tahrir-square Alex Remington, Social Media and Participation in Political Protest: Observations from Tahrir Square]

* [http://technosociology.org/?p=904 Zeynep Tufekci, #Kony2012, Understanding Networked Symbolic Action & Why Slacktivism is Conceptually Misleading]

; Observations, tactics, and methods

* [http://civicmedia.info/ideas/aaron-swartz-theory-of-change/ Aaron Swartz, A Theory of Change]

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2012/04/20/the-tweetbomb-and-the-ethics-of-attention/ Ethan Zuckerman, The Tweetbomb and the Ethics of Attention]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgh2dFngFsg Aaron Swartz, How We Stopped SOPA]

* [http://blog.socialflow.com/post/7120244932/data-viz-kony2012-see-how-invisible-networks-helped-a-campaign-capture-the-worlds-attention Gilad Lotan, KONY2012: See How Invisible Networks Helped a Campaign Capture the World’s Attention]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/publications/2010/Tale_Two_Blogospheres_Discursive_Practices_Left_Right Yochai Benkler and Aaron Shaw, A Tale of Two Blogospheres: Discursive Practices on the Left and Right]

* [http://opennet.net/sites/opennet.net/files/PolicingContent.pdf Jillian York, Policing Content in the Quasi-Public Sphere] (focus on the Introduction, and “Social Media: Privacy Companies, Public Responsibilities”)

* [http://www.benkler.org/Benkler_Wealth_Of_Networks_Chapter_7.pdf Yochai Benker, ''The Wealth of Networks''] (Chapter 7 - "The Emergence of a Networked Public Sphere")

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 11:51, 11 February 2014 (EST)'''</div>

I particularly enjoyed the approach that Etling et al. take in the Political Change in the Digital Age reading by analyzing the cost-benefit relationship between access to information and control. The paper portrays the tradeoff between empowering individuals and repression from authoritarian regimes (which extends in many ways to democracies as well); a point of view that might not be very obvious to many at first. Information Communication Technologies have most often only been analyzed for their benefits to society but we, as civic society, must remain aware of their limitations and threats.
[[User:Luciagamboaso|Luciagamboaso]] 15:53, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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<blockquote>
He also explained that people who claim that technology is neutral have typically zoomed out so far that the relationship between the individual, society and the technology are lost. He used the argument that while it may be accurate to say that either a gun or a toothbrush can be used to kill, but this theoretical accuracy is so abstract that it loses credibility.</blockquote>
I really like this, reminds me of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence Emergent properties]
[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 15:48, 9 March 2014 (EDT)

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I found Adamic and Glance's paper "Divided They Blog" fascinating, given how the political blogosphere has developed 10 years on and the significant respect that political bloggers now command. According to the authors, in 2004 62% of Americans did not know what a web blog was- today I imagine that most internet users rely on targeted and well-curated blogs for news, information and reliable opinions on everything from national elections to NASCAR.

Another statistic that jumped at me was that in mid-2004, 63 million Americans used the internet to stay informed about politics. The Pew Charitable Trust 'Web at 25' Report published in 2013 found that 87% of American adults, roughly 178 million people, use the internet- and the majority of adult internet users had at least some exposure to information about state, local and national politics and elections. Given that level of exposure to the internet, the potential for the influence of news sources and individual voices outside of mainstream media outlets has never been greater.

The figures provided by Adamic and Glance demonstrate how citation of blogs with similar themes or supporting similar viewpoints compounds their reach and impact- as well as searchability and subsequent blog selection by the user seeking information about a given political party, politician or issue-- or to influence the searchability and online image of a given candidate. This brought to mind the campaign for the neologism "santorum" started in May 2003 by Dan Savage, a columnist and LGBT rights activist who sought to link then- U.S. Senator Rick Santorum's name with a sex act following homophobic comments made by the Senator, thereby significantly impacting the Senator's internet image. The power of the blogosphere and Savage's community of followers worked-- to this day, the first listing on Google when "Santorum" is searched for is the Wikipedia entry on Savage's campaign against Santorum. Given the number of hits on political blogs speculating about the 2016 Presidential race two years out, I imagine that Adamic and Glance's findings still ring true and are worth revisiting with a current data set. [[User:akk22|akk22]] 13:13, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
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Benkler et al's "Social Mobilization and the Networked Public Sphere" defines the networked public sphere as "an alternative arena for public discourse and political debate, an arena that is less dominated by large media entities, less subject to government control, and more open to wider participation." Thinking about how other parts of the public sphere are subject to each of these forces of control certainly makes the "public sphere" sound a little less "public." While the mainstream American media can often look like a circus, particularly if you're looking at the 24 hour news networks, with Benkler's ideas about the networked public sphere in mind, they don't really feel like something the public engages in. Rather, it is something we can engage with. Less a participatory medium than one that we have the option to either consume or not.
[[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 12:01, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

I enjoyed Benkler's descriptions as well, but I also found Jilian York's contrast of public versus private to be compelling. She discusses the evolution of this "Quasi-Public Sphere" which Jkelly seems to capture to a certain extent what Jkelly mentions. Privately owned platforms (such as social media) have become thrust into the public sphere. This vast information exchange has prompted centralized platforms and York argues they also serve as public spaces in a "quasi-public sphere" that makes policing much more convoluted. As discussed in class, York feels that the content is now being policed both by private controls as well as coming colliding into the sphere of public scrutiny/controls. In essence, the private sector continues to engage its role in the public arena with increasing extension and (arguably) vice versa. York brings up the point that this can both benefit and thwart society as she mentions how internet-goers in repressive societies can gain access to material once prohibited from them; however, a negative example she references is how companies can make their own private rules of engagement which may (or may not) be favorable towards the general public. Either way, the article was extremely profound in the author's rendition of how the internet can impact life as we know it.
--[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 14:28, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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I found the article mapping the Trayvon Martin case particularly interesting as I grew up near where the incident occurred and it caused such a frenzy all over Florida (and all over the country, for that matter). I happen to know someone really high up in the DA's office in FL, so hearing the facts of the case in comparison to what the media was broadcasting was shocking. The media completely created a story to propel their own political agenda and made it fit what they wanted to say. This is not at all to say that the message regarding race relations wasn't important, but it is interesting how they would squash facts which came up on the opposing side and emphasize and exaggerate other aspects so that they're telling the story that they want to tell. It's especially fascinating when you consider the story of Travyon to that of Jordan Davis, another black teenager who was shot by a white man in Florida, which was CLEARLY a race issue. Unlike the case of Trayvon, Davis's case was cut-and-dry, yet the latter case didn't get nearly as much media attention despite the fact that it could've actually spoken more loudly and to a more severe degree about race relations.

[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:07, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

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I thought the article on the KONY 2012 campaign and the concept of slack-tivism very interesting, especially since I remember very well watching the movement unfold and ultimately deflate. I do think that the internet can be effective in stirring debate and real change, but how we harness that power is ultimately unable to be controlled and can be easily manipulated, as we saw with the whole Kony movement. The organization was followed by scrutiny and met with a lot of accusations and controversy. However, the campaign did teach a valuable lesson: online movements can have real impacts and stir public conversation. The response from the video definitely brought Uganda to media attention as people investigated the message and the country.

There are some positive examples of collective action online, such as sites like Kickstarter that depend on action by strangers to support projects. It is a successful example, in a smaller and arguably more effective scale, on how the Internet is able to influence people’s lives and connect strangers. It would be interesting to see how sites like this can maintain it's audience and continue to inspire people to donate and participate.

[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 19:51, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

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I found the article “The Power and Politics of Blogs” by Daniel Drezner and Henry Farrel really interesting. I always wonder why blogging has such a big impact and influence on people and the media when as a matter of fact, there are not many readers. “Blogging is many things, yet the typical blog is written by a teenage girl who uses it twice a month to update her friends and classmates on happenings in her life”, when now it has become an important media that could make a Senate Majority Leader resigns from the position.

[[User:Jolietheone|Jolietheone]] 02:26, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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A CRITIQUE OF THE PAPER BY DREZNER AND FARREL

The distribution graphs shown at the end of the paper are too academic and technical and serves no practical purpose. They cannot be easily be interpreted. There are no graphs showing relationship between skewness and the variables the authors were supposedly measuring. No variables, political or otherwise, were explicity mentioned.

It also seems flawed to argue that politicians or the government should make decisions or "coordinate" their actions around a somewhat mysterious "Z" variable. One won't get a majority vote or approval by making decisions based on such a "calculation". And the problem of decision-making does not encompass a single "z" variable but more often an interplay of multiple factors. Cognitive maps, stakeholder analyses, and game theoretic approaches, etc., taking into account multiple criteria may be more appropriate.

The importance of blogs may have been overstated and needs some qualification. Generally, nobody is interested to read just anybody's blog. But if an articulate, prominent and influential blogger continues to write and maintains his blog online, people may pay attention. Some such blogs may get the attention of lots of people and lots of contributions. But my bet is majority of individual blogs don't get significant attention. It is true though, if one intends to get more attention, one would write on blogs of popular bloggers or blogs of popular online communities...and also link them to one's own blog. The people who has the power and means to take action to improve our world do not have time to scour and read the blogs. The need for more organized online information and data flow cannot be over-emphasized and blogs are not the appropriate medium.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 08:33, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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I was in Cambridge when Aaron Swartz committed suicide last year, and witnessed how vocal the local community became during the weeks that followed. It was a pleasure to reread and rewatch some of his work today, and a wonderful reminder how much impact a person can have by mobilizing online communities, especially through the theory of change he described so well on his blog. --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 09:37, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

Did he really committed suicide? The Court seems to have treated him too harshly, perhaps to make an example of him.
I noticed this on Youtube while watching "Aaron Swartz, How We Stopped SOPA": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVMGG3flGdk [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:07, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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Ethan Zuckerman, "The Tweetbomb and the Ethics of Attention" raises the awareness of another new social behavior because of the internet. I will avoid Tweeter. And how can I eliminate spam emails? The "Block Sender" function doesn't seem to work most of the time! In the old days, we can protect ourselves from nuisance or harm by staying at home. But in our internet age, the technology cannot protect us from mischief and invasion of personal privacy. So, if there's something really important which requires our attention and collective action, will we miss it? [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:31, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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TV AND INTERNET - NEW TOOLS FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION AND DECISION-MAKING

Bills are passed depending on only a few votes in Congress. With the internet, voting on Bills can be done online, so that every citizen can participate in voting, not just members of Congress. Members of Congress may contribute by making their speeches and presenting their analyses online, with participation from the public. The TV can be used in conjunction with the internet (with 2 screens, one for TV and one for a live focused blog) with Congressmen and/or panel of experts or thinkers to debate issues and organize the information. The process can then involve virtual but live interaction with concerned bloggers. The video of the open forum can be made available online for repeated viewing and sharing of further thoughts for several days or weeks, and culminating in a call for public online voting. Every voter must be pre-registered and have his/her own government-issued secured password to vote. Some politicians may feel that illiterate people should not participate in voting? How can we be inclusive and yet make a good collective decision which will not ignore the needs of the illiterate? [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:46, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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Aaron Swartz' "Theory of Change" is one of the best essays I've ever read (and have to admit I'd read it prior to this course). Last night when I watched his video from 'Optional readings' for the first time... I felt inspired by him all over again. I can't believe he was so young to have achieved so much. Cambridge, and the Internet, feels less safe without him. [[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 13:29, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
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The internet can be a effective medium in education, timely updates, stirring debate. However, real change, occurs through activism that is either hands-on or encourages hands on activities. Activism in its pre-internet form included activities such as door-to-door networking, participating in telephone trees, and physical presence. The support by clicking "Like" seems silly and half-spirited.[[User:VACYBER|VACYBER]] 13:51, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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Ethan Zuckerman’s introduction to Athene (I had never heard of him either) covering the abuse of his friend Xeni on Twitter was of high interest to me from a corporate perspective. Although Athene has a large following, he clearly can’t manage the community well. Regardless if “celebrity bombing ” is tolerated on Twitter, Athene’s leadership abilities show a considerable amount of pure failure under the ethics of attention, simply by the way his followers reacted. If the American Cancer Society asked me to donate to their cause, and called me a whore for not doing so, I would think negatively of the entire community-not the person making the statement.

Regardless if Athene’s community is helping reduce hunger in Africa, or preventing the next holocaust, the attitudes of his members will eventually limit his ability to lead effectively. I wouldn’t donate a penny to Athene causes, simply due to the awareness made of his affiliates by Zuckerman’s article. This leads to a peculiar thought: Will sites such as Twitter allow the public to visually see the rise and fall of individuals through their behavior versus reading secondary information and then needing to make an educated guess? Could we potentially learn far more by allowing everyone to be ones true self?
--[[User:Melissaluke|Melissaluke]] 14:02, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
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Internet is very powerful tool in civil society. The necessary elements of civil society can be freely established and developed through internet: various civil communities, trade organizationts, non-governmental organizations, non-political organizations, groups, bloggers and etc. In coming decades, with support of state agencies (electronic notary, electronic state registry on judicial persons, electronic state registry on real estate and etc.)the enterprises, associations, trade organizations can registered (even on the basis of legislation of foreign country) which will lead to development of business and trade. Nevertheless, the impact of Internet in politics should be minimum. The politics is the sphere which is directly related to governance and state. Only certain category of people, who meet the requirements in terms of background and experience, may have access to politics. Let us assume that ordinary people without appropriate background can vote "for or against" passing bills at Congress?How can they properly assess the significance of the bills discussed? Isn't it dangerous? Additionaly, the role of Internet in protets activity is still not effective as the governments can control the content of published posts. Aysel Ibayeva ([[User:Aysel|Aysel]] 14:32, 11 March 2014 (EDT))
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It's interesting to see some of the older documents covering blogs, suck as the 2004 paper quoting the NYT with “Never have so many people written so much to be read by so few.” Clearly, a ton has changed in the last decade--one of the big changes is the intersection between social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) and the blogosphere. Prior to the prevalence social networking sites, blog posts were definitely funneled from the most-trafficked sites to smaller blogs (and similar effects, such as the the creation of red/blue partitions around political blogs). I wonder how much social networks have changed a lot of this. It seems to me that I see posts in my Facebook timeline from a wider variety of political attitudes than would happen in the tightly-controlled universe of blogroll-linking.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 15:50, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
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First off, I absolutely loved the readings this week. As I stated in introductions, my research focus on the issue-framing processes of social movements, so this module jibes nicely with my interests. At the same time, most of these sources were new to me, which means I’ve been able to add to my arsenal of quality sources.

With respect to the “What is Civic media?” piece, the presenters begin discussing the work of Robert Putnam, which highlighted declining rates of civic engagement among Americans toward the end of the 20th century; Putnam attributes some of this decline to increased use of technology. While this work was groundbreaking, there was another scholar who presented a counterargument to Putnam’s theory, and perhaps ironically, she is also with Harvard.

In “The Tocqueville Problem: Civic Engagement in American Democracy,” Theda Skocpol points to members only clubs such as the AARP, which has existed since 1958, and though it maintains 36 million members, these members’ participation requires little more than mailing a check. Skocpol uses this example to support her claim that there is far more to blame for declining civic engagement than simply technological determinism.

I think that the “What is Civic Media?” piece does a great job of analyzing this perceived tension between technology and civic engagement. I especially liked Beth Noveck’s point that civic engagement does not necessarily translate into increased political participation. I think this point adds another important layer to the overall argument. [[User:Vance.puchalski|Vance.puchalski]] 15:51, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
----
Another item of note from the recent reading is how vulnerable free speech is when it is centralized around particular websites; this echoes similar comments I made on the second lecture pertaining to how the "architecture" of the net is becoming increasingly interdependent on a few large-scale APIs and SaaS components (which leads to centralized control and/or single points of failure). Right now, we're seeing a lot of blog traffic being absorbed into newer blogging platforms (tumblr, medium.com, etc.) that centralize blogging in a similar way, which defeats the argument mentioned in some of the papers about how the blogosphere might be an antidote to government shutdowns of centralized sites.

I'm wondering if more peer-to-peer stuff is an answer. I did a little bit of searching and did find that there's at least one microblogging platform that uses p2p technology to provide a twitter-like experience without the centralized point of failure. Google on "twister p2p" and you'll find it.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 15:55, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
----

Collective Action, Politics, and Protests

2014-03-11T19:50:50Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''March 11'''

Last class we learned about SOPA, and the fear that it engendered in many Internet commentators. SOPA lead to what is often considered the high-water mark of American engagement online in domestic policy circles (so far). But the Internet has been used for collective action since its inception. When does this work? When does it fail? Who gets included and who are we leaving behind? Does the Internet serve as a better facilitator to protests in some areas versus others?

Today will be an exploration of online protests and collective action, both in general and through the lens of some famous recent examples. Along the way we'll grapple with limitations of online protest activity, the criticisms weighed against online protest behavior, and some of the ethical questions that come up when different organizations fight for attention to their specific causes.

Joining us this week will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/aliciasn Alicia Solow-Niederman], a Berkman project manager who studies collective action online.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings/Watchings ==

; Framing

* [http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/forums/civic_media.html MIT Communications Forum, What is Civic Media?] (skim)

* [http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~farrell/blogpaperfinal.pdf Daniel Drezner and Henry Farrel, The Power and Politics of Blogs] (read introduction, "The networked structure of the blogosphere;" skim "How skewedness affects politics;" read "The constraints on blog influence" and conclusion)

* [http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/4609956/SAIS%20online%20organizing%20paper%20final.pdf?sequence=1 Bruce Etling et al., Political Change in the Digital Age: The Fragility and Promise of Online Organizing] (read introduction, "Digital Technologies, Information and Political Transitions," "Online Organizing and Contentious Politics," and "The Uncertain Future of Digital Organizing")

; Case Studies

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2295953 Yochai Benkler et al., Social Mobilization and the Networked Public Sphere: Mapping the SOPA/PIPA Debate] (read 4-10, skim 12-38, read 39-46)

:* You may also want to play around with the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/research/mediacloud/2013/mapping_sopa_pipa/# controversy mapper] Media Cloud put together in connection with this report.

* [http://civic.mit.edu/blog/erhardt/mapping-the-trayvon-martin-media-controversy Erhardt Graeff, Mapping the Trayvon Martin Media Controversy]

* [http://www2.scedu.unibo.it/roversi/SocioNet/AdamicGlanceBlogWWW.pdf Lada Adamic and Natalie Glance, The Political Blogosphere and the 2004 U.S. Election: Divided They Blog] (read introduction, analysis, and conclusion – i.e., pages 1-3 and 8-15)

* [http://journalistsresource.org/studies/international/global-tech/social-media-protest-egypt-tahrir-square Alex Remington, Social Media and Participation in Political Protest: Observations from Tahrir Square]

* [http://technosociology.org/?p=904 Zeynep Tufekci, #Kony2012, Understanding Networked Symbolic Action & Why Slacktivism is Conceptually Misleading]

; Observations, tactics, and methods

* [http://civicmedia.info/ideas/aaron-swartz-theory-of-change/ Aaron Swartz, A Theory of Change]

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2012/04/20/the-tweetbomb-and-the-ethics-of-attention/ Ethan Zuckerman, The Tweetbomb and the Ethics of Attention]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgh2dFngFsg Aaron Swartz, How We Stopped SOPA]

* [http://blog.socialflow.com/post/7120244932/data-viz-kony2012-see-how-invisible-networks-helped-a-campaign-capture-the-worlds-attention Gilad Lotan, KONY2012: See How Invisible Networks Helped a Campaign Capture the World’s Attention]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/publications/2010/Tale_Two_Blogospheres_Discursive_Practices_Left_Right Yochai Benkler and Aaron Shaw, A Tale of Two Blogospheres: Discursive Practices on the Left and Right]

* [http://opennet.net/sites/opennet.net/files/PolicingContent.pdf Jillian York, Policing Content in the Quasi-Public Sphere] (focus on the Introduction, and “Social Media: Privacy Companies, Public Responsibilities”)

* [http://www.benkler.org/Benkler_Wealth_Of_Networks_Chapter_7.pdf Yochai Benker, ''The Wealth of Networks''] (Chapter 7 - "The Emergence of a Networked Public Sphere")

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 11:51, 11 February 2014 (EST)'''</div>

<blockquote>
He also explained that people who claim that technology is neutral have typically zoomed out so far that the relationship between the individual, society and the technology are lost. He used the argument that while it may be accurate to say that either a gun or a toothbrush can be used to kill, but this theoretical accuracy is so abstract that it loses credibility.</blockquote>
I really like this, reminds me of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergence Emergent properties]
[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 15:48, 9 March 2014 (EDT)

----
I found Adamic and Glance's paper "Divided They Blog" fascinating, given how the political blogosphere has developed 10 years on and the significant respect that political bloggers now command. According to the authors, in 2004 62% of Americans did not know what a web blog was- today I imagine that most internet users rely on targeted and well-curated blogs for news, information and reliable opinions on everything from national elections to NASCAR.

Another statistic that jumped at me was that in mid-2004, 63 million Americans used the internet to stay informed about politics. The Pew Charitable Trust 'Web at 25' Report published in 2013 found that 87% of American adults, roughly 178 million people, use the internet- and the majority of adult internet users had at least some exposure to information about state, local and national politics and elections. Given that level of exposure to the internet, the potential for the influence of news sources and individual voices outside of mainstream media outlets has never been greater.

The figures provided by Adamic and Glance demonstrate how citation of blogs with similar themes or supporting similar viewpoints compounds their reach and impact- as well as searchability and subsequent blog selection by the user seeking information about a given political party, politician or issue-- or to influence the searchability and online image of a given candidate. This brought to mind the campaign for the neologism "santorum" started in May 2003 by Dan Savage, a columnist and LGBT rights activist who sought to link then- U.S. Senator Rick Santorum's name with a sex act following homophobic comments made by the Senator, thereby significantly impacting the Senator's internet image. The power of the blogosphere and Savage's community of followers worked-- to this day, the first listing on Google when "Santorum" is searched for is the Wikipedia entry on Savage's campaign against Santorum. Given the number of hits on political blogs speculating about the 2016 Presidential race two years out, I imagine that Adamic and Glance's findings still ring true and are worth revisiting with a current data set. [[User:akk22|akk22]] 13:13, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
----

Benkler et al's "Social Mobilization and the Networked Public Sphere" defines the networked public sphere as "an alternative arena for public discourse and political debate, an arena that is less dominated by large media entities, less subject to government control, and more open to wider participation." Thinking about how other parts of the public sphere are subject to each of these forces of control certainly makes the "public sphere" sound a little less "public." While the mainstream American media can often look like a circus, particularly if you're looking at the 24 hour news networks, with Benkler's ideas about the networked public sphere in mind, they don't really feel like something the public engages in. Rather, it is something we can engage with. Less a participatory medium than one that we have the option to either consume or not.
[[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 12:01, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

I enjoyed Benkler's descriptions as well, but I also found Jilian York's contrast of public versus private to be compelling. She discusses the evolution of this "Quasi-Public Sphere" which Jkelly seems to capture to a certain extent what Jkelly mentions. Privately owned platforms (such as social media) have become thrust into the public sphere. This vast information exchange has prompted centralized platforms and York argues they also serve as public spaces in a "quasi-public sphere" that makes policing much more convoluted. As discussed in class, York feels that the content is now being policed both by private controls as well as coming colliding into the sphere of public scrutiny/controls. In essence, the private sector continues to engage its role in the public arena with increasing extension and (arguably) vice versa. York brings up the point that this can both benefit and thwart society as she mentions how internet-goers in repressive societies can gain access to material once prohibited from them; however, a negative example she references is how companies can make their own private rules of engagement which may (or may not) be favorable towards the general public. Either way, the article was extremely profound in the author's rendition of how the internet can impact life as we know it.
--[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 14:28, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----

I found the article mapping the Trayvon Martin case particularly interesting as I grew up near where the incident occurred and it caused such a frenzy all over Florida (and all over the country, for that matter). I happen to know someone really high up in the DA's office in FL, so hearing the facts of the case in comparison to what the media was broadcasting was shocking. The media completely created a story to propel their own political agenda and made it fit what they wanted to say. This is not at all to say that the message regarding race relations wasn't important, but it is interesting how they would squash facts which came up on the opposing side and emphasize and exaggerate other aspects so that they're telling the story that they want to tell. It's especially fascinating when you consider the story of Travyon to that of Jordan Davis, another black teenager who was shot by a white man in Florida, which was CLEARLY a race issue. Unlike the case of Trayvon, Davis's case was cut-and-dry, yet the latter case didn't get nearly as much media attention despite the fact that it could've actually spoken more loudly and to a more severe degree about race relations.

[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:07, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

----

I thought the article on the KONY 2012 campaign and the concept of slack-tivism very interesting, especially since I remember very well watching the movement unfold and ultimately deflate. I do think that the internet can be effective in stirring debate and real change, but how we harness that power is ultimately unable to be controlled and can be easily manipulated, as we saw with the whole Kony movement. The organization was followed by scrutiny and met with a lot of accusations and controversy. However, the campaign did teach a valuable lesson: online movements can have real impacts and stir public conversation. The response from the video definitely brought Uganda to media attention as people investigated the message and the country.

There are some positive examples of collective action online, such as sites like Kickstarter that depend on action by strangers to support projects. It is a successful example, in a smaller and arguably more effective scale, on how the Internet is able to influence people’s lives and connect strangers. It would be interesting to see how sites like this can maintain it's audience and continue to inspire people to donate and participate.

[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 19:51, 10 March 2014 (EDT)

-----

I found the article “The Power and Politics of Blogs” by Daniel Drezner and Henry Farrel really interesting. I always wonder why blogging has such a big impact and influence on people and the media when as a matter of fact, there are not many readers. “Blogging is many things, yet the typical blog is written by a teenage girl who uses it twice a month to update her friends and classmates on happenings in her life”, when now it has become an important media that could make a Senate Majority Leader resigns from the position.

[[User:Jolietheone|Jolietheone]] 02:26, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

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A CRITIQUE OF THE PAPER BY DREZNER AND FARREL

The distribution graphs shown at the end of the paper are too academic and technical and serves no practical purpose. They cannot be easily be interpreted. There are no graphs showing relationship between skewness and the variables the authors were supposedly measuring. No variables, political or otherwise, were explicity mentioned.

It also seems flawed to argue that politicians or the government should make decisions or "coordinate" their actions around a somewhat mysterious "Z" variable. One won't get a majority vote or approval by making decisions based on such a "calculation". And the problem of decision-making does not encompass a single "z" variable but more often an interplay of multiple factors. Cognitive maps, stakeholder analyses, and game theoretic approaches, etc., taking into account multiple criteria may be more appropriate.

The importance of blogs may have been overstated and needs some qualification. Generally, nobody is interested to read just anybody's blog. But if an articulate, prominent and influential blogger continues to write and maintains his blog online, people may pay attention. Some such blogs may get the attention of lots of people and lots of contributions. But my bet is majority of individual blogs don't get significant attention. It is true though, if one intends to get more attention, one would write on blogs of popular bloggers or blogs of popular online communities...and also link them to one's own blog. The people who has the power and means to take action to improve our world do not have time to scour and read the blogs. The need for more organized online information and data flow cannot be over-emphasized and blogs are not the appropriate medium.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 08:33, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----

I was in Cambridge when Aaron Swartz committed suicide last year, and witnessed how vocal the local community became during the weeks that followed. It was a pleasure to reread and rewatch some of his work today, and a wonderful reminder how much impact a person can have by mobilizing online communities, especially through the theory of change he described so well on his blog. --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 09:37, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

Did he really committed suicide? The Court seems to have treated him too harshly, perhaps to make an example of him.
I noticed this on Youtube while watching "Aaron Swartz, How We Stopped SOPA": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVMGG3flGdk [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:07, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----

Ethan Zuckerman, "The Tweetbomb and the Ethics of Attention" raises the awareness of another new social behavior because of the internet. I will avoid Tweeter. And how can I eliminate spam emails? The "Block Sender" function doesn't seem to work most of the time! In the old days, we can protect ourselves from nuisance or harm by staying at home. But in our internet age, the technology cannot protect us from mischief and invasion of personal privacy. So, if there's something really important which requires our attention and collective action, will we miss it? [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:31, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----

TV AND INTERNET - NEW TOOLS FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION AND DECISION-MAKING

Bills are passed depending on only a few votes in Congress. With the internet, voting on Bills can be done online, so that every citizen can participate in voting, not just members of Congress. Members of Congress may contribute by making their speeches and presenting their analyses online, with participation from the public. The TV can be used in conjunction with the internet (with 2 screens, one for TV and one for a live focused blog) with Congressmen and/or panel of experts or thinkers to debate issues and organize the information. The process can then involve virtual but live interaction with concerned bloggers. The video of the open forum can be made available online for repeated viewing and sharing of further thoughts for several days or weeks, and culminating in a call for public online voting. Every voter must be pre-registered and have his/her own government-issued secured password to vote. Some politicians may feel that illiterate people should not participate in voting? How can we be inclusive and yet make a good collective decision which will not ignore the needs of the illiterate? [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 11:46, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----

Aaron Swartz' "Theory of Change" is one of the best essays I've ever read (and have to admit I'd read it prior to this course). Last night when I watched his video from 'Optional readings' for the first time... I felt inspired by him all over again. I can't believe he was so young to have achieved so much. Cambridge, and the Internet, feels less safe without him. [[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 13:29, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
-----

The internet can be a effective medium in education, timely updates, stirring debate. However, real change, occurs through activism that is either hands-on or encourages hands on activities. Activism in its pre-internet form included activities such as door-to-door networking, participating in telephone trees, and physical presence. The support by clicking "Like" seems silly and half-spirited.[[User:VACYBER|VACYBER]] 13:51, 11 March 2014 (EDT)

----
Ethan Zuckerman’s introduction to Athene (I had never heard of him either) covering the abuse of his friend Xeni on Twitter was of high interest to me from a corporate perspective. Although Athene has a large following, he clearly can’t manage the community well. Regardless if “celebrity bombing ” is tolerated on Twitter, Athene’s leadership abilities show a considerable amount of pure failure under the ethics of attention, simply by the way his followers reacted. If the American Cancer Society asked me to donate to their cause, and called me a whore for not doing so, I would think negatively of the entire community-not the person making the statement.

Regardless if Athene’s community is helping reduce hunger in Africa, or preventing the next holocaust, the attitudes of his members will eventually limit his ability to lead effectively. I wouldn’t donate a penny to Athene causes, simply due to the awareness made of his affiliates by Zuckerman’s article. This leads to a peculiar thought: Will sites such as Twitter allow the public to visually see the rise and fall of individuals through their behavior versus reading secondary information and then needing to make an educated guess? Could we potentially learn far more by allowing everyone to be ones true self?
--[[User:Melissaluke|Melissaluke]] 14:02, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
----
Internet is very powerful tool in civil society. The necessary elements of civil society can be freely established and developed through internet: various civil communities, trade organizationts, non-governmental organizations, non-political organizations, groups, bloggers and etc. In coming decades, with support of state agencies (electronic notary, electronic state registry on judicial persons, electronic state registry on real estate and etc.)the enterprises, associations, trade organizations can registered (even on the basis of legislation of foreign country) which will lead to development of business and trade. Nevertheless, the impact of Internet in politics should be minimum. The politics is the sphere which is directly related to governance and state. Only certain category of people, who meet the requirements in terms of background and experience, may have access to politics. Let us assume that ordinary people without appropriate background can vote "for or against" passing bills at Congress?How can they properly assess the significance of the bills discussed? Isn't it dangerous? Additionaly, the role of Internet in protets activity is still not effective as the governments can control the content of published posts. Aysel Ibayeva ([[User:Aysel|Aysel]] 14:32, 11 March 2014 (EDT))
----
It's interesting to see some of the older documents covering blogs, suck as the 2004 paper quoting the NYT with “Never have so many people written so much to be read by so few.” Clearly, a ton has changed in the last decade--one of the big changes is the intersection between social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) and the blogosphere. Prior to the prevalence social networking sites, blog posts were definitely funneled from the most-trafficked sites to smaller blogs (and similar effects, such as the the creation of red/blue partitions around political blogs). I wonder how much social networks have changed a lot of this. It seems to me that I see posts in my Facebook timeline from a wider variety of political attitudes than would happen in the tightly-controlled universe of blogroll-linking.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 15:50, 11 March 2014 (EDT)
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Copyright Part 2: Enforcement and Balances

2014-03-03T18:58:51Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''March 4'''

Digital technologies spawned the proliferation of sharing of media and music, which has led to a number of controversial legal and technological strategies for control and copyright enforcement. “Controversial” may be putting it lightly; the ongoing fight between copyright owners and Internet evangelists is one of the most popularly debated fights surrounding Internet control.

This class focuses on how copyright is enforced online, with particular emphasis on the "notice-and-takedown" provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), which allow Internet service providers to limit their liability for the copyright infringements of their users if the ISPs expeditiously remove material in response to complaints from copyright owners. The class will also look to the now-famous fight concerning SOPA and PIPA, and other attempts to more strictly regulate against online piracy.

Joining us will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/aholland Adam Holland], who works here at Berkman on the [https://www.chillingeffects.org/ Chilling Effects] project.

== Assignments ==

The second half of assignment 2 (commenting on prospectuses) is due ''before class'' today. Information on the assignment can be found [[Assignments#Assignment_2:_Prospectus|here]].

<onlyinclude>
== Readings/Watchings ==

; The DMCA Notice-And-Takedown Process

* Digital Media Law Project, [http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/copyright-claims-based-user-content Claims Based on User Content] and [http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/protecting-yourself-against-copyright-claims-based-user-content Protecting Yourself Against Copyright Claims Based on User Content]

* [https://www.eff.org/takedowns Electronic Frontier Foundation, Takedown Hall of Shame] (peruse)

* Chilling Effects, [http://www.chillingeffects.org/about About] and peruse the [http://www.chillingeffects.org/weather.cgi weather reports].

* [http://paidcontent.org/2013/02/24/how-google-did-the-right-thing-with-the-nascar-crash-video-and-why-it-matters/ Matthew Ingram, Paid Content, How Google did the right thing with the NASCAR crash video, and why it matters]

; Case Study - SOPA/PIPA

* [http://futureoftheinternet.org/reading-sopa Jonathan Zittrain, Kendra Albert, and Alicia Solow-Niederman, A Close Look at SOPA]

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2012/01/15/mit-media-lab-opposes-sopa-pipa/ Ethan Zuckerman and Joi Ito, MIT Media Lab Opposes SOPA, PIPA]

; The big picture

* [http://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-traffic-drops-in-america-grows-in-europe-131111/ Ernesto Van Der Sar, BitTorrent Traffic Drops in America, Grows in Europe]

* [https://www.techdirt.com/blog/casestudies/articles/20120405/11221818390/perspective-complexities-copyright-creativity-victim-infringement.shtml Erin McKeown, A Perspective On the Complexities of Copyright and Creativity from a Victim of Infringement]

== Optional Readings ==

; Case Study - ISP "Six Strikes

* [http://www.onthemedia.org/2013/feb/01/copyright-alert-system-and-six-strikes/ Brooke Gladstone, Interview with Jill Lesser of Center for Copyright Information (''On The Media'')]

* [http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2013/02/25/the-6-likely-impact-of-six-strikes/ Jonathan Bailey, Plagiarism Today, The 6 Likely Impact of Six Strikes]

; Case Study - Operation In Our Sites

* [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1835604 Andy Sellars, Seized Sites: The In Rem Forfeiture of Copyright-Infringing Domain Names]

* [http://wendy.seltzer.org/blog/archives/2011/02/02/super-bust-due-process-and-domain-name-seizure.html Wendy Seltzer, Super Bust: Due Process and Domain Name Seizure]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

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Yet again, related to an earlier class, but another interesting write-up was just published on The Verge: [http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/25/5431382/the-internet-is-fucked The Internet Is Fucked (but we can fix it)] --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 19:05, 26 February 2014 (EST)

----

Ditto, not related to Copyright, but the theme of the class in general, politics & control of the Internet. The Quebec government started [http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/02/26/quebecs_language_watchdog_targets_stores_use_of_english_on_facebook.html fining businesses] for not writing in French on their Facebook pages. I've never understood why Canada has such a stereotype of being 'nice'. [[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 23:37, 26 February 2014 (EST)

:Erin, thanks for sharing this. Seems like a really interesting example of the ways in which the Internet and digital technologies are a new place for old and ongoing debates to play out. With so much of our lives now taking place online, it makes sense that concerns about language, heritage, and culture have to be grappled with anew. I wonder if some of the push-back from business owners-- like the one in this article who says "Facebook has nothing to do with Quebec"-- stems from the idea that the Internet is a malleable and border-less place and confusion over what laws govern speech on a global forum run by a US-based company. And yes, I have heard some Quebecois friends get a little less than "nice" when it comes to discussing their francophone heritage... [[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 15:16, 2 March 2014 (EST)

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The highly controversial Section 512 of the DMCA, 17 U.S.C. § 512 provides a “safety zone”, where online service providers could operate shielded from liability charges on account of copyright infringement. Service providers function by allowing people to modify, post, and search content on their servers. By hosting foreign content that is not generated by the OSP or ISP, they were placing themselves into position of being held liable on infringement charges. This changed in 1998, because as long as roughly three essential steps were taken, an OSP could take advantage of the “safe-harbor” clause. One of those steps is the “expeditious” removal of infringing content. On the other side, the alleged offender can send a counter-notice disputing the copyright holders claim. This might seem in favor of the public domain with an anti-copyright agenda, but it does not diminish the copyright holders privileges in any way. This provision also allows the first step of prosecution in the form of takedown notices. While these measures are beneficial for the public good and provide a degree of protection, they seem utterly inefficient in situations like Erin McKeown experienced. In an attempt to control infringers and pirates, the ICE has engaged in domain seizures, which resulted in tens of thousands of innocent websites being shut down. [[User:Emmanuelsurillo|Emmanuelsurillo]] 22:26, 1 March 2014 (EST)

The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Takedown Hall of Shame has excellent examples of cease and desist letter offenders, even citing unusual claims such as one over the copyright privileges of a monkey’s photos! That is where major companies should take and follow Google’s example of standing up for users rights. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), MIT points out that to stop pirating has many dangerous side effects including but not limited to being unconstitutional in violating certain aspects of free speech. [[User:Emmanuelsurillo|Emmanuelsurillo]] 00:06, 3 March 2014 (EST)

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I was unable to find out anything about how many actions have been taken under the Copyright Alert System. Are there any known statistics on how many of these notices have been sent out or how many consumers have been affected? (whether centrally managed, or done by a third-party watchdog like EFF?)
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 13:48, 3 March 2014 (EST)

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I'm in a creative industry where intellectual property is important (software / online games). Yet I think that criminalization of intellectual property violations is ridiculous.

I called all my U.S. senators and representatives back when SOPA/PIPA was in the legislative process--I found it highly offensive. It seems absurd to me that someone would be placed in jail for copyright infringement, or that we are making agencies of the U.S. government an arm of private industry by using them to enforce this (not to mention giving government broad control over shutting down content that some moneyed interest finds objectionable).

The argument used by the industry is that copyright violation is equivalent to theft. I agree that many cases of copyvio are totally wrong, but I don't see why it can't be handled entirely through civil systems. The fact is that intellectual property violations *are* different from stealing a physical good, simply because in the former case we're dealing with a nonrival good (i.e., if you steal my car then I can't use it anymore; if you copy my software package, I've lost some potential revenue from you but you haven't deprived my ability to sell it to others). Furthermore, intellectual property violations are way more complex--these are cases that just aren't as clear-cut as showing that a theft actually occurred when you are caught with my stolen car.

I listened to the songs mentioned in the "Touch the Sun" / "Slung-lo" controversy referred to in the reading materials. I empathize with the creator of Slung-lo if they really feel their creation was improperly exploited, but I simply don't see the basis for their claim. But upon my listening I found both songs to be different, and the lyrics were (as far as I could tell) totally different. Billions of songs get made--lots will be similar. I shudder to think that a large and well-funded copyright holder could use claims like this to abuse others with the threat of criminal enforcement.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 13:58, 3 March 2014 (EST)

----

Copyright Part 2: Enforcement and Balances

2014-03-03T18:48:25Z

Jradoff:

Assignment 2 Submissions

2014-02-25T02:56:33Z

Jradoff: /* Comments */

{{AssignmentCal}}

===Submission Instructions===

''Please note that we have updated the [[Final_Project#Frequently_Asked_Questions|final project page's FAQ section]] based on some student questions that have come to us over the past week.''

This assignment is due on February 25. 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: [[Special:Upload|Upload file]]. If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [[Special:ImageList|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 (<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!

*Assignment Two:

*A Web of Lies and Licentious Lure: Temptation, Divorce, and the Internet

* http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Divorce_and_the_Internet_Harvard_Project.docx

--[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 17:24, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----

*Assignment Two:
*Who has the right to control our personal genetic information?
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Monroe_Assignment_Two.docx

[[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 18:30, 23 February 2014 (EST)
: Hi Margo, I'm not sure if you'll ever read this, but if you do, would you by any chance be interested in working on your project in a group? I'm highly interested in this topic (in part because I'm considering founding my next startup in this field), and I've been following it both from a distance as an observer, and from the inside as a customer of 23andMe. I'd love to dig deeper and work with you on this project. Cheers, Philip Seyfi --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 19:28, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----

[[User:Castille|Castille]] 18:58, 22 February 2014 (EST)
*Assignment Two:
*LESS IS MORE?; Tumblr's Policies Against Self-Harm
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:CastilleRath_ASSIGNMENT_TWO.doc

----

*Watson
*To Publish Or Not: Social Media and the Syrian Conflict
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Watson_Assignment2.docx
[[User:Watson|Watson]] 23:33, 23 February 2014 (EST)

------
*Assignment 2
* Instagram: a public space for free expression?
* http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:LauraSanchez_IS_prospectus
[[User:Lrsanchez|Lrsanchez]] 21:42, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----
* [[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 21:56, 24 February 2014 (EST)
* Comparing Regulation of Free Expression in Online Game Forums
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/sites/is2014/images/Prospectus-Radoff.txt Prospectus Text]

Copyright Part 1: Guiding Principles and Online Application

2014-02-25T02:00:38Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 25'''

The Internet has enabled individuals to become involved in the production of media and to distribute their contributions widely at a very low cost. The former bastion of the entertainment industry is opening up to what many are calling a democratization of culture. The copyright doctrine of fair use seemingly bolsters the right to recut, reframe, and recycle previous works, but the protection fair use gives to those re-purposing copyrighted material is notoriously uncertain.

Over the next two classes, this course will take up the some of the issues related to copyright protection and enforcement online. Today’s class will focus on the legal regime of copyright: what it protects, what it doesn’t protect, and how the doctrine has transformed in light of digital reproduction and distribution.

<onlyinclude>

== Assignments ==

The first half of assignment 2 (posting your prospectus) is due ''before class'' today. Information on the assignment can be found [[Assignments#Assignment_2:_Prospectus|here]]. Please note that we have updated the [[Final_Project#Frequently_Asked_Questions|final project page's FAQ section]] based on some student questions that have come to us over the past week.

== Readings/Watchings ==

; The mechanics of copyright law

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Clause Wikipedia, Copyright Clause]

* [http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 1: Copyright Basics] (read only Who Can Claim Copyright?, What Works Are Protected?, What is Not Protected by Copyright?, How to Secure a Copyright, and How Long Copyright Protection Endures)

* [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107 17 U.S.C. § 107 - Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Fair Use]

; Digital applications and new challenges

* [http://blip.tv/lessig/it-is-about-time-getting-our-values-around-copyright-2847688 Lawrence Lessig, It is About Time: Getting Our Values around Copyright] (watch first 6 minutes)

* [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/08/why-johnny-cant-stream-how-video-copyright-went-insane/ James Grimmelmann, Why Johnny Can’t Stream: How Video Copyright Went Insane]

; Copyright solutions

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DKm96Ftfko Creative Commons, A Shared Culture] (video, watch all) and [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Spectrumofrights_Comic1 Spectrum of Rights]

* [http://www.copyhype.com/2012/08/there-is-no-magic-bullet/ Terry Hart, There is No Magic Bullet]

* [http://www.uspto.gov/news/publications/copyrightgreenpaper.pdf U.S. Department of Commerce: Internet Policy Task Force, Copyright Policy, Creativity, and Innovation in the Digital Economy] (Executive summary only)

* [http://www.copyright.gov/docs/next_great_copyright_act.pdf Maria Pallante, The Next Great Copyright Act] (skim Section II (323-339) only)

:* Maria Pallante is the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Register_of_Copyrights Register of Copyrights] for the United States.

== Recommended Readings ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HQVBmKsVhI Lewis Hyde, Common As Air: Revolution, Art, and Ownership] (video, watch from 2:12 to 24:37)

* [http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jdlitman/papers/read.htm Jessica Litman, The Exclusive Right to Read] (introduction and Sections I and II only)

* [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2008/10/dodgy-digits-behind-the-war-on-piracy/ Julian Sanchez, Ars Technica, 750,000 Lost Jobs? The Dodgy Digits Behind the War on Piracy]

* [http://www.bloomsburyacademic.com/view/Remix_9781849662505/chapter-ba-9781849662505-chapter-0001.xml Lawrence Lessig, ''Remix: Making Art and Culture Thrive in the Hybrid Economy''] (Introduction only)

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==

{|class="wikitable" border=3 style="margin: auto; background-color:#FFFFCC;"
|align="center"|<big>'''REMINDER'''</big>
|-
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF;"|Your comments must be submitted '''before 4:00PM ET''' on the Tuesday we hold class in order to count for participation credit. Please see the [[Class Participation|participation policy]] for more information.
|}
<br/>
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

This is related to an earlier class, but a great article on Wikipedia's bots has just been published on The Verge... [http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/18/5412636/this-machine-kills-trolls-how-wikipedia-robots-snuff-out-vandalism This machine kills trolls: How Wikipedia’s robots and cyborgs snuff out vandalism] --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 17:53, 19 February 2014 (EST)

:What an interesting article! It seems rather shocking to me that users would protest the implementation of bots to patrol vandalism on Wikipedia. One comment cited in the article is that "Editing bots are wrong for Wikipedia, and if they allow it they are letting go of their vision of community participation in favor of the visions (or delusions) of grand technological solutions". This seems like an argument made on principle rather than for practicality's sake. Surely we benefit from these anti-vandalism bots, as Wikipedia would be worthless if people were allowed to make whatever edits they pleased, due to the proliferation of internet trolls. [[User:Castille|Castille]] 16:01, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----

Regarding Copyright laws, it seems that there are many ambiguities and potential loopholes inherent in the system. How is it acceptable for musicians to freely perform "covers" of popular songs-- oftentimes to the extent that their entire act is merely covers, such as at weddings, corporate events, restaurants, etc.-- yet plays cannot be performed live without the consent of the author/copyright holder? It is not altogether uncommon in these situations for an artist to be paid to perform someone else's work, for the purpose of entertainment. What is the difference, then, between these situations? Based on Grimmelmann's article "Why Johnny can't stream", it appears that there are is an endless string of individuals and companies finding new ways to circumvent the laws, so that new laws must be implemented. Where does this stop? Is this due to rebellion against unfair copyright restrictions, companies merely trying to exploit artists and capitalize on their work, or individuals trying to be greedy or subversive?

By the way, has anyone heard about Aereo's progress, and/or where it currently stands in the legal system? I looked it up online and it seems to be taking on members who want to pre-register for the service, though the article was written in August of 2012, so you would think it would be out by now.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 13:08, 23 February 2014 (EST)

: I was also curious about where the Aereo case(s) were currently... and happened upon this update published last week (also in arstechnica) "Aereo loses copyright fight, gets banned in 6 states" http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/02/aereo-loses-copyright-fight-to-tv-networks-in-utah/ and as Comcast/NBC "cuts a deal with Netflix"...as well as potentially merging with Time-Warner, just how "lovely" is that? http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2014/02/24/does-netflixcomcast-deal-remove-obstacle-to-twc-merger/ [[User:Psl|Psl]] 11:35, 24 February 2014 (EST)

:Great comments! As to "covers" of popular songs, those are not usually free uses, but instead uses that are licensed in ways that most of us don't normally see. As to covers of live music, those are usually handled by blanket licenses from performance rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC) through either the venue or the artist. For recorded covers, there is actually a statutory license in the law which allows the covering band to do this without permission, provided they pay a particular fee per copy sold. (These days most of that is administered through a corporation called the Harry Fox Agency.) And as for Aereo, [http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/american-broadcasting-companies-inc-v-aereo-inc/ the Supreme Court has agreed to hear] the appeal from the Second Circuit's case (one of many, as Psl points out), which will in all likelihood set the standard for Aereo's legality nationwide. So we will see! [[User:Andy|Andy]] 16:48, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----

COPYRIGHT OF TEXTBOOKS

Based on the readings, how is it possible for new math textbooks for elementary and high school to claim copyrights when the content has not changed for decades? Perhaps examples and illustrations and format of presentation used across different textbooks may differ, but the content and concepts taught are essentially the same.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 18:19, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----
NPOV AND COPYRIGHT IN WIKIPEDIA

Because of NPOV, all content in Wikipedia need to be copied....and referenced. If one copies everything or extensively from a single source, would it still be legal? And if one copies from many sources, it is called a work of research? [[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 19:51, 24 February 2014 (EST)

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 19:51, 24 February 2014 (EST)

----
The article, There is no Magic Bullet, was an interesting read. He talks about the idea of combatting piracy as often being boiled down to: “make piracy harder, make legal options easier" which is problematic. The availability of technology is making piracy a lot easier these days. While, legal options are usually a long and expensive option in most cases. This leaves us at a problem. The emergence of easy and paid websites, like amazon and netflix, worked as a legal alternative instead of piracy but it has not been successful in a world-wide scale so far. I think as long as there is a easy, free alternative, it will often be the first choice for most people, even it is illegal. It doesn't always have to be bad, especially as it relates to creative content like music. Free sharing is often a great opportunity for growth and marketing.
I'm interested to see how copyright laws and creative content will develop with the advancement of the internet. I wonder if making piracy harder is a viable option at this point without infringing on personal content.

[[User:Lpereira|Lpereira]] 20:56, 24 February 2014 (EST)
-----
Reading the Grimmelmann "Why Johnny Can't Stream" article I'm reminded of how the music industry fought so hard against services like Napster, while simultaneously it was the emergence of technology like iTunes--and the consequent unbundling of music tracks from albums--that spelled the end of their industry as they knew it. Similarly, "broadcast" and the gatekeeper model of media distribution is at an end. While the broadcasters fight services like Aero, the whole idea of DVR (whether in your living room, or in the cloud) is not going to be relevnt in the future: services like Netflix's original content (e.g., House of Cards) and HBO Go, where content will be made available by the content owner itself, disintermediating the cable networks, will be the norm. In this environment, we won't need a DVR and cable companies won't be relevant. It seems to me that part of the strategy with services like Netflix original content or HBO Go is twofold: to eliminate their dependence on distribution networks, while also rendering DVRs (and their consequent copyright issues) obsolete. After all, I'd be buying my content by-the-drink from the creator rather than from a distribution network where I have a legitimate reason to copy it and watch at different types or with commercials removed.

[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:58, 24 February 2014 (EST)
----
A separate question: why did the framers consider copyrights/patents important enough to mention in the Constitution? Why not just leave it to Congress to worry about as part of regulating interstate commerce? As Lessig noted in his video, intellectual property law was a very minor concern for anyone prior to the 20th century. The Internet Policy Task Force doc claims that "the Framers intended copyright itself to be the engine of free expression” but that's stated as an assertion (quoting the Supreme Court) without any explanation. I'm interested in understanding the historical context and what the framers were concerned about. Thoughts?

[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 21:00, 24 February 2014 (EST)
----

Copyright Part 1: Guiding Principles and Online Application

2014-02-25T01:58:01Z

Jradoff:

Regulating Speech Online

2014-02-18T01:09:20Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 18'''

The Internet has the potential to revolutionize public discourse. Instead of large media companies and corporate advertisers controlling the channels of speech, anyone with an Internet connection can, in the words of the Supreme Court, “become a town crier with a voice that resonates farther than it could from any soapbox.” (Reno v. ACLU). Internet speakers can reach vast audiences of readers, viewers, researchers, and buyers that stretch across real space borders, or they can concentrate on niche audiences that share a common interest or geographical location. What's more, speech on the Internet has truly become a conversation, with different voices and viewpoints mingling together to create a single "work."

With this great potential, however, comes new questions. What happens when anyone can publish to a global audience with virtually no oversight? How can a society balance the rights of speakers with the interests in safeguarding minors from offensive content? When different countries take different approaches on speech, whose values should take precedence? When a user of a website says something defamatory, when should we punish the user and when should we punish the website?

In this class, we will look at how law and social norms are struggling to adapt to this new electronic terrain.

Joining us this week will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/jhermes Jeff Hermes], Director of the [http://www.dmlp.org/ Digital Media Law Project].

<onlyinclude>

== Assignments ==

The first half of assignment 2 (posting your prospectus) is due before class ''next week (Feb. 25th)''. Information on the assignment can be found [[Assignments#Assignment_2:_Prospectus|here]].

== Readings ==

; Private and public control of speech online

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfS_2oXVch0 Berkman Center, How Internet Censorship Works] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [http://access.opennet.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/accesscontrolled-chapter-5.pdf Ethan Zuckerman, Intermediary Censorship (from ''Access Controlled'')]

* [http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113045/free-speech-internet-silicon-valley-making-rules Jeffrey Rosen, The Delete Squad (New Republic)]

* Biz Stone and Alex Macgillivary, [http://blog.twitter.com/2011/01/tweets-must-flow.html The Tweets Must Flow] and [http://blog.twitter.com/2012/01/tweets-still-must-flow.html The Tweets Still Must Flow]

* [http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/free-expression-and-controversial.html Rachel Whetstone, Free Expression and Controversial Content on the Web]

; Speech laws and liabilities in the United States

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_230_of_the_Communications_Decency_Act Wikipedia, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act]

* [https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/cda-ag-letter.pdf Letter to Members of Congress from 49 state and territorial Attorneys General]

; Cross-border concerns

* [http://freespeechdebate.com/en/media/susan-benesch-on-dangerous-speech-2/ Susan Benesch, Dangerous Speech] (audio interview, about 9 mins., listen to all)

* [http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/24189/twitter-hands-over-data-unbonjuif-authors-french-authorities Jessica McKenzie, Obeying French Courts, Twitter Hands Over Identities of Users Who Employed Anti-Semitic Hashtag (TechPresident)]

* [http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/14/opinion/york-libya-youtube/index.html Jillian York, Should Google Censor an Anti-Islam Video?]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1625820 David Ardia, Free Speech Savior or Shield for Scoundrels: An Empirical Study of Intermediary Immunity Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act] (Read all of Section I, Parts C&D of Section II, and Conclusion)

* [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/03/a-friendly-exchange-about-the-future-of-online-liability.ars John Palfrey & Adam Thierer, "Dialogue: The Future of Online Obscenity and Social Networks" (Ars Technica)]

* [http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1557224836887427725&q=reno+v+aclu&hl=en&as_sdt=2,22 ''Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union'', 521 U.S. 844 (1997)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Evolving_Landscape_of_Internet_Control_3.pdf Hal Roberts et al., The Evolving Landscape of Internet Control]

* [http://access.opennet.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/accessdenied-chapter-5.pdf Jonathan Zittrain and John Palfrey, Reluctant Gatekeepers: Corporate Ethics on a Filtered Internet (from ''Access Denied'')]

* [http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/adapting-us-policy-in-a-changing-international-system/245307/ Anne-Marie Slaughter, Adapting U.S. Policy in a Changing International System]

* [http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2012/structural-weakness-internet-speech Andy Sellars, The Structural Weakness of Internet Speech]

==Links from Class Discussion==

</onlyinclude>

==Class Discussion==

"The spread of information networks (the internet) is forming a new nervous system for our planet" - Hilary Clinton.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccGzOJHE1rw

For governments to react expeditiously to help individuals or communities in distress, there must be freedom of speech online.
But for this to be effective, the process need to be organized and formalized. Individuals need to ensure they are not sending noises and gibberish but useful information so that either the government or other able individuals, NGO's, or even private corporations can come to the rescue.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 06:57, 12 February 2014 (EST)

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I have to say, I found "The Delete Squad" article by Jeffrey Rosen to be extremely interesting. While I find hate speech despicable, I agree with the conclusion at which "The Deciders" arrived, to intervene only in rare cases in which resulting violence appeared imminent. In this age of prolific internet bullying, I can see how many people (particularly parents) might be inclined to argue that regulations must be implemented, but to me the solution seems to lie more so in the individual's own usage of the internet. By this I mean to say that a person should be responsible for restricting his or her (or his or her child's) internet usage so that he or she is not actively involved in sites which might be problematic. [[User:Castille|Castille]] 02:26, 15 February 2014 (EST)

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This might be a little off-topic, so I apologize in advance if it's "inappropriate", but I was wondering if anyone has read ''The Circle'' by Dave Eggers? These readings-- and my exchange with Ichua on last week's discussion board-- have really made me consider the thoughts posed in that book. Basically, the book is about a company (a la Facebook) which seeks to "complete the circle" of internet usage and identity. It functions as a sort of government in and of itself, as well as a full-fledged community/world. Everything is consolidated on their system, so that people have basically no anonymity online as we do now; the internet is no longer removed from reality, but is instead a virtual reality in the most literal sense. All of their information is stored within the system, including their medical records, family history, purchase history, job details and tasks, and essentially all communication is conducted through the site. There is also a security camera system which is set up and controlled by the users, but has become so prolific that essentially every area of the globe is under surveillance. While the situation posed in the novel is drastic and even scary, there are a lot of positives to certain aspects. I think the biggest concern is not necessarily the loss of privacy, but the question of who controls (or should control) such a system. Certainly controls should exist, but surely corporations should not have that much power or intimate knowledge and it seems that even a government would not suffice for such a job. Should there be another authority? If so, what sort of entity would be qualified to do such a job? I'd love to hear other peoples' perspectives, whether you've read it or not.[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:55, 17 February 2014 (EST)

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*'''NOTE 1''' While reading this week's articles, I took a break from homework to scroll down my Facebook newsfeed. I came across a post by a friend in Quebec, about a website that satirizes Snapchat. When I clicked the link, it gave me an error message. I messaged my friend, she was able to open the link with no problem from Quebec. From the comments on her post, it seems as though the only questionable content were some dirty pictures on the site, but nothing I understand to be limited in the USA. That was a bit weird/scary...
*'''NOTE 2''' Now that I am done reading this week's articles, I am more nervous to post my honest response to some of the articles than I used to be!
*'''QUESTION''' Does anyone know the Wiki Markdown version of <code>target="_blank"</code>? I'd be happy to add the markup to the class readings if anyone knows what the code is (I've tried Googling it... no luck...)
[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 15:27, 17 February 2014 (EST)

: It is generally considered bad practice in web development to use target="_blank" outside of very specific, exceptional cases. The reason is simple: If the link has no target attribute, the behaviour is defined by user's settings and by user's action as they can either click the link or right click and open in another tab/window/etc., some browsers offering other options such us click&drag, middle click, etc. If the link has a target="_blank" attribute, on the other hand, the user is forced to open the link in a separate tab/window - his actions are thus limited by the developer, for no good reason (even if the developer might think he has a good reason, it usually isn't). --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 17:39, 17 February 2014 (EST)

----

As I was considering the intersections of this week’s readings, several articles reminded me of a case that occurred back in 2000, although not within the realm of the Internet or something like the Flickr or Picasa most of us are very familiar with today, the parallels and concerns will seem obvious.

When we think about the amount of daily photographic content that now goes up on Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, etc. and consider the roles of these “Deciders” (as defined in one of the reading), the case as it occurred for an Oberlin, Ohio family back in 2000, seems like it could play out over and over again if individual states received the powers of prosecution to the extent that the State Attorneys General are requesting in their letter to congress on July 23, 2013.

Some may remember the case I’m referring to, in an overly distilled summary, it involved an amateur photographer who was chronicling her daughter’s life in still photography. Some photographs included her (then 8yr old) daughter bathing. When the photos were developed by the local film-processing lab, a clerk reported this to the police as an incident of “child pornography”. The local police agreed, and the mother was arrested and the case garnered national attention at the time with the ACLU coming to the defense of the mother.
http://www.oberlin.edu/alummag/oamcurrent/oam_spring_00/atissue.html
[Later the subject of an entire book looking more closely at the issues]
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/questions-of-photographic-propriety-in-framing-innocence/

The letter by the 49 Attorneys General certainly strikes at a horror that anyone with a human heart will become equally enraged towards - the tragedy of child abuse, sex trafficking, and exploitation. While it seems odd that the word “The State” is omitted from the current language of the CDA, I wonder if by including “The State” in CDA language, we will end up introduce a sliding scale of laws that become defined by “the standards of any small community” enforcing crimes that THEY define a “Obscenity” and/or “child pornography”.

What is viewed as unprotected speech and deemed as “obscenity” (or “child pornography”) in Lorain County Ohio, may not result in the same definition in (say) San Francisco. With the addition of “The State” in the CDA, could the State of Ohio prosecute a photographer in San Francisco for posting an “obscene” picture to a Flickr account which is accessible to users in Ohio? If the definition of “obscenity” is based on the Miller’s test (below), then What are the “community standards” that define obscenity in a case where one state wishes to prosecute someone in another “community”??

The Miller test for obscenity includes the following criteria

(1) whether ‘the average person, applying contemporary community standards’ would find that the work, ‘taken as a whole,’ appeals to ‘prurient interest’

(2) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and

(3) whether the work, ‘taken as a whole,’ lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

[[User:Psl|Psl]] 17:47, 17 February 2014 (EST)

:Thanks for contributing! Just to clarify, the constitutional definition of actionable obscenity under ''Miller'' has the geographic element to it, which tailors the more general [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-71 criminal statute], but in the realm of child pornography neither the [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2252 criminal statute] nor the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Ferber First Amendment doctrine] base liability on community standards. So while obscenity can very state to state, child pornography does not. (And both are illegal at the federal level.) [[User:Andy|Andy]] 18:47, 17 February 2014 (EST)

----

I have a greater appreciation for the issues involved in online free speech after this week's article. I somewhat disagree with Zuckerman's conclusion that private limitations to speech in private spaces is "Dangerous for a public society," in that I believe that private companies need to be able to define what is or isn't acceptable communication within their own environments--we're guests in these areas, and it's up to companies owning the spaces to decide what sort of environment their guests are going to experience. On the other hand, I don't think it can be the government that defines what's acceptable--it needs to be up to the individual owners of these spaces. I'm concerned about any encroachment on an individual or private enterprise's ability to decide what rules are appropriate for itself. While I find the content of, say, a site like Stormfront (a white separatist website) to be totally repugnant, I would defend their right to publish what they do--if anything, it simply exposes their nonsense to public scrutiny and criticism.

I am sympathetic to Benesch's thinking about "dangerous speech," and in particular it does make sense that the context (speaker, political environment, proximity to sensitive events, lack of competition/criticism) can make hate speech turn into something more insidious. Nevertheless, I'm unable to think of a good solution that doesn't actually make things worse. She claims to defend freedom of expression yet is able to make a distinction between expression and freedom of the press (dissemination). I find myself unable to disentangle the two. When one considers the international aspects, and the potential for international lawsuits (such as the French cases we've discussed) it seems like it would be unusually hard to apply her test to speech and protect the right of companies in places such as the United States to publish things that someone might claim to be "dangerous" elsewhere. For example, would the Chinese government find it to be "dangerous" if the customers of Twitter posted content about how there should be an end to single-party rule? Where do we draw the line? It's clear that not only are there the interests of certain governments at stake (and their authoritarian approaches to speech) but also the simple fact that some countries (such as the Rwanda example) may not have the institutions or cultural heritage to handle US-style free speech; yet it is it fair to force US companies to account for all of these cross-border and cross-cultural differences?

[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:08, 17 February 2014 (EST)

Regulating Speech Online

2014-02-18T01:08:32Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 18'''

The Internet has the potential to revolutionize public discourse. Instead of large media companies and corporate advertisers controlling the channels of speech, anyone with an Internet connection can, in the words of the Supreme Court, “become a town crier with a voice that resonates farther than it could from any soapbox.” (Reno v. ACLU). Internet speakers can reach vast audiences of readers, viewers, researchers, and buyers that stretch across real space borders, or they can concentrate on niche audiences that share a common interest or geographical location. What's more, speech on the Internet has truly become a conversation, with different voices and viewpoints mingling together to create a single "work."

With this great potential, however, comes new questions. What happens when anyone can publish to a global audience with virtually no oversight? How can a society balance the rights of speakers with the interests in safeguarding minors from offensive content? When different countries take different approaches on speech, whose values should take precedence? When a user of a website says something defamatory, when should we punish the user and when should we punish the website?

In this class, we will look at how law and social norms are struggling to adapt to this new electronic terrain.

Joining us this week will be [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/jhermes Jeff Hermes], Director of the [http://www.dmlp.org/ Digital Media Law Project].

<onlyinclude>

== Assignments ==

The first half of assignment 2 (posting your prospectus) is due before class ''next week (Feb. 25th)''. Information on the assignment can be found [[Assignments#Assignment_2:_Prospectus|here]].

== Readings ==

; Private and public control of speech online

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfS_2oXVch0 Berkman Center, How Internet Censorship Works] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [http://access.opennet.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/accesscontrolled-chapter-5.pdf Ethan Zuckerman, Intermediary Censorship (from ''Access Controlled'')]

* [http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113045/free-speech-internet-silicon-valley-making-rules Jeffrey Rosen, The Delete Squad (New Republic)]

* Biz Stone and Alex Macgillivary, [http://blog.twitter.com/2011/01/tweets-must-flow.html The Tweets Must Flow] and [http://blog.twitter.com/2012/01/tweets-still-must-flow.html The Tweets Still Must Flow]

* [http://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/free-expression-and-controversial.html Rachel Whetstone, Free Expression and Controversial Content on the Web]

; Speech laws and liabilities in the United States

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_230_of_the_Communications_Decency_Act Wikipedia, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act]

* [https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/cda-ag-letter.pdf Letter to Members of Congress from 49 state and territorial Attorneys General]

; Cross-border concerns

* [http://freespeechdebate.com/en/media/susan-benesch-on-dangerous-speech-2/ Susan Benesch, Dangerous Speech] (audio interview, about 9 mins., listen to all)

* [http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/24189/twitter-hands-over-data-unbonjuif-authors-french-authorities Jessica McKenzie, Obeying French Courts, Twitter Hands Over Identities of Users Who Employed Anti-Semitic Hashtag (TechPresident)]

* [http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/14/opinion/york-libya-youtube/index.html Jillian York, Should Google Censor an Anti-Islam Video?]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1625820 David Ardia, Free Speech Savior or Shield for Scoundrels: An Empirical Study of Intermediary Immunity Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act] (Read all of Section I, Parts C&D of Section II, and Conclusion)

* [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/03/a-friendly-exchange-about-the-future-of-online-liability.ars John Palfrey & Adam Thierer, "Dialogue: The Future of Online Obscenity and Social Networks" (Ars Technica)]

* [http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1557224836887427725&q=reno+v+aclu&hl=en&as_sdt=2,22 ''Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union'', 521 U.S. 844 (1997)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Evolving_Landscape_of_Internet_Control_3.pdf Hal Roberts et al., The Evolving Landscape of Internet Control]

* [http://access.opennet.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/accessdenied-chapter-5.pdf Jonathan Zittrain and John Palfrey, Reluctant Gatekeepers: Corporate Ethics on a Filtered Internet (from ''Access Denied'')]

* [http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/adapting-us-policy-in-a-changing-international-system/245307/ Anne-Marie Slaughter, Adapting U.S. Policy in a Changing International System]

* [http://www.dmlp.org/blog/2012/structural-weakness-internet-speech Andy Sellars, The Structural Weakness of Internet Speech]

==Links from Class Discussion==

</onlyinclude>

==Class Discussion==

"The spread of information networks (the internet) is forming a new nervous system for our planet" - Hilary Clinton.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccGzOJHE1rw

For governments to react expeditiously to help individuals or communities in distress, there must be freedom of speech online.
But for this to be effective, the process need to be organized and formalized. Individuals need to ensure they are not sending noises and gibberish but useful information so that either the government or other able individuals, NGO's, or even private corporations can come to the rescue.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 06:57, 12 February 2014 (EST)

----

I have to say, I found "The Delete Squad" article by Jeffrey Rosen to be extremely interesting. While I find hate speech despicable, I agree with the conclusion at which "The Deciders" arrived, to intervene only in rare cases in which resulting violence appeared imminent. In this age of prolific internet bullying, I can see how many people (particularly parents) might be inclined to argue that regulations must be implemented, but to me the solution seems to lie more so in the individual's own usage of the internet. By this I mean to say that a person should be responsible for restricting his or her (or his or her child's) internet usage so that he or she is not actively involved in sites which might be problematic. [[User:Castille|Castille]] 02:26, 15 February 2014 (EST)

----

This might be a little off-topic, so I apologize in advance if it's "inappropriate", but I was wondering if anyone has read ''The Circle'' by Dave Eggers? These readings-- and my exchange with Ichua on last week's discussion board-- have really made me consider the thoughts posed in that book. Basically, the book is about a company (a la Facebook) which seeks to "complete the circle" of internet usage and identity. It functions as a sort of government in and of itself, as well as a full-fledged community/world. Everything is consolidated on their system, so that people have basically no anonymity online as we do now; the internet is no longer removed from reality, but is instead a virtual reality in the most literal sense. All of their information is stored within the system, including their medical records, family history, purchase history, job details and tasks, and essentially all communication is conducted through the site. There is also a security camera system which is set up and controlled by the users, but has become so prolific that essentially every area of the globe is under surveillance. While the situation posed in the novel is drastic and even scary, there are a lot of positives to certain aspects. I think the biggest concern is not necessarily the loss of privacy, but the question of who controls (or should control) such a system. Certainly controls should exist, but surely corporations should not have that much power or intimate knowledge and it seems that even a government would not suffice for such a job. Should there be another authority? If so, what sort of entity would be qualified to do such a job? I'd love to hear other peoples' perspectives, whether you've read it or not.[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:55, 17 February 2014 (EST)

----

*'''NOTE 1''' While reading this week's articles, I took a break from homework to scroll down my Facebook newsfeed. I came across a post by a friend in Quebec, about a website that satirizes Snapchat. When I clicked the link, it gave me an error message. I messaged my friend, she was able to open the link with no problem from Quebec. From the comments on her post, it seems as though the only questionable content were some dirty pictures on the site, but nothing I understand to be limited in the USA. That was a bit weird/scary...
*'''NOTE 2''' Now that I am done reading this week's articles, I am more nervous to post my honest response to some of the articles than I used to be!
*'''QUESTION''' Does anyone know the Wiki Markdown version of <code>target="_blank"</code>? I'd be happy to add the markup to the class readings if anyone knows what the code is (I've tried Googling it... no luck...)
[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 15:27, 17 February 2014 (EST)

: It is generally considered bad practice in web development to use target="_blank" outside of very specific, exceptional cases. The reason is simple: If the link has no target attribute, the behaviour is defined by user's settings and by user's action as they can either click the link or right click and open in another tab/window/etc., some browsers offering other options such us click&drag, middle click, etc. If the link has a target="_blank" attribute, on the other hand, the user is forced to open the link in a separate tab/window - his actions are thus limited by the developer, for no good reason (even if the developer might think he has a good reason, it usually isn't). --[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 17:39, 17 February 2014 (EST)

----

As I was considering the intersections of this week’s readings, several articles reminded me of a case that occurred back in 2000, although not within the realm of the Internet or something like the Flickr or Picasa most of us are very familiar with today, the parallels and concerns will seem obvious.

When we think about the amount of daily photographic content that now goes up on Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, etc. and consider the roles of these “Deciders” (as defined in one of the reading), the case as it occurred for an Oberlin, Ohio family back in 2000, seems like it could play out over and over again if individual states received the powers of prosecution to the extent that the State Attorneys General are requesting in their letter to congress on July 23, 2013.

Some may remember the case I’m referring to, in an overly distilled summary, it involved an amateur photographer who was chronicling her daughter’s life in still photography. Some photographs included her (then 8yr old) daughter bathing. When the photos were developed by the local film-processing lab, a clerk reported this to the police as an incident of “child pornography”. The local police agreed, and the mother was arrested and the case garnered national attention at the time with the ACLU coming to the defense of the mother.
http://www.oberlin.edu/alummag/oamcurrent/oam_spring_00/atissue.html
[Later the subject of an entire book looking more closely at the issues]
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/questions-of-photographic-propriety-in-framing-innocence/

The letter by the 49 Attorneys General certainly strikes at a horror that anyone with a human heart will become equally enraged towards - the tragedy of child abuse, sex trafficking, and exploitation. While it seems odd that the word “The State” is omitted from the current language of the CDA, I wonder if by including “The State” in CDA language, we will end up introduce a sliding scale of laws that become defined by “the standards of any small community” enforcing crimes that THEY define a “Obscenity” and/or “child pornography”.

What is viewed as unprotected speech and deemed as “obscenity” (or “child pornography”) in Lorain County Ohio, may not result in the same definition in (say) San Francisco. With the addition of “The State” in the CDA, could the State of Ohio prosecute a photographer in San Francisco for posting an “obscene” picture to a Flickr account which is accessible to users in Ohio? If the definition of “obscenity” is based on the Miller’s test (below), then What are the “community standards” that define obscenity in a case where one state wishes to prosecute someone in another “community”??

The Miller test for obscenity includes the following criteria

(1) whether ‘the average person, applying contemporary community standards’ would find that the work, ‘taken as a whole,’ appeals to ‘prurient interest’

(2) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law, and

(3) whether the work, ‘taken as a whole,’ lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

[[User:Psl|Psl]] 17:47, 17 February 2014 (EST)

:Thanks for contributing! Just to clarify, the constitutional definition of actionable obscenity under ''Miller'' has the geographic element to it, which tailors the more general [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-71 criminal statute], but in the realm of child pornography neither the [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2252 criminal statute] nor the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_v._Ferber First Amendment doctrine] base liability on community standards. So while obscenity can very state to state, child pornography does not. (And both are illegal at the federal level.) [[User:Andy|Andy]] 18:47, 17 February 2014 (EST)

----

I have a greater appreciation for the issues involved in online free speech after this week's article. I somewhat disagree with Zuckerman's conclusion that private limitations speech in private spaces is "Dangerous for a public society," in that I believe that private companies need to be able to define what is or isn't acceptable communication within their own environments--we're guests in these areas, and it's up to companies owning the spaces to decide what sort of environment their guests are going to experience. On the other hand, I don't think it can be the government that defines what's acceptable--it needs to be up to the individual owners of these spaces. I'm concerned about any encroachment on an individual or private enterprise's ability to decide what rules are appropriate for itself. While I find the content of, say, a site like Stormfront (a white separatist website) to be totally repugnant, I would defend their right to publish what they do--if anything, it simply exposes their nonsense to public scrutiny and criticism.

I am sympathetic to Benesch's thinking about "dangerous speech," and in particular it does make sense that the context (speaker, political environment, proximity to sensitive events, lack of competition/criticism) can make hate speech turn into something more insidious. Nevertheless, I'm unable to think of a good solution that doesn't actually make things worse. She claims to defend freedom of expression yet is able to make a distinction between expression and freedom of the press (dissemination). I find myself unable to disentangle the two. When one considers the international aspects, and the potential for international lawsuits (such as the French cases we've discussed) it seems like it would be unusually hard to apply her test to speech and protect the right of companies in places such as the United States to publish things that someone might claim to be "dangerous" elsewhere. For example, would the Chinese government find it to be "dangerous" if the customers of Twitter posted content about how there should be an end to single-party rule? Where do we draw the line? It's clear that not only are there the interests of certain governments at stake (and their authoritarian approaches to speech) but also the simple fact that some countries (such as the Rwanda example) may not have the institutions or cultural heritage to handle US-style free speech; yet it is it fair to force US companies to account for all of these cross-border and cross-cultural differences?
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:08, 17 February 2014 (EST)

Assignment 1 Submissions

2014-02-08T17:21:41Z

Jradoff:

{{AssignmentCal}}

===Submission Instructions===

'''This section of the website is crawled by search engines. If you do not want your name to appear in a search connected with your writing, use your class wiki username.'''

Please make sure the name of your file includes your name or pseudonym (example: Name_Assignment1.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (final deadline: Tuesday, February 12, 5:30pm ET).

Upload your file here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:Upload Upload file]. After you upload your file, please post a link to it in the "Submissions" section below in the following format:

* Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym:
* Link to rule: (URL of the Wikipedia editing policy you chose)
* Link to article: (URL of the Wikipedia article you edited)
* Link to report: (URL of 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].

Need help editing? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:How_to_edit_a_page Check out this guide]

===Submissions===
Please post your link to your report below, in the following format:

* (Name or Pseudonym)

* (Link to rule)

* (Link to article)

* (Link to your submitted report)

[[User:Andy|Andy]] 19:58, 14 November 2013 (EST)

----

* Jradoff (on this wiki), Tarinth (on Wikipedia)
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability WP:V]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_systems Generative systems]
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Assignment1Radoff.txt Report Text]

[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 12:21, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

Assignment 1 Submissions

2014-02-08T17:21:20Z

Jradoff: /* Submissions */

{{AssignmentCal}}

===Submission Instructions===

'''This section of the website is crawled by search engines. If you do not want your name to appear in a search connected with your writing, use your class wiki username.'''

Please make sure the name of your file includes your name or pseudonym (example: Name_Assignment1.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (final deadline: Tuesday, February 12, 5:30pm ET).

Upload your file here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/Special:Upload Upload file]. After you upload your file, please post a link to it in the "Submissions" section below in the following format:

* Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym:
* Link to rule: (URL of the Wikipedia editing policy you chose)
* Link to article: (URL of the Wikipedia article you edited)
* Link to report: (URL of 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].

Need help editing? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:How_to_edit_a_page Check out this guide]

===Submissions===
Please post your link to your report below, in the following format:

* (Name or Pseudonym)

* (Link to rule)

* (Link to article)

* (Link to your submitted report)

[[User:Andy|Andy]] 19:58, 14 November 2013 (EST)

----

* Jradoff (on this wiki), Tarinth (on Wikipedia)
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability WP:V]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_systems Generative systems]
* [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:Assignment1Radoff.txt]

[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 12:21, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

Assignment 1 Submissions

2014-02-08T16:58:09Z

Jradoff: Fixed link for upload to 2014 class year, otherwise authentication of our login does not appear to work

A Series of Tubes: Infrastructure, Broadband, and Baseline Content Control

2014-02-08T15:45:47Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 11'''

The late Senator Ted Stevens famously said in a 2006 committee meeting that the “Internet is not something that you just dump something on; it’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” While he was ridiculed widely at the time, Senator Stevens’s remarks actually reveal an interesting hortatory description of what the Internet should be (though given the rest of his comments, apparently not one that he intended). What Stevens’s metaphor suggests is that the physical conduits of the Internet should act like nothing more than non-judgmental conduits of the rest of the world’s traffic. We will see this week, however, that this is not a true reflection of how the tubes work, and we have strong debates as to what the government's role should be in ensuring that large enough "tubes" reach all those who would like to be online. The big questions for this week: What are the “tubes” of the Internet? Should the tubes have a role in controlling the throughput content? What is the role of government when it comes to developing and regulating our Internet-tubes?

<onlyinclude>
== Readings ==

; Comparing and measuring connectivity

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPzjUMdpmSw The Berkman Center, How Do We Connect To The Internet?] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Berkman_Center_Broadband_Final_Report-C1_15Feb2010.pdf Yochai Benkler, Next Generation Connectivity] (executive summary and introduction only)

; What is the role of government?

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality Wikipedia, Net Neutrality]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/01/net_neutrality_d_c_circuit_court_ruling_the_battle_s_been_lost_but_we_can.html Marvin Ammori, The Net Neutrality Battle Has Been Lost, But Now We Can Finally Win the War]

* [http://www.wired.com/opinion/2014/01/one-talking-comes-net-neutrality/ Berin Szoka and Geoffrey Manne, The Feds Lost on Net Neutrality, But Won Control of the Internet]

* [http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2010/05/bright-ideas-nunziato-on-virtual-freedom-net-neutrality-and-free-speech-in-the-internet-age.html Daniel Solove, Interview with Dawn Nunziato on her book ''Virtual Freedom'']

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9Ss3SI2v8 Susan Crawford, remarks at the 2013 National Conference on Media Reform]

* [http://techliberation.com/2011/03/01/more-confusion-about-internet-freedom/ Adam Thierer, More Confusion about Internet “Freedom” (Tech Liberation)]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://gizmodo.com/5912383/how-to-destroy-the-internet Sam Biddle, How to Destroy the Internet (Gizmodo)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/digitaldemocracy/internetarchitecture.html Ethan Zuckerman & Andrew McLaughlin, Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2353457 Rob Faris and Rebekah Heacock, Measuring Internet Activity: a (Selective) Review of Methods and Metrics] (pages 3-9)

* [https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/felten/taking-stevens-seriously/ Ed Felten, Taking Ted Stevens Seriously]

* [http://www.renesys.com/2013/11/mitm-internet-hijacking/ Jim Cowie, The New Threat: Targeted Internet Traffic Misdirection]

</onlyinclude>

== Assignment 1 ==

[[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting|Assignment 1]] is due ''before class'' today (i.e., February 11th before 5:30pm ET). You can submit the assignment [[Assignment 1 Submissions|here]].

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==

{|class="wikitable" border=3 style="margin: auto; background-color:#FFFFCC;"
|align="center"|<big>'''REMINDER'''</big>
|-
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF;"|Your comments must be submitted '''before 4:00PM ET''' on the Tuesday we hold class in order to count for participation credit. Please see the [[Class Participation|participation policy]] for more information.
|}
<br/>
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

While working on Assignment One and doing the readings this week on Net neutrality, I have been left with a lot of confusion as to how much regulation I find appropriate. On one hand, I think the internet, as with the spoken word, should be unrestricted to allow freedom of speech and communication. In this age, there are forums for people to express themselves, learn extensively about every possible interest, exchange information and news immediately, and connect to others from around the world in a way never before seen in history. There are now outlets and communities for all-- no longer are people isolated. While that might be troublesome from a standpoint of privacy, in my opinion an issue just as pressing arises dealing with unrestricted hate language. With the internet providing a barrier between individuals, hateful language is easy to disperse as there is no immediate visible repercussion. People are allowed to hide behind their computers and anonymity, sometimes spewing shocking, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive language just to incite anger and controversy (this behavior is often referred to as "trolling"). With school systems and the like actively taking a stand against bullying, should internet bullying also be restricted? Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety (mental, emotional, physical) of the public who use the internet-- the website itself? The government? Some other agency which is set up to police the internet? Or would things be more fair if a simple internet ID was implemented, which identified users so that they were held responsible for their postings? I would tend to go with the last option, so as not to actually implement a rule of neutrality, which would be restricting free speech and infringing upon basic human rights.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 00:14, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

I've been a Wikipedian for a long time, although not recently. One of the interesting things to look at in the context of Wikipedia is the deletionist/inclusionist divide (I think the deletionists have basically won). I wrote the original article on this subject on Wikipedia, and I thought some of you might find it interesting: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deletionism_and_inclusionism_in_Wikipedia Deletionism and Inclusionism in Wikipedia]. I was the original author of this article (I'm [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Tarinth Tarinth] on Wikipedia) and it has an interesting history as an article, in that there was a fairly concerted attempt to have the article deleted as soon as I had created it. For further background on the subject, the following is an NPR interview I gave on the topic back in 2007: [http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/2007/01/20/marked_for_deletion.html "Marked for Deletion"]

My general feeling about Wikipedia: to move beyond casual editing, you need to become part of what amounts to a technological priesthood, and you have to fall in line with the prevailing philosophy to succeed at that. (Nevertheless, I do think Wikipedia is really awesome and super-useful, and it'll be fun to make some edits to an article again)
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:31, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

In both the first and second lecture, someone had mentioned that Wikipedia isn't accepted by universities as an acceptable source. To be fair, this isn't a problem with Wikipedia, because universities will ordinarily not accept Britannia as a source either. This is because these are both "tertiary sources," and in academic writing, you need to use either primary sources (original documents, etc.) or secondary sources (peer-reviewed articles, journalistic articles, etc.).
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:44, 8 February 2014 (EST)

A Series of Tubes: Infrastructure, Broadband, and Baseline Content Control

2014-02-08T15:44:32Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 11'''

The late Senator Ted Stevens famously said in a 2006 committee meeting that the “Internet is not something that you just dump something on; it’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” While he was ridiculed widely at the time, Senator Stevens’s remarks actually reveal an interesting hortatory description of what the Internet should be (though given the rest of his comments, apparently not one that he intended). What Stevens’s metaphor suggests is that the physical conduits of the Internet should act like nothing more than non-judgmental conduits of the rest of the world’s traffic. We will see this week, however, that this is not a true reflection of how the tubes work, and we have strong debates as to what the government's role should be in ensuring that large enough "tubes" reach all those who would like to be online. The big questions for this week: What are the “tubes” of the Internet? Should the tubes have a role in controlling the throughput content? What is the role of government when it comes to developing and regulating our Internet-tubes?

<onlyinclude>
== Readings ==

; Comparing and measuring connectivity

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPzjUMdpmSw The Berkman Center, How Do We Connect To The Internet?] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Berkman_Center_Broadband_Final_Report-C1_15Feb2010.pdf Yochai Benkler, Next Generation Connectivity] (executive summary and introduction only)

; What is the role of government?

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality Wikipedia, Net Neutrality]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/01/net_neutrality_d_c_circuit_court_ruling_the_battle_s_been_lost_but_we_can.html Marvin Ammori, The Net Neutrality Battle Has Been Lost, But Now We Can Finally Win the War]

* [http://www.wired.com/opinion/2014/01/one-talking-comes-net-neutrality/ Berin Szoka and Geoffrey Manne, The Feds Lost on Net Neutrality, But Won Control of the Internet]

* [http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2010/05/bright-ideas-nunziato-on-virtual-freedom-net-neutrality-and-free-speech-in-the-internet-age.html Daniel Solove, Interview with Dawn Nunziato on her book ''Virtual Freedom'']

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9Ss3SI2v8 Susan Crawford, remarks at the 2013 National Conference on Media Reform]

* [http://techliberation.com/2011/03/01/more-confusion-about-internet-freedom/ Adam Thierer, More Confusion about Internet “Freedom” (Tech Liberation)]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://gizmodo.com/5912383/how-to-destroy-the-internet Sam Biddle, How to Destroy the Internet (Gizmodo)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/digitaldemocracy/internetarchitecture.html Ethan Zuckerman & Andrew McLaughlin, Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2353457 Rob Faris and Rebekah Heacock, Measuring Internet Activity: a (Selective) Review of Methods and Metrics] (pages 3-9)

* [https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/felten/taking-stevens-seriously/ Ed Felten, Taking Ted Stevens Seriously]

* [http://www.renesys.com/2013/11/mitm-internet-hijacking/ Jim Cowie, The New Threat: Targeted Internet Traffic Misdirection]

</onlyinclude>

== Assignment 1 ==

[[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting|Assignment 1]] is due ''before class'' today (i.e., February 11th before 5:30pm ET). You can submit the assignment [[Assignment 1 Submissions|here]].

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==

{|class="wikitable" border=3 style="margin: auto; background-color:#FFFFCC;"
|align="center"|<big>'''REMINDER'''</big>
|-
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF;"|Your comments must be submitted '''before 4:00PM ET''' on the Tuesday we hold class in order to count for participation credit. Please see the [[Class Participation|participation policy]] for more information.
|}
<br/>
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

While working on Assignment One and doing the readings this week on Net neutrality, I have been left with a lot of confusion as to how much regulation I find appropriate. On one hand, I think the internet, as with the spoken word, should be unrestricted to allow freedom of speech and communication. In this age, there are forums for people to express themselves, learn extensively about every possible interest, exchange information and news immediately, and connect to others from around the world in a way never before seen in history. There are now outlets and communities for all-- no longer are people isolated. While that might be troublesome from a standpoint of privacy, in my opinion an issue just as pressing arises dealing with unrestricted hate language. With the internet providing a barrier between individuals, hateful language is easy to disperse as there is no immediate visible repercussion. People are allowed to hide behind their computers and anonymity, sometimes spewing shocking, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive language just to incite anger and controversy (this behavior is often referred to as "trolling"). With school systems and the like actively taking a stand against bullying, should internet bullying also be restricted? Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety (mental, emotional, physical) of the public who use the internet-- the website itself? The government? Some other agency which is set up to police the internet? Or would things be more fair if a simple internet ID was implemented, which identified users so that they were held responsible for their postings? I would tend to go with the last option, so as not to actually implement a rule of neutrality, which would be restricting free speech and infringing upon basic human rights.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 00:14, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

I've been a Wikipedian for a long time, although not recently. One of the interesting things to look at in the context of Wikipedia is the deletionist/inclusionist divide (I think the deletionists have basically won). I wrote the original article on this subject on Wikipedia, and I thought some of you might find it interesting: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deletionism_and_inclusionism_in_Wikipedia Deletionism and Inclusionism in Wikipedia]. I was the original author of this article (I'm [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Tarinth Tarinth] on Wikipedia) and it has an interesting history as an article, in that there was a fairly concerted attempt to have the article deleted as soon as I had created it. For further background on the subject, the following is an NPR interview I gave on the topic back in 2007: [http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/2007/01/20/marked_for_deletion.html "Marked for Deletion"]

My general feeling about Wikipedia: to move beyond casual editing, you need to become part of what amounts to a technological priesthood, and you have to fall in line with the prevailing philosophy to succeed at that. (Nevertheless, I do think Wikipedia is really awesome and super-useful, and it'll be fun to make some edits to an article again)
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:31, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

In both the first and second lecture, someone had mentioned that Wikipedia isn't accepted by universities as an acceptable source. To be fair, this isn't a problem with Wikipedia, because universities will ordinarily not accept Britannia as a source either. This is because these are both "tertiary sources," and in academic writing, you need to use either primary sources (original documents, etc.) or secondary sources (other academic writing, newspaper articles, etc.).
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:44, 8 February 2014 (EST)

A Series of Tubes: Infrastructure, Broadband, and Baseline Content Control

2014-02-08T15:33:18Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

A Series of Tubes: Infrastructure, Broadband, and Baseline Content Control

2014-02-08T15:32:33Z

Jradoff:

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 11'''

The late Senator Ted Stevens famously said in a 2006 committee meeting that the “Internet is not something that you just dump something on; it’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” While he was ridiculed widely at the time, Senator Stevens’s remarks actually reveal an interesting hortatory description of what the Internet should be (though given the rest of his comments, apparently not one that he intended). What Stevens’s metaphor suggests is that the physical conduits of the Internet should act like nothing more than non-judgmental conduits of the rest of the world’s traffic. We will see this week, however, that this is not a true reflection of how the tubes work, and we have strong debates as to what the government's role should be in ensuring that large enough "tubes" reach all those who would like to be online. The big questions for this week: What are the “tubes” of the Internet? Should the tubes have a role in controlling the throughput content? What is the role of government when it comes to developing and regulating our Internet-tubes?

<onlyinclude>
== Readings ==

; Comparing and measuring connectivity

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPzjUMdpmSw The Berkman Center, How Do We Connect To The Internet?] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Berkman_Center_Broadband_Final_Report-C1_15Feb2010.pdf Yochai Benkler, Next Generation Connectivity] (executive summary and introduction only)

; What is the role of government?

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality Wikipedia, Net Neutrality]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/01/net_neutrality_d_c_circuit_court_ruling_the_battle_s_been_lost_but_we_can.html Marvin Ammori, The Net Neutrality Battle Has Been Lost, But Now We Can Finally Win the War]

* [http://www.wired.com/opinion/2014/01/one-talking-comes-net-neutrality/ Berin Szoka and Geoffrey Manne, The Feds Lost on Net Neutrality, But Won Control of the Internet]

* [http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2010/05/bright-ideas-nunziato-on-virtual-freedom-net-neutrality-and-free-speech-in-the-internet-age.html Daniel Solove, Interview with Dawn Nunziato on her book ''Virtual Freedom'']

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9Ss3SI2v8 Susan Crawford, remarks at the 2013 National Conference on Media Reform]

* [http://techliberation.com/2011/03/01/more-confusion-about-internet-freedom/ Adam Thierer, More Confusion about Internet “Freedom” (Tech Liberation)]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://gizmodo.com/5912383/how-to-destroy-the-internet Sam Biddle, How to Destroy the Internet (Gizmodo)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/digitaldemocracy/internetarchitecture.html Ethan Zuckerman & Andrew McLaughlin, Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2353457 Rob Faris and Rebekah Heacock, Measuring Internet Activity: a (Selective) Review of Methods and Metrics] (pages 3-9)

* [https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/felten/taking-stevens-seriously/ Ed Felten, Taking Ted Stevens Seriously]

* [http://www.renesys.com/2013/11/mitm-internet-hijacking/ Jim Cowie, The New Threat: Targeted Internet Traffic Misdirection]

</onlyinclude>

== Assignment 1 ==

[[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting|Assignment 1]] is due ''before class'' today (i.e., February 11th before 5:30pm ET). You can submit the assignment [[Assignment 1 Submissions|here]].

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==

{|class="wikitable" border=3 style="margin: auto; background-color:#FFFFCC;"
|align="center"|<big>'''REMINDER'''</big>
|-
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF;"|Your comments must be submitted '''before 4:00PM ET''' on the Tuesday we hold class in order to count for participation credit. Please see the [[Class Participation|participation policy]] for more information.
|}
<br/>
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

While working on Assignment One and doing the readings this week on Net neutrality, I have been left with a lot of confusion as to how much regulation I find appropriate. On one hand, I think the internet, as with the spoken word, should be unrestricted to allow freedom of speech and communication. In this age, there are forums for people to express themselves, learn extensively about every possible interest, exchange information and news immediately, and connect to others from around the world in a way never before seen in history. There are now outlets and communities for all-- no longer are people isolated. While that might be troublesome from a standpoint of privacy, in my opinion an issue just as pressing arises dealing with unrestricted hate language. With the internet providing a barrier between individuals, hateful language is easy to disperse as there is no immediate visible repercussion. People are allowed to hide behind their computers and anonymity, sometimes spewing shocking, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive language just to incite anger and controversy (this behavior is often referred to as "trolling"). With school systems and the like actively taking a stand against bullying, should internet bullying also be restricted? Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety (mental, emotional, physical) of the public who use the internet-- the website itself? The government? Some other agency which is set up to police the internet? Or would things be more fair if a simple internet ID was implemented, which identified users so that they were held responsible for their postings? I would tend to go with the last option, so as not to actually implement a rule of neutrality, which would be restricting free speech and infringing upon basic human rights.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 00:14, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

I've been a Wikipedian for a long time, although not recently. One of the interesting things to look at in the context of Wikipedia is the deletionist/inclusionist divide (I think the deletionists have basically won). I wrote the original article on this subject on Wikipedia, and I thought some of you might find it interesting: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deletionism_and_inclusionism_in_Wikipedia Deletionism and Inclusionism in Wikipedia]. I was the original author of this article (I'm [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Tarinth Tarinth] on Wikipedia) and it has an interesting history as an article, in that there was a fairly concerted attempt to have the article deleted as soon as I had created it. For further background on the subject, the following is an NPR interview I gave on the topic back in 2007: ["Marked for Deletion" http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/2007/01/20/marked_for_deletion.html]

My general feeling about Wikipedia: to move beyond casual editing, you need to become part of what amounts to a technological priesthood, and you have to fall in line with the prevailing philosophy to succeed at that. (Nevertheless, I do think Wikipedia is really awesome and super-useful, and it'll be fun to make some edits to an article again)
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:31, 8 February 2014 (EST)

A Series of Tubes: Infrastructure, Broadband, and Baseline Content Control

2014-02-08T15:31:42Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 11'''

The late Senator Ted Stevens famously said in a 2006 committee meeting that the “Internet is not something that you just dump something on; it’s not a big truck. It’s a series of tubes.” While he was ridiculed widely at the time, Senator Stevens’s remarks actually reveal an interesting hortatory description of what the Internet should be (though given the rest of his comments, apparently not one that he intended). What Stevens’s metaphor suggests is that the physical conduits of the Internet should act like nothing more than non-judgmental conduits of the rest of the world’s traffic. We will see this week, however, that this is not a true reflection of how the tubes work, and we have strong debates as to what the government's role should be in ensuring that large enough "tubes" reach all those who would like to be online. The big questions for this week: What are the “tubes” of the Internet? Should the tubes have a role in controlling the throughput content? What is the role of government when it comes to developing and regulating our Internet-tubes?

<onlyinclude>
== Readings ==

; Comparing and measuring connectivity

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPzjUMdpmSw The Berkman Center, How Do We Connect To The Internet?] (about 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/sites/cyber.law.harvard.edu/files/Berkman_Center_Broadband_Final_Report-C1_15Feb2010.pdf Yochai Benkler, Next Generation Connectivity] (executive summary and introduction only)

; What is the role of government?

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality Wikipedia, Net Neutrality]

* [http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/01/net_neutrality_d_c_circuit_court_ruling_the_battle_s_been_lost_but_we_can.html Marvin Ammori, The Net Neutrality Battle Has Been Lost, But Now We Can Finally Win the War]

* [http://www.wired.com/opinion/2014/01/one-talking-comes-net-neutrality/ Berin Szoka and Geoffrey Manne, The Feds Lost on Net Neutrality, But Won Control of the Internet]

* [http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2010/05/bright-ideas-nunziato-on-virtual-freedom-net-neutrality-and-free-speech-in-the-internet-age.html Daniel Solove, Interview with Dawn Nunziato on her book ''Virtual Freedom'']

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9Ss3SI2v8 Susan Crawford, remarks at the 2013 National Conference on Media Reform]

* [http://techliberation.com/2011/03/01/more-confusion-about-internet-freedom/ Adam Thierer, More Confusion about Internet “Freedom” (Tech Liberation)]

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://gizmodo.com/5912383/how-to-destroy-the-internet Sam Biddle, How to Destroy the Internet (Gizmodo)]

* [https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/digitaldemocracy/internetarchitecture.html Ethan Zuckerman & Andrew McLaughlin, Introduction to Internet Architecture and Institutions]

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2353457 Rob Faris and Rebekah Heacock, Measuring Internet Activity: a (Selective) Review of Methods and Metrics] (pages 3-9)

* [https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/felten/taking-stevens-seriously/ Ed Felten, Taking Ted Stevens Seriously]

* [http://www.renesys.com/2013/11/mitm-internet-hijacking/ Jim Cowie, The New Threat: Targeted Internet Traffic Misdirection]

</onlyinclude>

== Assignment 1 ==

[[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting|Assignment 1]] is due ''before class'' today (i.e., February 11th before 5:30pm ET). You can submit the assignment [[Assignment 1 Submissions|here]].

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==

{|class="wikitable" border=3 style="margin: auto; background-color:#FFFFCC;"
|align="center"|<big>'''REMINDER'''</big>
|-
|style="background-color:#FFFFFF;"|Your comments must be submitted '''before 4:00PM ET''' on the Tuesday we hold class in order to count for participation credit. Please see the [[Class Participation|participation policy]] for more information.
|}
<br/>
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

----

While working on Assignment One and doing the readings this week on Net neutrality, I have been left with a lot of confusion as to how much regulation I find appropriate. On one hand, I think the internet, as with the spoken word, should be unrestricted to allow freedom of speech and communication. In this age, there are forums for people to express themselves, learn extensively about every possible interest, exchange information and news immediately, and connect to others from around the world in a way never before seen in history. There are now outlets and communities for all-- no longer are people isolated. While that might be troublesome from a standpoint of privacy, in my opinion an issue just as pressing arises dealing with unrestricted hate language. With the internet providing a barrier between individuals, hateful language is easy to disperse as there is no immediate visible repercussion. People are allowed to hide behind their computers and anonymity, sometimes spewing shocking, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive language just to incite anger and controversy (this behavior is often referred to as "trolling"). With school systems and the like actively taking a stand against bullying, should internet bullying also be restricted? Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety (mental, emotional, physical) of the public who use the internet-- the website itself? The government? Some other agency which is set up to police the internet? Or would things be more fair if a simple internet ID was implemented, which identified users so that they were held responsible for their postings? I would tend to go with the last option, so as not to actually implement a rule of neutrality, which would be restricting free speech and infringing upon basic human rights.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 00:14, 8 February 2014 (EST)

----

I've been a Wikipedian for a long time, although not recently. One of the interesting things to look at in the context of Wikipedia is the deletionist/inclusionist divide (I think the deletionists have basically won). I wrote the original article on this subject on Wikipedia, and I thought some of you might find it interesting: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deletionism_and_inclusionism_in_Wikipedia Deletionism and Inclusionism in Wikipedia]. I was the original author of this article (I'm [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Tarinth Tarinth] on Wikipedia) and it has an interesting history as an article, in that there was a fairly concerted attempt to have the article deleted as soon as I had created it. For further background on the subject, the following is an NPR interview I gave on the topic back in 2007: [http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/2007/01/20/marked_for_deletion.html]

My general feeling about Wikipedia: to move beyond casual editing, you need to become part of what amounts to a technological priesthood, and you have to fall in line with the prevailing philosophy to succeed at that. (Nevertheless, I do think Wikipedia is really awesome and super-useful, and it'll be fun to make some edits to an article again)
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 10:31, 8 February 2014 (EST)

Politics and Technology of Control: Introduction

2014-02-04T01:39:34Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}
'''January 28'''

The Internet at its core is simply an expression of a technological protocol that allows for a particular way of sharing information. But its role has never been this understated. The Net has great potential for “good” (e.g. innovation, economic growth, education, and access to information), and likewise is a great platform for the bawdy, tawdry and illegal. So is this platform about fundamental social, political and economic change, or about access to solipsistic blogging, pornography, cheap pharmaceuticals, free music, and poker at home? This question leads us to a host of interesting issues that weave their way through the course related to openness, access, regulatory control, free speech, anonymity, intellectual property rights, democracy, transparency, norms and values, economic and cultural change, and cyber-terrorism, as well as scamsters and thieves.

'''[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:IS2014_Class_1.pdf Download slides from this week's class.]'''

'''There is a small assignment to do before class. See [[#Preparation (Assignment "Zero")|Assignment Zero]] below.

== Preparation (Assignment "Zero") ==

Reflect on what you believe are the most significant social, cultural, political or economic changes associated with the spread of digital technologies. In a few sentences, please offer 2-3 examples in the [[#Class Discussion|Class Discussion]] section below and be prepared to discuss them during class.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings/Watchings ==

'''What is the Internet?'''

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2QdEj8UjBc Ethan Zuckerman, History of the Internet] (approx. 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmMNRHktX8 Jonathan Zittrain, How the Internet Works] (approx. 4 mins., watch all)

'''How does the Internet change governance?'''

* [http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~zs/decl.html John Perry Barlow, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace]

* [http://www.legalaffairs.org/printerfriendly.msp?id=961 Jack Goldsmith & Tim Wu, Digital Borders (Legal Affairs)]

* [http://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2009/03/the_third_wave.htm Eric Goldman, The Third Wave of Internet Exceptionalism]

* [http://www.ted.com/talks/rebecca_mackinnon_let_s_take_back_the_internet.html Rebecca MacKinnon, Let’s Take Back the Internet! (TED.com)] (approx. 15 mins., watch all)

'''Who governs the Internet?'''

* [http://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/assets/governance-2500x1664-13jan14-en.png ICANN, Who Runs the Internet?] (infographic)

* [http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=1071915 Alex Simonelis, A Concise Guide to the Major Internet Bodies] (skim, but focus on ICANN, IETF, IANA, and W3C)

'''Who is the Internet? Who is it not? What can we do about it?'''

* [http://www.webuse.org/pdf/Hargittai-DigitalDivideWhatToDo2007.pdf Eszter Hargittai, The Digital Divide and What to Do About It (New Economy Handbook)] (focus on Sections I-III)

:* Hargittai’s data is from 2003. For more recent data, see [http://pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2013/PIP_Offline%20adults_092513_PDF.pdf Pew Internet & American Life Project, Who's Not Online and Why] (read the summary, skim the sections).

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNHkG7w2IA8 Ethan Zuckerman, Why Our Webs Are Rarely Worldwide, And What We Can Do About It] (approx. 14 mins., watch all)

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2013/12/04/video-who-controls-the-internet/ Ellery Biddle, Who Controls the Internet? (''Global Voices'')] (video in Spanish with English subtitles, 10 mins., watch all)

* [http://www.cluetrain.com Chris Locke, Doc Searls & David Weinberger, Cluetrain Manifesto] (just the manifesto)

* [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1752415 Tim Wu, Is Internet Exceptionalism Dead?]

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2012/12/05/good-and-bad-reasons-to-be-worried-about-wcit/ Ethan Zuckerman, Good and Bad Reasons to be Worried About WCIT]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links From Adobe Connect Session ==

Some more info on traceroute: http://www.exit109.com/~jeremy/news/providers/traceroute.html

Tim Wu on Colbert: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/432449/january-23-2014/end-of-net-neutrality---tim-wu

Sealand: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Sealand

An example of surreptitiously activating webcams: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/12/18/research-shows-how-macbook-webcams-can-spy-on-their-users-without-warning/

SOPA/PIPA Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act

Chatham House Rules: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_House_Rule

== Class Discussion ==

<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Welcome to Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control! This is the section of the page where you should add your comments to complete "assignment zero." Once you have registered an account, just click the "[edit]" button at the upper right hand corner of this section to add text! '''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

I think AKK22 made an excellent point in discussing the stratification of identity. The internet enables private actors to mask themselves and essentially create their own identity with relatively little risk of a subject's true identity being unveiled. In a way, this new medium to create one's own cyberspace "identity" reminds me of Plato's "Ring of Gyges" conflict coming to fruition. A new reality television show (the name escapes me) premiers this identity issue by showing how people were tricked into thinking they were in an online relationship with someone posing as someone else. In the end, the identity portrayed by the character is a mere fantasy entrenched in a false sense of reality.

As Vance and others have noted, the legal and justice systems are clearly not up to par with the expansion of digital technology. The few convoluted reforms that have been indoctrinated appear to be more reactionary than proactive in nature and contain muddied channels for justice to prevail as can be seen through the troubles with copyright law.

On the other hand, transparency vis-à-vis the internet has perhaps brought more justice into politics by exposing scandals. However, the "Age of Information" has transformed what citizens believe to be a right in terms of privacy for both the individual and also privacy for the government to operate in the best interests of national security. More available information seems to have made citizens more apt to demand more information.

Some of the comments on cultural change also reminded me of a paper I wrote last term on British women during WWI using primary sources. I could not believe how these uneducated women wrote with such pride, prose, and precision even in their own personal diaries which they would not assume others would never read. Grammar and prose have largely degraded since the birth of digital technology and some have argued this could be connected to the declining education systems in the United States. In math, students no longer have importance of learning to add, subtract, multiply or divide with the advent of the calculator. Generally, studies have shown that the attention rate of younger generations is much lower which makes it difficult for children to focus in school.

I read an interesting article called "The Internet and Youth Culture". In it, Gustavo Mesch describes the generational phenomenon as the "bedroom culture" and discusses a lot of the elements we have been discussing.

If anyone is interested:

http://www.iasc-culture.org/THR/archives/YouthCulture/Mesch.pdf

--[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 04:58, 3 February 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has created many significant changes, including but not limited to, a social explosion, a political revolution, and even major cultural and economic impacts. Quite often the boundaries is not definitive, whereby there are socio-economic impacts. Socially, the speed at which we communicate, the manner in which we communicate, and how we expect to be communicated with, has shifted into warp speed. This has economic ramifications as well.

For instance, we no longer are limited to waiting on hold to speak with a customer service representative of a company, we can access their Facebook page to find out company information or tweet about a bad experience, and almost instantly receive not only a response, but even action. Numerous of unhappy customer experiences have ended up online as blogs, thus becoming an impetus for change in how a business does business (i.e Change.org). One such account was that of a cell phone customer who was unhappy and another cell phone carrier's CEO joined an online twitter discussion and won the customer from the other carrier and even remarked that that's the type of personal service you can expect from T-Mobile that you will not get from AT&T. It was great, free advertising.

From a cultural aspect, many people go to churches, mosques, halls, et al for fellowship and worship. Now, many people are accessing their place of worship's service via live streaming technology. I've even noticed more people carrying less bibles and more tablets and/or smartphones to access online versions of bibles in churches via apps like YouVersion. Churches have opened multiple satellite locations, where a mere screen is erected and streams the live broadcast to to each location. Many people come each week to watch a screen and act as if the minister, pastor, bishop are there and seemingly enjoy the digital experience as if it were the real person. MOOCs are the equivalent in the educational arena.

Politically (or socio-politically), our 44th President ran an entire political campaign online, raised more money virtually, reached more of the younger generation, and won his first election via his seemingly transparent and online access to his campaign, campaign schedule, people's "access' to him online, and his overall ability to embrace digital technologies. We also have more access into wars. Soldiers are carrying smartphones and taking pictures of what's going on and posting those online.

Natural disasters have caused massive damages to places like Sandy Hook and Haiti. Americans used technology to text donations to aid victims of those misfortunes. The aid received for the Earthquake in Haiti was in the billions.[[User:404consultant|404consultant]] 23:09, 2 February 2014 (EST)

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The most significant changes associated with the spread of digital technologies would be the speed of information exchange and increased opportunity for information sharing.

With the help of social networking websites, it takes only one click to inform your friends and family about the birthday party that will be held next week in downtown, and you will be able to do a head count by looking at how many people click the “Going” button. It saves time and effort to exchange information nowadays. Although this attributed to the fact that people have been less careful when sharing information, we could not deny that digital technologies has contributed a lot in a positive way such as improving efficiency.

Another good example of showing how rapid the information sharing process could be via digital technologies is Edward Snowden. He would like to warn the public “as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them” by releasing classified material to The Guardian. It only took a day for the news to travel around the world.
[[User:Jolietheone|Jolietheone]] 16:41, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technology and the influence of the Internet have changed our society immeasurably. I am particularly interested in exploring the social, cultural, and political influence of digital technology on our society and in developing countries. From this perspective, one of the most significant moments of change on the Internet was the Arab Spring of 2010. As a grassroots movement facilitated by Twitter, this was a defining moment in demonstrating the power of online communities. The Arab Spring proved that individuals were able to cultivate communities online and more importantly, were able to organize themselves within the community to become a force of change. The democratization of information, ability to communicate, and the freedom to communicate gave the promise of justice for the voiceless and oppressed. Today, citizen advocacy has brought once quieted issues to the mainstream, like the NSA leaks, the 2012 Delhi gang rape, or the Boston Marathon Bombing.

However, the Internet and digital technology has influenced many other areas besides society and government. A critical step in progress for modern technology is the mapping of the human genome. The ability to store and access this information has ushered in unprecedented changes in medical fields. Furthermore, the Internet has increased access to medical tools like WebMD or the development of medical mobile applications, which will be an important development as technology becomes more globalized.
[[User:Julie|Julie]] 16:14, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Access and participation afforded by the spread of digital technologies have had a significant impact socially, culturally, politically, and economically. Socially, access to networking platforms, social media, internet calling services and instant messaging have changed the quantity of individual connections- and quality of relationships- regardless of location throughout the world. Culturally, stratification of identity or orientation has shifted significantly; the emphasis on national, religious, ethnic, and other cultural differences has been diluted by the rise of interconnectivity, access to information and the ability to participate across cultures. Politically and economically, the impact is largely similar- access to non-traditional and real-time news sources fostered by the spread of digital technology empowers the consumer as well as the constituent. The ability to inform oneself and advocate for individual and collective interests has changed the landscape of economic and political participation; unfortunately this has been coupled with increased concerns about rights to information disseminated on the internet and the protection of privacy at the individual and organizational level. [[User:Akk22|Akk22]] 11:04, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The explosion of digital technology has dramatically impacted society in all facets of life. It has evolved us as a species and will continue to change the way in which we interact with each other, the way we think, and eventually the human body itself will gradually transform. In terms of inventions, the birth of the internet has far surpassed any other invention known to mankind with respect to the magnitude of change occurring within the relatively short lifespan of its existence. As a child, I recall when robots were once considered something so distant in the future, but now we have a form of a robot with the internet. It contains more "knowledge" and holds more information than any human being.

Digital technology has altered society in several ways that I have observed and experienced:

Socially & Culturally - Digital technology has changed the way humans make plans and interact with one another. It appears that encounters and relationships have somehow become more casual and less personal via the advancement and widespread use of social media. Formalities and formal interactions are becoming less common. A simple text message now is the norm for setting up a date with a potential mate rather than a phone call or knocking on the lady's door to ask her parents' permission for a proper date.

Along these lines, for better or worse, it appears that even the cultural style of dress for those in the younger generations has evolved into a more casual trend. People are generally more accepting with an "anything goes" type of attitude. The iconic CEO Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerburg, is often seen wearing his T-Shirt even when meeting with other high profile CEOs and officials.

The so-called "dot-com" generation has also been known to feel the need for "instant gratification" and appear to have less patience than the elder members of society. This makes sense given digital technology's ease of immediate information sharing and overall access to information at the click of a button. Only a few years ago it seemed normal if someone did not respond within a day or two. Now if someone does not answer after one or two days, 911 is serious consideration.

General reliability between friends is also another changing element of human interaction because with the click of a button someone can cancel plans or easily evade previously planned obligations. A few decades ago, if I told someone we were to meet at the train station, I had better show up because I had no way of letting my comrade know I could not make it. It used to be considered nearly impossible to ask someone to "hang out" on the same day because planning with such short notice was simply not possible. With cell phones and text messaging, "meeting up" is now the norm and planning events out is becoming less common (or so has been true in my experience).

Governance & Governing: As Jack Goldsmith and Timothy Wu illustrate in their example about Yahoo in "Digital Borders", the internet has and I believe will continue to erode the general power of government. The internet has no borders and trying to determine the convoluted doctrine of privacy is a grapple for any expert to endure. The internet also enhances the power of the individual (for better or worse) as it affords all members of the world with a platform for anyone to view. With an unlimited audience propaganda becomes all the more powerful and any thought can be expressed and followed by the masses. Culturally, this can also enhance narcissism to the extent that one's own thoughts, photos, and individual power/image can be continually broadcasted for the world to see.

The internet has obviously changed the way laws are enforced and the modus operandi in which criminals operate. While the internet has arguably made it easier for law enforcement to catch certain types of criminals, other types of threats (namely, cyber crime) are more difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to detect.

Economy: While the internet has worked wonders for many economic gains such as providing general efficiency; the downside is the threat that if the internet crashes or otherwise becomes inoperable, business suddenly takes a back seat and can become totally paralyzed acting as a prime target for adversaries (as the recent Target credit card hacking events have shown). In other words, the benefits of efficiency are only truly beneficial to the extent that internet platforms are operating smoothly. The overdependence on the internet is perhaps the most frightening thing our society faces. I will never forget the first time I was at a store and the "servers" were down at the checkout counter. After two hours of shopping and loads of groceries, I was turned away even after offering cash! The computer system required all transactions to be logged. The damage to the economy if this were to happen on a grand scale would be damming.

The internet has actually changed the very definition of success and perception of success in my opinion. In one minute, you can become rich off the internet. One youtube video posted can start Justin Bieber's Hollywood career; the advent of a social media website can make someone one of the richest in the world. Striking it rich has become much easier for some who thrive off the popularity contest the internet provides. How this has impacted the traditional view of the American dream remains to be seen.

[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 20:48, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has sparked an ubiquitous world. Communication is instantaneous, global, and self-published. As a result, the public has chosen which social and political interactions to reject and trust, causing a potentially biased perception of their contemporary world. The irony of this bias is that the ability to access information from a variety of sources is unprecedented; sorting through the inundation of un- and published materials - fact or opinion - becomes a challenge for even the most educated. For the youth, privacy becomes re-defined as being alone physically, yet open to sharing the most insignificant or significant details of their lives digitally (how will these tendencies shape the future?). The combinational effects of these changes establish a gateway for future technologies to be adapted (or rejected) by the public; however, improving awareness and education of the general public is of utmost importance in order for society to fully embrace the power and impact of these future tools.

[[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 20:48, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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“Change” holds neither a positive, nor negative connotation, so I will provide an example of each:

The negative: The ubiquity of camera-equipped, internet-connected smartphones allows millions of Americans to digitally upload and share photographs with ease. Sometimes, though, these photos are compromising and end up in the hands of nefarious purveyors of “revenge porn.” The proliferation of revenge porn can and does compromise the privacy (and oftentimes safety) of private citizens who become unwitting victims of sexual harassment. And in most cases, law enforcement is unable to prosecute offenders. Many U.S. states punish “cyberstalking,” but only as a misdemeanor, which means that law enforcement cannot obtain warrants that are necessary to collect evidence needed to prosecute. Recourse in civil court proves equally futile due in large part to antiquated copyright law. I believe that revenge porn serves as an example of the social and political problems that can arise when technology moves faster than the law.

The positive: Digital technology continues to reinvent the culture of higher learning. For instance, I am currently participating in this discussion, and will attend this Cambridge-based class remotely, from my home in Manhattan, NYC. Moreover, MOOCs offered by EdX and similar providers allow interested parties to engage in courses out of genuine interest.

[[User:Vance.puchalski|Vance.puchalski]] 00:33, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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significant social, cultural, political or economic changes associated with the spread of digital technologies:

1) culturally and politically, spin control held by governments and regional authorities ( religious, corporate, ethnic ) loses traction in the minds of individual internet users; digital tech results in a macro shift of the rhetoric of belief from formerly established originators of spin to the web itself as provider of deconstructed information that individuals more typically use to form their own beliefs and to question the validity of formerly established paradigms.

2)economically, web commerce fast outdates the economics of traditional physically-based logistics. Serious privacy issues among users of new technologies stand as barriers to user confidence, even as new tech info systems tend to present prospective users with no viable lesser-cost alternatives.

[[User:Mbouscaren|Mbouscaren]] 14:55, 25 January 2014 (EST)

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1. The ability to communicate instantly has changed social interactions and relationships on a personal level (i.e. the instant feedback available on social media and communication via email, text, etc.) and in wider communities (i.e. forums, comments on news articles and blogs, etc.). The access to and engagement with new communication technologies can be empowering for those who may have otherwise felt voiceless, while a sense of anonymity can lead to harassment with minimal consequences.

2. Fast and easy access to information that allows individuals to educate themselves (though that has to be balanced against the challenges of finding reliable sources) and have more control as consumers (compare products, read reviews, etc.).

[[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 16:25, 26 January 2014 (EST)

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*'''Significant social change -''' People with traits of autism, Asperger's, ADD, dyslexia, social anxiety are becoming over-represented among successful CEOs and entrepreneurs, relative to the population at large. The current economy has been rewarding companies run by people who have mental characteristics adapted to software programming, engineering, and creativity (for example) much more than in the past.

*'''Economic change -''' ''(To be honest, both of my answers could fit into social, political and economic...)'' Markets are shifting from broadcast, one-size fits all models of communication towards narrowcast, peer-to-peer conversations. On the Internet, consumer-driven input, quality products/content and sometimes even user-generated content are valued more highly than tightly-controlled corporate 'spin'. Of course this may change substantially with the fall of net neutrality.

[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 20:15, 26 January 2014 (EST)

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Significant social change: The way in which news spreads has changed drastically with the advent of the internet. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and particularly Twitter, have become news outlets that have, in some cases, proved to be quicker at providing up-to-the-minute current event info than traditional news providers.

Cultural/legal change: The spread of digital technologies has impacted the music industry and amateur artists in a profound way. A great example is the issue of mash-ups, the cutting and pasting of previously-recorded songs to make a brand new tune. Mash-ups have proven to be an outlet for amateur creativity, as the average person can take different songs (often times of different genres and beats) off the internet and make something entirely new. That amateur can then share her music with others. The music industry is not a fan of mash-ups, claiming that the infringe upon copy-right law. Current copy-right laws in the US are far behind the internet and do not provide guidelines on how to maintain a balance between what mash-up artists consider their 1st Amendment rights and what the music industry consider copy-right infringement.( There's a lot more I could say about this, as I wrote a paper on it, but in the interest of keeping it short, I'll end here.)

[[User:Lrsanchez|Lrsanchez]] 10:25, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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Technology and the internet have changed the face of communication in all of its various subjects-- political, social, cultural, etc.-- which is to say that it has mostly replaced actual faces and voices with a computer screen. This is not to say that there aren't benefits, as there certainly are a plethora of benefits, ranging from the accessibility of information and quick dissemination of news. With a mere device, one is capable of staying connected to their family, friends, and the community at large no matter where they travel. Like never before, people are being brought together from drastically different backgrounds and geographical locations. We are being exposed to stories about the cultural traditions of the smallest microcosms and have access to nearly every facet of companies, governments, et cetera. While there is certainly power in this digital age of communication, as demonstrated clearly in the political realm with the recent revolution in Egypt, the internet and technology have paradoxically separated us from one another. There is less and less human-to-human contact, with people preferring to sit at home behind their computer or telephone screens instead of discussing events in person. Individuals may now be able to see everything with Google Maps, for instance, but is this a satisfactory substitute for actually experiencing these places and incidents with every sense? And aside from sensory deprivation, we are creating an emotional barrier which spans the gamut from creating social awkwardness in person to allowing thoughtless online bullying to run rampant. However, even with plenty of negatives, can we condemn the very same internet and technologies which have advanced medicine and businesses the world over? The world economy has benefitted greatly, with global commerce being as easy as clicking a button or filling out a billing form. Individuals anywhere can start a business with minimal effort and are able to participate in global trade. As with most good things, there are certainly positives and negatives that go along with the internet and technological advances.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:46, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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Digital technology helps us to automate repetitive, time-consuming, and error-prone tasks, enabling humans to spend more time doing what only humans can do: generate ideas. To use a timely example, TurboTax.com analyzes data and runs calculations for a consumer, saving them time and money by avoiding interaction with an accountant. However, sometimes replacing humans with a machine does not work so well. I personally dislike the self-checkout machines at CVS. They are too loud, and somehow always make some sort of mistake, requiring an attendant to come over and punch in a code, wasting time and failing to fulfill their basic function.

Although digital technology makes our lives easier in countless ways, many of which I might not even appreciate or understand, I think the ease and gratification of digital technologies can take a toll when humans become alienated from basic life tasks that might have their benefits. As "Castille" mentions - the constant use of and reliance on GoogleMaps might prevent people from actually gaining a sense of their environment and making observations that could help them memorize directions or landmarks, and allow them to be more self-reliant. Although digital technology allows developers, artists, educators, etc. to be really creative and productive, it also allows a lot of people to get away with being complacent.

[[User:Sballister|Sballister]] 18:20, 27 January 2014 (EST)

EDIT: I don't mean to say that TurboTax and self-checkout are examples of great social change, but they are signs of greater change like automation which will in turn affect standards for human interaction, self-reliance, etc. [[User:Sballister|Sballister]] 07:29, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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There are several important factors to consider with the rise and spread of digital technologies. From a human interactive tactile context the PC has to be the front runner that covers many sociological concerns that I consider important.

Prior to the smart phone, the personal computer (PC) has to be (and still is) one of the most important aspects of all digital technologies to be thrust upon mankind, because of the potential power it endows upon its owner, knowingly or unknowingly; as it allows one to cross state lines, oceans and continents in mere seconds without much effort by its user. This, coupled with the widespread use of the internet provides an important context to the discussion from a sociological framework. To have so much computing power at ones finger tips, yet it is often relegated by its user to social networking, video games and entertainment, that human contact is subconsciously negated by the user. Having to get out of the house is becoming more of a chore due to what can be done online. Hiking out in the woods for field trips or class projects is becoming more and more a novelty for students and teachers alike. We can't wait to get laptops in the hands of students in third world countries, for what, so that they too can watch life on a screen, rather then be poor and kick a soccer ball around a field somewhere.

At the end of the day, from both a global and sociological standpoint, the widespread use of digital technologies has just as many concerns as it does rewards.[[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 23:08, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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1. The launch of Sputnik changed many things — scientific, technological, military, and political — and the cold war of course spurred the beginnings of the internet in its earliest forms amongst the military, scientists, and researchers who used ARPAnet to transfer information, which fed American interest in the sciences and provided a foundation for the very digital technologies that now aid in the spread of our current digital technologies.

2. This leads into a second point, which is that intensified globalization of cultural elements — arguably beginning with WWII and intensifying in the '90s — promoted commercialization of the internet in the early '90s and put digital technology propagation into fast-forward. Suddenly we are able to access information on the other end of the world, rapidly, from the comfort of our own homes, and this allowed for ideas and digital technologies to spread over (again) the very digital technologies that made them possible. [[User:Twood|Twood]] 11:23, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Free speech ideals are one of the political, social/cultural, and even economic challenges of the spread of digital technologies. Some people want to be able to say or produce whatever they want on the World Wide Web. And some people think like the author of "A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace", that the internet community can police themselves. But how would the internet prevent child pornography, or financial fraud from occurring without the help of government agencies? These are real questions that are worth debate. No one has all the answers yet.

Socially and culturally the challenges presented by the spread of digital technologies, revolves around how we use these technologies to communicate. We are still deciding what is acceptable, and what is not acceptable, socially and culturally. This social/cultural debate about the Internet is often about privacy-how much are we willing to share online. Each person is different and each culture/country feels different about how much should be revealed or restricted online. This leads us to economic results related to the spread of internet technologies.

One of the reasons that privacy is a concern with digital tech, is that companies want Internet user information. They want to know where you live, where you work, what are your favorite TV shows, and your food preferences, so that they can better sell to you. Economics also plays a role in how you will receive your Internet content/speed. Verizon and the FCC were recently in federal court arguing about whether Verizon could add additional charges to content providers, i.e. in theory, Verizon could charge these providers to reach their customers.

Politically, we have seen that digital technologies can be used to spy on citizens, and they also can be used by whistleblowers to shed light on secret activities by governments, as in the Edward Snowden incident.[[User:Mikewitwicki|Mikewitwicki]] 13:04, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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(Apologies in advance for the length)
Seems there is quite often a direct and indirect "significant change" that can be associated with each of these areas and advances in digital technologies.

The evolution of popular social networks such as Facebook or match.com are prime examples of where the technology has prompted significant change in our social behaviors. These and similar services have shifted the dynamic in our relationships with others. The ability to discover, connect and continually communicate with "friends” without geographical limitations, and without significant costs, has allowed communities, groups and couples to form tightly knit units. This has lead to countless new marriages, allowed us an ability to sustain long-distance relationships via Skype and FaceTime technologies. Such relationships were economically and technically impossible during the days of the Bell Telephone monopoly, which seem not too long ago. Yet, plenty of indirect "significant changes" related to this same area are also becoming more frequent... As a quick example, plenty of divorces have been linked to the "discovery" of online affairs, and the same social technologies have been exploited by predatory sex offenders who can easily pose as a "friend" on Facebook to unsuspecting children.

Politically, the expansion of the digital technologies has certainly allowed for many to enter into politics and effect public policy. A standard strategy now, but web-savvy politicians have been able to exploit the new technologies as a means of reaching their followers for not only "connecting" with potential constituents, but also it has allowed those who may never have considered running for public office, a means of "discovering" their political base, building support and financial contributions through the internet to drive their campaign. Not only for "career politicians", but also for the grassroots network that can help bolster a campaign for political outsiders the likes of Jessie "the Body" Ventura, and help launch a foray into politics. Conversely, political careers have certainly been destroyed by improprieties that the advances in digital technologies have made all too quick & easy. Best exemplified recently by a US Congressman (who needs no introduction) uploading certain digital photographs to an online "friend"...which indirectly has ramifications for his entire political party's platform which cannot afford to lose that 1 seat in the House of Representatives.

Culturally - the spread of digital technologies have allowed us to collaborate and learn from communities around the world as never before... The instantaneous ability to share news, images, sound and video has brought us a greater understanding into the lives and conditions of many different cultures around the world. We learn how they must thrive, struggle and persevere within unfamiliar regions worldwide. The world's news can become as "local" as the reports we hear everyday on our city's local TV news station. The consumer need only choose from where they wish to receive a daily RSS feed, or return daily to a "Bookmark" linking to their country's leading news service. Indirectly, this same ability to glance into another culture via online technologies can trigger an all-too-limited view of what a particular culture's values may or may not be. The predominant exposure of anti-American videos and rhetoric promoting atrocities against westerners by radical Islamic militant groups using the internet to build and recruit an international army of terrorists, has certainly skewed the non-Islamic world's understanding of the culture of Islam and the very large majority of Muslims around the world who are as peaceful, humane, and caring as we all strive to be.

Economically, the significant changes that have been prompted by advances in digital technologies are numerous. The entire economic model in many industries has needed to adapt to the new opportunities that digital technologies allowed (and expected) or risk their corporation’s demise. Photography, Music and Publishing have all seen major shifts in their production, marketing, distribution and sales models. Amazon was an early player in adapting to the new online economy, and many brick-and-mortar shops fell victim to the competition. In the publishing world, and ever more frequently within the music world, we are now leasing our content at the same (and sometimes much larger) costs than what consumers formerly paid to physically own the content. In addition to the content itself, providers are also able to charge for delivery mechanisms (propriety interfaces to interact with the content) or require “subscriber fees” to access cloud storage of your personal collection of digital assets (Music, e-books, library archiving projects, etc) How we read, listen, and enjoy the many arts are all indirectly changed because of the advances in digital technology and our reliance on the internet combined with smart devices to deliver content to us. [[User:Psl|Psl]] 13:17, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The recent technological advances, and the development of the internet in particular, have brought about many changes to every part of our lives as individuals, as well as to the functioning of the society as a whole.

One of the most far-reaching effects of the development of the internet is the ease of mobilizing thousands and millions of people behind shared goals, for good, or for bad. From a satellite launch crowdfunded on Kickstarter, through the decline of “pink slime” following a change.org petition, to oppressing governments using online media to remain in power, the last few years in particular have hinted at the things to come. Indeed, what we're starting to see is that contrary to predictions of centuries past, the future of computing is turning out to center not on improved artificial intelligence through ever increasing computational power, but on real people empowered by technology.

A concept seemingly opposite to the idea of crowdsourcing is decentralization, another keyword for this decade. Governments across the world are beginning to wrap their heads around the internet and are becoming increasingly good at policing it. Internet giants such as Google and Facebook are also constantly tightening their grip on the large sections of the internet within their reach and control. The recent developments in federated social networks, decentralized authentication methods and currencies, and independent mesh networking however suggest that internet might in fact grow more uncontrollable than ever in the years to come.
[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 13:51, 28 January 2014 (EST)

:Thanks for the comments, and for the formatting update as well! If people would like to treat each of these as the start of a thread and reply feel free to do so - just insert a colon before your reply. [[User:Andy|Andy]] 13:57, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Digital techniologies have created the promise of instant access to answers and information. They have removed the middle men and connected information producers and consumers, for example, with the advent of digital publishing authors, musicians, etc have more access to their readers and as such produce content with seemingly more artistic control. This in turn may have created microcosms of demand and increased the polarization of the conversation and reduced our experience with consensus building and effective dialog.

Additionally, the advent of digital technologies has increased the transparency of individuals and governments as they engage and as such has both benefited and hampered the international political dialog. Individual actions and the actions of individuals within governments and institutions are open for scrutiny often by entities who are not familiar with the context. [[User:Rstempfley|Rstempfley]] 15:00, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The birth of digital technology changed the landscape of how equities, futures, options, and currencies are traded globally. From an economic perspective, exchanges worldwide were once left with limited ways to conduct transactions, to include the telephone (the ones hanging on a wall attached by an annoying cord) and face-to face communication, primarily through large financial institutions and advisors.

Technology has allowed the general public, who are now users of large public exchanges such as the NYSE, Nikkei, & NASDAQ ,open availability to markets that were once only offered to the elite and wealthy. Political constructs changed, as the general public were allowed into a market place that was once driven strictly by large financial institutions. Market entry for the general consumer changed the social environment of the stock market, and a more level playing field developed through the adoption of online brokerage firms such as AB Watley, E-Trade, and Ameritrade. Trading securities across not only state lines, but also entire countries, provided unlimited opportunity for those who wanted the option to trade securities without the use of a personal stockbroker. This type of transaction was unheard of in the early 90’s-today purchasing ones own stock online without the advise of a broker is the norm.--[[User:Melissaluke|Melissaluke]] 15:19, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The digital universe has revolutionized access to information. Today, anyone can find anything by simply asking their phone! This overabundance of information is connected to a number of global issues including terror, freedom, energy and political polarization. Anyone can look up how to make a bomb online, but does that make it ok for the federal government to spy on all of us? These new technologies have increased our consumption of energy, yet we are inching toward renewable energy slower than the polar caps are melting. And to cap it all off, political parties now have access to so much information that there is data to support any claim, increasing the frequency of gridlock. [[User:Art.Mescon|Art.Mescon]] 15:32, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Culturally: Digital technologies have given us instantaneous access to current events around the world. They have also given us an incredibly cheap way to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time. Initially, these technologies resulted in a sort of digital melting pot of beliefs, ideas, and knowledge. As we have matured as Internet users, and grown more proficient in harnessing this newfound ability, these technologies have begun to birth such innovations as Crowd Sourcing – changing the way we fund everything from aid relief to feature films.

Politically: We are only just beginning to see what is possible, politically, as a result of the digital landscape. By 2011, the increased adoption of smartphone technology, intersected with the rise of social media, helped launch a political protest in Tahrir Square that resulted in the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak – proving that this development in communication has far reaching implications for Democracy around the globe.

Economically: Despite many governments insistence to the contrary, via tariffs, trade is freer than ever. This is especially so on the consumer goods level, filling our grocers with foreign fruits and vegetables, and retail stores with products manufactured anywhere. The individual consumer, if so inclined, may hunt down the rarest of items on the other side of the world, and in days have them delivered to their doorsteps.

[[User:MikeJohnson|MikeJohnson]] 15:35, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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EXAMPLE 1: ONLINE MATH LEARNING IN SINGAPORE

Background: I founded ACE-Learning Systems Pte Ltd in Jan 2001 to develop an
online math program for secondary schools. Obtained $60,000 funding from the
Infocomm Development Authority and started with 6 pilot schools from the
Ministry of Education. Now, we are the largest online math vendor in Singapore
with almost all secondary schools using the program.

Social: In the past, student success depended primarily on family's economic
background. Parents found it necessary to engage private tutors to ensure
their children get high grades to enable them to progress to better schools
from primary school through university. Students from poor families tend to be
left behind. Now, with online learning, access to quality education is now a
level playing field.

Economic: Very poor students under government subsidy schemes are given free
access to the program, free computer, and free internet access. Revenues from
the school subscription contracts enable the company to further develop and
improve the learning resources to its current state-of-the-art.

Technological: Problems in traditional chalkboard teaching: (1) Students
cannot remember what was taught in class (2) Pace of the classroom instruction
was too fast (3) Unable to multitask in copying chalkboard information and
trying to listen to the teacher at the same time (4) Poor visibility of
writing/drawing on the chalkboard depending on sitting location of the student
(5) Teacher erases chalkboard information before students could finish
copying. (6) Questions from students may require erased chalkboard data and
teacher has to rewrite/redraw the information. The introduction of the use of
Powerpoint amplify the problem, especially in cases where teachers refuse to
distribute their Powerpoint slides to the class. The scantily written notes
and lack of audio with Powerpoint sometimes make learning difficult. With
online learning, all these problems are resolved. Furthermore, teachers now
have effective interactive teaching resources which were impossible and
inoperable with chalkboard or Powerpoint instruction. These can also solicit
co-operative class participation. Students can now learn more effectively and
at an accelerated pace. Students can also view the online videos as many times
as they need at their own convenience at home or on mobile iOS or Android
devices.

Political: Grades for homework or quizzes no longer need to be "cast in
stone". Teachers can now encourage their students to re-do their homework
assignments or quizzes with new questions generated by the online system to
improve their performance with immediate feedback thus giving them the
opportunity to improve their grades. With the online multi-criteria performance monitoring tools, teachers can now quickly track their students' progress. Now, they can better manage their time and help the
weaker students. Teachers are now better empowered in their role as teachers
and facilitators of learning.

EXAMPLE 2: PROPOSAL FOR BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION, PHILIPPINES
.....will be continued in my next email, in case I run out of time.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 15:38, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The Internet has changed the way people interact socially and has impacted the economic realm in a tremendous way.

Before major technological developments, for one to interact with someone personally they would have to physically have access to that individual. But with the modern innovations of email, video chat, and social sites like Facebook and Twitter, one can access a whole world that was previously unknown to them.

Internet has changed the way in which commerce works; economically speaking industries are not the same. If someone wished to buy or sell commodities they would need to travel to a store, but with internet an individual from New York can make a purchase from a store in China and then sell that same item to someone in California and never even touch the product. The world has been drawn together since the advent of the Internet, and because of the changes society has benefited as a whole. It’s a powerful tool that all should learn about!

[[User:Emmanuelsurillo|Emmanuelsurillo]] 15:52, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The internet and digital technology has changed the way we live. The power to have access to the collective information of the world cannot be understated. A person can take out there phone and "google" the answer to any question that pops up. Books and libraries are now all in one location online. The internet is a massive, evolving resource that everyone has access to.

The internet has changed the way people interact socially. Social media has created ways for people to broadcast their lives online. People upload events and pictures from their lives instantly, updating friends and family as things happen. There is the question too whether our digital lives online distract us or remove us from our relationships in the real world.

The internet and digital technology has permeated every aspect of our lives. It is impossible to walk down the street and not see someone engrossed in their phone. Companies all over the world rely on the internet to do business. The world is more connected than ever, and the internet's impact is reshaping the world very quickly.

[[User:Patcorrigan|Patcorrigan]]

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Geolocation: It is now possible to locate nearly anyone anywhere, including 6'4" bogeymen.

Manipulation of Media: Photoshop your face into a self-portrait of/by Vincent van Gogh. Conduct an interview and edit the outcome to suit your favor. Watch protests, view "Tank Man" from Tiananmen Square, and watch his real-life counterparts in near real-time be shot in the streets of Egypt by Egyptian soldiers and tanks, brought to you in part by the U.S. Government.

Navigation: Deciphering actionable intellignece v. information glut will be the only way to "break on through" to the otherside of the revolution. Alas, it is not being televised.[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:26, 28 January 2014 (EST) --[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:26, 28 January 2014 (EST)[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:37, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Internet and digital technology has changed every aspect of our life. I can provide the following examples:
1.Socially. Internet brought a lot of information into people's life and made people more conscious about surrounding world. Whatever you wish in terms of information (of course generally speaking) can be found immediately via the internet. Education sphere has also benefited from the internet opportunities, for example these courses are possible because of Internet. Even online music courses are offered to those who wishes to play musical instrument or just learn to sing.
2. Government. Internet maybe will turn into one of the major tool of governance. A lot of electronic state structures such as e-notary, e-state Registry exist in many countries. Internet provides the opportunity to for using e-singature which means that even official documents will be signed electronically.
3. Economy. Internet has changed economy dramatically. Practically everyone can establish its own minor e-enterprise by offering goods, services and etc.
4. Legal environment. Internet created absolutely new type of social relations which require the scrutinized legal approach which will lead to establishment of new branhces of law..maybe Internet Code in future [[User:Aysel|Aysel]] 16:42, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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My three examples of significant change are 1. Economically and Socially; Music and the way it is shared, valued by consumers and created by artists has been forever changed worldwide. 2. Cultural change has created a large divide between generations that understand and "live within" technology and the older generations who do not understand it or have not made it a daily part of their lives. The lack of understanding and communication, or effective communication between these generations is startling. 3. From a political perspective; the current challenge that politicians have with elections to reach the generation gaps is why (I believe) that the costs of campaigning has gone up so dramatically. There is no longer a universal way to reach your target demographic. Texting services, versus radio, versus TV commercials versus print ads or online ads with or without social media is a boggling world to create effective ad campaigns. By: TriciaBy

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It’s overstated that digital technologies have helped us become more connected. The ability to Skype my sister while she is in traveling in Kenya, or take this Cambridge based course while living in Sydney, Australia is a wonderful result of the internet. This ‘digital cosmopolitanism’ is making us more virtually connected, but can potentially move us farther away from globalization at the same time. These technological developments haven't increased the volume of international migration.
An example of this is how Australian companies will virtually outsource jobs to skilled workers in India, while reaping the cost-efficient benefits of paying them Indian wages, which are significantly lower. (Similar outsourcing practices of the United States). Australia has since increased the difficulty for these skilled Indian workers to live here. In other words, we want your in-demand skills, virtually, but make it harder for you to get a visa and come here, which would mean paying Australian wages. Jobs are mobile but people are not. This shows us that the same technologies that make us more connected and seemingly more globalized, have the practicing power to move us further away from it.

A second significant social change associated with the spread of digital technologies is how online introductions have become one of the most common way to meet a partner. However, technologies that can foster relationships will also play a role in what ends them. Social media evidence has dominated the divorce courtroom, where about three out of four cases now contain it. Text messages have become the “Digital lipstick on the collar,” as Tiger Woods and Anthony Weiner have demonstrated to us all.

By: Marissa Barkey
[[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 00:42, 29 January 2014 (EST) [[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 08:51, 29 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has brought significant changes to humanity. From providing free access to useful knowledge, generating revenues for world economies, and preserving cultures, I believe that it is now an indispensable force to be reckoned with. For instance, throughout history, humans have sought to sharpen their minds through traditional education. Nowadays, with the evolution of search engines such as YouTube in general and the Khan Academy YouTube channel in particular, anyone from anywhere can learn virtually any subject at anytime.

Again, the spread of digital technologies has led to a more widespread social entrepreneurship. Younger generations from across the globe are finding jobs and opportunities, hence are being economically enabled in ways that would not have been possible in the absence of the internet. More businesses are relying on the internet to expand their reach as well. Finally, the spread of digital technologies has inspired the invention of global encyclopedia such as Wikipedia, which serves to preserve cultures among other forms of knowledge. [[User:cheikhmbacke|cheikhmbacke]]

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Our economy is increasingly shifting towards one that is dominated by the manipulation of information. Digital technologies, which have enabled this information-transformation, also transcend some of the physical limitations pertaining to time and space that were inherent in industrial processes--one does not to arrive at a certain place (such as a factory) at a certain time (such as to fulfill one's exact place in a production line). I think we're only at the very beginning of what this a-geographical, asynchronous change to work and play means. These changes will be profound and will change the way we interact with each other in every way. At the same time, we may face significant cultural problems as more and more elements of the information economy depend on developing skills that are only gained through advanced study and as many forms of labor are replaced by automation.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:38, 3 February 2014 (EST)

Politics and Technology of Control: Introduction

2014-02-04T01:38:34Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}
'''January 28'''

The Internet at its core is simply an expression of a technological protocol that allows for a particular way of sharing information. But its role has never been this understated. The Net has great potential for “good” (e.g. innovation, economic growth, education, and access to information), and likewise is a great platform for the bawdy, tawdry and illegal. So is this platform about fundamental social, political and economic change, or about access to solipsistic blogging, pornography, cheap pharmaceuticals, free music, and poker at home? This question leads us to a host of interesting issues that weave their way through the course related to openness, access, regulatory control, free speech, anonymity, intellectual property rights, democracy, transparency, norms and values, economic and cultural change, and cyber-terrorism, as well as scamsters and thieves.

'''[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2014/File:IS2014_Class_1.pdf Download slides from this week's class.]'''

'''There is a small assignment to do before class. See [[#Preparation (Assignment "Zero")|Assignment Zero]] below.

== Preparation (Assignment "Zero") ==

Reflect on what you believe are the most significant social, cultural, political or economic changes associated with the spread of digital technologies. In a few sentences, please offer 2-3 examples in the [[#Class Discussion|Class Discussion]] section below and be prepared to discuss them during class.

<onlyinclude>

== Readings/Watchings ==

'''What is the Internet?'''

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2QdEj8UjBc Ethan Zuckerman, History of the Internet] (approx. 7 mins., watch all)

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmMNRHktX8 Jonathan Zittrain, How the Internet Works] (approx. 4 mins., watch all)

'''How does the Internet change governance?'''

* [http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~zs/decl.html John Perry Barlow, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace]

* [http://www.legalaffairs.org/printerfriendly.msp?id=961 Jack Goldsmith & Tim Wu, Digital Borders (Legal Affairs)]

* [http://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2009/03/the_third_wave.htm Eric Goldman, The Third Wave of Internet Exceptionalism]

* [http://www.ted.com/talks/rebecca_mackinnon_let_s_take_back_the_internet.html Rebecca MacKinnon, Let’s Take Back the Internet! (TED.com)] (approx. 15 mins., watch all)

'''Who governs the Internet?'''

* [http://www.icann.org/sites/default/files/assets/governance-2500x1664-13jan14-en.png ICANN, Who Runs the Internet?] (infographic)

* [http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=1071915 Alex Simonelis, A Concise Guide to the Major Internet Bodies] (skim, but focus on ICANN, IETF, IANA, and W3C)

'''Who is the Internet? Who is it not? What can we do about it?'''

* [http://www.webuse.org/pdf/Hargittai-DigitalDivideWhatToDo2007.pdf Eszter Hargittai, The Digital Divide and What to Do About It (New Economy Handbook)] (focus on Sections I-III)

:* Hargittai’s data is from 2003. For more recent data, see [http://pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2013/PIP_Offline%20adults_092513_PDF.pdf Pew Internet & American Life Project, Who's Not Online and Why] (read the summary, skim the sections).

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNHkG7w2IA8 Ethan Zuckerman, Why Our Webs Are Rarely Worldwide, And What We Can Do About It] (approx. 14 mins., watch all)

== Optional Readings ==

* [http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2013/12/04/video-who-controls-the-internet/ Ellery Biddle, Who Controls the Internet? (''Global Voices'')] (video in Spanish with English subtitles, 10 mins., watch all)

* [http://www.cluetrain.com Chris Locke, Doc Searls & David Weinberger, Cluetrain Manifesto] (just the manifesto)

* [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1752415 Tim Wu, Is Internet Exceptionalism Dead?]

* [http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2012/12/05/good-and-bad-reasons-to-be-worried-about-wcit/ Ethan Zuckerman, Good and Bad Reasons to be Worried About WCIT]

</onlyinclude>

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links From Adobe Connect Session ==

Some more info on traceroute: http://www.exit109.com/~jeremy/news/providers/traceroute.html

Tim Wu on Colbert: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/432449/january-23-2014/end-of-net-neutrality---tim-wu

Sealand: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Sealand

An example of surreptitiously activating webcams: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/12/18/research-shows-how-macbook-webcams-can-spy-on-their-users-without-warning/

SOPA/PIPA Background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act

Chatham House Rules: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_House_Rule

== Class Discussion ==

<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">Welcome to Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control! This is the section of the page where you should add your comments to complete "assignment zero." Once you have registered an account, just click the "[edit]" button at the upper right hand corner of this section to add text! '''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 15:12, 7 November 2013 (EST)</div>

I think AKK22 made an excellent point in discussing the stratification of identity. The internet enables private actors to mask themselves and essentially create their own identity with relatively little risk of a subject's true identity being unveiled. In a way, this new medium to create one's own cyberspace "identity" reminds me of Plato's "Ring of Gyges" conflict coming to fruition. A new reality television show (the name escapes me) premiers this identity issue by showing how people were tricked into thinking they were in an online relationship with someone posing as someone else. In the end, the identity portrayed by the character is a mere fantasy entrenched in a false sense of reality.

As Vance and others have noted, the legal and justice systems are clearly not up to par with the expansion of digital technology. The few convoluted reforms that have been indoctrinated appear to be more reactionary than proactive in nature and contain muddied channels for justice to prevail as can be seen through the troubles with copyright law.

On the other hand, transparency vis-à-vis the internet has perhaps brought more justice into politics by exposing scandals. However, the "Age of Information" has transformed what citizens believe to be a right in terms of privacy for both the individual and also privacy for the government to operate in the best interests of national security. More available information seems to have made citizens more apt to demand more information.

Some of the comments on cultural change also reminded me of a paper I wrote last term on British women during WWI using primary sources. I could not believe how these uneducated women wrote with such pride, prose, and precision even in their own personal diaries which they would not assume others would never read. Grammar and prose have largely degraded since the birth of digital technology and some have argued this could be connected to the declining education systems in the United States. In math, students no longer have importance of learning to add, subtract, multiply or divide with the advent of the calculator. Generally, studies have shown that the attention rate of younger generations is much lower which makes it difficult for children to focus in school.

I read an interesting article called "The Internet and Youth Culture". In it, Gustavo Mesch describes the generational phenomenon as the "bedroom culture" and discusses a lot of the elements we have been discussing.

If anyone is interested:

http://www.iasc-culture.org/THR/archives/YouthCulture/Mesch.pdf

--[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 04:58, 3 February 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has created many significant changes, including but not limited to, a social explosion, a political revolution, and even major cultural and economic impacts. Quite often the boundaries is not definitive, whereby there are socio-economic impacts. Socially, the speed at which we communicate, the manner in which we communicate, and how we expect to be communicated with, has shifted into warp speed. This has economic ramifications as well.

For instance, we no longer are limited to waiting on hold to speak with a customer service representative of a company, we can access their Facebook page to find out company information or tweet about a bad experience, and almost instantly receive not only a response, but even action. Numerous of unhappy customer experiences have ended up online as blogs, thus becoming an impetus for change in how a business does business (i.e Change.org). One such account was that of a cell phone customer who was unhappy and another cell phone carrier's CEO joined an online twitter discussion and won the customer from the other carrier and even remarked that that's the type of personal service you can expect from T-Mobile that you will not get from AT&T. It was great, free advertising.

From a cultural aspect, many people go to churches, mosques, halls, et al for fellowship and worship. Now, many people are accessing their place of worship's service via live streaming technology. I've even noticed more people carrying less bibles and more tablets and/or smartphones to access online versions of bibles in churches via apps like YouVersion. Churches have opened multiple satellite locations, where a mere screen is erected and streams the live broadcast to to each location. Many people come each week to watch a screen and act as if the minister, pastor, bishop are there and seemingly enjoy the digital experience as if it were the real person. MOOCs are the equivalent in the educational arena.

Politically (or socio-politically), our 44th President ran an entire political campaign online, raised more money virtually, reached more of the younger generation, and won his first election via his seemingly transparent and online access to his campaign, campaign schedule, people's "access' to him online, and his overall ability to embrace digital technologies. We also have more access into wars. Soldiers are carrying smartphones and taking pictures of what's going on and posting those online.

Natural disasters have caused massive damages to places like Sandy Hook and Haiti. Americans used technology to text donations to aid victims of those misfortunes. The aid received for the Earthquake in Haiti was in the billions.[[User:404consultant|404consultant]] 23:09, 2 February 2014 (EST)

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The most significant changes associated with the spread of digital technologies would be the speed of information exchange and increased opportunity for information sharing.

With the help of social networking websites, it takes only one click to inform your friends and family about the birthday party that will be held next week in downtown, and you will be able to do a head count by looking at how many people click the “Going” button. It saves time and effort to exchange information nowadays. Although this attributed to the fact that people have been less careful when sharing information, we could not deny that digital technologies has contributed a lot in a positive way such as improving efficiency.

Another good example of showing how rapid the information sharing process could be via digital technologies is Edward Snowden. He would like to warn the public “as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them” by releasing classified material to The Guardian. It only took a day for the news to travel around the world.
[[User:Jolietheone|Jolietheone]] 16:41, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technology and the influence of the Internet have changed our society immeasurably. I am particularly interested in exploring the social, cultural, and political influence of digital technology on our society and in developing countries. From this perspective, one of the most significant moments of change on the Internet was the Arab Spring of 2010. As a grassroots movement facilitated by Twitter, this was a defining moment in demonstrating the power of online communities. The Arab Spring proved that individuals were able to cultivate communities online and more importantly, were able to organize themselves within the community to become a force of change. The democratization of information, ability to communicate, and the freedom to communicate gave the promise of justice for the voiceless and oppressed. Today, citizen advocacy has brought once quieted issues to the mainstream, like the NSA leaks, the 2012 Delhi gang rape, or the Boston Marathon Bombing.

However, the Internet and digital technology has influenced many other areas besides society and government. A critical step in progress for modern technology is the mapping of the human genome. The ability to store and access this information has ushered in unprecedented changes in medical fields. Furthermore, the Internet has increased access to medical tools like WebMD or the development of medical mobile applications, which will be an important development as technology becomes more globalized.
[[User:Julie|Julie]] 16:14, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Access and participation afforded by the spread of digital technologies have had a significant impact socially, culturally, politically, and economically. Socially, access to networking platforms, social media, internet calling services and instant messaging have changed the quantity of individual connections- and quality of relationships- regardless of location throughout the world. Culturally, stratification of identity or orientation has shifted significantly; the emphasis on national, religious, ethnic, and other cultural differences has been diluted by the rise of interconnectivity, access to information and the ability to participate across cultures. Politically and economically, the impact is largely similar- access to non-traditional and real-time news sources fostered by the spread of digital technology empowers the consumer as well as the constituent. The ability to inform oneself and advocate for individual and collective interests has changed the landscape of economic and political participation; unfortunately this has been coupled with increased concerns about rights to information disseminated on the internet and the protection of privacy at the individual and organizational level. [[User:Akk22|Akk22]] 11:04, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The explosion of digital technology has dramatically impacted society in all facets of life. It has evolved us as a species and will continue to change the way in which we interact with each other, the way we think, and eventually the human body itself will gradually transform. In terms of inventions, the birth of the internet has far surpassed any other invention known to mankind with respect to the magnitude of change occurring within the relatively short lifespan of its existence. As a child, I recall when robots were once considered something so distant in the future, but now we have a form of a robot with the internet. It contains more "knowledge" and holds more information than any human being.

Digital technology has altered society in several ways that I have observed and experienced:

Socially & Culturally - Digital technology has changed the way humans make plans and interact with one another. It appears that encounters and relationships have somehow become more casual and less personal via the advancement and widespread use of social media. Formalities and formal interactions are becoming less common. A simple text message now is the norm for setting up a date with a potential mate rather than a phone call or knocking on the lady's door to ask her parents' permission for a proper date.

Along these lines, for better or worse, it appears that even the cultural style of dress for those in the younger generations has evolved into a more casual trend. People are generally more accepting with an "anything goes" type of attitude. The iconic CEO Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerburg, is often seen wearing his T-Shirt even when meeting with other high profile CEOs and officials.

The so-called "dot-com" generation has also been known to feel the need for "instant gratification" and appear to have less patience than the elder members of society. This makes sense given digital technology's ease of immediate information sharing and overall access to information at the click of a button. Only a few years ago it seemed normal if someone did not respond within a day or two. Now if someone does not answer after one or two days, 911 is serious consideration.

General reliability between friends is also another changing element of human interaction because with the click of a button someone can cancel plans or easily evade previously planned obligations. A few decades ago, if I told someone we were to meet at the train station, I had better show up because I had no way of letting my comrade know I could not make it. It used to be considered nearly impossible to ask someone to "hang out" on the same day because planning with such short notice was simply not possible. With cell phones and text messaging, "meeting up" is now the norm and planning events out is becoming less common (or so has been true in my experience).

Governance & Governing: As Jack Goldsmith and Timothy Wu illustrate in their example about Yahoo in "Digital Borders", the internet has and I believe will continue to erode the general power of government. The internet has no borders and trying to determine the convoluted doctrine of privacy is a grapple for any expert to endure. The internet also enhances the power of the individual (for better or worse) as it affords all members of the world with a platform for anyone to view. With an unlimited audience propaganda becomes all the more powerful and any thought can be expressed and followed by the masses. Culturally, this can also enhance narcissism to the extent that one's own thoughts, photos, and individual power/image can be continually broadcasted for the world to see.

The internet has obviously changed the way laws are enforced and the modus operandi in which criminals operate. While the internet has arguably made it easier for law enforcement to catch certain types of criminals, other types of threats (namely, cyber crime) are more difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to detect.

Economy: While the internet has worked wonders for many economic gains such as providing general efficiency; the downside is the threat that if the internet crashes or otherwise becomes inoperable, business suddenly takes a back seat and can become totally paralyzed acting as a prime target for adversaries (as the recent Target credit card hacking events have shown). In other words, the benefits of efficiency are only truly beneficial to the extent that internet platforms are operating smoothly. The overdependence on the internet is perhaps the most frightening thing our society faces. I will never forget the first time I was at a store and the "servers" were down at the checkout counter. After two hours of shopping and loads of groceries, I was turned away even after offering cash! The computer system required all transactions to be logged. The damage to the economy if this were to happen on a grand scale would be damming.

The internet has actually changed the very definition of success and perception of success in my opinion. In one minute, you can become rich off the internet. One youtube video posted can start Justin Bieber's Hollywood career; the advent of a social media website can make someone one of the richest in the world. Striking it rich has become much easier for some who thrive off the popularity contest the internet provides. How this has impacted the traditional view of the American dream remains to be seen.

[[User:AmyAnn0644|AmyAnn0644]] 20:48, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has sparked an ubiquitous world. Communication is instantaneous, global, and self-published. As a result, the public has chosen which social and political interactions to reject and trust, causing a potentially biased perception of their contemporary world. The irony of this bias is that the ability to access information from a variety of sources is unprecedented; sorting through the inundation of un- and published materials - fact or opinion - becomes a challenge for even the most educated. For the youth, privacy becomes re-defined as being alone physically, yet open to sharing the most insignificant or significant details of their lives digitally (how will these tendencies shape the future?). The combinational effects of these changes establish a gateway for future technologies to be adapted (or rejected) by the public; however, improving awareness and education of the general public is of utmost importance in order for society to fully embrace the power and impact of these future tools.

[[User:Margorm|Margorm]] 20:48, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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“Change” holds neither a positive, nor negative connotation, so I will provide an example of each:

The negative: The ubiquity of camera-equipped, internet-connected smartphones allows millions of Americans to digitally upload and share photographs with ease. Sometimes, though, these photos are compromising and end up in the hands of nefarious purveyors of “revenge porn.” The proliferation of revenge porn can and does compromise the privacy (and oftentimes safety) of private citizens who become unwitting victims of sexual harassment. And in most cases, law enforcement is unable to prosecute offenders. Many U.S. states punish “cyberstalking,” but only as a misdemeanor, which means that law enforcement cannot obtain warrants that are necessary to collect evidence needed to prosecute. Recourse in civil court proves equally futile due in large part to antiquated copyright law. I believe that revenge porn serves as an example of the social and political problems that can arise when technology moves faster than the law.

The positive: Digital technology continues to reinvent the culture of higher learning. For instance, I am currently participating in this discussion, and will attend this Cambridge-based class remotely, from my home in Manhattan, NYC. Moreover, MOOCs offered by EdX and similar providers allow interested parties to engage in courses out of genuine interest.

[[User:Vance.puchalski|Vance.puchalski]] 00:33, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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significant social, cultural, political or economic changes associated with the spread of digital technologies:

1) culturally and politically, spin control held by governments and regional authorities ( religious, corporate, ethnic ) loses traction in the minds of individual internet users; digital tech results in a macro shift of the rhetoric of belief from formerly established originators of spin to the web itself as provider of deconstructed information that individuals more typically use to form their own beliefs and to question the validity of formerly established paradigms.

2)economically, web commerce fast outdates the economics of traditional physically-based logistics. Serious privacy issues among users of new technologies stand as barriers to user confidence, even as new tech info systems tend to present prospective users with no viable lesser-cost alternatives.

[[User:Mbouscaren|Mbouscaren]] 14:55, 25 January 2014 (EST)

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1. The ability to communicate instantly has changed social interactions and relationships on a personal level (i.e. the instant feedback available on social media and communication via email, text, etc.) and in wider communities (i.e. forums, comments on news articles and blogs, etc.). The access to and engagement with new communication technologies can be empowering for those who may have otherwise felt voiceless, while a sense of anonymity can lead to harassment with minimal consequences.

2. Fast and easy access to information that allows individuals to educate themselves (though that has to be balanced against the challenges of finding reliable sources) and have more control as consumers (compare products, read reviews, etc.).

[[User:Jkelly|Jkelly]] 16:25, 26 January 2014 (EST)

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*'''Significant social change -''' People with traits of autism, Asperger's, ADD, dyslexia, social anxiety are becoming over-represented among successful CEOs and entrepreneurs, relative to the population at large. The current economy has been rewarding companies run by people who have mental characteristics adapted to software programming, engineering, and creativity (for example) much more than in the past.

*'''Economic change -''' ''(To be honest, both of my answers could fit into social, political and economic...)'' Markets are shifting from broadcast, one-size fits all models of communication towards narrowcast, peer-to-peer conversations. On the Internet, consumer-driven input, quality products/content and sometimes even user-generated content are valued more highly than tightly-controlled corporate 'spin'. Of course this may change substantially with the fall of net neutrality.

[[User:Deluxegourmet|Erin Saucke-Lacelle]] 20:15, 26 January 2014 (EST)

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Significant social change: The way in which news spreads has changed drastically with the advent of the internet. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and particularly Twitter, have become news outlets that have, in some cases, proved to be quicker at providing up-to-the-minute current event info than traditional news providers.

Cultural/legal change: The spread of digital technologies has impacted the music industry and amateur artists in a profound way. A great example is the issue of mash-ups, the cutting and pasting of previously-recorded songs to make a brand new tune. Mash-ups have proven to be an outlet for amateur creativity, as the average person can take different songs (often times of different genres and beats) off the internet and make something entirely new. That amateur can then share her music with others. The music industry is not a fan of mash-ups, claiming that the infringe upon copy-right law. Current copy-right laws in the US are far behind the internet and do not provide guidelines on how to maintain a balance between what mash-up artists consider their 1st Amendment rights and what the music industry consider copy-right infringement.( There's a lot more I could say about this, as I wrote a paper on it, but in the interest of keeping it short, I'll end here.)

[[User:Lrsanchez|Lrsanchez]] 10:25, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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Technology and the internet have changed the face of communication in all of its various subjects-- political, social, cultural, etc.-- which is to say that it has mostly replaced actual faces and voices with a computer screen. This is not to say that there aren't benefits, as there certainly are a plethora of benefits, ranging from the accessibility of information and quick dissemination of news. With a mere device, one is capable of staying connected to their family, friends, and the community at large no matter where they travel. Like never before, people are being brought together from drastically different backgrounds and geographical locations. We are being exposed to stories about the cultural traditions of the smallest microcosms and have access to nearly every facet of companies, governments, et cetera. While there is certainly power in this digital age of communication, as demonstrated clearly in the political realm with the recent revolution in Egypt, the internet and technology have paradoxically separated us from one another. There is less and less human-to-human contact, with people preferring to sit at home behind their computer or telephone screens instead of discussing events in person. Individuals may now be able to see everything with Google Maps, for instance, but is this a satisfactory substitute for actually experiencing these places and incidents with every sense? And aside from sensory deprivation, we are creating an emotional barrier which spans the gamut from creating social awkwardness in person to allowing thoughtless online bullying to run rampant. However, even with plenty of negatives, can we condemn the very same internet and technologies which have advanced medicine and businesses the world over? The world economy has benefitted greatly, with global commerce being as easy as clicking a button or filling out a billing form. Individuals anywhere can start a business with minimal effort and are able to participate in global trade. As with most good things, there are certainly positives and negatives that go along with the internet and technological advances.
[[User:Castille|Castille]] 12:46, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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Digital technology helps us to automate repetitive, time-consuming, and error-prone tasks, enabling humans to spend more time doing what only humans can do: generate ideas. To use a timely example, TurboTax.com analyzes data and runs calculations for a consumer, saving them time and money by avoiding interaction with an accountant. However, sometimes replacing humans with a machine does not work so well. I personally dislike the self-checkout machines at CVS. They are too loud, and somehow always make some sort of mistake, requiring an attendant to come over and punch in a code, wasting time and failing to fulfill their basic function.

Although digital technology makes our lives easier in countless ways, many of which I might not even appreciate or understand, I think the ease and gratification of digital technologies can take a toll when humans become alienated from basic life tasks that might have their benefits. As "Castille" mentions - the constant use of and reliance on GoogleMaps might prevent people from actually gaining a sense of their environment and making observations that could help them memorize directions or landmarks, and allow them to be more self-reliant. Although digital technology allows developers, artists, educators, etc. to be really creative and productive, it also allows a lot of people to get away with being complacent.

[[User:Sballister|Sballister]] 18:20, 27 January 2014 (EST)

EDIT: I don't mean to say that TurboTax and self-checkout are examples of great social change, but they are signs of greater change like automation which will in turn affect standards for human interaction, self-reliance, etc. [[User:Sballister|Sballister]] 07:29, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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There are several important factors to consider with the rise and spread of digital technologies. From a human interactive tactile context the PC has to be the front runner that covers many sociological concerns that I consider important.

Prior to the smart phone, the personal computer (PC) has to be (and still is) one of the most important aspects of all digital technologies to be thrust upon mankind, because of the potential power it endows upon its owner, knowingly or unknowingly; as it allows one to cross state lines, oceans and continents in mere seconds without much effort by its user. This, coupled with the widespread use of the internet provides an important context to the discussion from a sociological framework. To have so much computing power at ones finger tips, yet it is often relegated by its user to social networking, video games and entertainment, that human contact is subconsciously negated by the user. Having to get out of the house is becoming more of a chore due to what can be done online. Hiking out in the woods for field trips or class projects is becoming more and more a novelty for students and teachers alike. We can't wait to get laptops in the hands of students in third world countries, for what, so that they too can watch life on a screen, rather then be poor and kick a soccer ball around a field somewhere.

At the end of the day, from both a global and sociological standpoint, the widespread use of digital technologies has just as many concerns as it does rewards.[[User:Dancoron|Dancoron]] 23:08, 27 January 2014 (EST)

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1. The launch of Sputnik changed many things — scientific, technological, military, and political — and the cold war of course spurred the beginnings of the internet in its earliest forms amongst the military, scientists, and researchers who used ARPAnet to transfer information, which fed American interest in the sciences and provided a foundation for the very digital technologies that now aid in the spread of our current digital technologies.

2. This leads into a second point, which is that intensified globalization of cultural elements — arguably beginning with WWII and intensifying in the '90s — promoted commercialization of the internet in the early '90s and put digital technology propagation into fast-forward. Suddenly we are able to access information on the other end of the world, rapidly, from the comfort of our own homes, and this allowed for ideas and digital technologies to spread over (again) the very digital technologies that made them possible. [[User:Twood|Twood]] 11:23, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Free speech ideals are one of the political, social/cultural, and even economic challenges of the spread of digital technologies. Some people want to be able to say or produce whatever they want on the World Wide Web. And some people think like the author of "A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace", that the internet community can police themselves. But how would the internet prevent child pornography, or financial fraud from occurring without the help of government agencies? These are real questions that are worth debate. No one has all the answers yet.

Socially and culturally the challenges presented by the spread of digital technologies, revolves around how we use these technologies to communicate. We are still deciding what is acceptable, and what is not acceptable, socially and culturally. This social/cultural debate about the Internet is often about privacy-how much are we willing to share online. Each person is different and each culture/country feels different about how much should be revealed or restricted online. This leads us to economic results related to the spread of internet technologies.

One of the reasons that privacy is a concern with digital tech, is that companies want Internet user information. They want to know where you live, where you work, what are your favorite TV shows, and your food preferences, so that they can better sell to you. Economics also plays a role in how you will receive your Internet content/speed. Verizon and the FCC were recently in federal court arguing about whether Verizon could add additional charges to content providers, i.e. in theory, Verizon could charge these providers to reach their customers.

Politically, we have seen that digital technologies can be used to spy on citizens, and they also can be used by whistleblowers to shed light on secret activities by governments, as in the Edward Snowden incident.[[User:Mikewitwicki|Mikewitwicki]] 13:04, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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(Apologies in advance for the length)
Seems there is quite often a direct and indirect "significant change" that can be associated with each of these areas and advances in digital technologies.

The evolution of popular social networks such as Facebook or match.com are prime examples of where the technology has prompted significant change in our social behaviors. These and similar services have shifted the dynamic in our relationships with others. The ability to discover, connect and continually communicate with "friends” without geographical limitations, and without significant costs, has allowed communities, groups and couples to form tightly knit units. This has lead to countless new marriages, allowed us an ability to sustain long-distance relationships via Skype and FaceTime technologies. Such relationships were economically and technically impossible during the days of the Bell Telephone monopoly, which seem not too long ago. Yet, plenty of indirect "significant changes" related to this same area are also becoming more frequent... As a quick example, plenty of divorces have been linked to the "discovery" of online affairs, and the same social technologies have been exploited by predatory sex offenders who can easily pose as a "friend" on Facebook to unsuspecting children.

Politically, the expansion of the digital technologies has certainly allowed for many to enter into politics and effect public policy. A standard strategy now, but web-savvy politicians have been able to exploit the new technologies as a means of reaching their followers for not only "connecting" with potential constituents, but also it has allowed those who may never have considered running for public office, a means of "discovering" their political base, building support and financial contributions through the internet to drive their campaign. Not only for "career politicians", but also for the grassroots network that can help bolster a campaign for political outsiders the likes of Jessie "the Body" Ventura, and help launch a foray into politics. Conversely, political careers have certainly been destroyed by improprieties that the advances in digital technologies have made all too quick & easy. Best exemplified recently by a US Congressman (who needs no introduction) uploading certain digital photographs to an online "friend"...which indirectly has ramifications for his entire political party's platform which cannot afford to lose that 1 seat in the House of Representatives.

Culturally - the spread of digital technologies have allowed us to collaborate and learn from communities around the world as never before... The instantaneous ability to share news, images, sound and video has brought us a greater understanding into the lives and conditions of many different cultures around the world. We learn how they must thrive, struggle and persevere within unfamiliar regions worldwide. The world's news can become as "local" as the reports we hear everyday on our city's local TV news station. The consumer need only choose from where they wish to receive a daily RSS feed, or return daily to a "Bookmark" linking to their country's leading news service. Indirectly, this same ability to glance into another culture via online technologies can trigger an all-too-limited view of what a particular culture's values may or may not be. The predominant exposure of anti-American videos and rhetoric promoting atrocities against westerners by radical Islamic militant groups using the internet to build and recruit an international army of terrorists, has certainly skewed the non-Islamic world's understanding of the culture of Islam and the very large majority of Muslims around the world who are as peaceful, humane, and caring as we all strive to be.

Economically, the significant changes that have been prompted by advances in digital technologies are numerous. The entire economic model in many industries has needed to adapt to the new opportunities that digital technologies allowed (and expected) or risk their corporation’s demise. Photography, Music and Publishing have all seen major shifts in their production, marketing, distribution and sales models. Amazon was an early player in adapting to the new online economy, and many brick-and-mortar shops fell victim to the competition. In the publishing world, and ever more frequently within the music world, we are now leasing our content at the same (and sometimes much larger) costs than what consumers formerly paid to physically own the content. In addition to the content itself, providers are also able to charge for delivery mechanisms (propriety interfaces to interact with the content) or require “subscriber fees” to access cloud storage of your personal collection of digital assets (Music, e-books, library archiving projects, etc) How we read, listen, and enjoy the many arts are all indirectly changed because of the advances in digital technology and our reliance on the internet combined with smart devices to deliver content to us. [[User:Psl|Psl]] 13:17, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The recent technological advances, and the development of the internet in particular, have brought about many changes to every part of our lives as individuals, as well as to the functioning of the society as a whole.

One of the most far-reaching effects of the development of the internet is the ease of mobilizing thousands and millions of people behind shared goals, for good, or for bad. From a satellite launch crowdfunded on Kickstarter, through the decline of “pink slime” following a change.org petition, to oppressing governments using online media to remain in power, the last few years in particular have hinted at the things to come. Indeed, what we're starting to see is that contrary to predictions of centuries past, the future of computing is turning out to center not on improved artificial intelligence through ever increasing computational power, but on real people empowered by technology.

A concept seemingly opposite to the idea of crowdsourcing is decentralization, another keyword for this decade. Governments across the world are beginning to wrap their heads around the internet and are becoming increasingly good at policing it. Internet giants such as Google and Facebook are also constantly tightening their grip on the large sections of the internet within their reach and control. The recent developments in federated social networks, decentralized authentication methods and currencies, and independent mesh networking however suggest that internet might in fact grow more uncontrollable than ever in the years to come.
[[User:Seifip|Seifip]] 13:51, 28 January 2014 (EST)

:Thanks for the comments, and for the formatting update as well! If people would like to treat each of these as the start of a thread and reply feel free to do so - just insert a colon before your reply. [[User:Andy|Andy]] 13:57, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Digital techniologies have created the promise of instant access to answers and information. They have removed the middle men and connected information producers and consumers, for example, with the advent of digital publishing authors, musicians, etc have more access to their readers and as such produce content with seemingly more artistic control. This in turn may have created microcosms of demand and increased the polarization of the conversation and reduced our experience with consensus building and effective dialog.

Additionally, the advent of digital technologies has increased the transparency of individuals and governments as they engage and as such has both benefited and hampered the international political dialog. Individual actions and the actions of individuals within governments and institutions are open for scrutiny often by entities who are not familiar with the context. [[User:Rstempfley|Rstempfley]] 15:00, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The birth of digital technology changed the landscape of how equities, futures, options, and currencies are traded globally. From an economic perspective, exchanges worldwide were once left with limited ways to conduct transactions, to include the telephone (the ones hanging on a wall attached by an annoying cord) and face-to face communication, primarily through large financial institutions and advisors.

Technology has allowed the general public, who are now users of large public exchanges such as the NYSE, Nikkei, & NASDAQ ,open availability to markets that were once only offered to the elite and wealthy. Political constructs changed, as the general public were allowed into a market place that was once driven strictly by large financial institutions. Market entry for the general consumer changed the social environment of the stock market, and a more level playing field developed through the adoption of online brokerage firms such as AB Watley, E-Trade, and Ameritrade. Trading securities across not only state lines, but also entire countries, provided unlimited opportunity for those who wanted the option to trade securities without the use of a personal stockbroker. This type of transaction was unheard of in the early 90’s-today purchasing ones own stock online without the advise of a broker is the norm.--[[User:Melissaluke|Melissaluke]] 15:19, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The digital universe has revolutionized access to information. Today, anyone can find anything by simply asking their phone! This overabundance of information is connected to a number of global issues including terror, freedom, energy and political polarization. Anyone can look up how to make a bomb online, but does that make it ok for the federal government to spy on all of us? These new technologies have increased our consumption of energy, yet we are inching toward renewable energy slower than the polar caps are melting. And to cap it all off, political parties now have access to so much information that there is data to support any claim, increasing the frequency of gridlock. [[User:Art.Mescon|Art.Mescon]] 15:32, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Culturally: Digital technologies have given us instantaneous access to current events around the world. They have also given us an incredibly cheap way to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time. Initially, these technologies resulted in a sort of digital melting pot of beliefs, ideas, and knowledge. As we have matured as Internet users, and grown more proficient in harnessing this newfound ability, these technologies have begun to birth such innovations as Crowd Sourcing – changing the way we fund everything from aid relief to feature films.

Politically: We are only just beginning to see what is possible, politically, as a result of the digital landscape. By 2011, the increased adoption of smartphone technology, intersected with the rise of social media, helped launch a political protest in Tahrir Square that resulted in the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak – proving that this development in communication has far reaching implications for Democracy around the globe.

Economically: Despite many governments insistence to the contrary, via tariffs, trade is freer than ever. This is especially so on the consumer goods level, filling our grocers with foreign fruits and vegetables, and retail stores with products manufactured anywhere. The individual consumer, if so inclined, may hunt down the rarest of items on the other side of the world, and in days have them delivered to their doorsteps.

[[User:MikeJohnson|MikeJohnson]] 15:35, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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EXAMPLE 1: ONLINE MATH LEARNING IN SINGAPORE

Background: I founded ACE-Learning Systems Pte Ltd in Jan 2001 to develop an
online math program for secondary schools. Obtained $60,000 funding from the
Infocomm Development Authority and started with 6 pilot schools from the
Ministry of Education. Now, we are the largest online math vendor in Singapore
with almost all secondary schools using the program.

Social: In the past, student success depended primarily on family's economic
background. Parents found it necessary to engage private tutors to ensure
their children get high grades to enable them to progress to better schools
from primary school through university. Students from poor families tend to be
left behind. Now, with online learning, access to quality education is now a
level playing field.

Economic: Very poor students under government subsidy schemes are given free
access to the program, free computer, and free internet access. Revenues from
the school subscription contracts enable the company to further develop and
improve the learning resources to its current state-of-the-art.

Technological: Problems in traditional chalkboard teaching: (1) Students
cannot remember what was taught in class (2) Pace of the classroom instruction
was too fast (3) Unable to multitask in copying chalkboard information and
trying to listen to the teacher at the same time (4) Poor visibility of
writing/drawing on the chalkboard depending on sitting location of the student
(5) Teacher erases chalkboard information before students could finish
copying. (6) Questions from students may require erased chalkboard data and
teacher has to rewrite/redraw the information. The introduction of the use of
Powerpoint amplify the problem, especially in cases where teachers refuse to
distribute their Powerpoint slides to the class. The scantily written notes
and lack of audio with Powerpoint sometimes make learning difficult. With
online learning, all these problems are resolved. Furthermore, teachers now
have effective interactive teaching resources which were impossible and
inoperable with chalkboard or Powerpoint instruction. These can also solicit
co-operative class participation. Students can now learn more effectively and
at an accelerated pace. Students can also view the online videos as many times
as they need at their own convenience at home or on mobile iOS or Android
devices.

Political: Grades for homework or quizzes no longer need to be "cast in
stone". Teachers can now encourage their students to re-do their homework
assignments or quizzes with new questions generated by the online system to
improve their performance with immediate feedback thus giving them the
opportunity to improve their grades. With the online multi-criteria performance monitoring tools, teachers can now quickly track their students' progress. Now, they can better manage their time and help the
weaker students. Teachers are now better empowered in their role as teachers
and facilitators of learning.

EXAMPLE 2: PROPOSAL FOR BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION, PHILIPPINES
.....will be continued in my next email, in case I run out of time.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 15:38, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The Internet has changed the way people interact socially and has impacted the economic realm in a tremendous way.

Before major technological developments, for one to interact with someone personally they would have to physically have access to that individual. But with the modern innovations of email, video chat, and social sites like Facebook and Twitter, one can access a whole world that was previously unknown to them.

Internet has changed the way in which commerce works; economically speaking industries are not the same. If someone wished to buy or sell commodities they would need to travel to a store, but with internet an individual from New York can make a purchase from a store in China and then sell that same item to someone in California and never even touch the product. The world has been drawn together since the advent of the Internet, and because of the changes society has benefited as a whole. It’s a powerful tool that all should learn about!

[[User:Emmanuelsurillo|Emmanuelsurillo]] 15:52, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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The internet and digital technology has changed the way we live. The power to have access to the collective information of the world cannot be understated. A person can take out there phone and "google" the answer to any question that pops up. Books and libraries are now all in one location online. The internet is a massive, evolving resource that everyone has access to.

The internet has changed the way people interact socially. Social media has created ways for people to broadcast their lives online. People upload events and pictures from their lives instantly, updating friends and family as things happen. There is the question too whether our digital lives online distract us or remove us from our relationships in the real world.

The internet and digital technology has permeated every aspect of our lives. It is impossible to walk down the street and not see someone engrossed in their phone. Companies all over the world rely on the internet to do business. The world is more connected than ever, and the internet's impact is reshaping the world very quickly.

[[User:Patcorrigan|Patcorrigan]]

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Geolocation: It is now possible to locate nearly anyone anywhere, including 6'4" bogeymen.

Manipulation of Media: Photoshop your face into a self-portrait of/by Vincent van Gogh. Conduct an interview and edit the outcome to suit your favor. Watch protests, view "Tank Man" from Tiananmen Square, and watch his real-life counterparts in near real-time be shot in the streets of Egypt by Egyptian soldiers and tanks, brought to you in part by the U.S. Government.

Navigation: Deciphering actionable intellignece v. information glut will be the only way to "break on through" to the otherside of the revolution. Alas, it is not being televised.[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:26, 28 January 2014 (EST) --[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:26, 28 January 2014 (EST)[[User:A. Tom Anteus|A. Tom Anteus]] 16:37, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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Internet and digital technology has changed every aspect of our life. I can provide the following examples:
1.Socially. Internet brought a lot of information into people's life and made people more conscious about surrounding world. Whatever you wish in terms of information (of course generally speaking) can be found immediately via the internet. Education sphere has also benefited from the internet opportunities, for example these courses are possible because of Internet. Even online music courses are offered to those who wishes to play musical instrument or just learn to sing.
2. Government. Internet maybe will turn into one of the major tool of governance. A lot of electronic state structures such as e-notary, e-state Registry exist in many countries. Internet provides the opportunity to for using e-singature which means that even official documents will be signed electronically.
3. Economy. Internet has changed economy dramatically. Practically everyone can establish its own minor e-enterprise by offering goods, services and etc.
4. Legal environment. Internet created absolutely new type of social relations which require the scrutinized legal approach which will lead to establishment of new branhces of law..maybe Internet Code in future [[User:Aysel|Aysel]] 16:42, 28 January 2014 (EST)

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My three examples of significant change are 1. Economically and Socially; Music and the way it is shared, valued by consumers and created by artists has been forever changed worldwide. 2. Cultural change has created a large divide between generations that understand and "live within" technology and the older generations who do not understand it or have not made it a daily part of their lives. The lack of understanding and communication, or effective communication between these generations is startling. 3. From a political perspective; the current challenge that politicians have with elections to reach the generation gaps is why (I believe) that the costs of campaigning has gone up so dramatically. There is no longer a universal way to reach your target demographic. Texting services, versus radio, versus TV commercials versus print ads or online ads with or without social media is a boggling world to create effective ad campaigns. By: TriciaBy

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It’s overstated that digital technologies have helped us become more connected. The ability to Skype my sister while she is in traveling in Kenya, or take this Cambridge based course while living in Sydney, Australia is a wonderful result of the internet. This ‘digital cosmopolitanism’ is making us more virtually connected, but can potentially move us farther away from globalization at the same time. These technological developments haven't increased the volume of international migration.
An example of this is how Australian companies will virtually outsource jobs to skilled workers in India, while reaping the cost-efficient benefits of paying them Indian wages, which are significantly lower. (Similar outsourcing practices of the United States). Australia has since increased the difficulty for these skilled Indian workers to live here. In other words, we want your in-demand skills, virtually, but make it harder for you to get a visa and come here, which would mean paying Australian wages. Jobs are mobile but people are not. This shows us that the same technologies that make us more connected and seemingly more globalized, have the practicing power to move us further away from it.

A second significant social change associated with the spread of digital technologies is how online introductions have become one of the most common way to meet a partner. However, technologies that can foster relationships will also play a role in what ends them. Social media evidence has dominated the divorce courtroom, where about three out of four cases now contain it. Text messages have become the “Digital lipstick on the collar,” as Tiger Woods and Anthony Weiner have demonstrated to us all.

By: Marissa Barkey
[[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 00:42, 29 January 2014 (EST) [[User:Marissa1989|Marissa1989]] 08:51, 29 January 2014 (EST)

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The spread of digital technologies has brought significant changes to humanity. From providing free access to useful knowledge, generating revenues for world economies, and preserving cultures, I believe that it is now an indispensable force to be reckoned with. For instance, throughout history, humans have sought to sharpen their minds through traditional education. Nowadays, with the evolution of search engines such as YouTube in general and the Khan Academy YouTube channel in particular, anyone from anywhere can learn virtually any subject at anytime.

Again, the spread of digital technologies has led to a more widespread social entrepreneurship. Younger generations from across the globe are finding jobs and opportunities, hence are being economically enabled in ways that would not have been possible in the absence of the internet. More businesses are relying on the internet to expand their reach as well. Finally, the spread of digital technologies has inspired the invention of global encyclopedia such as Wikipedia, which serves to preserve cultures among other forms of knowledge. [[User:cheikhmbacke|cheikhmbacke]]

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Our economy is increasingly shifting towards the manipulation of information. Digital technologies, which have enabled this information-transformation, also transcend some of the physical limitations pertaining to time and space that were inherent in industrial processes--one does not to arrive at a certain place (such as a factory) at a certain time (such as to fulfill one's exact place in a production line). I think we're only at the very beginning of what this a-geographical, asynchronous change to work and play means. These changes will be profound and will change the way we interact with each other in every way. At the same time, we may face significant cultural problems as more and more elements of the information economy depend on developing skills that are only gained through advanced study and as many forms of labor are replaced by automation.
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:38, 3 February 2014 (EST)

Digital technologies are largely a part o

Paradigms for Studying the Internet

2014-02-04T01:27:00Z

Jradoff: /* Class Discussion */

{{ClassCalendar}}

'''February 4'''

Before we can even begin exploring the who's, what's, and why's – we need to answer the critical question of how. Indeed, the phrase "studying the web" could embrace a staggering world of possible routes to explore, even before beginning to examine its relationship with society and culture. We need something to guide us through this massive field of (very interesting!) foxholes, and link the ideas we encounter into a consistent piece. We need some kind of structure to allow us to understand what we are looking at, the same way a chemist thinks of things in terms of atoms and molecules, or a philosopher can think about things in terms of schools of thought.

This class will explore different frameworks for studying the web, which will structure both the discussion and topic matter covered in the course, as well as the methodology that you should apply to your assignments. The second hour of the class will focus on applying these concepts to Wikipedia, and teeing up the [[Final Project|final project]] for the class, where we will discuss the research prompt, talk about some successful projects from prior years, and plot out the deadlines for the rest of the semester.

<onlyinclude>
== Readings ==

; Mechanisms of control

* [https://www.socialtext.net/codev2/what_things_regulate Lawrence Lessig, ''Code 2.0,'' Chapter 7] (read intro, "A Dot's Life," and "On Governments and Ways to Regulate")

* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2353457 Rob Faris and Rebekah Heacock, Measuring Internet Activity: a (Selective) Review of Methods and Metrics] (read 1-3 and 9-22)

* [http://www.danah.org/papers/2011/WhiteFlight.pdf danah boyd, White Flight in Networked Publics? How Race and Class Shaped American Teen Engagement with MySpace and Facebook] (read 1-11, skim 12-18, read 19-end)

; The effects of control

* [http://arstechnica.com/features/2008/06/book-review-2008-06-2-admin/ Nate Anderson, Book Review: Jonathan Zittrain's "The Future of the Internet And How to Stop It" (from ''Ars Technica'')]

* [http://yupnet.org/zittrain/ Jonathan Zittrain, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It] (Chapter 1, "The Battle of the Boxes," and Chapter 4, "The Generative Pattern," only)

* [http://www.benkler.org/Benkler_Wealth_Of_Networks_Chapter_11.pdf Yochai Benkler, The Wealth of Networks] (pp. 379-396 only; stop at "The Physical Layer")

== Optional Readings ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYQ0AVVBGU Jeffrey Lin, Play Nice: the Science and Behavior of Online Games] (Focus on 0:00-27:17. It's a long video, but an interesting exploration of how one company uses game design to regulate griefing and other online bad behavior. Some of the discussed language is NSFW.)

* [http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/10/the-contribution-conundrum-why-did-wikipedia-succeed-while-other-encyclopedias-failed/ Megan Garber, The contribution conundrum: Why did Wikipedia succeed while other encyclopedias failed?, Nieman Journalism Lab]

* [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=310020 Orin Kerr, The Problem of Perspective in Internet Law] (Focus on sections I and II)

</onlyinclude>

== Assignment 1 ==

Assignment 1 is due before next week's class (February 11th). Details of the assignment will be discussed in today's class; see [[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting|this page]] for further information. You can submit the assignment [[Assignment 1 Submissions|here]].

== Videos Watched in Class ==

== Links ==

== Class Discussion ==
<div style="background-color:#CCCCCC;">'''Please remember to sign your postings 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, like so: [[User:Andy|Andy]] 11:49, 8 November 2013 (EST)</div>

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Therefore, to maintain order, ensure efficient government, and improve social justice, kings, presidents, and prime ministers must be the chief architect of their country's internet code. They must be multi-skilled or have the support of a talented and scholarly team.

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 13:39, 31 January 2014 (EST)

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It seems lots more fun to watch than just read: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7UlYTFKFqY

[[User:Ichua|Ichua]] 03:30, 2 February 2014 (EST)

:Zittrain's talks are always a lot of fun! But we chose the two chapters in order to focus on a few of the specific things we'd like to dive into for this class. His book talk is much more general. [[User:Andy|Andy]] 08:46, 2 February 2014 (EST)

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The Zittrain chapters give a good overview of how the Internet had been developed up to circa 2008, but there have been some significant changes--and possible reversals of the "generative" model since that time. The increasing role of SaaS platforms, centralized APIs, and operating platforms with a much more pervasive level of control relative to older operating systems (e.g., IOS, Android, and social networking platforms like the Facebook developer platform) have reintroduced an aspect of large, single-point-of-failure, commercially controlled systems. Whereas Cluetrain envisioned a future of "small pieces loosely joined," the Internet of today might be better described as "lots of small pieces largely dependent on a few large, commercially-controlled pieces." These few large pieces raise concerns in terms of limiting the potential for innovation, negotiation with gatekeepers (which, as rightly discussed in the Zittrain chapters, was one of the things that killed innovation on earlier mobile platforms) and the shifting of business opportunities across the market from creators to platform owners. Will there be another wave of generative platforms that will wear down the the current trend to centralization, and if not, how can we best ensure continuous innovation on the Internet?
[[User:Jradoff|Jradoff]] 20:27, 3 February 2014 (EST)