LIB100J Class Discussion

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/05/facebook.impostors/index.html

This article is about the recent cases of hackers hacking into facebook accounts and impersonating the users. In one recent case, a hacker convinced a friend of the person whose facebook he had hacked to wire him about $1,100 to London from Seattle. Money isn’t the only thing hat facebook imposters are obtaining though. In another recent case, an eighteen year old boy pretended that he was a woman to get highschool boys to send him naked pictures of themselves. The suspect is currently under arrest. Facebook officials gave some tips to avoiding having your facebook hacked. One is to use an up to date browser. Another is to choose a strong password and use a different one for each of your accounts. And another one is to use anti-virus software on your computer.

Questions:

1. How exactly do internet hackers choose their victims?

2. Do you have a facebook?

3. If someone you didn’t know added you as a friend and sarted creepily talking to you, what would you do?

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/google-glitch-briefly-disrupts-worlds-search/?scp=4&sq=search%20engines&st=cse

This article discusses a brief glitch in Google’s search engine on the morning of January 31st, 2009 between the times of about 9:30 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. eastern time. Between these times all search results stated the same message, “This site may harm your computer.” Even when the users decided to disregard the message and click on the link, the page would still not load. Millions of users throughout the country and around the world complained and the glitch seemed to cause mass confusion and commotion. An expert estimated that the 55 minute glitch period to have lost $2-$3 million in advertising revenue. Google explained that the glitch was just human error and that they have always been keen on protecting their users from harmful sites. It’s just interesting to see the amount of disruption one search engine can cause in 55 minutes.

Do you think that 5 years ago, a glitch such as this would have caused such a reaction from the search engine’s users?

What other sort of glitches do you think would cause larger problems?

Do you view Google as a less reliable search engine after hearing about its glitch?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3548035.stm

Summary:

This article is about internet censorship in China and ways to get around the blocked websites. The Chinese government blocks specific web addresses, for example, bbc.co.uk. However, someone in another country can provide access to the website through an alternative address. It is still difficult to inform the citizens of the alternative web address. One option is to email the address to citizens, but the government scans emails for this kind of information. Another option is to develop secret codes for the websites. Right now, most of this work is being done by volunteers, while China continues to spend billions of dollars on its internet infrastructure.

Questions:

1) How does an internet user in China get access to blocked websites ?

2) How could you tell users in China to find a specific website through an alternative web address?

3) What does California congressman Christopher Cox wish to create?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4424670.stm

This article expresses local concern for Google’s privacy laws, which many have recently deemed to be inadequate and controversial. Many people are concerned with Google’s new addition, Google Print. Through this program Google is able to scan various books and articles and post copyrighted information on the internet. In response, Google reassures their authors that the information is merely “snippets” of the text and people are unable to copy the text that is posted.

1. What is the purpose of Google’s “remove” tool?

2. Why does Google view Google Print as a Digital Library?

3. Do you think Google should be permitted to continue to publish “snippets” of copyrighted texts?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/technology/start-ups/22blogpaper.html?_r=1&ref=start-ups

With the clear and rapid growth of the internet as the world’s news source, many foresee the inevitable end of the printed newspaper industry. One Chicago firm is going to try their hardest to to ensure that printed news does not become obsolete by printing internet blogs as a permanent news source. The Printed Blog claims that this will allow news to be specialized to specific neighborhoods more effectively and let the public read what is really on their minds since the public will be writing the “articles” themselves. The idea is that eventually many Chicagoans will log on to the newspaper’s website and post their observations and thoughts on local events and the posts will be printed daily. The money needed to distribute the paper will be made through advertisements on the website, but costs will be low because the news source won’t have to hire reporters. With the economy as it is, free newspapers are going out of business and subscription newspapers are losing out to the web.

Do you think that all printed news will become obsolete in the future? Is this a bad thing?

Could you see this idea succeeding and becoming widespread? Why or why not?

Do you read the newspaper or magazines to obtain news?

http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-04-18/news/the-21st-century-peep-show/

This article demonstrates the ability of any citizen to put anything they please on the internet. In particular, this article focuses on photography on the internet. It uses the example of a camera phone picture of someone urinating that posted on the internet without that person’s permission. This shows that even without the permission of the person in a picture, this picture can still be open to the public.

1. Taking into account today’s advanced technology, should Americans’ privacy rights be altered in the constitution?

2. Should people who violate privacy in such a way be punished?

3. Does further surveillance need to be installed in urban centers so that crimes such as public urination do not take happen in the first place?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/04/google.latitude/index.html

Today(wednesday) Google plans to launch a new software called Latitude. “What Google Latitude does is allow you to share that location with friends and family members, and likewise be able to see friends and family members’ locations.” The new technology requires people to sign up for the service, in order to maintain personal privacy.

1. Even with personal sign ups is this a violation of personal privacy?

2. What will Google thing of next?!

3. How much will this influence interpersonal relationships?

http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs7-work.htm

This article addresses the issue of privacy in the workplace and employee’s rights to privacy on their phones, email, internet, etc. It is to the point now that an employer may listen, watch and read most of your workplace communications. In a 2005 survey by the American Management Association, it was found that three-fourths of employers monitor their employee’s internet site visits in hopes to prevent inappropriate surfing. There is even a chance that if you wear a headset while talking to co-workers, your conversations can be monitered even while on a break.

What is the requirement by California state law regarding recorded phone conversations?

Is it possible for employers to obtain a record of employee’s calls?

Are voicemail, email, and AIM private in a workplace?

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200803/chinese-firewall

In this opinionated article about China’s internet censorship, the author John Ritter explains each step in the new Chinese Internet censorship program. He explains how many Americans that went to China for the Olympics did not experience the censorship because the government unblocked certain subjects for the visitors. The rest of the article describes the steps involved with the censorship and how to get around it. The article is, at points, extremely opinionated, with a condesending feel towards the Chinese government.

1) What are the two names of China’s internet censorship program? Why are these the names?

2) Should Cisco have designed the censorship program for China? Did Cisco help violate human right of Chinese? Or did they just sell their product in a free market?

3) Describe how the internet censorship changes over time. What techniques are used to block information? Is there a way around the censorship?

http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/00/02/21/000221hnprivacy.html

In the status quo, the ad giant DoubleClick is infringing on consumer privacy rights. Several bills have been made in order to strengthen the hold on privacy rights and bills. The counter argument is that the bills that are being presented to congress are too strict and that they need to be heavily scrutinized seeming they conflict and contradict each other. Capitol Hill will soon be moving in on these issues.

1.Who is really at fault for allowing companies to gain too much information? The government? The consumers?
2. What changes to the inherent privacy laws will have to be made in order to make a difference in the consumers’ perception of privacy?
3. How strict is too strict? Should companies even be allowed to ask for information without a mission statement claiming whether or not they meet privacy laws?