GOF 2.31and 2.3.3 Consumer Information

In the two sections of chapter two, Sarah Baase explains how the individual's information can leak out and cause more ads that invade privacy. Every time one fills out a warranty or questionnaire, the information on that paper or website is stored in huge database. Businesses then use powerful hardware to analyze the consumer data. This is process called data mining, the searching of masses of data to find new information or knowledge. The data mining information is then used to send the consumer products that they are more likely to buy. An example of this is a case of a woman who had a miscarriage and continued to receive mailings about baby products. Baase states, "But it is unreasonable to blame marketers or computerized mailing lists if the woman gave consent to the distribution of her name." Do you think it is unreasonable?

2.2 Big Brother Is Watching You

In chapter 2.2 Sarah Baase explains how government agencies are invading our privacy by not obeying the Forth Amendment. Both the IRS and the FBI have access to huge databases filled with tons of personal information. Did you know every toll you pay collects personal information about you, like social security number, license plate; because of our advance technology the government can even tell how fast the driver was going through the toll. Also, government agencies are able to buy personal information from private information service companies; the information would be illegal for them to collect. In 2001, the USA PATRIOT Act lets the government collect information from financial institutions on any transactions that differ from a customer's usual patterns; but that’s not all they can check. New technologies now allow video surveillance to watch out every move, without us being told. As the Supreme Court of Canada states, "privacy is annihilated." Does the government have the right to search your personal information for no reason? How can this be stopped?

From Virtual Communities to Smart Mobs

Lane Jennings article "From Virtual Communities to Smart Mobs" stated the good the bad and the ugly about information sharing. One example of the good occurred on September 11, 2001, when passengers aboard United Flight 93 learned about the other hijackings and was able to take action. Other types of information sharing including P2P may seem like the all winning approach to problem solving, but in reality P2P has created easier ways for hackers to store their files on your computer. How would you feel if a hacker decided to leave his pornography and virus files on your computer?

GOF Chapter 7 Computer Crime

In this chapter, Sarah Baase explains the term hacking. In the early days of computer programming a hacker was a creative programmer who wrote clever programs. As time went on the word hacking took on a totally different meaning; a quote from Baase "Breaking into computers on which the hacker does not have authorized access." Hacking has created huge problems for every organization, company, and individual that has access to the internet. These individuals that are labeled "hackers" range from any age, and can break into and steal millions of dollars as well as confidential military information. How can the ordinary person protect themselves from being subjected to a hacker? What actions must be taken?

Freedom of speech in cyberspace chapter five: GoF

In chapter five A Gift of Fire, Sarah Baase tells us how the First Amendment protects our right to express his or her views on any topic. But some American citizens tend to take advantage of the Web; this problem brings up a very controversial topic. What should be illegal to put on the Web? That question depends on the individuals views. Pornography for one is illegal because it displays sexual behaviors that have no social, political, or artistic value. Should these Web pages be allowed on the web?
http://www.whywehatebush.com/
http://www.iratecitizens.org/Dumbya/102Reasons.html

http://www.ak13.com/article.php?id=274

Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace

Chapter five in A Gift of Fire talked about internet censorship. This topic has been around since the internet was released to the public. What should be done about it? The answer depends on who you are; and whether or not you agree. As a parent, you might not want your kid looking at political or religious speech, pornography, sexual or racial slurs, Nazi materials, abortion information, drugs, violence, and how to build a bomb. So how do you protect them? Maybe as a parent you put the computer in a place where you can watch your child surf the web; or even use internet filters. The problem is if you the parent are not home, how do you know what your child is looking at? There is really no way to tell what your child is looking at unless you view the history, because even with internet filters, they're ways to get around filters. The government for one is trying to put laws in place to help censor the internet, but it is a violation to the first amendment. If the United States censors certain websites, it doesn't mean that the whole world has to do the same thing. How can we stop people from spamming things on the web that is unwanted information?

Music Business Still Groping for a Digital-Age Plan

The NPR Radio cast by Neda Ulaby had people wondering what state the music industry was in; but also, the question facing musicians and their labels. These questions came up because of the mid year music sales report, and it's not good. CD sales from January to July have suffered a nine percent drop compared to last year, and a seven percent drop for all of last year. People buy music online but ten times that amount gets downloaded for free. The artist Ne-Yo sold over two million tracks online, but he says he is just "Trying to create a piece of art." It's great that the musicians do not care about what they make on their music, but the record companies do. The music industry needs to entice consumers back to physical goods, like high definition CD's, dual disks, and the new technology of interactive disks. Experts predict that in ten years physical merchandise will still make up sixty percent of music sales. But who knows what will actually happen, when more and more people will be downloading music for free?