Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Fall Semester, 2004

MIT 6.805/6.806/STS085: Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier

Preparation for week of November 15

Paper milestone: detailed outline and main arguments due on November 19.

This week at Harvard

The Harvard class this week will be on exporting our intellectual property laws. Check out the Digital Democracy 2004 site on the rotisserie for the syllabus and readings.

This week at MIT

Today's class will be a presentation by the sensors team.

For part of the presentation, the class will be split into three groups, that will discuss the team's proposed new law. The three groups will take viewpoints of the ACLU, the Department of Homeland Security, and a business with an interest in public surveillance (for example, a bank that has cameras posted outside its building).

For preparation, please read:

  1. Vo vs. City of Garden Grove (115 Cal.App. 4th 425, 2004 Cal. App. Lexis 116).
    In this 2004 case, the Cafornia Court of Appeals required Internet cafes to conduct video surveillance of customers as an anti-gang measurement. Skim through the case, pay attention to Challenged Provisions of the Ordinance: 5. The Video Surveillance Requirement and the Dissent.
    Search for the case on web.lexis-nexis.com/universe

  2. Beth Givens:  "Public Records on the Internet: The Privacy Dilemma."  Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. April 2002.
    With the Internet, public records are easily accessible. This paper discusses privacy implications online private records with personal information.
    www.privacyrights.org/ar/onlinepubrecs.htm  

  3. Camp, Jean and Y.T. Chien.  The Internet as Public Space.  John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, MA.  30, October 2004.
    A great introduction to thinking about the Internet as public space. 
    www.ljean.com/files/spaces.htmla

  4. Deutche Bank Research, "Biometrics - hype and reality"
    A good introduction to biometrics.
    www.dbresearch.com/PROD/999/PROD0000000000043270.pdf