CS5038 The Electronic Society
Lecture 1: Introduction to CS5038
Course Organiser: Frank Guerin
E-mail: f dot guerin at abdn dot ac dot uk
Course Website: www.abdn.ac.uk/~csc245/teaching/CS5038
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"we shape our tools and they in turn shape us.”
Marshall McLuhan,
1911 - 1980
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What is E-Society About

How IT and (especially) Internet/Web
are/could change society
» E-commerce, e-government, etc

Non-technical issues that limit or affect
this change
» Legal, ethical, policy
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Society in the News
From BBC news web site
 UK government responds on Phorm
 Crackdown on 'suicide websites'
 Computer games drive social ties
 Web 'must separate rumour' from science
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Topics
Broadly a 2-way split
 Sectors

» E-commerce, e-govt, e-learning, e-health,
e-science, e-entertainment

Issues
» Legal, ethical/professional, organisational,
policy, digital divide
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Course structure

Schedule
» See web page
» Tutorials: sign up via Web

Staff
» Frank Guerin (course organiser, co-teaching)
» Matthew Collinson (co-teaching)
» Unconfirmed: ?Matt Dennis? (demonstrator)
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Reading

Information page on course website
» Books, websites, seminars
» All background/optional
» No course textbook as such
» http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~csc245/teaching/CS5038/information/
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Assessment

75% exam
» Topics from lectures, tutorials, assessment
– NOT just what's on powerpoint!

25% coursework
» Two articles (25%)
– NOT just what's on powerpoint!
» Oral presentation – not marked, but could help article
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Introduction:
What is eSociety About?
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Introduction:
What is eSociety About?
Electronic
Technology
Human
Society
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"we shape our tools and they in turn
shape us.”
Marshall McLuhan,
1911 - 1980
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Some definitions…
• Technology: the art or science of applying scientific
knowledge to practical problems
• Technology: a broad concept that deals with a
species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts,
and how it affects a species' ability to control and
adapt to its environment
• Society: an extended social group having a distinctive
cultural and economic organization
• Society: a grouping of individuals, which is
characterized by common interests and may have
distinctive culture and institutions.
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Development
of farming
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Settlement
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Settlement
They interact and feed each other –
technological and
social development
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Development of money
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Specialisation
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Specialisation
Some unexpected,
like traders
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Development
of Writing
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Technological and social developments
through the ages…
Specialist knowledge
Mathematics
Scribes
Education
Classes
…
So technology is the motor for major social changes
Now technological change is so fast and profound
 interesting times for society
We are only at the beginning of this social change
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phone
screens
fast data transmission and processing
large databases
search
Encryption
Specific technologies were necessary for specific sectors
Sometimes one is driving the other
Much has been discovered very recently
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Freedom of information
Censorship
Freedom of speech
Blogging
Technology provides a new opportunity
+ society makes use of it (in unforeseen ways)
=Society changes
Society has a new need
 Technology fills the gap
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Music
Movies
TV
Web 2.0
Again…
Technology provides a new opportunity
+ society makes use of it (in unforeseen ways)
=Society changes
Society has a new need
 Technology fills the gap
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Why study eSociety?
Learn about effects on society
Learn about new/old needs of society
Learn about non technical challenges
Looking at the big picture maybe you can see the pattern
helps you predict
how technology will change
how society will change
business opportunity (Google, eBay, Amazon, Youtube)
social engineering opportunity
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Topics: Sectors

E-Society sectors
» E-commerce
» E-government
» E-learning
» E-health
» E-science
» E-entertainment

Potential benefits? Barriers?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Commerce

Potential benefits
» Shop open 24/7
» Customers all over world
» Unlimited catalogue

Issues
» Business models (organisational change)
» Security/privacy/trust
» Legal barriers to international sales
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Commerce

Potential benefits
» Shop open 24/7
» Customers all over world
» Unlimited catalogue

Issues
» Business models (organisational change)
» Security/privacy/trust
» Legal barriers to international sales
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-government

Potential benefits
» Info is easily accessible to all
» Easier tax forms, voting, etc

Issues
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-government

Potential benefits
» Info is easily accessible to all
» Easier tax forms, voting, etc

Issues
» Unfair to people who lack access to web?
– Poor, elderly, deprived
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Learning

Potential benefits
» Distance learning
» Material can be customised to student

Issues
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Learning

Potential benefits
» Distance learning
» Material can be customised to student

Issues
» Ownership/use of material?
» Many people want face-to-face teaching
– Interaction with peers
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Health

Potential benefits
» Sharing medical information (eg, A&E)
» Fewer medical errors
» Detect disease outbreaks, etc, better

Issues
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Health

Potential benefits
» Sharing medical information (eg, A&E)
» Fewer medical errors
» Detect disease outbreaks, etc, better

Issues
» Security/privacy of medical data
» What happens when computers crash?
– Natural diasasters?
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Reflect: Systems Thinking





Systems, which perform functions and provide
services, are complex assemblies and combinations
of technological, human/social, economic, and policy
components.
How can we organize our understanding?
How can model systems so that we can explore and
reason about all of the interacting and conflicting
components and requirements?
How do systems fail? Systemic failure, component
failure, individual culpability?
Security examples.
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Science

Potential benefits
» Universal access to scientific papers and
data sets
» Better collaboration, sharing of resources

Issues
» Organisational: researchers judged by
research papers in conventional journals
» How detect bogus material
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Science

Potential benefits
» Universal access to scientific papers and
data sets
» Better collaboration, sharing of resources

Issues
» Organisational: researchers judged by
research papers in conventional journals
» How detect bogus material
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Entertainment

Potential benefits
» Much broader range of material
» Interact with people around world

Issues
» Privacy (esp of children)
» Rights to material (IPR)
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Entertainment

Potential benefits
» Much broader range of material
» Interact with people around world

Issues
» Privacy (esp of children)
» Rights to material (IPR)
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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E-Society
Internet/web/IT can change society for
the better
 But these changes require many nontechnical barriers to be addressed.

Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Standard for new tech

To effectively use cars, society needs
» Infrastructure: roads, petrol stations…
» Public policy (speed limit, age limit)
» Laws, regulations, licenses
» Professional bodies (AA), training (BSM)
» Mechanism to deal with failures
– Police, ambulances, etc for crashes

Much more than actual vehicle
Dr. Ehud Reiter, Computing Science, University of Aberdeen
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Electronic
Technology
Human
Society
"we shape our tools and they in turn shape us.”
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