Possible Research Topics for CS-306
Taken from A Gift Of Fire by Sara Basse
J. Chansavang
Possible Research Topics
Table of Contents
– Chapters correspond with those in A Gift of Fire
Chapter 1- Unwrapping the Gift ........................................................................................................ 4
Artificial Intelligence ................................................................................................................................. 4
Automated Systems ................................................................................................................................... 4
Robotics ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
E-Commerce ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Blogs ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Cell Phones.................................................................................................................................................. 5
Wireless Phones and GPS ......................................................................................................................... 5
Social Networking...................................................................................................................................... 6
Tools for the Disabled................................................................................................................................ 6
Distance Education .................................................................................................................................... 6
Personal Identification and Biometrics ................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 2 - Privacy ................................................................................................................................ 7
Monitoring of Employees ......................................................................................................................... 7
Privacy on the Web .................................................................................................................................... 7
Video Surveillance ..................................................................................................................................... 8
DNA Databases .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Parental Controls........................................................................................................................................ 8
Access to Public Records ........................................................................................................................... 9
Government Surveillance of Communications...................................................................................... 9
Personal Data Privacy Regulations in other Countries ........................................................................ 9
Chapter 3 – Freedom of Speech............................................................................................................ 9
Censorship on the Global Net .................................................................................................................. 9
Video Games and Violence ....................................................................................................................... 9
Anonymity ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Gender/Ethnic Issues .............................................................................................................................. 10
Health Information on the Web ............................................................................................................. 10
Political Activism on the Net .................................................................................................................. 10
Hate Speech on the Internet.................................................................................................................... 11
Spam .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 4 – Intellectual Property ....................................................................................................... 11
Free Software ............................................................................................................................................ 11
File Copying and Sharing ....................................................................................................................... 12
Copyright Battles for Music/Movies .................................................................................................... 12
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Chapter 5- Crime .................................................................................................................................. 12
Technological Responses to Terrorism ................................................................................................. 12
Computers in Law Enforcement ............................................................................................................ 12
Hacking ..................................................................................................................................................... 13
Identity Theft ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Scams and Forgery ................................................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 6 - Work .................................................................................................................................. 14
Electronic Commerce............................................................................................................................... 14
Computers and the Environment .......................................................................................................... 14
Net Neutrality........................................................................................................................................... 14
Telecommuting......................................................................................................................................... 14
Electronic and Internet Voting ............................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 7 - Evaluating and Controlling Technology ...................................................................... 15
Online Gambling ...................................................................................................................................... 15
The Global Economy ............................................................................................................................... 15
The Neo-Luddite View ............................................................................................................................ 15
Computers and Community .................................................................................................................. 15
Cyberspace Communities ....................................................................................................................... 16
The End of the Human Race? ................................................................................................................. 16
What will the world be like 50 years from now? ................................................................................. 16
Chapter 8 - Error, Failures, and Risk ................................................................................................. 16
Software and Design Testing.................................................................................................................. 16
Computers in Schools .............................................................................................................................. 17
Computers in Restaurants ...................................................................................................................... 17
Dependency on Computers .................................................................................................................... 17
Are Libraries and Books Obsolete? ....................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 9 - Professional Ethics and Responsibilities ...................................................................... 18
“Computer Ethics” ................................................................................................................................... 18
Ethical Views on Technology ................................................................................................................. 18
Targeted Advertising............................................................................................................................... 18
Information Warfare ................................................................................................................................ 18
Government Surveillance of the Internet ............................................................................................. 19
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This document outlines the major topics concerning computers and technology taken mainly from Sara
Baase’s A Gift of Fire for the consideration of use in the CS-306 course term paper. The topics are
organized into primary categories that are affected by technology including the economy, environment,
workplace, society, government/politics and laws/regulations.
Chapter 1- Unwrapping the Gift
Economy:
Artificial Intelligence – Artificial Intelligence (AI) focuses on creating machines that can engage
in behaviors that humans consider intelligent. Examples of these behaviors include playing
chess, diagnosing diseases, language translation, etc… AI is now being used in medical
applications and other life-saving areas. What is the story behind how we got to this point
today? What are the philosophical and social implications of AI? What does the future hold?
AAAI: Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence:
http://www.aaai.org/home.html
Vernor Vinge: The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era:
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/vinge/misc/singularity.html
Automated Systems - Study the progress, safety, and social issues related to automated systems
such as automated highways and homes and self-driving vehicles. How would our lives be
made simpler with automation available every day? Will human-to-human contact be slowly
phased out? What are potential implications that could result from an automated world? Do
automated systems mean fewer jobs for high-skilled workers? Will human intelligence in
employment be “devalued”?
Robotics – Robots are mechanical devices created to perform tasks traditionally done by
humans. They include aspects of AI and currently perform functions such as assembling
products in factories, distributing medications in pharmacies, and function as the steady hands
for a doctor behind a remote control. The main goal of robotics is to reduce human error and
assist people. What social problems will robotic enhancement cause in the next few decades?
What philosophical and ethical problems will arise when we combine human and machine
intelligence in such ways?
See pages 391-393 in A Gift of Fire
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Workplace:
E-Commerce – In the 1990s the public was horrified by the thought of something other than
research taking place to on the internet. However, with the launch of Amazon.com in 1994 came
a new perspective and concept known as E-commerce. Today billions of people are conducting
business online and the numbers are steadily increasing. Cheaper prices due to less overhead
costs, more products to consider, and the comfort of your couch make E-commerce very
appealing to both the customer and merchant. Of course, there are problems to consider such as
trust among strangers and access to credit cards numbers. What are some of the ways we are
working around these issues and how has E-commerce effected our overall view of business?
Society:
Blogs – Blogs began as online journals where users posted on a few topics that interested
periodically. People initially enjoyed blogs because they offered a more personal point of view,
often coupled with humor, without the skepticism of reporters and the news. Today you can
find blogs on political issues, celebrities, news, technology, etc… Not surprisingly, here are
arguments against blogs stating that they are unreliable sources of information, but conversely,
they often attract more readers than many newspapers and provide some good incentive for
competition among reporters. How are blogs similar to and how do they differ from news
groups? Evaluate benefits and weaknesses. Do blogs illustrate empowerment and increased
availability of information, or do they illustrate the avalanche of gossip and inaccurate or
useless information on the Net?
Cell Phones – Since the beginning of the 21st century cell phone popularity has been thriving.
Phones are no longer simply phones- today there are also cameras and video recorders, access
to the internet, game boards, email accounts, friend trackers and much more. What are some of
the more current technological advances on cell phones? What are some of the privacy issues
that are related to cell phone camera usage in public places? In what ways have cell phones
been proven hazardous distractions, i.e. while driving?
Wireless Phones and GPS - Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are satellite-based navigation
systems that can be used in conjunction with Wireless phones for security purposes such as for
Home, businesses, people, Cars, trucks for tracking and monitoring purposes etc. In
Massachusetts supervisors gave cell phones with GPS built in to building inspectors. Many of
them refused calling them an invasion of privacy. Would you consider this an invasion of
privacy? What about the recent Blackberry phones, that can locate and display where another
Blackberry user is on a map? How are these uses being viewed by the public as positive and
negative? What kind of potential side effects could occur from such uses?
Travel by GPS.com: Using GPS for People Tracking:
http://www.travelbygps.com/articles/tracking.php
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Social Networking – Social Networking Sites (SNS) are changing the way we interact with each
other. They are providing new ways for people to express their personalities, keep in touch with
friends, and find others with similar tastes. There are issues involved with privacy and
impersonation, though, and members are beginning to voice their concern. What are some of
these issues? SNS are also, more recently, being used in the business market to attract potential
clients or to recruit employees. In what ways are SNS being used to this goal? Additionally,
there is the issue of “superficial’ internet relationships as well the lack of physical activity while
having a social life from your living room.
Neil, Martha "MySpace, 50 AGs Agree on Rules to Make Web Safer for Kids"; ABA Journal:
law news now; Jan. 14, 2008.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/myspace_50_ags_agree_on_rules_to_make_web_safer_for_kids
BNET. Four Ways Social Networking can Build Business: http://www.bnet.com/2403-13070_23219914.html
Tools for the Disabled – Artificial limbs, speech synthesizers, and character recognition
software are all examples of tools created to aid the disabled in having a better life. Researchers
are currently working on a brain-computer interface that will allow the severely handicapped to
operate a computer with their thoughts. What kind of impact these devices will have on a
handicap’s moral? In what ways could these tools be “liberating” and “empowering” for
disabled people? What are some negative aspects of these tools?
WebAIM: Web Accessibility In Mind: Introduction to Web Accessibility;
http://www.webaim.org/intro/
RNIB: Royal National Institute of Blind People (Tools for the disabled);
http://www.tiresias.org/index.htm
"Cochlear Implants." Federal Drug Administration. 26 Oct. 2004. 15 Oct. 2007;
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/cochlear/WhatAre.html
Distance Education – You may have taken or had the opportunity to take on online class as part
of your college courses. Today, there are distance learning institutions that function almost
completely from the student’s home computer. What are some of the common reasons why a
student would choose distance education over the traditional campus? What will be the impact
on universities? On adult education? Is cheating a problem?
Wright, Vivian, Szymanski Cynthia, and Wilson, Elizabeth. "Research on Enhancing the
Interactivity of Online Learning." Greenwich, Conn: Information Age Pub., c2006
King, Susan J. "Graduate School and Professional Programs." Florida: Gallaudet University,
2006; http://gspp.gallaudet.edu/
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Personal Identification and Biometrics - A company announced plans to sell an identification
chip that is implanted under a person's skin. About the size of a grain of rice, it could contain
personal information and emit a radio signal that identifies the person. What are some
beneficial uses of such a chip? What potential problems and abuses could arise? What are some
appropriate guidelines for use of such a chip and other identification technologies, including
various biometrics? Would you consider allowing a chip to be implanted in your own body?
Why/wy not?
The National Institutes of Health: Resource for Stem Cell Research;
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/
Gillam, Ronald B., Marquardt, Thomas P., and Martin, Frederick N. "Communication Sciences
and Disorders: From Science to Clinical Practice." Delmar: Singular, 2000.
Chapter 2 - Privacy
Workplace:
Monitoring of Employees – Companies are losing trust in their employees more than ever
before because of their direct access to the internet and email and its misuse. Because of this,
employers are implementing methods of monitoring employees while in the workplace. What
are some of the reasons that employers are losing trust? What policies are employers using? Is
this ethically an invasion of privacy? Perhaps study a few large businesses in your area. A
useful part of a project on e-mail privacy could be collecting and evaluating (or writing) sample
policies for different kinds of employers (e.g., for your university, covering students, faculty,
and staff, and for a software company in a highly competitive business).
BizHelp: Monitoring Employees at Work; http://www.bizhelp24.com/business-law/monitoringemployees-at-work-3.html
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Is There Privacy in the Workplace?
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs7-work.htm
Society:
Privacy on the Web – There have been incidents in which sensitive information that
organizations and businesses must provide to government agencies has been made public,
intentionally, accidentally, or by leaks. Release of information about fund-raising, sales plans,
pricing, members, or customers might aid competitors. Release of information about
manufacture of, storage of, and security for certain chemicals could aid terrorists. What are
some cases where this has happened? What are some recent abuses and improvements to web
privacy? Describe and evaluate Web site policies, technical and policy privacy protections, and
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current proposals for government regulations. What are some reasonable extensions of
principles about privacy for organizations and businesses?
Video Surveillance – We are used to security cameras in banks and convenience stores. Prisons,
casinos, and traffic controllers all use them. These don’t seem to bother us so much, but how
about when they are coupled with facial recognition systems? What are some cases where facial
recognition video surveillance has been used? What was the outcome and/or implications?
How does the public view this as an invasion of privacy? Video surveillance is also being used
to aid in our country and others in protection form terrorism. How has this been beneficial?
What trade-offs between privacy and identifying terrorists are we willing to make?
See pages 72-75 of A Gift of Fire
DNA Databases – Consider the FBI’s DNA database. It includes DNA collected from crime
scenes and from certain classes of criminals. Initially, only convicted sex offenders were
required to submit DNA, then rapists and murders, and now in some states even people who
are convicted of misdemeanors or involved in a crime. How is DNA collection from someone
arrested in a crime different than that from a sex offender? What privacy and other risks does it
present?
"ACLU Warns of Privacy Abuses in Government Plan to Expand DNA Databases." 1 March
1999. 18 November 2007; http://www.aclu.org/privacy/genetic/15062prs19990301.html
Monteleoni, Paul. "DNA Databases, Universality, and the Fourth Amendment." New York
University Law Review (2007).
Parental Controls - There are several problem areas: availability of material not appropriate for
children, contact with people who seek to abuse children, and privacy risks from game sites that
ask children for extensive personal and family information (for marketing purposes). How
serious are these problems? What is being done about them? Evaluate various solutions. Do
benefits for children on the Net outweigh risks? Can we arrange to have the benefits without
the risks?
Center for Democracy and Technology's Guide to Online Privacy;
http://www.cdt.org/privacy/guide/basic/topten.html
Federal Privacy Laws; http://www.privacy.gov.au/act/index.html
Federal Communications Commission: Children's Internet Protection Act;
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cipa.html
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Government/Politics:
Access to Public Records – “Public records” are those that are available to the public. Examples
include bankruptcy records, arrest records, marriage license applications, divorce proceedings,
wills, etc… Today, it is extremely easy to search and browse for such records on the internet
and people are able to access them for purposes that can threaten peace and safety and personal
information about others. How has this fact attributed to identity theft in the United States and
other parts of the world? Is it wrong that this information is so readily available to the general
public? What practices are being used to monitor access?
Government Surveillance of Communications – Law enforcement agencies intercept
communications to collect evidence of criminal activities. The government has the ability to
wiretap our phone lines and regulate our emails. Is this considered legal? Is it an invasion of our
privacy? Is the act justified if it is in an attempt to combat terrorism? How are arguments about
Echelon and Carnivore affected by the terrorist attacks in 2001?
Laws/Regulations:
Personal Data Privacy Regulations in other Countries – Understandably, our privacy
regulations for personal data differ from those regulations used by other countries. What are
some personal data privacy regulations and Web site privacy policies in other countries? What
are some laws that enforce access to personal data in one or more countries, e.g. the European
Union?
Chapter 3 – Freedom of Speech
Economy:
Censorship on the Global Net – In some countries, the government blocks specific sites and
information on the internet from citizens so that it is inaccessible. For example, Saudi Arabia
blocks porn, gambling, the Bahai faith, the Holocaust, and conversion from Muslims to other
faiths. Is this an ethical practice in reference to the citizens of these countries access to
information? On whose terms is it considered ethical or unethical? Should the US government
consider putting a block on some of the websites that are accessed by its citizens?
Libertus.net: About Censorship and Free Speech; http://libertus.net/liberty/debategl.html
Breedon, Geoffrey L. "Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization" Online posting.
Kosmosaic Productions. 29 Aug 2007; http://www.darkseptemberrain.com/ideas/advantages.htm
Society:
Video Games and Violence – Studies show that exposure to media violence is a significant risk
factor in aggressive and violent behavior. What are some real-life x that prove this fact to be
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true? Is this true for everyone? What percentage of players are effected by the violence in video
games? Is video game violence safer if it is unrealistic?
Anderson, Craig A (2003) "Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions",
Volume 16: No. 5.; American Psychological Association; http://www.apa.org/science/psa/sbanderson.html
Anonymity - Anonymity is “the state of being anonymous.” On the internet people talk about
personal things in discussion forums and chat rooms and through their blogs, emails are sent,
purchases are made, and opinions are given… all while remaining anonymous. What are some
of the privacy reasons that someone may want to remain anonymous? What about businesses
or the government? How is anonymity being misused (or simply utilized) to make critical
remarks or degrade another human being? What is your viewpoint on the ethicality of that
concept?
See pages 179-186 in A Gift of Fire
Gender/Ethnic Issues - There have been several studies of differences in the way men and
women use computers. What kind of factual basis do these studies hold? Is one gender more
naturally computer-literate? What are some of the many websites aimed at women or at specific
ethnic minority audiences? What are some of the differences and similarities between such sites
and the Web in general?
The Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering might have some useful
articles for background and ideas for specific projects.
Health Information on the Web – Oftentimes people inquiring for information about medicals
questions will go to the internet for answers. Many websites can be found with different
interpretations of the right answer. What are some examples of these web-based health
information sites? What are some of the issues and benefits? How reliable is the information?
What are some privacy protections, and what techniques are being developed to rate or accredit
sites? How have they impacted medical care today? Additionally, patients of some healthcare
providers can access their own records online. Describe an example. How does it affect medical
care?
Government/Politics:
Political Activism on the Net - How has the Internet helped or hurt political groups outside the
mainstream? How is it used by major political parties and candidates? What is the impact? How
do/should current regulations about political campaigns affect individuals and small
organizations that set up Web pages to support/oppose candidates and issues?
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Laws/Regulations:
Hate Speech on the Internet – Hate speech is easily defined. Basically, it is what it sounds likewhen the internet is used as a place for degradation and criticism. There are websites specified
for hate speech where people log on simply to express their dislikes or negative views about a
thing or topic. Should sites like this be allowed to remain on the internet? How would removing
them be justified or how might it violate American’s freedom of speech? Should there be
enforcements put in place about such sites? Should there be some sort of regulation on what is
said or who is allowed to access them?
“Hate Speech on the Internet and the law.”
http://www.adl.org/main_internet/internet_hate_law.htm
Bailey, J. (2003). "Private regulation and public policy: Toward effective restriction of hate
propaganda." McGill Law Journal. 49, 59.
Tsesis, A. (2001)."Hate in cyberspace: Regulating hate speech on the Internet." San Diego Law
Review. 38, 817.
Spam – We all know what Spam is. It frustrates and annoys us, and it clogs up our email
inboxes. Some people propose that the federal government create a "Do not spam" list, like the
"DO not call" list for telemarketers. What are some privacy problems that could occur with
implementation of such a list? What are the roles of technical and legislative solutions for spam?
How does this factor in the relevance of freedom of speech? Describe and evaluate technical
solutions, current legislation and regulation (e.g., the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003), and
significant proposed legislation.
Federal Trade Commission page on e-mail spam, includes information on the CAN-SPAM Act;
http://www.ftc.gov/spam/
Spam Laws; http://www.spamlaws.com/
Chapter 4 – Intellectual Property
Society:
Free Software – “Free” software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without
restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed. What are some current issues with this
concept? What is the impact of Linux and Apache, for example? What are the implications for
consumers? For big companies like Microsoft?
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Laws/Regulations:
File Copying and Sharing – Music sales have been on a steady decline since the year 2000 due
to excessive unauthorized copying and sharing taking place over the web. What is the
percentage of people who take part in file copying/sharing? Exactly how severe is the damage
that has been done to some record labels? What kind of defensive and aggressive responses
should companies take against this? What are corrective measures that are taken when one is
caught in this unlawful act?
Copyright Battles for Music/Movies - Since A Gift of Fire was published, the music and movie
industries have continued to develop new methods to fight copyright infringement of digital
media. These include threatening lawsuits against universities and small retailers, uploading
damaged files to file-sharing sites, and offering rewards for information about movie-pirating
operations. They also include building copy-protection into CDs and so forth and some
attempts to sell authorized works on the Web. Report on several recent strategies used by the
industries (legal, technological, and business). Evaluate the effectiveness and ethics of the
methods. Describe current controversies about digital rights management.
Philip Larson Blog: P2P Filesharing - The Supreme Court Speaks in MGM v. Grokster;
http://www.philiplarson.com/blog/?p=5
BBC News (2007) "Huge Pirate Music Site Shut Down." 23 October 2007. BBC News. 10
November 2007; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/7057812.stm
Chapter 5- Crime
Governemmt/Politics:
Technological Responses to Terrorism - Describe and evaluate some of the computer-based
technologies implemented or expanded after Sept. 11, 2001. (Include, for example, CAPPS II, the
program to screen prospective airline passengers.) What is their effectiveness, cost, impact on
daily life, air travel, etc.? What are some arguments related to privacy and civil liberties?
Laws/Regulations:
Computers in Law Enforcement -Describe cases where the computer system has been very
helpful in catching a criminal, and describe cases where it has caused serious problems. An
activity for this project could include a ride-along in a police car. (A few students did this in the
past and found it very instructive.) Another possible activity is to interview someone who runs
or supervises the use of local law enforcement computer systems. What databases do they
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access? How do they prevent unauthorized access? Have errors in NCIC been reduced? What
are some of the issues that reveal themselves, for example, malfunctions?
Forensic Examination of Digital Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement;
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/199408.pdf
Cowan, L. (2003). New airport X-ray too revealing?;
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/17/eveningnews/main563797.shtml
TSA: Transportation Security Administration. Department of Homeland Security. 27 September
2007-19 November 2007; http://www.tsa.gov/index.shtm
Hacking - Report on the community of hackers who hack to improve security. Are their actions
responsible and beneficial, or immature and harmful, or both? Report on specific incidents or
organizations engaged in hacktivism. What is the difference between civil disobedience and
other kinds of hacking?
Lawal, Leonard, (2006), "Online Scams Create 'Yahoo! Millionaires'"; Fortune;
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/05/29/8378124/
Internet Fraud Watch: Includes Statistics on Internet Fraud;
http://www.fraud.org/internet/intinfo.htm
Identity Theft – With the current rise in technology comes a comparative rise in identity theft.
Online business, access to public records on the internet, and social media and networking sites
make stealing another’s identity easier than ever. What is the current state of the problem?
Describe relevant laws. How have consumers and businesses changed behavior in response to
Identity Theft? What technical solutions have developed?
Rights Clearinghouse: Identity Theft: "What to Do if It Happens to You";
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm
FTC: :Fighting Back Against Identity Theft"; http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
Scams and Forgery – Con artists and crooks have found ample resources on the web to cheat
unsuspecting people. Three areas of online fraud are mentioned in the text: auction fraud, click
fraud, and stock fraud. What are the similarities and differences between the three? How do
each of these work and what solutions have emerged? What are some fairly new approaches to
fraud that are being used by con artists?
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Chapter 6 - Work
Economy:
Electronic Commerce - Today, more and more business is being conducted on the internet.
Implications for the Economy, for Privacy, etc. What will the impact be (on the structure of
businesses, physical store locations, communities, etc.) moving into the future of commerce?
Consider more specific topics. For example, Smart Cards: uses, benefits, privacy implications
and protections in a particular application or industry. Another example: Several companies are
working on technology for micro payments on the Net. Which industries will most benefit from
E-Comerce? Which will be hurt? How will daily activities be affected? Are there significant
social benefits or detriments from electronic commerce?
Computers and the Environment - How are computers being used by nature researchers and
organizations? Describe applications that help protect the environment. Describe aspects of
computers that cause environmental problems. What do environmentalists think of computers?
Workplace:
Net Neutrality- Net neutrality is a principle proposed for internet users that advocates no
restrictions on any internet content, sites, equipment attached, or modes of communication
allowed. Advocates want the government to mandate that telecommunications companies treat
all content that travels through their broadband lines equally. The purpose is that companies
who control transmission should not be allowed to control access to content as well. Would it
make sense for this to come about? How would companies and consumers react? How
serious/how soon may this proposal come into play and what steps need to be taken in order
for that to happen? Do you think it would be ethical toward the telecommunication companies
to go through with net neutrality?
Telecommuting – Conducting business at a home or small detached office as opposed to
meeting in a singular, largely populated office is becoming increasingly common for business
professionals with the help of the internet. How is this action expanding our fields of work?
What are some of the benefits and problems with this situation? What are advantages and
disadvantages? What might some future side-effects be of telecommunting?
See pages 327-331 in A Gift of Fire
Government:
Electronic and Internet Voting - In a few states in the U.S., some people voted in the 2000
presidential primary elections on the Internet. By 2004, several states and countries (e.g., India)
began using electronic voting machines. How successful were the first experiments? Will most
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political elections be held on the Internet in the future? Discuss the problems of maintaining
secret ballots, preventing election fraud, and providing for recounts (for both electronic voting
machines and Internet voting). What other issues are relevant? How are the states (and nations)
handling these issues?
Chapter 7 - Evaluating and Controlling Technology
Economy:
Online Gambling – Currently, sixty percent of Internet gambling is done by Americans. The US
government is trying to stop it, but can they? Some U.S. states have specific laws against online
gambling of any kind. What are some of the issues associated with online gambling? What are
some illustrative stories that tell of the destructive power of gambling on the internet? What are
some ways in which it may be a positive thing?
United States General Accounting Office. "Internet Gambling: An Overview of the Issues."
GAO Highlights. December 2002. 1-14; http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-89
Hammer, Ryan D. "Internet Gambling Damages the Economy and Harms Society." Legalized
Gambling. Ed. David M. Haugen. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. 70-74.
The Global Economy - What are the roles and impacts of computers and communications
technology in the increase of trans-border economic activity (e.g., eBay as a global garage sale;
customer service workers in other countries handling U.S. consumer calls; databases to track the
origin of a cow with Mad Cow Disease; etc.)? What are the benefits? What are the problems? Is
this aspect of increased globalization a good thing for people in the U.S., for people in other
countries, for humanity in general?
The Neo-Luddite View – Basically, the Luddites hate computers and technological advances.
They criticize the internet and advancements in technology as being negative factors for our
environment and economy. What are their reasons behind their opposition and indifference?
How is their voice being heard and what kind of an effect are they making on technology, if
any? Are their criticisms fair?
See pages 376-382 in A Gift of Fire
Society:
Computers and Community – Every night countless Americans spend hours in front of their
computer screens networking, playing games, shopping, surfing the web, etc… Some virtually
eliminate direct contact with their families and friends. In what ways is the web hurting local
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communities and downplaying their importance? What makes a strong community? How does
this issue differ in different areas of the world? Give examples.
The End of the Human Race? –Some technologists see the human race transforming into an
unrecognizable race of super-intelligent, genetically engineered creatures within the century.
Will artificial intelligence one day advance so far that we will not be able to comprehend what
lies on the other side? Will these creatures begin to take the place of humans? WiIl they only
replace humans, or will species of animals be included as well? How soon might this start to
happen?
See pages 391-393 in A Gift of Fire
What will the world be like 50 years from now? - How will electronic communications and
commerce affect the power of centralized governments? Everyday life? What will happen as
computers are connected to the human body? Deep Blue beat Garry Kasparov at chess in 1997.
Will human intelligence be of less value in the future? As society is interconnected will we loose
our freedom of thought? Will we have to have our thoughts censored? Several experts have
written books addressing these issues. You could read two or three and evaluate their
predictions.
Environment:
Cyberspace Communities - What makes a "community"? How do cyberspace communities
handle decision making, dealing with troublesome members, etc.? Find one community to
study in depth, preferably one that you are a member of or have a special interest in.
Possibilities: an online game community; the Open Directory Project, etc. (Please respect the
community's privacy guidelines and ask permission if quoting members.)
Chapter 8 - Error, Failures, and Risk
Workplace:
Software and Design Testing - What is it that goes wrong when technical equipment
malfunctions and negative side affects come about as a result? What are ways that we can test
that equipment and attempt to keep that from happening? The Therac-25 incident is a good
example to consider. Therac-25 was a high tech machine that administered radiation doses to
cancer patients. Between 1985 and 1987, four machines at separate medical centers gave massive
overdoses to six patients causing severe side effects, and in some cases, death. What are some
principles and techniques that should be followed to perform adequate testing? Give other
examples where testing situations provided both positive and negative outcomes.
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Possible Research Topics
See pages 425-441 in A Gift of Fire
An Investigation of the Therac-25 Accidents:
http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/Therac_25/Therac_1.html
Society:
Computers in Schools - How are computers currently being used in schools? Are they helping
mainly to teach or to babysit? Consider visiting an elementary school or middle school and
observe how computers are used. Interview a teacher and a few students. What is the history of
the effectiveness of computers in education? Are the students and teachers both becoming too
dependent on computers?
Computers in Restaurants – What are some issues that relate to computers in restaurants such
as customer service, impact on employment, food safety, and ambiance? Consider visiting a
restaurant with self-service ordering terminals. Some fast food restaurants use robotic devices
for food preparation; what is an example of one? Interview a waiter or restaurant manager.
(This could be part of a paper that looks at the impact of computer automation in two or three industries
or consumer services.)
Are Libraries and Books Obsolete? - As we rush into the 21st century with technology changing
everything in its path will books become the next item left on the side of the information
superhighway? How has the proliferation of computers and the globalization of information
through the Internet affected libraries? What issues and problems does the library face in the
21st century? With the advancement in search engines are librarians at risk of extinction or are
they going to be the elite guideposts that can navigate the complex web of information sites?
What issues are involved with document that are “born digital” versus documents that need to
become digital?
Example:
A few years ago I read that a library in Scotland or Ireland had made digital copies of some historical
books that were falling apart but the media they selected did not catch on and they found themselves with
media that they had no readers for. In the end they had to redo the entire digital copying again and select
another media. Sadly, this all occurred within something like 10 years.
Environment:
Dependency on Computers – Computers and now virtually everywhere. Is this good? Or bad?
Or neutral? How many people would not be prepared to deal with life without their daily
computer systems? How would the world be different today if there was no such thing as a
computer? Is our “dependence” on computers different than our dependence on things like
electricity and medical treatments? Consider the criticisms of this dependency and what
reactions have been taken or make take place in the future.
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Possible Research Topics
The Increasing Human Dependence on Computers:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/701085/the_increasing_human_dependence_on.html?c
at=9
Chapter 9 - Professional Ethics and Responsibilities
Workplace:
“Computer Ethics” – Computer ethics is concerned with standards of conduct as they pertain to
computers. With the freedom of the internet has come a host of new ethical issues such as
copyright violations, inappropriate and obscene content, and privacy intrusions. What are some
examples of unethical computer use? How are computer ethics being portrayed in the news?
Can ethical concepts be learned? What can be done to increase awareness about these issues and
to point people in the right direction?
Computer Ethics Website:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/701085/the_increasing_human_dependence_on.html?c
at=9
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Computer Ethics: Basic Concepts and Historical Overview:
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-computer/
Ethical Views on Technology- There are many different theories about how to establish
justification for rules and how to decide what is ethical. Some of these include Deontological
theories, Utilitarianism, and Natural Rights. In reference to technology, how does each of these
processes aid us in identifying principles, reminding us of things to consider, and clarifying our
reasoning and values?
Society:
Targeted Advertising – If you have a Facebook profile you may have noticed that the ads
within the site pertain to information you have posted on your page. Similarly, advertisement
links on Google pertain to your recent or common search topics. These are examples of targeted
advertising on the internet. Is this an invasion of the consumer’s privacy? Since its existence, is
targeted advertising proving effective? What are some positive and negative outcomes that
have resulted from the implementation of targeted advertising? In what ways is targeted
advertising taking place outside of the internet, i.e. on television and through text messages?
The Definition of Targeted Advertising: http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-tips-articles/thedefinition-of-targeted-advertising-2094921.html
Government/Politics:
Information Warfare – There are, no doubt, already battles taking place in the information field
and through the use of the internet and technologies. Will the next wars be fought without
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Possible Research Topics
bombs? Will computer networks and computer-controlled infrastructure be the targets of
military hackers? What is happening now? What kinds of defenses are possible?
Government Surveillance of the Internet - The terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001 led to laws
reducing restrictions on government surveillance of the Internet. Before that, the Clinton
administration proposed massive monitoring of major computer networks by the government
to protect their security. Is this a good idea? What are the pro and con arguments? Since the
time of the attack, has the regulation led to a positive outcome? Do you think the law will again
change in the future and in what way do you think that might happen?
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