Guidelines for Social/Ethical Issues Essays

General Guidelines

Most units in this course focus on a specific social or ethical issue. The issues are described later on this page. For each unit's topic, you are to:

• Read any assigned readings, in the textbook or on the web, for that particular topic.
• Write a minimum one page essay, following the guidelines for the topic as given below, discussing your findings on that topic. You may include your personal opinions on the subject as well if you like. List any web sites that you yourself located on the indicated topic as a reference section (this does not count in the minimum one page length). Papers should additionally follow the syllabus guidelines for assignments.

Social/Ethical Topics

the biographical sketches in your textbook, the online expanded biographical sketches, and the hyperlinks from the timeline. Be sure to indicate why you chose to write about this individual.

Read the information on copyright and intellectual property in the digital environment at The Copyright Website (click on either the "digital" tab at the top of the page or the digital icon in the body, then choose "Licensing" under the Software area). Then, write an essay briefly discussing why or why not each of the different types of software copyright could be applied to algorithms.

Retrieve the Ergonomics.ppt file and read through it. Then read the information provided by the University of California at Berkeley Health Services for its students (scroll down to "Computer Ergonomics," where you will find five links to various computer ergonomic issues). Then, write an essay describing how well your computer system at home fits these ergonomic criteria and what modifications you could make to it to improve its ergonomics for you. If you do not have a computer at home, write about the system you use at work. If you also do not use a computer system at work, write about the computers in our computer lab.

Read Eric Raymond's treatise How to Become a Hacker, as well as the information on hacking in your textbook. You may also want to search the Internet for further clarification. Then, write an essay comparing and contrasting hacking and cracking. Briefly discuss the ethics of hacking and determine whether, in your opinion, hacking is ever ethically justifiable.

Read pp. 340-341 in your textbook, on privacy. Also read this exerpt from Simson Garfinkel's Database Nation on privacy of medical records. Then write an essay stating your personal position on privacy of database information, clearly stating the limits under which you think information should be accessible and why you would set those limits.

First, read this exerpt from Simson Garfinkel and Gene Spafford's Web Security and Commerce, which describes the basics of security on the World Wide Web. Then read pages 393-394 in your textbook, as well as the following Web article, An Introduction to the Use of Encryption by Peter Meyer. Write an essay discussing your thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks of data encryption for the PC user.

Read section 14.6 in your textbook, as well as this essay by Adam Garlock, written when he was sixteen years old, giving a student's view of Internet censorship. Additionally, read this essay by John Barlow on the current state of Internet censorship. Then, write an essay clearly stating your views, pro or con, on this complex topic.

Read the Association for Computing Machinery Code of Professional Ethics. Then write an essay discussing whether or not you feel that this code represents a reasonable set of professional standards for computer professionals. If you do believe it is reasonable, clearly explain why you believe this. If not, what changes or improvements should be made?