Issues and Objectives

Requirements/Expectations

Grading

Special Considerations

Flexible Schedule

Course Issues and Objectives:

Contemporary American society features a wide range of data collection technologies that:
1) generate an unprecedented capacity to track and monitor people;
2) facilitate the aggregation, storage, and analysis of massive amounts of information about people;
3) enable wide-ranging forms of access to, communication of, and publication of this information;
4) be a primary factor in the management of everday life via relationships among power and control.

Governments, the organizations in which we work, study, and play, the businesses that provide us with products and services, and social networks of diverse origin and purpose collect, store, share/disseminate an ever-increasing amount of information about people and their activities. The collection of, access to, and management of this data plays a important role in the coordination of people in modern life. In some cases, the circulation of the information advantages people in obvious and purposive ways; in other instances the data-flow works against citizens’ best interests, often quite behind the scene. The future of life in America (not to mention within the global context) is to a large degree tied directly to data management practices.

To meet the course objectives students should be able to comprehend, identify, apply, and critically evaluate the contours of these and other related questions posed in the textbooks and activated in supplemental readings and class discussions:

-What are the key technologies at issue (e.g. web-based services, interactive tv, databases, cookies/trackers, biometrics, webcams, digital dossiers/drones/stingrays)?
-What key factors are responsible for driving the development of these technologies?
-What purposes are these technologies serving; whose purposes?
-What are some of the current and projected social, political, and moral consequences?
-How do we evaluate those consequences?
-What are the legal configurations surrounding these practices?
-How do privacy rights conflict with other important values, e.g. speech, efficiency, security, and accountability?
-How should we resolve these conflicts; what tradeoffs should we make?
-What steps should we, as individuals, as participants in data-driven industries, and we, in society, take to protect privacy (through technology, defensive action and policy)?

Requirements and Expectations:

-This Class meets in real time via ZOOM.
-You are expected to attend via audio and video.
-Quizzes take place at the START of class and may not be made up.
-Online office hours, TT 10:30-11:30 am and by appointment.
-I will notify you of changes to the syllabus via Sakai announcements and/or electronic mail.
-This course requires a minimum of 6 hours of school work, per week, Monday-Friday with additional time for papers on the weekends.
-This section DOES NOT meet the WI tag requirement so has not been submitted as WI. Therefore, it does not qualify as a WI course.

Texts:

Edward Lee Lamoureux, Privacy, Surveillance, and the New Media You. Peter Lang Publishers, 2016. Available in print and/or electronic versions.
At Lang Publishers
At Amazon

Articles & .pdf files on Sakai:

Daniel J. Solove. The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age. NYUP, 2004. [.pdf]
_____ The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet, Yale University Press, 2007. [.pdf]
_____"The Myth of the Privacy Paradox" [.pdf]
Soshnna Zuboff. from Surveillance Capitalism: Ch. 3, I-III [.doc], Ch. 3, IV-VI [.doc], Ch. 5, I-III, Chapter 16 [.pdf]
NYT_privacy_project.pdf (April-Dec. 2019 article titles w/URLs)
CCPA Fact Sheet.pdf
ccpa.pdf
GDPR_summary_chart.pdf
gdpr_Summary_dataiq
gdpr.pdf

You are also encouraged to forward articles/materials for inclusion in class discussions. I will post notifications to current articles. You are encouraged to engage with as much of the material as you wish. The more you read, the more you will learn and the more able you will be to participate in class discussion.

Grading:

300 ...................15 Quizzes (over daily readings and lectures) [15 x 20 each]
700 ....................4 papers [4 x 175 each]

A: 88.5%-100%; B:88.4-78.5; C: 78.4-68.5; D: 68.4-58.5; F:<58.5

Position Papers:

Four papers with due dates indicated on the syllabus. Late papers are NOT accepted. Although the papers are short and are (largely) about you, treat them seriously. Turn in researched/supported, polished, finished papers, not rough drafts or free-association think-pieces. Apply material from the course to each paper.

Each paper should be 5-7 pages, not counting reference lists; 1/2 inch margins, double spaced, 12 point font, no extra line spaces between paragraphs.

The purpose of the papers is for you to investigate/research/report how the assigned information practice/process interacts in your life. You are to learn all that you can about how it works, why it is used (etc.), how it connects to the conceptual literature, and it’s implications for privacy in your life.

You are not asked to write about privacy in general or privacy for "them" or about how things relating to privacy should be. The assignments are for you to examine the various ways you contact learn that privacy contacts your experience.

All papers MUST feature sections and section headings (that are, generally, content based rather than place holders: section headings should indicate the subject and thrust of the section). All sources should be carefully documented, and included in each assignment file, using the modified MLA style. Submit via Sakai/Assignments/Turnitin.

Microsoft Word documents only. I WILL NOT ACCEPT google docs or pages documents. I do not use google drive or anything linked to it. I don't accept papers via e-mail. Sakai assignments only.

Don’t forget that our library features kind and knowledgable librarians who are expert at suggesting effective and efficient research strategies for students working on papers. Bradley provides these professionals as a resource for BU students. You can reach them by phone and should take advantage of their expertise. I guarantee that they can do a better search than you can. Therefore, they can help you do better searching than you would without their help.

Also remember that, in many instances, resources published in print are superior to materials published only online. Research materials found using our academic databases are far superior to resources found using a basic Google search. The library homepage features a portal to Google Scholar that also provides access to scholarly literature.

You may use our textbook and readings amoung the support materials for your paper, but I do not envision these assignments as opportunities for you to merely recycle materials that we’ve read. Only paper 3 is a research paper. None are "reading reports/summaries." The papers are SELF-analysis that applies the material presented in the course. I expect the writing to be informed by the readings and class activities, but the papers are about how those insights work in YOUR life. Do not bother writing papers about how THEY (someone else) should act or what THEY could do. These are about YOU.

Paper 1: Locate yourself on the field of play. Include sections about collection, storage, and analysis of data by (1) government and by (2) commercial enterprises. Identify the habits/practices that leave you open to surveillance and data collection. YOU MUST INDICATE A SPECIFIC YARDLINE USING THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL FIELD METAPHOR.

Paper 2: Social media and the future of your reputation ("oh I/you just HAVE to be on/use XYZ" vs "the internet never forgets").

Paper 3: Your privacy philosophy in a philosopher or two (this one requires you to find a philosopher or two with something to say about privacy. Check the philosophers with me, for approval, before writing.

Paper 4: Specific recommendations for improving your privacy architecture: Where, on the field (from lecture one and paper 1), do you want to play? What steps are you going to take to get there? [p.s. if you propose to move beyond the 50 yard line, you'd have to be off all social media, not use a smart phone, seldom (if ever) use G.P.S., and use (mostly) secure Tor-based browsers. Less than this, don't claim that you'd cross the 50 to the other side of the field). YOU MUST INDICATE A SPECIFIC YARDLINE USING THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL FIELD METAPHOR.

Special considerations:

BU Coronavirus website information: <https://www.bradley.edu/sites/coronavirus/>

There is a Sakai site for grades and for your papers, class resources and class email.

In general, electronic devices (other than your laptop) are not allowed in class. However, you may use electronic reading devices in class for electronic versions of the readings. You may NOT multi-task during class. If you do, I will ask you to leave the ZOOM meeting/class day. Turn cellular devices to vibrate or silent.

All students are responsible to the same syllabus schedule, regardless of outside or BU-sponsored activities.

Student Access Services:
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Students requesting accommodations must register with Student Access Services located at 100 Heitz Hall and provide appropriate documentation to verify eligibility. You can reach the SAS at (309) 677-3654 or find more information at the Student Access Services website.

In accordance with University procedures, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. You must be registered with Student Access Services located at 100 Heitz Hall. You can reach the SAS at (309) 677-3654 or find more information at the Student Access Services website.

Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester. Those seeking accommodations based on documented disabilities should register with Student Access Services. The Office is located at 100 Heitz Hall and the phone number is (309) 677-3654. More information is also available at the Student Access Services website.<http://www.bradley.edu/offices/student/sas/>

Please do not call (home, 672-5878; cell 635-2605) after 8pm unless there is an emergency. Official office hours are listed on the syllabus and will be done via teleconference (skype or ichat/facetime). I prefer video teleconferences to phone calls. My e-mail address is <ell@bradley.edu>, also for facetime; skype: dredleelam. I do not use text messaging.

Policy regarding e-mail communication about grades:
As a matter of the CFA’s policy to protect student privacy and in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, questions and concerns regarding grades must be presented in face to face teleconferences or in a written letter.

Policy regarding student inability due to an illness:
When missing assignments (needing to turn in an assignment late in this class) due to illness, it is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation to verify the student's illness, unless the Office of the Associate Provost for Student Affairs informs an instructor of the basis for the accommodation. Students may sign an informational release form at Student Health; the document enables faculty to verify treatment at the Clinic. Letters from private physicians are also accepted.

Plagiarism merits an “F” on the activity and disciplinary action. DON’T copy the work of others and DO document sources properly. Turnitin is licensed by the university. Students are responsible for knowing the Bradley University policy available here: http://www.bradley.edu/academic/undergradcat/20102011/overview-archeating.dot. Information about Turnitin and plagiarism prevention is available on the Bradley Turnitin website --http://www.bradley.edu/irt/turnitin/

In accordance with University policies, the CFA does not condone the use of pirated software. Details of the University policies are articulated at <http://www.bradley.edu/irt/policies/5.04.html>; further, the Student Handbook, at item 6 <http://www.bradley.edu/campuslife/studenthandbook/policies/conduct/>, forbids the possession of stolen goods. Students in violation of these policies can expect enforcement via the university procedures regarding conduct.ks)

 

Flexible Schedule: May be revised, with notice

August

27 class 1: Course mechanics; Us, on the field of play. Commercial preview/Government preview.
"Google knows if everyone in your county is actually staying home or not"
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/04/google-knows-if-everyone-in-your-county-is-actually-staying-home-or-not/>

"DHS analyzed protester communications"
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/dhs-analyzed-protester-communications-raising-questions-about-previous-statements-by-senior-department-official/2020/07/31/313163c6-d359-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html>
for class 2: Daniel Solove: "The Myth of the Privacy Paradox" [.pdf]

September

1 class 2—Quiz 1: Solove/"Myth"
Discuss Solove: "The Myth of the Privacy Paradox"
for class 3: PSNMY "Preface" & "Introduction"

3 class 3—Quiz 2: PSNMY "Preface" & "Introduction";
Discuss Rough Status Quo: Privacy, Surveillance, You, and the FIPs
for class 4: Zuboff: Surveillance Capitalism "Chapter 16" [.pdf]

8 class 4—Quiz 3: Zuboff: "Chapter 16"
Discuss Zuboff: "Chapter 16" & Your life in the Hive
for class 5: PSNMY "Chapter 2"

10 class 5—Quiz 4: PSNMY "Chapter 2"
Discuss PSNMY "Chapter 2" & Theoretical Centerings: Theoretical Orientations
for class 6: PSNMY "Chapter 1"

15 class 6—Quiz 5—PSNMY "Chapter 1"
Discuss PSNMY "Chapter 1" & The Harms
for class 7: "Agents Frequently Fudge Facts for FISA Warrants"
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200224/14262943971/fbi-doj-personnel-confirm-agents-frequently-fudge-facts-when-seeking-fisa-warrants.shtml>
"US violated Constitution by searching phones for no good reason, judge rules"
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/11/us-cant-search-phones-at-borders-without-reasonable-suspicion-judge-rules/>
"The US Government Is Also Looking At Increasing Domestic Surveillance To Fight The Spread Of The Coronavirus"
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200319/13204644133/us-government-is-also-looking-increasing-domestic-surveillance-to-fight-spread-coronavirus.shtml>
"Coronavirus data-sharing with law enforcement rings alarm bells"
<https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-19/coronavirus-data-sharing-law-enforcement-sparks-concern>

17 class 7—[no quiz]
Challenges to privacy laws/policy
for class 8: Solove Digital Person "Chapter 4"; CCPA Fact Sheet (.pdf on Sakai resources);
"Senate votes to reauthorize intel programs with added legal protections"
<https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/497819-senate-votes-to-reauthorize-intel-programs-with-new-protections>
"House effort to pass surveillance overhaul collapses after Trump tweets and pushback from DOJ"
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/house-effort-to-pass-surveillance-overhaul-collapses-after-trump-tweets-and-pushback-from-doj/2020/05/27/a3f224f8-a047-11ea-81bb-c2f70f01034b_story.html>
"CBP, ICE Hoovering Up Cell Location Data From Third Party Vendors To Track Down Immigrants"
<https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200210/12334643896/cbp-ice-hoovering-up-cell-location-data-third-party-vendors-to-track-down-immigrants.shtml>
"Congress Let Spy Powers Expire Last Month, Which Is Having Almost No Effect On Current Spying" <https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200401/18391644218/congress-let-spy-powers-expire-last-month-which-is-having-almost-no-effect-current-spying.shtml>

22 class 8—Quiz 6: Solove Digital Person "Chapter 4"
Discuss Solove Digital Person "Chapter 4" & CCPA Fact Sheet.pdf +Federal & State Government laws/policies
for class 9: PSNMY "Chapter 3"

24 class 9—Quiz 7: PSNMY "Chapter 3"
Discuss PSNMY "Chapter 3" & First FIP
for class 10: Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 3, I-III

29 class 10—Quiz 8 pt. 1: Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 3, pt. 1;
Discuss Surveillance Capitalism I
for class 11: Zuboff, Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 3, IV-VI [.doc]

Paper 1 due before noon October 4

October

1 class 11—Quiz 8 pt. 2: Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 3, IV-VI;
Discuss Surveillance Capitalism II
for class 12: Zuboff, Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 5, I-III [.doc];

4 Paper 1 due before noon

6 class 12—Quiz 9: Surveillance Capitalism Ch. 5, I-III [.doc];
Discuss Surveillance Capitalism III
for class 13: PSNMY Chapter 4

8 class 13—Quiz 10: PSNMY Chapter 4;
Discuss PSNMY Chapter 4 & FIPs 2 & 4
for class 14: GDPR_summary_chart.pdf; gdpr_Summary_dataiq; "Why Is America So Far Behind Europe on Digital Privacy?"
<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/opinion/sunday/privacy-congress-facebook-google.html>

13 class 14—[no quiz]
Discuss the GDPR
for class 15: CCPA Fact Sheet.pdf & ccpa.pdf; Biometric Information Privacy Act

15 class 15—[no quiz]
Discuss the CCPA & Illinois BIPA
for class 16: Big data and little privacy: there is no alternative?; Introduction to Big Data; Deep Learning Demystified; Weapons of Math Destruction

20 class 16: Quiz 11: Big Data Analysis
Discuss Big Data Analysis
for class 17: "We now have evidence of facial recognition’s harm" <https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-now-have-evidence-of-facial-recognitions-harm-time-for-lawmakers-to-act/2020/07/05/e62ee8d0-baf8-11ea-80b9-40ece9a701dc_story.html>;
"Facebook, YouTube order Clearview to stop scraping them for faces to match" <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/facebook-youtube-order-clearview-to-stop-scraping-them-for-faces-to-match/>
"Clearview AI and the Legal Challenges Facing Facial Recognition Databases" <https://www.lexblog.com/2020/02/10/clearview-ai-and-the-legal-challenges-facing-facial-recognition-databases/>
"More than 2,200 agencies and companies have tried Clearview, report finds" <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/more-than-2200-agencies-and-companies-have-tried-clearview-report-finds>
"Researchers Have Invented A New Way To Thwart Facial Recognition" <https://gizmodo.com/this-algorithm-might-make-facial-recognition-obsolete-1844591686>

21 Midterm Grades Due

22 class 17—Quiz 12: Facial Recognition
Discuss facial recognition & identity databases
for class 18 PSNMY Chapter 5

27 class 18–Quiz 13: PSNMY Chapter 5
Discuss PSNMY Chapter 5 & FIP 3
for class 19: PSNMY Chapter 6; "Breach affecting 1 million was caught only after hacker maxed out target’s storage" <https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/11/breach-affecting-1-million-was-caught-only-after-hacker-maxed-out-targets-storage/>; "Equifax breach was the work of Chinese state hackers, DOJ says"
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/doj-charges-four-chinese-hackers-with-massive-2017-equifax-data-breach/>
"Top Cybersecurity Data Breaches of 2019" <https://www.toolbox.com/security/vulnerability-management/blogs/top-cybersecurity-data-breaches-of-2019-112619/>; Google has access to detailed health records on tens of millions of Americans
<https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/11/would-you-trust-google-with-your-medical-records-it-might-already-have-them/>

29 class 19—Quiz 14: PSNMY Chapter 6
Discuss PSNMY Chapter 6 & FIP 4
for class 21: Crain and Nadler, "Commercial Surveillance State"
<https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/online-only/commercial-surveillance-state/>

November

3 class 20—NO CLASS: VOTE (and work on paper 2)
for class 21: "Can you get fired for protesting? Or spouting off on social media? "
<https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-protests-employee-free-speech-rights-20200615-7p35qpxjrzelpikcle67g4nciu-story.html>; "Even if you’re working from home, your employer is still keeping track of your productivity"
<https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/when-working-from-home-employers-are-watching---heres-what-to-know.html>
"How My Boss Monitors Me While I Work From Home"
<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/technology/employee-monitoring-work-from-home-virus.html>

5 class 21: Quiz 15: Crain and Nadler
Discuss Crain and Nadler & the commercial impulses: Is this just the way America works now?
Discussion: It's not just advertising & law enforcement
for class 22: PSNMY Chapter 7 Recommendations—Government through Congress

8 Paper 2 due

10 class 22—[no more quizzes] Discuss Recommendations—Government through Congress
for class 23: PSNMY Chapter 7 Recommendations—Government: Intelligence Through State

12 class 23: Discuss Recommendations—Government: Intelligence Through State
for class 24: PSNMY Chapter 7 Recommendations—Commercial Entities

17 class 24: Discuss Recommendations—Commercial Entities
for class 26: PBS: FRONTLINE—United States of Secrets (note items of interest and responses)

18 Last day to drop with “W”

19 class 25: No class: work on paper 3

21-29 Thanksgiving Break
PBS: FRONTLINE—United States of Secrets (Part One)
1:54:11 Aired: 05/13/14
http://www.pbs.org/video/2365245528/
PBS: FRONTLINE--United States of Secrets (Part Two)
(note items of interest and your responses)
http://www.pbs.org/video/frontline-united-states-secrets-privacy-lost/
"NSA spying exposed by Snowden was illegal and not very useful, court says"
EPIC about DHS Fusion Centers
DHS Fusion Centers

30 Paper 3 due before 5pm

December

1 class 26Discuss Frontline—United States of Secrets & Implications of DHS Fusion Centers
for class 27 PSNMY Chapter 7 Recommendations—We the People + Privacy Proposal for New Administration
3 class 27Discuss Recommendations—We the People + Privacy Proposal for New Administration
8 class 28 More work on Paper 4
9 Study Day

10 Thursday 2:30 Final exam: Paper 4 is due [no meeting]

© 2020, Ed Lamoureux