Networking

Tom Kelliher, CS 200

Feb. 16, 2006

Administrivia

Announcements

Assignment

Read: Chapter 4.

Turn in answers to these questions: 3, 10, 18.

From Last Time

Ethical theories.

Coming Up

Intellectual property.

Chapter Summary

1. Spam:
   1. What is it?

   2. Why is it so prevalent? Why does it pay?

   3. ``Solutions:''
      1. MAPS Realtime Blackhole List.

         Ethical evaluation: social contract theory, Kantian, utilitarian.

         Does the system have too much authority? What are the risks involved in widespread use of the system?

      2. CAN SPAM act.

      3. Explicit opt-in, labeling of advertising, impose a cost, sender ID, ban unsolicited e-mail.

2. The Web.
   1. Attributes of the Web: decentralized, objects have unique addresses, uses Internet as transport

   2. How much control should be exerted? (See discussion question below.)

   3. Censorship vs. freedom of expression: pornography, protecting children, combating the spread of terrorism.

      Web filters. (Norton Internet Security, Net Nanny)

   4. Identity theft (phishing).

   5. Identity changes: gaming, chat room predators, police sting operations.

Discussion Questions

1. Does spam include bulk, unsolicited e-mail from nonprofit organizations? Should nonprofit organizations be regulated the same way as for-profit organizations with respect to their use of bulk, unsolicited e-mail?

2. ISPs monitor their chat rooms and expel users who violate their codes of conduct. For example, users can be kicked off for insulting a person or a group of people based on their race, religion, or sexual orientation. Is it wrong for an ISP to expel someone for hate speech?

3. Stockbrokers are now required to save all their IM communications. Is having a record of everything you type good or bad? Do you think this behavior will change the behavior of brokers?

4. Discuss similarities and differences between the Internet and these other media: telephones, newspapers, broadcast TV, and cable TV. Should governments ignore the Internet or regulate it somehow? If it should be regulated, should the regulations be similar to the regulations for one of the existing media, or should they be unique in significant ways?

5. Should children be prevented from accessing some Web sites? Who should be responsible for the actions of children surfing the Web?

6. A company uses pop-up advertising to market its software product, which blocks pop-ups. Discuss the morality of this marketing strategy.

Tom Kelliher