ITS 5310 - Privacy in the Internet Age

The course examines the impact of surveillance enabled by communication and information technologies on the ability of individuals to maintain private spaces. Students evaluate theories of privacy and surveillance, surveillance technologies, the contours of national and global surveillance systems, and laws and policies that regulate those systems. Students apply ethical frameworks to assess surveillance technologies and their impact on privacy. Students examine surveillance-related technologies such as mobile phones, drones, the World Wide Web, social media, predictive algorithms, and the Internet of Things. Government surveillance technologies and systems such as those revealed by Edward Snowden and Wikileaks are also covered.

Requisites:
Credit Hours: 4
Repeat/Retake Information: May not be retaken.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 3.0 lecture
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to explain theories of surveillance.
Students will be able to explain theories of privacy.
Students will be able to explain ethical frameworks relevant to surveillance and privacy and evaluate their own ethical assumptions in light of them.
Students will be able to apply ethical frameworks in assessing surveillance technologies and their impact on privacy.
Students will be able to identify and describe surveillance-related technologies and the impact of those technologies on privacy.
Students will be able to identify and describe motivations and techniques for corporate, governmental, and personal surveillance.
Students will be able to describe and evaluate the foundations of permissible surveillance and privacy as identified in the U.S. Constitution, in U.S. case law, and by international authorities.
Students will be able to describe and analyze policy debates in the United States that exemplify a broad range of historical and contemporary concerns associated with privacy, surveillance, and security.
Students will be able to describe how to protect their privacy and personal security.
Students will be able to critically evaluate alternative theories of privacy.
Students will be able to design a privacy policy.