Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier

Photo montage showing the US Constitution and legal files.

The regulation of the Internet has its origin in the U.S. Constitution. Technology continues to shape policies governing the use of the electronic frontier. (Image by MIT OpenCourseWare.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

6.805 / 6.806 / STS.085

As Taught In

Fall 2005

Level

Undergraduate

Cite This Course

Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

This course considers the interaction between law, policy, and technology as they relate to the evolving controversies over control of the Internet. In addition, there will be an in-depth treatment of privacy and the notion of "transparency" -- regulations and technologies that govern the use of information, as well as access to information. Topics explored will include:

  • Legal Background for Regulation of the Internet
  • Fourth Amendment Law and Electronic Surveillance
  • Profiling, Data Mining, and the U.S. PATRIOT Act
  • Technologies for Anonymity and Transparency
  • The Policy-Aware Web

Related Content

Daniel Weitzner, Harold Abelson, and Michael Fischer. 6.805 Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier. Fall 2005. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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