We were beginning to have a great discussion last night at the end of class about Ethics and the Internet and issues of privacy and transparency. This morning I found 2 very recent articles that talk about these issues including cyberbulling.
The first article is one from the Economist (February 2009 issue) and it's titled: Only connect: Reaching out online in an age of uncertainty. It discusses social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn but especially argues how LinkedIn’s business model differs from other social networking sites and renders it more effective in terms of confidentiality and privacy. The article examines Robert Metcalfe’s law to social networking. Metcalfe, who is known as the the father of the Ethernet protocol, states that “the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of devices connected to it”. In short, he argues that LinkedIn is better because it is smaller and has been been designed for professional users, providing little outlet for intimate details—unlike Facebook or MySpace where “you would inevitably divulge a good deal of personal information to quite a few people who could do you harm”. Great read – check it out:
http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13129427
The second and also very recent article focuses on the issues of cyberbulling, anonymity and freedom of speech on the net. It’s title says it all: Slimed Online. It focuses on two Yale law students, who were severly attacked online and how they may help change the rules by having filed legal suits against their anonymous attackers. The attacks were shockingly mean and carried much reprecusion for these students. This quote from the article calls into question what most are already so concerned about—online trust and security. “And while anything goes in the Google era, everything also stays, and spreads. The whole world is now the bathroom wall, and that can never be entirely painted over”. I encourage everyone to read this article …… it’s disturbing, but most importantly, a real eye opener (for those who are not too still too trusting online!) . Here is the link:
http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2009/02/11/Two-Lawyers-Fight-Cyber-Bullying?print=true
I look forward to having more great discussion around these issues! I am scepticle as it is on the net and never divulge more information than needed. When I read this kind of article, it makes me cringe at the potential distruction of people’s lives with the mass amount of technological tools we have in our hands today.
And on that happy note, I sign off……………………Franca
The first article is one from the Economist (February 2009 issue) and it's titled: Only connect: Reaching out online in an age of uncertainty. It discusses social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn but especially argues how LinkedIn’s business model differs from other social networking sites and renders it more effective in terms of confidentiality and privacy. The article examines Robert Metcalfe’s law to social networking. Metcalfe, who is known as the the father of the Ethernet protocol, states that “the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of devices connected to it”. In short, he argues that LinkedIn is better because it is smaller and has been been designed for professional users, providing little outlet for intimate details—unlike Facebook or MySpace where “you would inevitably divulge a good deal of personal information to quite a few people who could do you harm”. Great read – check it out:
http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13129427
The second and also very recent article focuses on the issues of cyberbulling, anonymity and freedom of speech on the net. It’s title says it all: Slimed Online. It focuses on two Yale law students, who were severly attacked online and how they may help change the rules by having filed legal suits against their anonymous attackers. The attacks were shockingly mean and carried much reprecusion for these students. This quote from the article calls into question what most are already so concerned about—online trust and security. “And while anything goes in the Google era, everything also stays, and spreads. The whole world is now the bathroom wall, and that can never be entirely painted over”. I encourage everyone to read this article …… it’s disturbing, but most importantly, a real eye opener (for those who are not too still too trusting online!) . Here is the link:
http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2009/02/11/Two-Lawyers-Fight-Cyber-Bullying?print=true
I look forward to having more great discussion around these issues! I am scepticle as it is on the net and never divulge more information than needed. When I read this kind of article, it makes me cringe at the potential distruction of people’s lives with the mass amount of technological tools we have in our hands today.
And on that happy note, I sign off……………………Franca
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