PHIL 301B Special Topics: Ethics in an Internet Age
SLN: 19864
3 Credits/I&S
W 6:30-8:50p
Instructor: Mary Berk, Ph.D.
The internet provides, if nothing else, unprecedented openness and communication that has challenged societies around the world. Some have welcomed this challenge (the more "liberal" societies), and others have seen it as a potential threat that must be closely regulated or even destroyed. Even societies and governments that have welcomed the internet's capabilities (especially openness, transparency, and communication) face dilemmas with it. For example, in a society that values openness and transparency, how should privacy be regarded or valued? What about moral rightness and propriety? Should that trump someone's prerogative to share offensive content?
In this class, we'll focus on two primary topics: privacy and censorship. Depending on student preference, we can also address other topics. Details on the privacy and censorship topics we'll study are outlined below.
Privacy
Should online privacy be opt-in or opt-out? Who has the burden of proof? Where is the line of appropriate data collection/use (such as medical information)? Is it a matter of rights, or just custom?
In an open society, why do we value privacy? What should the limits of privacy be? Are the values of privacy and openness at odds with one another? Is privacy only valuable to societies that value the individual and their priority over society?
Can governments and corporations claim a right to privacy? (e.g., Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, FTC vs. AT&T case)
Is the practice of online data collection, sharing, and use changing our boundaries with respect to offline data collection, sharing, and use? (e.g., medical marketing by insurance companies)
Censorship
Are there any justifiable reasons to censor internet content? What about protecting people from harm? What about promoting moral and social values?
What should the limits of tolerance be in an open society? Are there any topics or views that should not be tolerated? Are there some types of goods for which we should not allow online transaction or exchange?
Pornography is one of the types of content that has driven large-scale adoption of the internet use, as well as defined some of the content delivery standards now common on the internet. Pornography also has a long history of censorship debate in the US and around the world. What is the substance of the arguments defending/promoting censorship of pornography, and what merit do they have? If their arguments are successful, what implications does that have for censorship of other types
of content on the internet?
