Categories
-Context 9.3 Internet Issues: Ethical and Political Dilemmas 9.4 From Cyberspace to Infosphere Chapter 9 The Evolving Internet

US Internet Service: Why Is It So Bad?

istock_000002284843smallThe Internet was created in the US, but you’d never know it based on the quality and price of service US Internet users get. In this NPR Fresh Air interview, author and professor Susan Crawford explains why US service is so slow, so expensive, and so inadequate for building future prosperity.
npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/02/06/272480919/when-it-comes-to-high-speed-internet-u-s-falling-way-behind

Categories
-Cross Currents 7.3 Database Trends 7.4 No Secrets: Computers and Privacy

Why Big Data Is a Big Deal

More and more, we’re living in a data-driven world. In this excellent little piece that aired recently on NPR’s Fresh Air, Geoff Nunberg gives one of the clearest explanations we’ve seen of what Big Data is and why it’s important to all of us.
http://www.npr.org/2012/12/20/167702665/geoff-nunbergs-word-of-the-year-big-data

Categories
-Updates 10.1 Online Outlaws: Computer Crime 10.5 Human Questions for a Computer Age

Hacktivism: Hacking for a Better World?

One of the biggest tech trends isn’t a new gadget or tool; it’s a relatively new way of using gadgets and tools as agents of change. This article in CBC News explains why and how “hacktivism” is becoming an important—and potent—force in our world.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/02/06/hacktivism-.html

Categories
-Multimedia 10.3 Security, Privacy, Freedom, and Ethics 7.4 No Secrets: Computers and Privacy 9.3 Internet Issues: Ethical and Political Dilemmas Chapter 7 Database Applications and Privacy Implications Chapter 9 The Evolving Internet

Is the Internet really a force for freedom?

The Internet is a powerful tools for promoting democracy and freedom worldwide. But many governments severely restrict many Internet activities to maintain security and stability. In this powerful TED talk, Rebecca MacKinnon explores the question, “How do we make sure that the Internet evolves in a citizen-centered manner?”
[ted id=1188]