Ethics and Policy Issues in Computing 08-200 or 19-211
Offered in Spring 2009
Monday and Wednesday , 1:30 - 2:50 p.m.
Porter Hall 226A

Instructor: James D. Herbsleb
Units: 9

In this course, students will discuss the social impacts of computing technology. The course will provide a brief introduction to ethics and to the history of computing and the Internet. It will focus on a number of areas in which computers and information technology are having an impact on society including privacy, freedom of speech, intellectual property, work, distribution of wealth, and the environment.

Current issues that will be discussed include electronic voting, spyware, spam, and intellectual property issues associated with digital content distribution. This course is intended for freshmen and sophomore students from across the university.

Students are expected to do reading assignments prior to class so that they can participate fully in class discussions. Each homework assignment will include an essay question that will also be used as the topic for a class debate. Several students will be assigned specific roles in each debate. Those students will present their arguments in front of the class. Then we will have an open class discussion. Each student will present oral arguments during one debate during the semester.

All students in this course will be required to complete an individual or group project that involves writing a paper. Students may choose whether to work individually or in a group with one other student. The project gives students an opportunity to explore one topic in depth. Students may select as their paper topic any social or policy issue related to computing. The paper should discuss multiple view points related to the issue and include an overview of how decision makers might approach an evaluation of the various arguments and factors to reach a policy decision.

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