Fall 2013
Class meetings: Thursdays, 2-5 Room 36-156
Course Calendar
| Week | Topic | Preparation |
| 1: September 5 | Course introduction; MIT and the prosecution of Aaron Swartz | There is no written assignment due for this class, but there is a large amount of reading. Please start the reading a couple of days in advance. |
| 2: September 12 | 2: September 12 | There is reading for this class, and a written assignment due on September 10. |
| 3: September 19 | Internet Freedom of Expression | Writing due Tuesday, September 17 report on Obama initiatives (one report per team) brief Reno v. ACLU Other reading and preparation (see class material for Sept. 13) |
| 4: September 26 | Internet Intermediary Liability | Writing due Tuesday September 24. memo to National Economic Council director on Internet in the World 2013 challenges Writing due Thursday, September 26, by noon: Group A (not Cohort A!) written testimonies. See class description for more information. Reading assignments shown on class page. This class will feature a special guest lecturer – Jerry Berman, found of the Center for Democracy and Technology |
| 5: October 3 | Basics of Fourth Amendment jurisprudence | Written critiques due from Congressional hearing (Group B only, due by Sunday, Sep 29 at 9 pm). Come to class with preliminary choices of project areas |
| 6: October 10 | Electronic Surveillance, Internet Data and Pervasive Sensor Networks | Project outline (one per group) due on Monday, October 7 |
| 7: October 17 | National Security, Big Data Analytics and Accountability | No assignment due, but groups should be meeting (and talking to staff mentors) in preparation for the 5-7 page proposal due Oct 22 |
| 8: October 24 | Consumer Privacy Protection in the United States | Our special guest this week, Hon. Cameron Kerry, former General Counsel of the United States Commerce Department, will discuss the Obama Administration’s Privacy Policy initiatives. |
| 9: October 31 | Moot court on proposed new Internet surveillance and privacy law | Briefs of parties and questions from justices due Wednesday; concurring “Group A” opinions due the following Monday. See assignment. |
| 10: November 7 | Online Copyright Law – The DMCA, SOPA and the future | There is a lot of reading here – don’t leave to the last minute! First draft of project due Friday, Nov 8th |
| 11: November 14 | Global Perspectives | Read legislative proposals on global intellectual property enforcement (SOPA) with special attention to the technical arguments on both sides. |
| 12: November 21 | Net Neutrality | Each group will give a four-minute oral presentation in which they critique another group’s draft. Each individual (not group) should turn in a one-page constructive critique of the group you are reviewing. This critique is due at 12 pm on Thursday, Nov 21. |
| Thanksgiving | ||
| 13: December 5 | Final project presentations |
Student Papers
| Mike Specter, Webb Horn, and Chris Tam | Critical Infrastructure and Computer Security: Incentives and Policy in the Internet Era |
| Faith Keza, Danielle Olson and Kirsten Olson | A New Model for EdX : Balancing IP Protection and Freedom of Access in Africa |
| Keertan Kini, WeiHua Li, Daniela Miao, and Lauren Stephens | Increasing Internet Connectivity through the Development of Local Networks |
| Liz Fong-Jones, Austin Duffield, and Steven Allen | Electronic Searches on the Physical Frontier |
| Albert J. Rodenius and Jane E. Cotler | Libraries in the Digital Age: A Proposal to Establish E-book Accessibility |
| Arya Azma, Louis DeScioli, and Evan Marshall | Do We Care About Surveillance? Edward Snowden’s Impact And Policy Implications |
| Thomas Alcorn, Adam Eagle, and Ethan Sherbondy | Legitimizing Bitcoin: Policy Recommendations |