Readings

The readings for Tuesday, November 1 are:

Network Neutrality

1. FCC Releases Open Internet Order

   • These are the FCC's full rules for protecting net neutrality

   • What is net neutrality and what does it mean for me?

   • An Introduction to Net Neutrality: What It Is, What It Means for You, and What You Can Do About It

   • FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler: This is How We will Ensure Net Neutrality

2. EFF - Net Neutrality

   • Why the FCC Can't Actually Save Net Neutrality

   • Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know Now

   • Sam Altman - Net neutrality

   • A Guide to the Open Internet

3. Net Neutrality Is A Bad Idea Supported By Poor Analogies

   • Thoughts on Network Neutrality, the FCC, and the Future of Internet Governance

   • Why Net Neutrality Isn't Worth Celebrating

   • Net Neutrality Is a Bad Marriage of Government, Internet

   • Net Neutrality-and Obama's Scheme for the Internet - Are Lousy Ideas

4. Facebook's Free Basics plan: India academics see 'deep flaws'

   • A Week After India Banned It, Facebook's Free Basics Shuts Down in Egypt

   • Still Confused About The Free Basics? Read The Arguments In Favor & Against It

   • Can't give it away

Online Censorship

1. Cracking the 'Great Firewall' of China's Web censorship

   • Scaling China's Great Firewall

   • A Week Behind The Great Firewall Of China

   • Behind the Great Firewall of China

   • GreatFire.org - Expanding Online Freedom of Speech in China

2. Yahoo! in China - Background

   • Bing Goes Full-on Censorship in English Search Results Within China

   • Google to Stop Censoring Search Results in China After Hack Attack

   • Why Google Quit China-and Why It's Heading Back

3. How Egyptian and Tunisian youth hacked the Arab Spring.

   • The truth about Twitter, Facebook and the uprisings in the Arab world

   • MAP: Here Are the Countries That Block Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

4. Why Facebook and Twitter Can't Just Wipe Out ISIS Online

   • Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft agree to remove hate speech across the EU

   • Twitter Steps Up Efforts to Thwart Terrorists' Tweets

5. The New Censorship

   • How Facebook censors your posts (FAQ)

   • Facebook Is Collaborating With the Israeli Government to Determine What Should Be Censored

6. Former Facebook Workers: We Routinely Suppressed Conservative News

   • A Bold New Scheme to Regulate Facebook

   • Censors and sensibility

Questions

Please write a response to one of the following questions:

1. From the readings, what exactly is Net Neutrality? Explain in your own words the arguments for and against Net Neutrality. After examining the topic, where do you stand on the issues surrounding Net Neutrality?

   • If you are in favor of Net Neutrality, explain how you would implement or enforce it. How would you respond to concerns about possible over-regulation, burdening corporations, or preventing innovation?

   • If you are against Net Neutrality, explain why it is unnecessary or undesirable. How would you respond to concerns about providing level playing fields or preventing unfair discrimination by service providers?

   • In either case, discuss whether or not you consider that "the Internet is a public service and fair access should be a basic right".

2. From the readings, what are the ethical, social, and moral concerns regarding online censorship? Should governments be able to suppress certain forms of speech? Should technology companies engage in the suppression of speech performed on their platforms? Consider the following:

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove dissenting opinions for governments?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove information broadcasted by terrorism organizations, or about terrorism organizations?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove discriminatory, provocative, hateful content generated by its users?

   • Is it ethical for companies to remove information that does not promote or share their interests or political beliefs?

   Finally, is online censorship a concern to you? What do you think about the possibility that you may be living in a filter bubble?

Feedback

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the course, please provide your feedback at the end of your response.