Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

Grading will be based 50% on class participation and 50% on 5 short thought papers submitted and presented orally over the course of the semester.

This seminar will examine the laws, policies and ethical frameworks that govern the use of personal data, automated decision-making, and sensitive cyber technologies. Focus will be on identifying, understanding and evaluating relevant risks, harms, benefits, economic and social impacts, and corresponding tradeoffs. Topics will include digital privacy, data protection, artificial intelligence, behavioral and location tracking, profiling, microtargeting, personalized advertising, biometrics and facial recognition, ubiquitous sensors, commercial collection and use of data, government access and surveillance, Section 230 and online disinformation. US and European privacy and data protection philosophies and protocols will be compared. Readings will include statutes, regulations, judicial decisions, enforcement actions, government reports and policy documents, as well as scholarly, philosophical, and practical articles, and news stories. Current privacy, data protection and information technology developments will be discussed regularly.