6.805/STS.085/STS.487 Foundations of Information Policy
Fall 2015
Instructors: Hal Abelson, Michael M. J. Fischer, Jessie M Stickgold-Sarah, Michael Trice, Daniel J Weitzner
TAs: Cecilia Testart Pacheco, Phoebe Ayers
Lecture: R1-4 (36-156)
Information:
In this class, we will consider the interaction between law, policy, and technology as they relate to the evolving controversies over control of the Internet. Our goal is for participants to develop the technical, legal and rhetorical skills to analyze and participate in the evolution of the global public policy environments that govern human behavior on the Internet.
Topics include: history of Internet policy, relationship between technical architecture and law, privacy, cybersecurity, freedom of expression, intellectual property, electronic surveillance, trade policy, and international affairs.
Examples will be drawn primarily from US law but take an explicitly global perspective on policy, politics and online activism. Students will interact with leading public-policy experts in classroom settings and through remote participation. There is an extensive final project that will be done under the guidance of mentors who are national leaders in internet information policy issues.
6.805 counts as a Course 6 Advanced Undergraduate Subject (AUS) and also as a communications intensive (CI-M) subject.
MIT Course 6 students may count 6.805 as one of the general engineering concentration subjects required for the S.B. or M.Eng. programs, or use this subject for HASS elective credit (but not both). Students wishing engineering concentration credit should enroll under the subject number 6.805, and students wishing HASS credit should enroll under the number STS085. Graduate credit can be granted via STS487 (not Course 6), although this will require making special arrangements with Prof. Fischer for extra work.
Students enrolling in the Course 6 MEng program can arrange to do an associated thesis in the area of information privacy, transparency, and accountability by simultaneously enrolling in 6.UAP, and completing an extended thesis proposal and preliminary implementation work by the end of the semester. The thesis can be continued the following semester, and there is a possibility of RA support for appropriately ambitious projects.
Please refer to the following calendar page to access the detailed planning and assignments description for each week: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1reOyUgaHt_bSYGEOq8eD9b6L9tFliLk74sfpSAq2UH4
Announcements
Net Neutrality to court
Look at how timely our discussion of net neutrality was on Thursday:Enjoy!
Announced on 05 December 2015 10:23 a.m. by Cecilia Testart Pacheco
Class 13 and one-page pitch document assignment are up.
Have a look at the class page for week 13 here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FqYulnshR2g_C2aZa4R0Sqr4c0fWEZNWwhr4joU4X1U/pub
The one pager is described there. Preparing the document should help you sharpen your final ideas and proposals.
We look forward to your final presentations!
Announced on 05 December 2015 10:06 a.m. by Cecilia Testart Pacheco
Class 12 Net Neutrality readings now online
Have a look at the class page for week 12 here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uEQhJ2gHkkk9_wedctV5WEZIpyYjHtQ0-dZdIg4tWF4/pub
Readings are available now. Be sure to read the key overview sections of the US and South American net neutrality regulations. Familiarize yourself with the legal arguments in Verizon v FCC, too.
Announced on 29 November 2015 5:01 p.m. by Daniel J Weitzner
Class 11 Online Copyright reading and writing assignments now available
See the course calendar or this page:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uzYOB6GT86mDoOmmkAoQXPul-Mt025ENoY40VNeXEWM/pub
for next week's reading and writing assignment. Note that there is a short writing assignment that is due on 19 November and necessary for the in-class activity.
Announced on 13 November 2015 4:54 p.m. by Daniel J Weitzner
Class 9 Activity and Assignment are now up
Hi all,
Class 9 is up.
Please take a look at the Moot Court. All group B students will be
playing their role (and the one (A) group student that is alone in
the role).
Both groups have to submit Assignment 6 by Wednesday, Nov. 4 at
5:00 pm.
Happy Halloween!
Announced on 30 October 2015 5:27 p.m. by Cecilia Testart Pacheco
