LAW 9720

About this course

Few values have been affected by new technologies as drastically as privacy. This course presents a philosophical, social, and legal inquiry into the impact of technology upon privacy and its meanings in order to prepare students to recognize, contextualize, and analyze privacy challenges created by new information technologies. We will explore the philosophical roots of privacy as a deeply held social value and consider how it may conflict with other values, such as freedom of speech, anonymity, efficiency, accountability, and national security. Our discussions will be situated in leading ethical and legal controversies concerning new media tools (e.g., social networks, mobile apps, digital e-readers, wearable health sensors, digital wallets), practices (e.g., online tracking, behavioral advertising, automated face recognition, video surveillance), platforms (e.g. Instagram, TikTok, Mint), and other topics shaping today's privacy discourse.