CS-408 Assignment 7

The Good:      http://www.wired.com/2014/05/zynga-games-for-good/

Zynga the company behind social games such as Farmville has quietly been raising money for charity using its charity branch Zynga.org. To raise the money they utilize in game purchases. Since their launch in 2009 Zynga has raised over 17 million dollars and is poised to cross the 20 million mark this year. I believe this shows the good side of web use, video games usually hold negative connotations in peoples minds, Zynga however found a way to create a lot of good using their programs. They have helped thousands of people just by having people play games.

The Bad: http://www.wired.com/2014/04/traffic-lights-hacking/

It has now been found that hackers have the ability to break into the operating systems of a city's traffic grid. Once inside these systems hackers would be able too stop traffic to a standstill and even reroute cars. I believe this could cause an extreme issue in many major cities in the U.S. and cause wide scale mayhem. While it may not be life threatening it could still extremely disrupt an entire city.

The Ugly: http://www.wired.com/2014/04/hospital-equipment-vulnerable/

A recent study conducted on medical equipment used in a large chain of mid western health facilities has found extreme security flaws within the equipment. According to the study many of the devices could be hacked into and manipulated, such as drug infusion pumps that can be hacked into changing dosages, or defibrillators that can be forced to shock a patient at the hackers command. To me this is an extremely important issue, one group of hackers is all it takes to turn our healthcare system on its head. This is a security flaw that puts peoples lives in danger and is a flaw that could very realistically be exploited.

Net Neutrality

1. Net Neutrality in theory is a great idea, it would allow for the open and widespread free sharing of ideas. However in practice it has been less than ideal, harmful and illegal data is shared by many people. Many people believe that freedom on the net is a basic right, and I agree sharing data and ideas should be a basic right as long as it is productive. However people still abuse this freedom and use it in abusive ways rather than productive ways.

2. The Federal Appeals court ruled that the FCC doesn't have a right to enforce its rules of coverage on internet access. This means that internet companies would be able to provide coverage to only where they see fit and on their terms. This could mean higher fees as well as, other hidden fees to access high-speed content. The FCC however stated that they will appeal the ruling.

3. Net Neutrality and freedom of speech almost go hand in hand really. I see Net Neutrality as basically freedom of speech (as well as content) on the web. People believe they should be able to discuss, share, and otherwise communicate about whatever they so choose on the internet. Much like how our freedom of speech allows us to freely communicate in the physical realm.

4. This recent news does certainly affect me. As a young adult I am virtually tied to the internet at all times, with prices potentially rising just to access basic content, it will certainly curb my web use.  The web is a key tool in our society, it is nearly a necessity. This ruling will greatly hinder the use of the tool that is the web, causing a large step back for the collaboration of society.

5. I believe that people should be able to freely access and share on the web. The web is a tool that should be fully utilized by society and any hindrance to this use is unacceptable. However I also believe that people should not abuse the web, just like they should not abuse Freedom of Speech. Illegal and hurtful activities on the web should be prohibited.

6.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/business/international/eu-panel-adopts-net-neutrality-and-mobile-roaming-rules.html?_r=0

This is an article from the New York Times about European Net Neutrality. I believed this to be a valid source due to it being the New York Times.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20140318IPR39210/html/Net-neutralityIndustry-MEPs-want-stricter-rules-against-blocking-rival-services

This is another article on  European Net Neutrality. This seemed to me to be a valid source due to it being a press release from the EU Parliament.

Social Media & Privacy

I believe that social media is a great societal tool, however it has not developed to the point where it can tackle serious issues such as rape. The web is not a serious enough of a forum to tackle such controversy. In most cases, while the use of social media provided legal relief, and awareness, it also ruined the lives and self-esteem of the victim. It made a very private, embarrassing, and tragic event very public. The societal benefit of social media in these situations does not outweigh the damage done to the victim.

I Have Nothing To Hide

I believe that every person has things in their life that they are embarrassed about, or at least information they want to keep private. The web contains info not only on your private life, but your finances, and health as well. These are  all things that are generally deemed to be private, sensitive information. I am very concerned about my privacy online, with the looming shadows of identity theft and credit card theft, among other things. I am a firm believer that people should be cautious of their privacy online.

Technology Is a Double Edged Sword

So far in this class I have found it very interesting how technological discoveries have always had a good and a bad side. The increased convenience also comes with increased laziness. A balance is needed, otherwise your life can be dominated by technology, or you can live in the dark. I believe this class helps in discussing and finding that balance, and answers the question of how best to utilize the internet.