Surveillance Mitigation: Identify a form of surveillance that you encounter in your everyday life

INFO202: Social Aspects of Information Technology Fall 2018

Third Short Paper Assignment: Surveillance Mitigation

Due Date: November 4, 2018

1. Surveillance Identification. Identify a form of surveillance that you encounter in your everyday life. You will need to look around you as you walk around and conduct your daily activities: where can you see Closed Circuit Television (“CCTV”) cameras? What forms of digital surveillance do you encounter in public or private spaces? Think about your financial transactions, your interaction with retail establishments, governmental agencies, etc. Think about your social media use and various apps on your phone.

2. Surveillance Analysis. In order to discuss and describe the form of surveillance you have identified, you need to find out more about it. Prior to beginning your paper, you should identify the following aspects:

a. Where and when do encounter the surveillance? How often and in what circumstances?

b. What type of information is gathered? Examples include: location information, personal identifying information, self-provided content, facial images, etc.

c. Who controls the information, and who uses it? Identify as specifically as possible the particular governmental, corporate, or other entities that use the information. This may include third parties to whom the information is given by the collecting entity.

d. How is the information used? Examples include: tailoring content that is fed to you, selling the information to advertisers, potential use for law enforcement, etc. There may be more than one use.

For this section, you will need to do some research on your particular form of surveillance. Some good sources are: the privacy policies of various online applications, journalistic reports on law enforcement use of surveillance, articles in tech magazines that identify the collection and use of personal information, and articles in news or academic journals that critically examine the occurrence of various types of surveillance in society. You need to include at least two citations to sources you used to find information about your form of surveillance. As before, when you reference a reading or concept make sure you: Summarize, Quote, Explain, Describe, and Illustrate. (See description in Paper Assignment #2.) As before, this is a requirement for the paper.

3. Mitigation Analysis. As in the first short paper, propose three different potential strategies for mitigating or terminating the surveillance. One strategy should focus on individual solutions. The second should focus on technological solutions. The third should focus on legal or social solutions. Be sure you are correctly identifying the type of solution you describe. Include citations to class readings and lectures to help discuss these solutions. You may also need to read outside sources about such solutions.

4. Use of Readings from Class. This paper must include references to each of these three readings: Solove, Zuboff, and Kesan et al. You should also reference material from relevant lectures, readings and videos from the class. These may include materials other than those in the section on surveillance and privacy, including guest lectures. Here also: Summarize, Quote, Explain, Describe, and Illustrate.

5. Write-Up. (6 pages) This paper should include the following:

a. Introduction. (1 paragraph) See discussion in prior two paper assignments.

b. Description of Surveillance. (1.5-2 pages) This will describe the results of your analysis in point 2. above, including use of outside sources.

c. Mitigation Solutions. (3.5-4 pages) In this section, you will discuss the results of your analysis as described in point 3. above, including use of class readings and outside sources.

d. Conclusion. (1 paragraph) See discussion in prior two paper assignments.

e. Citation. As in the previous papers, you must use APA citation style.