Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
42.
Florida, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma have passed laws that require lifetime moni-
toring of some convicted sex offenders after they have been released from prison. The
offenders must wear electronic ankle bracelets and stay close to small GPS transmitters,
which can be carried on a belt or in a purse. Computers monitor the GPS signals and
alert law enforcement officials if the offenders venture too close to a school or other
off-limits area. Police interested in the whereabouts of a monitored person can see his
location, traveling direction, and speed plotted on a map [96].
Do these laws represent an unacceptable weakening of personal privacy, or are they
sensible public safety measures? Should they be repealed? Should people convicted of
other crimes also be monitored for life? Would there be less crime if everyone in society
were monitored?
43.
Think about what you do when you get up in the morning. How would you act differ-
ently if you knew you were being watched? Would you feel uncomfortable? Do you think
you would get used to being watched?
44.
Discuss the following responses to the revelation that telecommunications companies
provided domestic phone call records to the National Security Agency [97].
President George Bush: “Al-Qaeda is our enemy, and we want to know their plans.”
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont: “Are you telling me tens of millions of Americans
are involved with al-Qaeda?”
Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona: “We are in a war, and we have got to collect intelligence
on the enemy.”
Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa: “Why are the telephone companies not protecting
their customers? They have a social responsibility to people who do business with them
to protect our privacy as long as there isn't some suspicion that we're a terrorist or a
criminal or something.”
45.
When asked about Google releasing personal information to law enforcement agencies,
Google's CEO Eric Schmidt told CNBC: “If you have something that you don't want
anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place” [50]. Discuss Mr.
Schmidt's perspective.
46.
Was the US government's $2 million settlement with Brandon Mayfield reasonable and
just?
47.
In order to combat the counterfeiting of currency, the US Secret Service convinced
several color laser printer manufacturers to add a secret code to every printed page. The
code is invisible to the human eye but can be seen under a microscope. When decrypted,
it reveals the serial number of the printer and the time and date the page was printed
[98].
By agreeing to secretly insert the codes, did the printer manufacturers violate the
privacy rights of their customers?
48.
What special responsibilities do computer professionals have with respect to under-
standing and protecting the privacy rights of their fellow citizens?
