6.805 | Fall 2005 | Undergraduate
Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier
Course Description
This course considers the interaction between law, policy, and technology as they relate to the evolving controversies over control of the Internet. In addition, there will be an in-depth treatment of privacy and the notion of "transparency" – regulations and technologies that govern the use of information, as well as …

This course considers the interaction between law, policy, and technology as they relate to the evolving controversies over control of the Internet. In addition, there will be an in-depth treatment of privacy and the notion of “transparency” – regulations and technologies that govern the use of information, as well as access to information. Topics explored will include:

  • Legal Background for Regulation of the Internet
  • Fourth Amendment Law and Electronic Surveillance
  • Profiling, Data Mining, and the U.S. PATRIOT Act
  • Technologies for Anonymity and Transparency
  • The Policy-Aware Web
Learning Resource Types
grading Exams
notes Lecture Notes
assignment Written Assignments
assignment Activity Assignments
Photo montage showing the US Constitution and legal files.
The regulation of the Internet has its origin in the U.S. Constitution. Technology continues to shape policies governing the use of the electronic frontier. (Image by MIT OpenCourseWare.)