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The Social Context of Computing

The Social Context of Computing . Group 1. The Social Context of Computing . Kyle Lippencott – Introduction to the Social Implications of computing Laura Thurber – Social Implications of Networked Communications Douglas Camin – Growth of, Control of and Access to the Internet

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The Social Context of Computing

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  1. The Social Context of Computing Group 1

  2. The Social Context of Computing • Kyle Lippencott – Introduction to the Social Implications of computing • Laura Thurber – Social Implications of Networked Communications • Douglas Camin – Growth of, Control of and Access to the Internet • Christopher Conway – Gender related Issues of Computing • Matthew Dietz – International Issues • Robert Host – Computer Crime

  3. Social Implications of Computing By: Kyle Lippincott

  4. Primary Issues • Interpersonal Relations • Privacy and Anonymity • Segregation and Stereotyping • Education and Work • Reliability

  5. Interpersonal Relations • Always-On • Cell Phones • Email • Instant Messaging • Efficient • Impersonal

  6. Privacy and Anonymity • Data Mining • Identifiable Trails • Cookies/History • Email Inbox/Chat Logs • Unique Identifiers and Alternate Identities • Anonymizer Services • Information/Identity Theft

  7. Segregation and Stereotyping • Digital Divide • Stereotyping • Gender • Race • Social Class • Elitism • Cliques

  8. Education and Work • Computers in the Classroom • Student Attention • Access Control • Changes in Workflow • Digital Meetings

  9. Reliability • Physical Reliability • Always-On • Alwayson=!You.place.equals(bing); • Uptime • Data Integrity • Compromised Data • Flawed Programming

  10. Social Implications of Networked Communications By: Laura Thurber

  11. Social Implications of Networked Computing • The everyday effect of networks on our lives • Benefits • Misuses • What values has society adopted from this widespread internet culture? • The social impact of these networks has changed our lives to a degree probably unimagined 10 or 15 years ago.

  12. Benefits of Networks • What can networks do for the average user? • -The normal stuff • Chatting • Email • Simple research, i.e. News, health, games

  13. However... • There are other uses for a network • The Center for Children and Technology and Lexington School for the Deaf • Using a network for basic communication • Chatting to perform lessons • Improve basic language skills • Dramatic improvement in communication and understanding • Classes became much more fun!

  14. The Problems • However, networks can also create problems • Viruses, worms, trojans • Scams and hoaxes • The Good Times “virus” • Threatened to erase all files on the computer, scare the dog, kill the cat, overheat the stove, and turn off the freezer so that your ice cream goes all melty. • Physically impossible to execute • Nevertheless captured the imagination/attention of the nation • Major companies shut down – AT&T, NASA, DoD, FCC, TI • The effect it had on the populace

  15. The Overall Impact • The level of integration • Schools • Reports typed, online sources encouraged • Pharmacies • Records no longer accepted in hard copy • Banks • Moving away from passbook accounts • Business Offices, Newspapers, dental offices

  16. Have we progressed to dependance? • Entire industries are spawned from our dependance on these machines • Interaction accomplished online, rather than in person • Email, instant messaging and online shopping replace standing in line at the grocery store • Good or bad?

  17. Implication: Technology has so changed our lives that it would be difficult to regress, even given an impetus to.

  18. Growth of, Control of and Access to the Internet By: Douglass Camin

  19. Humble Beginnings - 1969 • ARPANet: precursor of today’s Internet • 4 Nodes: • Stanford • UC Santa Barbara • UCLA • University of Utah • Sponsored by Department of Defense The Internet, circa 1969

  20. Innovations – 1970’s • 15 Nodes (1971) – 188 nodes (1979) • First e-mail program created (1971) • Telnet specification created (1972) • Ethernet proposal by Metcalfe (1973) • TCP Specification by Cerf and Kahn (1974) • ARPA established the Internet Configuration Control Board (ICCB) (1979)

  21. Years of Transition – 1980’s • 213 Hosts (1981) – ~159,000 (1989) • Phrase “Internet” came to be popular • DNS created (1984) • NSF creates five “supercomputing” sites as backbone to handle growing load (1986): • Princeton (NJ) • Pittsburgh (PA) • UC – San Diego • Cornell (NY) • Number of new connections grows logarithmically

  22. In the Mainstream – 1990’s • 313,000 hosts (1990) – 56.2 million (1999) • Original ARPANet removed from service and transferred to NSF (1990) • First commercial dial-up Internet service: The World (1990) • NSF increases backbone speed to T3 (44.736Mbps) (1991) • World Wide Web protocols and software released by CERN (1991)

  23. In the Mainstream (cont) – 1990’s • Government agencies begin to have presence on the Internet – White House, UN (1993) • Web browsing becomes an immediate hit with the release of the Mosaic browser (1993) • Businesses begin to see Internet as a viable commerce tool. First web advertisements are served (1994) • NSF turns support of backbone over to private enterprise (1995) • Private commercial dial-up services such as America Online and CompuServe connect users to the Internet

  24. In the Mainstream (cont) – 1990’s • MCI increases backbone speed from 155Mbps to 622Mbps (1996) • DNS turned over to ICANN, a quasi-private enterprise • MCI increases backbone capacity again, to 2.5Gbps (1999) • “Internet Mania” takes hold – shaky business plans lead to rush of technology investment (1999)

  25. New Millennium – 2000’s • Internet mania (or Internet bubble) ends – many online businesses fail (2000-2001) • Connections of new users to Internet continues to grow exponentially • Many other countries catching the United States in terms of percentage of population accessing Internet

  26. Security & Control • Early security concerns stemmed primarily from intruder access (1970’s) • As network grew, concerns changed to malicious code and viruses (1980’s) • “Morris” worm spreads and shuts down most of Internet (1988) – CERT created in response • As Internet technology spreads into the mainstream, and web pages become prevalent, who can view content becomes most important (1990’s) • Privacy and rights (copyrights) are large issues with advent of high-speed data connections to homes (2000’s)

  27. Security & Control • Some governments imposed more strict limits on users’ ability to access the Internet: • China – All users and service providers must first register with the government • Germany – Asked service providers to block content the government deemed offensive to it’s citizens • France – Asked Yahoo to block objectionable items from online auction sites it felt violated decency laws.

  28. Sociological Implications • Who has access to the Internet has become an important social issue recently • Many governments and private enterprises work hard to provide internet access to poor, rural, or otherwise disadvantaged people • Many social advocates believe the Internet will, over the long term, help foster better communication and interconnection between various societies in the world

  29. Gender Related Issues of Computing By: Christopher Conway

  30. Decrease in female Participation • In 1986, 36% of bachelor degrees were given to females. • In 1996, 27% of bachelor and master’s degrees were given to females.

  31. “Pipeline Shrinkage” • The process of a gradual decline in the participation of women as they advance along the academic pipeline. • 3 major factors • Lack of self esteem • Gender Discrimination • Balancing of a career and family Responsibilities

  32. Self Esteem • Study by American Association for the Advancement of Science • 30% vs. 15% questioned ability to do work • 27% vs. 12% criticism hard to handle • 30% vs. 57% confident in class • 33% vs. 9% fear speaking • Dealing with Success and Failure • Lack of strategy vs. Lack of competence • Reproductive strategy vs. Constructive strategy

  33. Gender Discrimination • Patronizing behavior • Male dominated preconception • “The early stereotyping of toys for boys and girls: Transformers for boys and Barbie for girls.” • Aggressive metaphors in software

  34. Career vs. Family • Tenure vs. Childbearing • Effects males and females • Possible Solutions • Quality childcare • Increased amount of time to earn tenure

  35. International Issues By: Matthew Dietz

  36. Digital Divide • Separation of the Rich from the Poor • Eastern Europe, monopolizing phone companies • The Internet moves citizens to participate in Society • “Information Poverty” • 2001- less than 25% online lived outside of U.S.

  37. Non-Western Culture • Iran • Requires Internet users to sign waivers agreeing to not access non-Islamic sites • Israel • Accepts the internet openly • Uses internet as propaganda tool • Middle East Peace Process

  38. Security and Privacy • Computer Terrorism • NYC Blackout • Not caused by a computer, but takes almost nothing to cripple 2 million people • Raises concern over how easily terrorists could destroy communications, banking, or more • Security • Israel • Head of Secret Service name revealed publicly in Washington Post

  39. Security and Privacy Cont… • Ban on encryption • U.S. bans export of encryption strong than 40 bit • International fears of secret information being cracked using own products • Causes other nations to question usefulness vs security concerns • Total dependence on computers, likely a weakness?

  40. H1-B and L-1 • Visas • Allow the import of foreign workers and executives • Cheaper labor, often equally skilled • Workers often paid significantly less • Factor in many developed nations, not just U.S. • Some lose jobs, but others able to feed and clothe families • Raises many moral issues • 1999 – 40% of foreign visa workers to fill computer-related positions

  41. Outsourcing • Act of sending workload of common practices to other, often cheaper companies • India primary receiver of outsourced labor • Beneficial to some, detrimental to others. • India • Some make as little as $11,000/yr • Actually 22 times more than average salary in India

  42. Outsourcing cont…

  43. Outsourcing cont… • Issue of great controversy • Is it fair to export work when there are job-less domestically?

  44. International Issues • Computers have proven to be both good and bad • Flow of information to new places every day • People can benefit from improved medical care, education, etc. • Causes conflict in terms of what’s considered moral • Important part of the future of the world.

  45. Computer Crime By: Robert Host

  46. Introduction • Rise of the internet • The Good: • New medium for communication and business • The Bad: • Identity Theft • Peer to Peer programs

  47. Identity Theft • One of the fastest growing crimes in America • Methods: • “Shoulder Surfing” • Mail • Email hoaxes • Victims • Consumers • Companies

  48. A brief comparison…

  49. Peer to Peer • “Come and get it…FREE!” • Napster is made and people use it to swap music files illegally. • Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to the rescue! • Kazaa, Morpheus, Bittorent • US District Court rules in favor of P2P programs • Not totally illegal, some practical applications

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