Prof. Mark Tunick

Students will form groups of about 4 each. Each group will select a topic concerning privacy that must be approved by the instructor. Some suggestions are given below but you are not confined to these. Groups will formulate a plan for researching their problem area, with the help of the instructor, and divide up the work equitably. The report should draw on what you've learned from the course readings but must also draw on material beyond those readings; it should be based on not merely library research (consulting news, court cases, articles, etc.), but also on interviews or other fieldwork. The project will culminate in a group presentation during one of the last 2 class meetings. Each member should play a significant role in the group presentation. The group will turn in a collective report of approximately 4 pages (1000 words) that concisely provides a background of the problem, a discussion of their process of information gathering, the results, and a conclusion. Each group will also prepare a one page outline or powerpoint that they will present to the class. The grade will be based on the group presentation and report. In most cases, all members of a group will receive the same grade for the project; however, if it becomes apparent that a member of a group failed to do their fair share, that member's grade may be reduced. To help assess this, each student will hand in a brief statement detailing their particular contribution to the group.

Expectations of privacy and the Facebook generation: The prominence of facebook has important implications for privacy. You might explore some of the following questions: Are expectations of privacy changing due to the increasing importance of facebook, youtube, reality tv and other technologies of exposure? Are there generational differences in expectations of privacy in the U.S. based on whether someone has grown up with facebook? How can we determine this: through polls? observing people's behavior? What risks to privacy does someone face when joining facebook and are sufficient protections in place? What role does and should government have in ensuring sufficient protections?

Posting of arrest information: There are many examples where websites post the names and photos and other information of people who have been arrested but not yet convicted of a crime. What legal and ethical issues are raised by this practice? What policies have been and should be developed to address privacy concerns raised by this practice? You might also consider the practice of public shaming more generally (see NYT story about public shaming in China, online; and about public shaming in New York's Chinatown, online).

DNA and privacy: A database with everyone's DNA profile would be extremely helpful in fighting crime. What recent developments have occurred concerning the keeping of a state or national profiles? What arguments are being made for and against such a profile? If such a database were to be used, what restrictions would be needed to prevent abuses?

Privacy in public places: Fox Sportsnetwork broadcasts a Florida Marlin's game and shows a close-up of an overweight man in the stands eating a salad, with the announcers commenting, with a laugh, "That's not gonna be enough for that guy." At many sporting events, random camera shots of people in the stands are shown on a large public display for all to see. Do such practices raise legal or ethical concerns?

Why do some people value privacy more than others? Privacy varies among cultures, but even within a culture there are variations in expectations of privacy. What might account for these variations? What ways are available to determine an answer to this question? Is it possible to value privacy too much, or not enough?

Recent developments in privacy law: Lower courts have, over the last decade or so, begun to address issues relating to privacy resulting from the prevalence of new technologies; in class we examine some examples: cases concerning DNA, GPS devices, and the posting of SSNs. What are some other new areas of controversy concerning privacy that are emerging in lower courts and how should they be resolved?

Privacy in the residence halls: What are the reasonable expectations of privacy of students in their residence hall rooms, and what guidelines are and should be in place concerning searches of residence hall suites and rooms? What role does and should consent to a housing contract play in determining what expectations are reasonable? Are there differences relative to the expectations a tenant in a leased apartment, or guest in a motel, or a college-age student living in their parent's home, reasonably have?

updated 8/4/10