Course Catalog
Privacy in the Digital Age
94-806
Units: 6
Description
Privacy is a complex and multi-faceted concept. This course combines technical, economic, legal, psychological, ethical, and policy perspectives to present a holistic view of its role and function in the digital age. The reduction of the cost of storing and manipulating information has led organizations to capture increasing amounts of information about individual behavior. New trade-offs have emerged for parties involved with privacy-enhancing or intrusive technologies: individuals want to avoid the misuse of the information they pass along to others, but they also want to share enough information to achieve satisfactory interactions; organizations want to know more about the parties with whom they interact, but they do not want to alienate them with policies deemed as intrusive. Is there a "sweet" spot that satisfies the interests of all parties? Is there a combination of technological solutions, economic incentives, and legal safeguards that is acceptable for the individual and beneficial to society? This course tries to address the above questions.
Learning Outcomes
The goal is to educate students about the kinds of information that may be gathered about individuals, and to help them determine the individual and societal trade-offs associated with accepting or avoiding its collection and/or use.