Chapter 17

Objectives:

6.04, 6.05,

10.05, 10.06

Using the Internet

• Web sites: pages on the World Wide Web that contain text, images, audio, and video

• Over 1 billion users

• ¾ of the population has access to the internet

Using the Internet

• Uses:– For gathering information from online

newspapers and magazines• Archives: files of older stories• Most sites are not nonpartisan

– E-government:• Different levels of government have their own web

sites.• Makes it easy to learn about public policy, request

services and participate in government.

Using the Internet

– For group action• Web sites for interest groups• Newsgroups: Internet discussion forums

• During election campaigns– Major (and some minor) parties have their

own websites• These may include newsletters and lists of

supporters or ideas• May be biased!

Using the Internet

– Take part in elections through blogging• Blog is short for “web log”; a personal online

journal.• Blogs are a popular way to express ideas about

things• Bloggers can post false or misleading info

– Making “grassroots” websites• Equal to putting signs in your yard• Can also be biased• Official and Unofficial sites look similar.

Potential of the Internet

• Many assumed Internet would help spread democracy.

• Most non-democratic gov’ts are limiting online access.– Many dissident sites – those that disagree

with the ‘established political system – are not allowed.

• Also, internet empowers intolerant extremist groups who seek to divide society

Potential of the Internet

• Not all people have access to the internet.– Schools and libraries offer free access though

• Extremist Groups: groups with ideas far away from the political center– Internet makes it easier for them to

communicate, spread propaganda, and get new recruits.

– Terrorist groups – like al-Qaeda – also use the internet.

Threats to Privacy

• Personal information (address, income, etc.) can be stolen when you make online purchases or go on certain sites.

• Legal protection of privacy is limited and hard to enforce.

• Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (1998)– Getting info from children under 13 requires

parental permission.

Threats to Privacy

• Gov’t:– Monitors electronic communication– Online surveillance– NSA and Dept. of Justice– Recently, gov’t requested records from search

engines like Yahoo and MSN.– There has been debate about how this may

be conflicting with the 4th Amendment.•Protection against unreasonable searches/seizures

Free Speech and the Internet

• Free speech is a constitutional right, but hate groups and others create offensive material and web sites.– Computer users can block offensive material– Communications Decency Act (1996)-

• Federal crime to send/display indecent or obscene material over the Internet “in a manner available” to anyone under 18.

Free Speech and the Internet

– Passed Child Online Protection Act (1998)• Required Web sites to require users of all ages to

verify their ages• This was struck down by Ashcroft v. American Civil

Liberties Union (2004)

• The Supreme Court, however, has ruled that students’ activities on the Web can be regulated– Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

Free Speech and the Internet

• Intellectual Property: things that people create (i.e. songs, movies, books, etc.)

• Copyright: the owner’s exclusive right to control, publish, and sell an original work– Digital Millennium Copyright Act (1998) –

makes it a crime to develop or spread software that will bypass computer codes that protect copyrighted material

– Debates over file-sharing

Free Speech and the Internet

• E-commerce: using the Internet for purchase and sales transactions– Can avoid paying local sales-tax– State/Local gov’ts lose revenue:

• The income that a gov’t or business collects

– Debate over collecting taxes for online-sales