Computer Ethics, Sum 2021

Class 9 Readings

June 22

Read Baase chapter 2 on privacy and chapter 3 on free speech.

Start reading the material in Chapter 4 on software patents

Debates

Paper 2

One regulatory approach would be to require that tracking code honor various opt-out mechanisms, such as the Do Not Track option.

Browser Privacy

ebin.city/%7Ewerwolf/posts/brave-is-shit/

The author argues strongly that the Brave browser's privacy features are misleading, if not fraudulent.

The author doesn't like DuckDuckGo either.

The Chromium engine (Blink) has disabled the appropriate API for adblocking, and crippled the backup API. Firefox with Gecko/Quantum is the only browser that the uBlock Origin adblocker can work properly on.

Still, there's a deeper question: who do we want privacy from? Gecko is possibly buggier than Blink, a consideration if you're worried about subversion by your government. But if you're worried about advertising tracking, Gecko is probably much better.

And what is the real question?

• Ads targeted to your interests, versus generic ads
• Ads targeted to your interests, versus poorer-quality, budget content
• To what extent can the advertising ID associated with me be linked to my real identity?
• Am I ok with work-related tracking? Might that tell Google what I am working on?
• What about sensitive topics: support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/143465 (hardship, identity/belief, sex). Am I just worried about them?

Speech

Google and censorship

Source code as speech

Patents

        pharmaceuticals