2013 Syllabus

CPSC 183: Law, Technology, & Culture
Brad Rosen (brad.rosen@yale.edu)
Fall 2013: M W, 4:00-5:15, WLH 119

CPSC 183 is a class that is open to non-majors.  You do not need a background in tech or computer science to enjoy the class.  The class offers some project options for CS majors as well.  

As a general rule, we will adapt the syllabus to take into account current events.  We may need to add supplemental readings if breaking news changes the topics being discussed.   Please review the syllabi from previous years: 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.  These should give you a flavor of what the class will ultimately look like.

Please note: the course topics and speakers are subject to change as the semester progresses and due to speaker availability.   After the start of the semester, we will post the provisional syllabus here, but you should pay attention to announcements in class and check back here in case there are changes.

 

1.) I Spy With My Little Eye Multi-Acre Computing Cluster Complete With Fiber Optic Connections – 8/28

[Note: Time will be set aside to discuss an overview of the course, as well as grading and what you can expect.  These readings are to stimulate a class discussion.]

• Here’s how privacy advocates shined light on the NSA’s unconstitutional surveillance
• LOVEINT
• http://prismviz.com/  (browse.  read.  download/use if you have the right hardware)
• Blueprints Of NSA’s Ridiculously Expensive Data Center In Utah Suggest It Holds Less Info Than Thought
• Under the Covers of the NSAs Big Data Effort
• FISC Opinion (skim — read if you’re in the mood for adventure)

2.)  The Past and Future of Cyberlaw – 8/30

• John Perry Barlow, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace
• Lawrence Lessig, Code 2.0 (Preface to the First Edition, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Preface to the Second Edition – read preface to the second edition last – p. xii-23, ix-xi)
• Frank Easterbrook, Cyberspace and the Law of the Horse, 1996 U. Chi. Legal F. 207
• Mike Madison, Is Cyberlaw Making Us Stupid? (also read the comments)
• Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu, Digital Borders, Legal Affairs, Jan/Feb 2006
• David R. Johnson and David G. Post, Law and Borders–The Rise of Law in Cyberspace, 45 Stan. L. Rev. 1367 (1996) [excerpt]
• Lawrence Lessig, The Law of the Horse: What Cyberlaw Might Teach, 113 Harv. L. Rev. 501 (1999) [excerpt]

3.) The Past and Future of Cyberspace – 9/4

• Jonathan Zittrain, The Future of the Internet — and How to Stop It (Chapters 1, 2 – p. 11-35)
• U.S. v. Morris (Concentrate mainly on the “Facts” section, don’t worry if you don’t understand some of the more complicated issues in the “Discussion” section)
• U.S. v. Nosal  (en banc)  (read Kozinski’s majority opinion, Skim dissent)
• Jack L. Goldsmith, Against Cyberanarchy, 65 U. Chi. L. Rev. 1199 (1998) [excerpt]

4.) What is law? (Dudley don’t hurt me…) – 9/9

• Lon Fuller, The Case of The Speluncean Explorers: http://www.nullapoena.de/stud/explorers.html
• Regina v. Dudley and Stephens (Wikipedia)
• Cave In To Your Fear (Giggle)

5.) “15 Minutes of Fame”  – 9/12

• William Adams

  • Judge William Adams Beats Daughter
  • South Texas Judge In Video Beating Gets Warning From State Ethics Panel
• Jessica Slaughter
  • Why My Daughter Will Never Have a Webcam: The Jessi Slaughter Story [VIDEO]
  • Know Your Meme: About Jessica Slaughter [VIDEO]
• Andrew Meyer
  • University of Florida Taser Incident [VIDEO]
  • About University of Florida Taser Incident
• Ghyslain Raza
  • Star Wars Kid [VIDEO]
  • American Dad Meets Star Wars Kid [VIDEO]
  • About Star Wars Kid
• Antoine Dodson
  • Reaction to an attempted rape of a Huntsville, Alabama woman [VIDEO]
  • Bed Intruder Song [VIDEO]
  • About Antoine Dodson
• Laina Morris
  • OAG describes what internet stardom is like
  • Know Your Meme: OAG
  • Original Video
• Kelly Martin Broderick
  • My Picture Was Stolen and Turned Into a Fat Shaming Anti-Feminist Meme on Facebook
  • Cosmo Article (read first post as well)
• Matthew Cordle
  • I Killed A Man
  • Matt Cordle Due In Court

 

6.) Introduction to Digital Copyright and Fair Use – 9/16

• Constitution Art 1 Sec. 8 clause 8 (Only read the first part and the clause starting with “To promote the progress..”)
• 17 USC §102
• 17 USC §103
• 17 USC §105
• 17 USC §106
• Feist v. Rural Telephone
• Lawrence Lessig, Free Culture (Ch 6-7, 85-99)
• Christina Mulligan, Copyright and Glee
• Andrew Leonard, The Copyright Wars Come to”Glee”

7.) Fair Use Part Deux and the DMCA – 9/18

• 17 USC §107
• Warner Bros. v. RDR Books (Skim “Conclusions of Law” and “I. Copyright Infringement,” but pay special attention to “II. Fair Use”)
• Lenz v. Universal
• Pierre Leval, Toward a Fair Use Standard
• The Greatest C&D Response Letter…Ever

8.) Fair Use and Remix Culture – 9/23

• Francesca Coppa, A Fannish Taxonomy of Hotness
• Francesca Coppa, Women, Star Trek, and the early development of fannish vidding
• Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music
• Perfect 10, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc. [summary]
• Skim:  Brownmark Films LLC v. Comedy Partners (7th Cir)
• OPTIONAL: Rhythm, melody, life: Human hearts have always warmed to the rhythm of music
• At any time before the midterm, watch:  Fair Use & Remix Culture: Transforming Consumers into Makers of Culture

9.) P2P Law and Piracy – 9/25

• Sony  v. Universal [Majority Opinion]
• Arista v. Limewire (read pages 1-5, and 26-49)
• Do Porn Companies Blackmail Illegal Downloaders
• FAQs for Subpoena Targets
• Capitol v. Thomas
• Sony v. Tenenbaum
• PRENDA ROUNDUP (read wikipedia artcle; skim as many of the original sources at the bottom as you find interesting)

10.) Free Software, Patents, and Copyleft (9/30)