This course will introduce you to some of the ethical issues surrounding information and information technology. Whether you are using information as a researcher or creating information on a social networking site, issues of privacy, reliability, and intellectual property abound. In this course, you will develop the skills to navigate online information responsibly.

Course Goals & Objectives

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Recognize characteristics of authentic and reliable information online
  • Locate authentic and reliable information online and using library tools and resources
  • Use search techniques and strategies to improve results received from internet and library searches
  • Identify and discussion issues related to information privacy and security
  • Define and discuss issues of censorship and freedom of speech
  • Define and discussion copyright, fair use, and plagiarism

Recent Course Topics

  • ‘Fake news’
  • Logical fallacies & social media
  • ‘The Filter Bubble’ & personalizing information online
  • Social media privacy and policies
  • Net neutrality, internet filtering, and online censorship
  • Big data & algorithmic bias
  • International perspectives of internet freedoms
  • Copyright & Creative Commons

Check current listings in MyUI