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Writing 06: The Politics of Hacking

Reflection

After a series of related readings and videos from the lectures, you will be given the opportunity to reflect on the readings and discussions for each week by writing a few short responses to given prompts. In this course, the reading responses are typically due by 5pm on Tuesdays of the following week they are assigned, after we have discussed the issues and explored the topics in class. This reflection is due on 4/23 at 5pm.

Note that the course staff are looking for your own thoughts on these topics. Writing in the first person, taking divergent viewpoints, and bringing in ideas from outside of class are encouraged. Write as if you are targeting a public audience. Particularly insightful or convincingly contrarian statements might be shared with the entire class in lecture or in the course slack.

For this week, you are to consider the following questions related to the lectures The Hacker and the State and Hacker Activism, as well as the film Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus: 

  1. Reflect on the ethics of a government deploying spyware against domestic and foreign targets. In the film Exposing Pegasus, are any compelling arguments made by the NSO group's executives and lawyers justifying their business model? After all, Pegasus is only a passive attack that simply collects information. Should any country be able to procure such technology in the name of national security?

  2. Is there any situation in which you would engage in an act of hacktivism? If yes, what would cause you to do so? If no, why not?

Grading

Each reflection should be between 500 - 1000 words. It will be graded in terms of:
 

  • Does the reflection adequately address the prompt?

  • Does the reflection reference the readings and class discussions to support the writing?

  • Does the reflection exhibit thoughtfulness and creative expression?

  • Does the reflection utilize proper grammar and style?

  • Is the reflection an appropriate length?

Submission Instructions

  1. (For this first submission) Share a Google drive folder for this class with our TA Ellen (aswenor@nd.edu) and give her editor privileges. 

  2. Prepare a doc in that folder named using this convention: lastname_firstname_duedate. Example: Joyce_Ellen_042324

  3. The TA will collect each assignment directly from your drive after it is due