What do we own?

Despite being a slightly outdated paper, Lessig (2006) "Four puzzles from cyber space" brings up some interesting points about the internet and regulation and what defines "space". Describing his (probably non-fictional) idea as a worm that sniffs, Lessig discusses the legality and morality behind secretly spying on others.

Do you own your internet space? Why aren’t things such as WoW account hacking considered just as bad as theft? If you pay for something such as a computer, an account or anything else for that matter, shouldn't the same legal protections be applied to it as applied to a house or car?



In the case Lessig puts forward, that the worm gets around normal laws by simply being "unobtrusive" and "undetectable", but if I were to walk into a home undetected and unseen would it not be a crime? (no because you didn't get caught, but in principle, yes?).

Despite his best attempts, it is quite hard to agree with Lessig that the internet is still "regaulatable" (2006, p27). The number of internet users has since more than doubled to over 2 billion people worldwide (http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm), and any form of regulation such as the proposed one in Australia and the current one in China and other countries are already being seen as an invasion of rights and no government would be able to employ such an act without either drastically changing the attitude of the people or committing political suicide.

Lessig, L. 2006, "Four puzzles from cyber space" In L. Lessig Code version 2.0, pp 9-30, New York.

DIGC202 : Only The Beginning

My name is Robert, I am in my 3rd year of a Bachelor of Media and Communications and Bachelor of Commerce. I am majoring in Digital Communications and Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. I play the real football on weekends although it has been a while since the rain has ruined the weekends.

 

I am thinking about doing the major project on something to do with online marketing or maybe how online networks have changed PR (bringing in my other studies).

 

Blog: http://robertuow.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @Robert_UOW
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