1. Assuming governmental regulation would lead to some degree of restriction of freedom of speech and press freedom but it would also maximize and secure the wellbeing of society. Would a Kantian ethicist approve or disapprove it. What about a utilitarian ethicist: would she approve or disapprove it?
2. What would be a Kantian response to the issue whether an informed adult has a moral right to trade pornography on cyberspace? What about a utilitarian ethicist: would she approve or disapprove it?
3. In Kantian ethics, a moral imperative (obligation) is categorical if it is _______________.
4. Imagine that someone is fleeing from a murderer and tells you he is going home to hide. Then the murderer comes, playing innocent, and asks where the first man went. You believe that if you tell the truth, the murderer will find the man and kill him. Also, imagine the murderer is already headed in the right direction, and you believe that if you simply remain silent, he will find the man and kill him. What should you do if you were a Kantian? What about if you were a utilitarian: should you do it?
5. Suppose that it is possible to download copyrighted music from the Internet without paying for it. Suppose that the makers of such music (the artists) don't want their music freely copied in this way. Suppose also that the artists are selling the music at an unreasonably high price. Assuming you copied the music freely and sold it to raise huge money to feed poor children who are dying of hunger. Would Kant say that you did something morally wrong? What about Utilitarians: would they say that you did something morally wrong?
6. In J. S. Mill’s view, what confers every individual human being with moral right to free speech?
7. According to Mill, what makes censorship (regulation) of speech morally wrong?
8. How would Mill support his view whether hateful and offensive speeches ought to be regulated?
9. What obligation does the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) require of public schools and public libraries?
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10. Based on the requirements of American Library Association (ALA), do public libraries have a duty to install blocking technologies on their computers to protect children from indecent and obscene material (such pornographic materials)?
11. Does requiring public libraries to use filtering software to control children’s access to obscene materials (such pornographic materials) on the Internet compromise a library’s traditional commitment to, and role of, promoting free flow of ideas?
12. How would Kantian and utilitarian ethicists defend their views on the issue whether cyberporn should be protected as free speech?
13. How would Kantian and utilitarian ethicists defend their views on the issue whether racial and gender hate speech should be protected as free speech?
14. What is the difference between Mill’s utilitarian argument for free speech and Kantian deontological argument for free speech?
15. Use an example to explain J. S. Mill’s harm principle.
16. How would you explain Mill’s Marketplace of ideas metaphor for the right of free speech?
17. On the issue of blogging ethics, describe two bloggers’ journalistic responsibilities.
18. In our discussion of Internet anonymity, what was the point in the Platonic story about the Gyges ring?
19. Does Wikileaks threaten or rather promote democratic values? Describe one potential threat and one potential benefit of Wikileaks to democratic values.
20. What is net neutrality? Also, what is the main issue involved in the debate about net neutrality?
21. What is the basic difference, if any, between the equality of access principle and the equality of opportunities principle of the Rawlsian theory of information justice?
22. What does it mean to say that information technology is a primary (basic) good in the information age in which we live now? How would you justify (support) your view whether information technology is a primary (basic) good?
23. What does it mean to say that the ongoing revolution in information technology faces the problem of policy vacuum?
24. What does it mean to say that the ongoing revolution in information technology faces the problem of conceptual muddle?
25. What does it mean to say that technology is logically malleable?
26. What is the basic difference, if any, between the invisible hand approach to internet regulation and the bottom-up approach to internet regulation?