The Surveillance State: Big Data, Freedom, and You

Course Description:
Confront the tough questions about who’s watching us online, how governments and corporations collect and use our data, and what we can do to protect ourselves. Explore the tension between privacy, security, and freedom in the age of Big Data, with case studies, historical lessons, and cutting-edge debates that affect us all.

---

Course Outline

01: Security, Liberty, or Neither?
Start by considering the tension between surveillance and the rule of law. While technology evolves rapidly, laws lag behind. Explore conflicts within institutions over privacy and security, including the dramatic confrontation over John Ashcroft’s hospital bed.
33 min

02: The Charlie Hebdo Tragedy
After the attacks in France, debate centered on whether governments were doing enough—or too much—surveillance. Review physical, electronic, and data surveillance, with case studies including the Osama Bin Laden raid and U.S. airport security.
29 min

03: East Germany’s Stasi State
Examine one of history’s most extreme surveillance regimes, where one in six East Germans spied on friends, family, and neighbors. Reflect on the legacy of the Stasi and the lessons it offers today.
28 min

04: Surveillance in America
Trace how the U.S. government avoided devolving into a Stasi-like system. From Cold War-era CIA and FBI programs to the oversight mechanisms created in the 1970s, see how America attempted to balance freedom and security.
31 min

05: Failing to Connect the Dots on 9/11
Review the intelligence failures before 9/11, when legal barriers like the 1978 FISA law prevented agencies from sharing information. Learn about the “wall” between intelligence and criminal investigations—and how it shifted after the attacks.
33 min

06: The U.S. Spy Network in Action
Explore how the U.S. intelligence community is structured, its relationship with government, and its methods of gathering and analyzing intelligence—including key challenges.
31 min

07: Big Data’s Shadow
Governments and companies collect vast information about our habits, travel, purchases, and browsing. See both the potential and dangers of Big Data in shaping law, policy, and privacy.
30 min

08: Some Problems with Privacy
Consider why our outdated privacy laws struggle to keep pace with modern technology. Explore the extremes: a Panopticon of total surveillance versus total invisibility.
29 min

09: Under Observation: The Panopticon Effect
Being watched changes behavior. Whether corporations under scrutiny or individuals on social media, the observer effect alters how we act. Analyze psychological effects on both watchers and the watched.
30 min

10: Drones, Drones Everywhere
From commercial use to government surveillance, drones raise pressing questions: Who owns the footage? What regulations are needed? How do we protect privacy while embracing innovation?
29 min

11: Biometrics: Eyes, Fingers, Everything
Fingerprints, DNA, and facial recognition are now everyday tools. Explore benefits of biometrics but also the risks of misuse and abuse of biometric data.
30 min

12: Hacking, Espionage, and Surveillance
Discover how digital espionage and hacking have transformed global intelligence. Assess the ethics, dangers, and international implications of cyber-infiltration.
29 min

13: Local Police on the Cyber Beat
Beyond federal agencies, local police collect enormous surveillance data—license plate readers, CCTV, and predictive policing. Examine how the NYPD integrates these tools.
30 min

14: Geolocation: Tracking You and Your Data
Voluntary check-ins and covert cell tracking both create trails of our movements. Learn how advertisers, investigators, and governments use geolocation data.
31 min

15: Internet Surveillance
Dive into the monitoring of emails, searches, and online activity. While oversight exists, many fear abuse. Explore both the arguments for and against broad internet surveillance.
30 min

16: Metadata: Legal or Not
Metadata—data about data—is a cornerstone of surveillance. Analyze its functions, legality after 9/11, and the constitutional debate over the 4th Amendment.
30 min

17: Technology Outruns the Law
See how privacy law struggles to adapt, from wiretaps in the 1960s to smartphones today. Review cases that reveal shifting expectations of privacy.
31 min

18: Your Personal Data Is the Product
Commercial surveillance rivals government programs. Learn how companies monetize personal data through aggregation, predictive analytics, and targeted marketing—and the ethical dilemmas they pose.
30 min

19: The Internet of Things
Smart devices improve daily life but also collect personal data. Explore the ownership, use, and risks of connected devices like thermostats, medical monitors, and cars.
29 min

20: Anonymity: Going off the Grid
Explore the tools and consequences of pursuing anonymity, including TOR and encryption. Reflect on the balance between free speech, privacy, and accountability in the digital era.
31 min

21: Code Breaking versus Code Making
Encryption protects privacy but limits government access. Debate whether governments should have “back doors” to encrypted systems, through a legal and constitutional lens.
31 min

22: Europe’s Right to Be Forgotten
Compare European and American approaches to data privacy, focusing on the EU’s “right to be forgotten” and how it shapes online search results.
31 min

23: National Security and the First Amendment
From the Pentagon Papers to Wikileaks, assess how surveillance and free press collide. Who should control sensitive information? What role does transparency play in democracy?
32 min

24: The Privacy Debate Needs You
Conclude by looking forward. With AI, quantum computing, and human-machine integration on the horizon, how should we balance freedom, privacy, and security? The debate requires active participation from us all.
35 min