Blown to Bits (2008) Your Life, Liberty and Happiness after the Digital Explosion Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen, Harry Lewis A. Small Group Discussions (paper leading questions) - groups of 5 1) Which chapter(s) did you find most compelling and why? 2) From which chapter(s) did you learn the most? 3) With which aspects of the book, if any, do you disagree? 4) Which parts will affect your future behaviour and how? B. Large Group Discussion 1) Did any themes or commonalities emerge from among those in your small group? 1.5) How did you feel after reading the book? Protected? Watched? Secure? Controlled? Free? Restricted? 2) From Chapter 2, page 69: which do you prefer - new world with digital footprints tracking everything or the old world with less surveillance - what's the trade-off? 3) From Chapter 4, page 145: Is control of search engine results helpful or harmful? Who should have control? 4) From Chapter 5, page 175: Technological systems (better security for example) won't be used if too inconvenient or expensive. How to address this? 5) From Chapter 6, page 205: Is it sufficient to show that a product is capable of substantial non-copyright-infringing to justify its production and use? Should it even be necessary to do so? 6) From Chapter 6, page 212: Are technologies (like DRM) that control the use of information safer than the risks associated with giving away individual control? 7) From Chapter 7, page 253: Would you choose personal safety over freedom of speech for others? 8) Conclusion, page 298: Will speech be freer in the future than in the past? Will selective listening make this a moot point? 9) The book was published only 7 years ago? What has changed since then?