CS 301: Social Implications of Computer Technology

Course Syllabus

FALL, 2025

Section 1001: 1-1:50am Mon; TBE B-174

Section 1002: 1-1:50pm Wed; TBE B-174

Section 1003: 10-10:50am Tues; TBE B-174

Prof. Hal Berghel; office: TBE B-378A; phone: 702-895-2441;

pick one: {hal.berghel \\unlvdomain, hlb \ \acm/ /org, hlb \ \computer/ /org }

office hours: Monday-Friday - 8:30 am to 9:50 am and by appointment

Teaching Assistant: Bao Phung, phungb2 \\unlv.nevada // edu

Course Description:

Examination of ethical and social issues relating to the use of computing and networking technology. Discussion of social trends and their possible effects. Review and discussion of the ACM Code of Ethics for computing professionals.

General notes:

• the Syllabus for this course will be maintained on the instructor's website at www.berghel.net/sat. 
• You will be responsible for approximately 100 pages of assigned readings during the semester. These assigned readings will be provided in the form of an ONLINE TEXT. come from online resources, many if not most of which were written by the instructor - think of them collectively as the course textbook. There may be an occasional external resource as well.  In either case, URLs for the readings will be clearly identified as such in this syllabus. Time permitting, I will discuss all reading assignments in the lectures. However, you will be responsible for all reading assignments whether or not they are discussed in the lectures.
• Test questions covering the reading assinments are available in the class STUDY GUIDE . All exam questions will come from this study guide. If an assigned reading is not covered in the study guide, there will be no questions on that reading on an exam. (Note that I use this study guide for several classes, so not all study guide content relates to CS301).
• UNLV POLICIES AND RESOURCES
1. The current UNLV policies that govern instruction are posted on the website of the The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at https://www.unlv.edu/policies/students.
2. In addition, these resources may be of interest::
1. Writing Center Statement
2. Tutoring Availability
3. UNLV Annual Security Report
4. UNLV campus police crime log
5. UNLV Institutional Metrics
3. Additional University Policies: https://www.unlv.edu/policies/additional
4. Supplementary course references (f.y.i.):
   1. Jaron Lanier, Ten Arguments for Deleting your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Picador reprint, 2019.
   2. Richard Spinello, Cyberethics: Morality and Law in Cyberspace, 7th ed., Jones and Bartlett, 2021.
   3. Nataliya Kosmyna, et al, Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task , MIT Report, 10 Jun 2025.
   4. 2023 ACLU Report on School Surveillance
5. FORMATS for written work. Provide references for all non-original material. Quotation according to the principles of "fair use" under the U.S. Copyright laws apply. i.e., quoting and identifying a source is acceptable, but plagiarizing a source is not. Any student found to have plagiarized will receive an "F" for the assignment. If you have any questions about this policy, consult with the instructor.
• CLASS POLICIES
1. EXAMS: All exams are closed book, closed notes, all electronic devices turned off. Any student caught with an active mobile device during an exam will receive a grade of F for the exam.
2. GENERATIVE AI: All students are responsible for submitted work, irrespective of tools used to create it. Any use of generative AI to create content or make translations for use in coursework must be completely transparent and acknowledged in the submitted work. A minimum for complete transparancy will include disclosure of (a) acknowledgement of the use of GenAI, (b) name of GenAI tool(s), and (c) identifying the "imported" GenAI content in the document(s) affected (either by quotation, footnote, or endnote). Further students must retain the complete GenAI content until the end-of-terms should this be requested for comparison purposes. It must be noted that any use of GenAI must be consistent with existing intellectual property laws and UNLV policies.
3. ATTENDANCE: Attendance will be taken. Students with at most 1 (one) documented unexcused absence (e.g., due to health problems, religious holidays, official UNLV activities) as recorded by the classroom attendance sheet, will receive a bonus of 10% on their final grade.
4. GRADING SCALE : Grading will be on a standard "university scale," i.e., 90-100=A; 80-89=B; etc.
5. FINAL GRADE will be determined by two components, in equal measure:
   • [1] a MID-TERM EXAM. (note: The questions from which the exams are drawn are provided in the study guide which is linked to this syllabus and available on the first day of class! If there are no questions in the study guide that correspond to a particular reading assignment, no questions relating to that assignment will appear on the exam.)

   - and one of [2](A) or [2](B) (below) in order to satisfy ABET Learning Outcome #3 (Oral and Written Presentations) on a topic of your choice that relates to Social Implications of Computer Technology.

   • [2] an IN-CLASS PRESENTATION, consisting of both
     1. 25 powerpoint slides (to be submitted at the time of presentation in "handout style" (preferably 6 slides per page) with duplex (both side) printing
     2. an oral presentation [both on the same topic] not to exceed 10 minutes. Presentations will be timed! This time constraint is necessary so that all students may be assured equal time for their presentations. Note:
        1. The time required for you to load your slides is part of this 10 minutes.
        2. Do not plan to cover all slides in 10 minutes - just select a represented sample of them that collectively will make an interesting talk.
        3. Do not "read" the slides - the audience can read the slides silently quicker than you can read them aloud. Talk over the slides, or expound on them, but don't read them.
        4. Your goal is to make the 10 minute presentation interesting for the audience and fun for you.
        5. The secret to success is to rehearse your presentation before you present it.
        6. Presentation schedule will be listed on the class syllabus after the UNLV official drop date. Presentations will be scheduled alphabetically based on student last name. If you have a conflict with an activity that is officially-recognized by UNLV, inform the TA or instructor prior to the mid-term exam, and the presentation schedule will be adjusted to accommodate your activity. Due to the large class sizes, re-scheduling will not be allowed unless a student provides a written excuse from UNLV student health, a registered health care professional, the UNLV office of student affairs, or a UNLV administrator three weeks before the scheduled presentation.
        7. Any topic relating to Social Issues in Computing is acceptable for purposes of presentations, slides and reports. However the topics, themes, and references of the slides and presentations must correspond with one another.
        8. I recommend that you use an unencrypted USB memory stick formatted in FAT32 to load your presentation on the classroom computer. I recommend against using cloud storage as any network/interface/authentication problem will cause unnecessary delays and shorten the time for your presentation.

   - in the case of exceptional circumstances (e.g., auditory or visual impairment, DRC accommodation request) - and with the permission of the instructor - a written report may be substituted for the oral presentation. The

   WRITTEN REPORT, will consist of both:
   1. 25 powerpoint slides (same requirements as above), and
   2. a written paper
      1. minimum of 3,000 words
      2. references in any format acceptable at UNLV
      3. Witten reports in hardcopy (duplex printed and collated) are due.the week after the mid-term exam at the start of class. Late penalty will be 10% per day.
   3. EXTRA CREDIT: If your mid-term exam is lower that you expected, you may elect to submit a written paper as extra credit (assuming that it hasn't been substituted for the oral presentation) which may elevate your exam score by 0-20 points depending on quality of work. The same criteria applies as above. The due date for this report will also be your class following the mid-term exam. But unlike the substitute written report, the subject of this written report may be any topic covered in class lectures or reading assigments that deals with social issues in computing.
   • There is no final in CS301.
• ATTENDANCE will be taken. Perfect attendance (i.e., no missed classes, attendance for full class periods, confirmed by the attendance sheet provided for each class) will be rewarded with a mid-term grade increase of one letter grade - e.g., B would be raised to A. C+ raised to B+, etc.)
• A few times each semester the University will cancel classes for HOLIDAYS. You are responsible for the material covered that week as described in the online syllabus, so plan to attend one of the other sections if your class is cancelled; else contact instructor or TA for other arrangements.
• Course Website Note: UNLV experiences several power outages each year (many unannounced or announced on short notice) that crash Engineering college computer systems including the one that hosts your class website. Plan ahead and download the content you need well in advance of exams. As a precaution, I recommend that you download the CS 301 Online Text so that you can store the URLs for readings covered on the exams offline.

What you will need for your presentation:

1. A small USB memory stick formatted in either NTFS FAT32 format (preferred) for your presentation slides. I recommend against accessing your slides from a cloud service because of the delays involved. If you choose to download your slides from a network resource, understand that the time spent accessing your slides will be deducted from the 10 minutes provided for your talk.
2. You will need access to a computer that can be used to prepare your presentation slides. The UNLV Office of IT has Windows labs for students on campus. Alternative formats such as PDF are acceptable so long as OIT can confirm that they can be rendered by the classroom computer.
3. Only hardcopy will be accepted (these documents will be retained for ABET accreditation purposes). To minimize the amount of paper used, you must submit the slides "handout style" 4 or 6 to a page, double sided. Failure to use handout style will result in a 25% grade penalty. The course TA will provide advice on how to print handout style should you need help.

ABET Course Outcomes:

• By the end of the term, you will:

  1. Learn about the intersection of technology, Information and Innovation , such as:
  • Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the use of GenerativeAI in education
  • Understand the implications of the velocity of innovation
  • Understand how technology may be used to spread disinformation
  • Understand how technology can be created in "bad faith"
  • Be introduced to the study of disinformatics
  • Understand the technical issues that relate to intellectual property (copyrights, patents, EULAs)
  • Develop a basic understanding of copyright law in the U.S. (e.g., PIPA, SOPA, COPA, etc.)
  • Understand the social advantages and disadvantages of the use of social media
  2. Learn about Social and Anti-Social Uses of the Internet, such as:
  • Understand computing and network issues involved in the protection of privacy
  • Understand something about cyber and information warfare
  • Understand the causes and effects of phishing, trolling, doxxing and 911 swatting
  • Understand the motivation behind and technical implications of anonymizing and remailing technology
  • Understand the advantages and disadvantages of "social networking"
  • Understand the difficulty in controlling computing and networking technology for the good of society
  • Understand the nature of typical hacking activities and exploits
  • Understand the nature of financial fraud and identity theft
  3. Learn About the Implications of Information Technology on Democracy , such as:
  • Understand the challenges facing reliable voting technology
  • Understand the implications of net neutrality
  • Understand the effect of fake news on social media
  • Understand how social media has been used to influence elections
  • Understand the computing and network issues behind free speech
  • Understand the difference between cultural and legal perspectives on free speech
  4. Learn How Information Technology Affects You, such as:
     1. Understand the security and privacy threats incurred with computer and networking technology
     2. Understand the nature of illegal uses of computers and networks
     3. Understand how IT practices affect your online activities
     4. Understand the difference between the surface, dark, and deep 'Webs"
     5. Understand how computers and networks are used to commit identity theft and financial fraud
     6. Understand the implications of computing and network technology on employment and work
  5. Understand how to create professional presentations and reports for a technical audiences (re: ABET Learning Objective 3: Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts)
     1. Slide Evaluation Criteria
     1. 25 slides minimum required
     2. Slide layout
     3. Slide design
     4. Appropriate depth of material
     5. Effective slide format
     6. Effective use of graphics
     7. Effective use of slide building techniques
     8. Inclusion of a list of references
     9. For additional detail, see Guidelines for Preparing Slide Presentation
     2. Presentation Criteria
     1. Was the presentation balanced?
     2. Did the presentation provide an adequate overview of the topic?
     3. Did the presentation reflect a reasonable history behind the topic/issue?
     4. Did the presenter "talk over" the slides (vs. read them)?
     5. Did the presentation fit into the allotted time?
     6. Was the presentation professionally made?
     7. Was the presenter in command of the material?
     3. Report Criteria
     1. 3000 words minimum required
     2. Did the student "mine" relevant media sources for material?
     3. Was the narrative well documented and the source material listed under a reference section?
     4. Did the report complement the slides and presentation well?
     5. Was the report well-written grammatically and stylistically?
     6. Were the technical issues exposited correctly?
     7. Was the report of professional quality, focused and effective?
     8. Were references included?
  6. Understand the importance of professional ethics (re: ABET Learning Objective 4: Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles. )
     • Understand general ethical frameworks
     • Understand the nature of "rights"
     • Understand the implications of privacy law on computing
     • Understand the difference between "hacking," "ethical hacking," and "hactivism"
     • Learn about the "open source" and "free software," and "copyleft" movements
     • Understand different approaches to software licensing (e.g., GNU, MIT, etc.) and how they differ
     • Understanding the individual's responsibilities in systems development
     • Familiarization with the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (Reviewed during last class period of semester)

  ABET Core Competencies

  1. You will develop an appreciation of the implications of computing and network technology on people, society and government
  2. You will understand how computing and network technology may be used against people, society and government
  3. You will understand how computing and network technology may be used for the common good
  4. You will understand the difference between open source and closed source agendas
  5. You will be able to articulate some best practices of computing and network professions
  6. You will be able to articulate the difference between risk averse, risk-neutral, and risk positive deployments of technology
  7. You will develop some understanding of best practices in computing and network technology
  8. You will develop professional presentation skills to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
  9. You will be able to look at the use of social media, online media sources, and generative AI tools from a balanced perspective

  ABET Direct Assessment Measures:

  1. Student Learning Objective #3: Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts. [Satisfied by lectures and measired by in-class student presentations]
  2. Student Learning Objective #4: Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles. [Satisfied by reading assignments as measured by examination]

Syllabus

(reminder: When UNLV closes during the classweek, students are advised to attend other sections. You are still responsible for the material covered.)

General Overview of Course

• How to use the online course resources (syllabus, readings, links to digital libraries)
• Discussion of Required in-class presentations
• Calculation of final grade: presentation and slides -or- semester report will each count 50% toward your final grade. The mid-term exam will also count 50%. There will be no final in this class
• quality of presentation slides (at keast 25 slides to be submitted to me in hardcopy on the day of presentation: 4/6 slide/page handout style)
• quality of oral presentation (10 minutes maximum; you are not expected to cover all of the slides. This will be your opportunity to have fun sharing the more interesting information with the class.)
• quality of 3000 word written report fully referenced (any style of your choosing)
• Grading Criteria for Presentation, Slides and Report: (Re: ABET Student Learning Outcome 3, above).
• Click here for an illustration of an acceptable slide format.
• Click here for Grading Crideria for Slides and Presentations
• assignment: look over the assigned readings and think of a few topics that might suit you for an in-class presentation. Finalize a topic within the first two weeks of class. If you want my opinion on the suitability of the topic(s), just ask in class, speak with me after class or during office hours, or send me an email.
• Study Guide to the assigned readings
• Video: Dr. Chuck's iPad Steering Wheel Mount. What is wrong with this message?
• about Pa$Sw0rDZ

Lectures by date and topics: (see the CS301 online text for links to reading assignments.)

Week of August 25: Technology, Information, and Innovation

Week of September 1: Disinformatics (note: UNLV is closed for Labor Day on September 1)

Week of September 8: Information Technology and Democracy

Week of September 15: Computing Crime, Education and Professional Ethics

Week of September 22: study week: office hours held during classtime

Week of September 29 - Mid-Term Exam -Exam is "closed everything": e.g., "closed book," "closed notes," PDAs and computers turned off, cell phones off, etc. The detection of any mobile device in use will result in an exam grade of F. Make sure to confirm that you have the latest revision of the study guide.

Student Presentations Begin (Speakers: provide slides in handout form to instructor on your way to the lectern. USB port available on lectern computer. Attendance will be taken!)

Week of October 6- Student Presentations / written reports due

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of October 13-- Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of October 20-- Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of October 27- Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of November 3- Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of November 10- Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday) ( note: UNLV is closed for Veterans day)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of November 17- - Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of November 24- - Student Presentations

• section 1001 (Monday)
• section 1003 (Tuesday)
• section 1002 (Wednesday)

Week of December 1 - (all sections) Student Outcome Assessment, review of ACM Code of Ethics, and course review (Re: ABET Student Learning Outcome 4, above). Attendance in this Class is Mandatory!