http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070513/ap_on_hi_te/internet_names;_ylt=AigZH5XMJFKsXNmkG1oTfuz6VbIF
The first expansion of domain names since 2000 could happen soon.
This brings back the debate of domain name specifically catered to poronography. This could prevent children from reaching porn online. Child locks could be put on browsers to not allow any .xxx adress to be reached without a password. This would be an easy solution to children getting pornography online. However, moving all the explicit content to a new domain name would prove a difficult task for the vast internet.
The issue of cyber squatting could be visited again. I would argue that cybersquating is a legitimate practice, though. Obtaining something of value that you think will be worth more as time goes on is a legitimate practice in many other buisnesses. The only thing that should be protected are people's personal identities. For example, Mike Chin.com could be only allowed to be bought by someone named Mike Chin. Just like in buisness, it is unlawful to decieve people, which would happen if someone not named MikeChin registered that domain to make a profit off of my name.
The expansion of the domain names is a good thing. Allowing for more possibilities, allowing more companies to have a personalized web site. As technology and the internet becomes more and more part of our society the reliance of .com, .net, and .org becomes less important. People have more knowledge of the internet now then they did 5 years ago.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Virtual Rape
http://virtuallyblind.com/2007/04/24/open-roundtable-allegations-of-virtual-rape-bring-belgian-police-to-second-life
This article sparks the debate if it is possible to rape a person virtually, that is though text messages, video games, instant messaging, or other digital means. Obviously forcing anyone to do something, or read something that makes them physically or psychologically harmed should be a crime. But is it possible to force someone that is miles away? Are both people not freely at their computer? How does one attempt to have sexual intercourse over the internet? A physical rape can occur when a man jumps a woman and forces her to the ground then rapes her. But how do you force a person to stay in their seat and read your virtual rape?
"If it is a criminal offense to sexually abuse a child on the internet, how can we say it is not possible to rape an adult online?"
Although I agree with the first part, I do not believe that it is possible to rape someone through virtual means. It is possibly to psychologically harm someone online, which might constitute another, different crim, however the stigma of the physical violation that rape constitutes is not there. Rape is: "In most jurisdictions the crime of rape is defined to occur when sexual intercourse takes place (or is attempted) without valid consent of one of the parties involved." In researching my project on MMORPGs, I realize that people spend a lot of time on their online personas. As much as 100 hours a week, and it that character has an emotional attachment. Another person violating that extension of you has to be hurtful, but as my mother has said to me when i got aggrivated at video games as a kid, "its just a game".
This is more of a debate of, "is destroying someones virtual property (A character in a MMORPG in this case) a crime?" Should we as a country place the same punishment and protection of rights for a digital citizen as we hold for an ordinary citizen? Could murder be a protected right in a MMORPG? Is an extention of someone's personality constitute themselves? or is a digial representation in a completely different ballpark?
The use of MMORPGs is on the rise, and as with any new area with people interacting on a large scale, there is room for legal discussion. I believe that we cannot protect people's digital characters as we protect the rights of citizens. It is on the game developers to deal with legislation of their created digital realm.
This article sparks the debate if it is possible to rape a person virtually, that is though text messages, video games, instant messaging, or other digital means. Obviously forcing anyone to do something, or read something that makes them physically or psychologically harmed should be a crime. But is it possible to force someone that is miles away? Are both people not freely at their computer? How does one attempt to have sexual intercourse over the internet? A physical rape can occur when a man jumps a woman and forces her to the ground then rapes her. But how do you force a person to stay in their seat and read your virtual rape?
"If it is a criminal offense to sexually abuse a child on the internet, how can we say it is not possible to rape an adult online?"
Although I agree with the first part, I do not believe that it is possible to rape someone through virtual means. It is possibly to psychologically harm someone online, which might constitute another, different crim, however the stigma of the physical violation that rape constitutes is not there. Rape is: "In most jurisdictions the crime of rape is defined to occur when sexual intercourse takes place (or is attempted) without valid consent of one of the parties involved." In researching my project on MMORPGs, I realize that people spend a lot of time on their online personas. As much as 100 hours a week, and it that character has an emotional attachment. Another person violating that extension of you has to be hurtful, but as my mother has said to me when i got aggrivated at video games as a kid, "its just a game".
This is more of a debate of, "is destroying someones virtual property (A character in a MMORPG in this case) a crime?" Should we as a country place the same punishment and protection of rights for a digital citizen as we hold for an ordinary citizen? Could murder be a protected right in a MMORPG? Is an extention of someone's personality constitute themselves? or is a digial representation in a completely different ballpark?
The use of MMORPGs is on the rise, and as with any new area with people interacting on a large scale, there is room for legal discussion. I believe that we cannot protect people's digital characters as we protect the rights of citizens. It is on the game developers to deal with legislation of their created digital realm.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Soccer league sues YouTube
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070504/wr_nm/youtube_lawsuit_dc;_ylt=AqCpTJ.mq40jP.TJWZKnkQX6VbIF
Another case of copyrighted material surfacing on youtube. Personally, I see little wrong with soccer clips being shown on Youtube. Homemade highlight videos of players, 10 top goals, or bloopers are all material that promotes the league itself. I do not see how a soccer league has anything to lose by having clips on youtube. A whole match would be different, but clips only drive the interest in the league further up.
"the Premier League has been forced to send time-consuming and ineffectual notices of infringement to YouTube."
A solution, much like the one that was brought up in class would be to treat Youtube the way that Myspace is treated. That is, having a quick and easy way to report copyrighted material. Although as the poitn was brought up in class, most people won't report something they are actively looking for (a copyrighted simpsons episode, for example) but would report Pornography on Myspace. Google owns Youtube, but Google Video and Youtube are treated differently. To put a video on Google Video, the video must be watched and approved to appear on the site. Implimenting a system such as this would help stop the influx of copyrighted videos from appearing on Youtube.
Another case of copyrighted material surfacing on youtube. Personally, I see little wrong with soccer clips being shown on Youtube. Homemade highlight videos of players, 10 top goals, or bloopers are all material that promotes the league itself. I do not see how a soccer league has anything to lose by having clips on youtube. A whole match would be different, but clips only drive the interest in the league further up.
"the Premier League has been forced to send time-consuming and ineffectual notices of infringement to YouTube."
A solution, much like the one that was brought up in class would be to treat Youtube the way that Myspace is treated. That is, having a quick and easy way to report copyrighted material. Although as the poitn was brought up in class, most people won't report something they are actively looking for (a copyrighted simpsons episode, for example) but would report Pornography on Myspace. Google owns Youtube, but Google Video and Youtube are treated differently. To put a video on Google Video, the video must be watched and approved to appear on the site. Implimenting a system such as this would help stop the influx of copyrighted videos from appearing on Youtube.
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