1984/2004
Privacy Webquest
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1984 |
Today |
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Part I
Directions
You
are to conduct Internet and/or print research to
find out about current
privacy-related issues and debates
affecting our society. As seemingly endless amounts of information is related
to this topic, you will need to limit your time searching and focus on a handful
of resources that you think are particularly relevant. The list of sites below
provides a good starting point. As you explore the sites, record your findings
in the chart provided. You should also fill in this chart if you’re using print
resources instead of the Internet. See if you notice the term “Big Brother”
mentioned throughout your research.
General Privacy
Issues: What
are the police and FBI allowed to do? What types of
information do they have on you? What are your rights when it comes to privacy?
Look at these sites to find out more.
Media Center Start Your Search Here!!!
Click on the Opposing
View Points Web Site and do a search on a Privacy Issue. Sample search terms
include: internet privacy, drug testing, surveillance, privacy issues
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (be sure to
instruct students to browse through the Fact Sheets)
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (link to relevant
issues)
Patriot Act: The Patriot Act was
created shortly after 9/11 to help the War on Terror. Take a look at these
sites to find out if you think the Patriot Act is beneficial to American
Society
Life and Liberty A site listing the
benefits of the Patriot Act
ACLU A site listing some problems associated with
the Act
Internet Privacy Issues: Concerned about what types of privacy you have on the internet, look here to find out more.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Video Surveillance: Did
you know that some major cities are already videotaping major intersections and
gathering places.
Public Video Surveillance: Is It An
Effective Crime Prevention Tool?
Drug Testing:
International
Drug Testing System
U.S. Department
of Transportation Drug and Alcohol Testing
Police Surveillance:
(Including Search and Seizure) Take a look at what the
police are allowed to look into.
About.com:
Search and Seizure:
Presidential
Campaign:
Not totally related to privacy, but I thought it was a timely topic. Who is
responsible for electing the President? All of us?
Look here to find out more.
Students for an Orwellian Society: A humorous look at
politics today.
Radio: Again, not totally
connected, but I thought it relates enough to 1984. Ever wonder why the radio
in
Part II: Creating a Scene
Each group must choose one
of the privacy issues they’ve learned about. You will have to prepare scenes to
perform in front of the
class. Scenes need to include
a variety of viewpoints on the issues and must contain a reference to 1984.
Group members should portray characters discussing and debating the group’s
specific privacy-related issue. Each scene should be no more than five minutes
long.
Here’s a sample scenario:
An employee has been fired. The reason for the firing is that she
allegedly arrived at work late too many times, but she’s recently discovered
that her boss read several of her supposedly private e-mails, in which she
spoke of the boss in an unflattering manner.
The characters could
include the fired employee, the employee’s lawyer, the boss, and the manager who
wrote the company’s e-mail policy. Either the employee or her lawyer would, in
the course of their conversations with the other characters, make a statement
comparing the scenario to something that might have happened in 1984.As
an alternative, the boss or managercould make a
statement explaining how the company’s policy differs from the
those described in 1984.
You will perform their scenes in front of the
class. After each performance, have the class briefly summarize the issues
raised in the scene.
After all groups have
performed, assign for homework the paragraph in the Take-Home Activity Sheet: A
Question of Privacy.