What are some questions/issues related to databases,
society, and ethics?

(list compiled during our in-class discussion --
    questions/issues given by class members)
(sorry for typos below... 8-) )

* how do you maintain confidentiality, availabilty,
  and security when a database has to violate some of
  those just to work?

* in how many databases is your personal information
  (and how trustworthy are their administrators?)

* what should be the repercussions when we see that
  data is being misused? And how do we address that
  when we discover it?

* what are the "snowball" issues of getting too used
  to being willing to give out information about ourselves?

* what are the checks and balances to prevent 
  falsified info from being input?

* how do you insure double-blindness? (that user
  is trustworthy, as well as the db administrator)

* what are the ethics of targeted advertising?

* how long can/should a university keep information
  on its former students? how long should any
  organization keep information on former members?

* how easy should it be to be able to remove one's
  information from a database/data store?

* what's appropriate to be asking of your users?

* what about proprietary informaiton or trade
  secrets?

* who can you release information to, and what are
  repercussions?

* who should be liable if the client information
  was false? (provider of the information, or
  the disseminator?) (consider ebay...)

* because break-ins are likely never completely
  preventable -- what data is it OK to store at
  all?

* how safe is my data if security is broken?
  if something really important gets out?

* what are an organization's obligations to
  help when information they have stored on
  someone gets out? what is their obligation
  to the affected person?

*  who should - are should someone - be responsible
   if there is a data breach?
   ...who is at fault? is it your fault for
      giving the information to the database,
      or those in charge of the database?

* who is who? what about old/abandoned databases?
  old/defunct companies or websites, etc.?

* what is OK with regard to selling data? why do
  we allow that?

* what access level is required when you post,
  say, a resume? Can anyone see, or should you
  be able to restrict access to just companies
  you approve?

* what information should be public? what government
  information, what business information, etc.
  (Wikileaks!)

* how should sensitive data be encrypted?

* should there be multiple levels of security?
  is encryption enough? or also other levels;

* as a user, how do I know that a database is safe?
  (how do I know they're going to handle it
  using reasonably secure means?)

* how does one balance curiosity about database
  functions with security considerations?
  (doctors take the hippocratic oath, for
  example)

* corporations selling your data to other 
  corporations for their profit;

* to what extent is it permissible to have
  falsified data in a database?

* cookies! is it OK to save data session
  informaiton? data mining public data --
  is this OK? 

* are we aware how much data is being kept
  on everyone -- and some charge for access to
  it!

* how should the rights be given to users to
  use a database, but unauthorized users be
  kept out?

* how transparent are the privacy settings?
  how obvious is it what can be shared and what
  can't?

* if a Web 2.0 company -- where your business
  depends on lots of people -- how do you manage
  that information without angering people?

* google car -- gathering open wifi passwords...?

* unforeseen combination of databases that are
  out there!

* how can one correct information about oneself
  that is inaccurate? How do you know what's out
  there? Can you ask for info to be removed?

The issues are many -- and, even after just this one
course, you know more about databases and querying them
than the vast majority of the general public.
You someday may be in a position of having to make decisions 
or to help shape policy in some of these areas, and it would be
good for you to think about them, and learn more about
them... 8-)