Wednesday, August 31, 2011

[Podcast] If Science Takes A Wrong Turn, Who Rights It? ; NPR's Talk of the Nation, 8/5/11

[Podcast] Ira Flatow, NPR's Talk of the Nation: If Science Takes A Wrong Turn, Who Rights It? :

"Science is often idealized as a self-correcting system. But how often—and how quickly—is bad science set straight? Ira Flatow and guests discuss recent cases of scientific fraud that have led to retractions of journal studies, and whether human study volunteers have been harmed by bogus science."

Thursday, August 11, 2011

On Its Own, Europe Backs Web Privacy Fights; New York Times, 8/9/11

Suzanne Daley, New York Times; On Its Own, Europe Backs Web Privacy Fights:

"Mr. Werro says Europe sees the need to balance freedom of speech and the right to know against a person’s right to privacy or dignity, concepts often enshrined in European laws. The European perspective was shaped by the way information was collected and used against individuals under dictators like Franco and Hitler and under Communism. Government agencies routinely compiled dossiers on citizens as a means of control."

Saturday, July 2, 2011

[Editorial] Ethics, Politics and the Law; New York Times, 6/30/11

[Editorial] New York Times; Ethics, Politics and the Law:

"The ethical judgments of the Supreme Court justices became an important issue in the just completed term. The court cannot maintain its legitimacy as guardian of the rule of law when justices behave like politicians. Yet, in several instances, justices acted in ways that weakened the court’s reputation for being independent and impartial."

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Band of Academic-Plagiarism Sleuths Undoes German Politicians; Chronicle of Higher Education, 5/12/11

Aisha Labi, Chronicle of Higher Education; Band of Academic-Plagiarism Sleuths Undoes German Politicians:

"The revelations of how extensively Mr. Guttenberg had plagiarized came as no surprise to one group of people: an online community of plagiarism detectors that formed since the allegations against him came to light. That loose band of academic vigilantes helped to compile and disseminate the information that eventually brought about Mr. Guttenberg's downfall. Its members have since set their sights on other high-profile figures, and, although they do not work directly with universities, their online sleuthing is having an impact."

Secret Archive of Ulster Troubles Faces Subpoena; New York Times, 5/13/11

Jim Dwyer, New York Times; Secret Archive of Ulster Troubles Faces Subpoena:

"The interviewers, working for an oral history project at Boston College, brought two tools: a digital minidisk recorder and a promise of confidentiality. In exchange for candor, the people being interviewed were assured that the contents would remain sealed until they were dead.

Now, however, authorities in the United Kingdom want oral histories that were given to Boston College by two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army for an investigation into murders and kidnappings committed nearly 40 years ago."

Facebook, Foe of Anonymity, Is Forced to Explain a Secret; New York Times, 5/13/11

Miguel Helft, New York Times; Facebook, Foe of Anonymity, Is Forced to Explain a Secret:

"Now, Facebook is being taken to task for trying to conceal its own identity as it sought to coax reporters and technology experts to write critical stories about the privacy implications of a search feature, Social Circle, from its rival, Google.

The plan backfired after The Daily Beast revealed late Wednesday that Facebook, whose own privacy practices have long been criticized, was behind the effort."

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Faculty at For-Profits Allege Constant Pressure to Keep Students Enrolled; Chronicle of Higher Education, 5/8/11

Kelly Field, Chronicle of Higher Education; Faculty at For-Profits Allege Constant Pressure to Keep Students Enrolled:

"Faculty complaints about the quality and rigor of for-profit education are hardly limited to Kaplan, a subsidiary of the Washington Post Company, with about 112,000 students in campus-based and online programs. In interviews with The Chronicle and lawsuits filed around the country, more than a dozen current and former professors from six of the seven largest publicly traded education companies say they were leaned on to dumb down courses, offer lengthy extensions, and change failing grades. They describe a system in which expectations are low, cheating is tolerated, and faculty are under tremendous pressure to keep students enrolled."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A Journal’s Statement May Aid a Harvard Researcher Accused of Misconduct; New York Times,

Nicholas Wade, New York Times; A Journal’s Statement May Aid a Harvard Researcher Accused of Misconduct:

"In a positive development for Marc Hauser, the Harvard researcher whom the university accused last year of eight charges of scientific misconduct, the journal Science said Monday that he had replicated an experiment he published in 2007."

Treasures Pose Ethics Issues for Smithsonian; New York Times, 4/24/11

Kate Taylor, New York Times; Treasures Pose Ethics Issues for Smithsonian:

"Kimberly L. Faulk, a marine archeologist and vice chairwoman of the nongovernmental Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology, said in an e-mail that by proceeding with the exhibition the Smithsonian — which is a research institution as well as a network of museums — would be violating its own set of professional ethics and promoting the looting of archaeological sites."

Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Pay Wall’s the Thing; New York Times, The Ethicist,4/22/11

Ariel Kaminer, New York Times, The Ethicist; The Pay Wall’s the Thing:

"I’m a 24-year-old freelance journalist who’s still somewhat dependent on my parents. And I’m on nytimes.com dozens of times a day. My parents are print subscribers and thus have access beyond the pay wall. Need I buy my own subscription? Also, if I buy online access, can I share the password with my live-in girlfriend, even if I move to New York for the summer? What about our other housemates? KEVIN CHARLES REDMON, MINNEAPOLIS"

[Podcast] Greg Mortenson; CBS's 60 Minutes, 4/17/11

[Podcast] CBS's 60 Minutes; Greg Mortenson:

"He has written inspiring best sellers, including "Three Cups of Tea," but are the stories all true? Steve Kroft investigates."

[Podcast] The Problem of Sock Puppets; OnTheMedia.org, 4/22/11

[Podcast] OnTheMedia.org; The Problem of Sock Puppets:

"This month, a user on the website Metafilter started a thread critiquing Dilbert creator Scott Adams. Other site regulars piled on, but one newly registered user mounted a strident defense of Adams. The new user reminded everyone that Scott Adams was a “multi-millionaire,” that Scott Adams possessed a “certified genius IQ” and that Scott Adams’s detractors were angry haters. Metafilter moderator Josh Millard talks to Brooke about what you do when a celebrity joins your website anonymously in order to attack his critics."

Stumbling Into Bad Behavior; New York Times, 4/20/11

Max H. Bazerman and Ann E. Tenbrunsel, New York Times; Stumbling Into Bad Behavior:

"Regulators, prosecutors and journalists tend to focus on corruption caused by willful actions or ignorance. But in our research, and in the work of other scholars who study the psychology of behavioral ethics, we have found that much unethical conduct that goes on, whether in social life or work life, happens because people are unconsciously fooling themselves. They overlook transgressions — bending a rule to help a colleague, overlooking information that might damage the reputation of a client — because it is in their interest to do so."

The Crash and Burn of an Autism Guru; New York Times, 4/20/11

Susan Dominus, New York Times; The Crash and Burn of an Autism Guru:

"In Britain, the General Medical Council revoked Wakefield’s medical license after a lengthy hearing, citing numerous ethical violations that tainted his work, like failing to disclose financing from lawyers who were mounting a case against vaccine manufacturers. The Lancet, which published the original Wakefield paper, retracted it. In a series that ran early this year, The British Medical Journal concluded that the research was not just unethically financed but also “fraudulent” (that timelines were misrepresented, for example, to suggest direct culpability of the vaccine)."

Roommate Faces Hate-Crime Charges in Rutgers Case; New York Times, 4/20/11

Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times; Roommate Faces Hate-Crime Charges in Rutgers Case:

"A New Jersey grand jury on Wednesday indicted the roommate of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers University freshman who killed himself in September, on hate-crime charges in using a webcam to stream Mr. Clementi’s romantic encounter with another man on the Internet in the days before the suicide."

Busy Job of Judging Video-Game Content to Be Ceded to Machines; New York Times, 4/17/11

Seth Schiesel, New York Times; Busy Job of Judging Video-Game Content to Be Ceded to Machines:

"Starting on Monday the ratings board plans to begin introducing computers to the job of deciding whether a game is appropriate for Everyone, for Teens or for Mature gamers (meaning older than 16). To do this the organization has written a program designed to replicate the ingrained cultural norms and predilections of the everyday American consumer, at least when it comes to what is appropriate for children and what isn’t."

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Nevada senator Ensign resigns under ethics cloud; Reuters, 4/21/11

JoAnne Allen, Reuters; Nevada senator Ensign resigns under ethics cloud:

"Nevada Republican John Ensign, who admitted having an extramarital affair with a campaign staff member, said on Thursday that he would resign from the Senate on May 3."

Monday, April 11, 2011

Sandra Day O'Connor Faulted By Critics On Ethics; Associated Press via HuffingtonPost.com, 4/10/11

Mark Sherman, Associated Press via HuffingtonPost.com; Sandra Day O'Connor Faulted By Critics On Ethics:

"Hellman, the Pittsburgh ethics expert, said he finds the court reception particularly troubling because "we're talking about political activity. It's a lobbying effort and she is lending her considerable prestige to that effort."

Another ethics professor, Stephen Gillers of New York University, said that if the speeches were not about advocacy, then the event itself probably does not pose an ethical problem for O'Connor. On the other hand, Gillers said it is possible O'Connor would have to step aside from any appellate case involving the groups that sponsored the reception...

Supreme Court justices are not covered by the ethics rules that apply to all federal judges. Still, justices generally adhere to those rules, Hellman said."

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch 'urged Gordon Brown' to halt Labour attacks; Guardian, 4/9/11

Toby Helm and James Robinson, Guardian; Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch 'urged Gordon Brown' to halt Labour attacks:

"Rupert Murdoch used his political influence and contacts at the highest levels to try to get Labour MPs and peers to back away from investigations into phone hacking at the News of the World, a former minister in Gordon Brown's government has told the Observer."

Feel Like a Wallflower? Maybe It’s Your Facebook Wall; New York Times, 4/9/11

Jenna Wortham, New York Times; Feel Like a Wallflower? Maybe It’s Your Facebook Wall:

"My problem is emblematic of the digital era. It’s known as FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” and refers to the blend of anxiety, inadequacy and irritation that can flare up while skimming social media like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Instagram...

SHERRY TURKLE, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of “Alone Together,” says that as technology becomes ever more pervasive, our relationship to it becomes more intimate, granting it the power to influence decisions, moods and emotions...

We are struggling with the always-on feeling of connection that the Internet can provide, she said, and we still need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives. I asked Professor Turkle what people could do to deal with this stress-inducing quandary. She said she would tell herself to “get a grip and separate myself from my iPhone.”"

Erasing the Digital Past; New York Times, 4/1/11

Nick Bilton, New York Times; Erasing the Digital Past:

"The company he used, Reputation.com, is among a growing corps of online reputation managers that promise to make clients look better online. In an age when a person’s reputation is increasingly defined by Google, Facebook and Twitter, these services offer what is essentially an online makeover, improving how someone appears on the Internet, usually by spotlighting flattering features and concealing negative ones.

“The Internet has become the go-to resources to destroy someone’s life online, which in turn means their offline life gets turned upside, too,” said Michael Fertik, the chief executive of Reputation.com, which is in Redwood City, Calif., and is among the largest in this field. “We’ve reached a point where the Internet has become so complicated, vast and fast-paced, that people can’t control it by themselves anymore. They now need an army of technologists to back them up online.”"

Saturday, April 9, 2011

British Tabloid Accepts Blame in Cell Hacking; New York Times, 4/8/11

Sarah Lyall, New York Times; British Tabloid Accepts Blame in Cell Hacking:

"Faced with a cascade of lawsuits and a widening police investigation into illegal hacking of phone messages by the News of the World tabloid, its parent company on Friday publicly admitted wrongdoing, apologized and offered to pay damages to some of the people who are alleged to be victims of the paper."

Author’s Heirs Uncensor a Classic War Novel; New York Times, 4/4/11

Julie Bosman, New York Times; Author’s Heirs Uncensor a Classic War Novel:

"When the classic novel “From Here to Eternity” was published in 1951, a few things were gone that had been in the original manuscript: explicit mentions of gay sex and a number of four-letter words...

Sixty years later Mr. Jones’s estate has made a deal to reissue a digital version of the book that restores those cuts. The book is still in print."

Dark Past in Balkan War Intrudes on New Life; New York Times, 4/3/11

Malcolm Gay, New York Times; Dark Past in Balkan War Intrudes on New Life:

"“Anything she done, it was army connected,” said Ms. Loman, who said she believed that her friend was a fundamentally good person whom the horrors of war had forced to make impossible moral choices...

“I don’t think she’s guilty of anything but being a human being,” said Eli Vires, a neighbor. “They should just let her out of jail and be done with it.”...

“I was always taught an eye for an eye, but this woman is whacked,” said Ms. King, who has never met Ms. Basic but who like so many others in town has followed the case closely."

Meet the New Ethicist; New York Times, 3/11/11

Ariel Kaminer, New York Times; Meet the New Ethicist:

"I wasn’t hired because I am a paragon of ethics or a role model, but because the editors hoped I might be able to help lead an open, ongoing conversation about these issues. I hope you’ll stay tuned and that you will let me know your thoughts as we proceed.

Now tell me: how would you describe your personal approach to ethics?"

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Paterson Teacher Suspended Over a Post on Facebook; New York Times, 4/1/11

Winnie Hu, New York Times; Paterson Teacher Suspended Over a Post on Facebook:

"Jonathan Zimmerman, a New York University history professor who has written about education, said teachers, like other professionals, had responsibilities. He compared the episodes to a doctor talking loudly about cases on a crowded train. “It seems to me with professional responsibility comes a duty to exercise discretion,” he said."

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Nixon Library Opens a Door Some Would Prefer Left Closed; New York Times, 3/31/11

Adam Nagourney, New York Times; Nixon Library Opens a Door Some Would Prefer Left Closed:

"The unveiling ended a nearly yearlong struggle between national archivists and the Richard Nixon Foundation, a group of Nixon loyalists who controlled the former president’s papers until ceding them to the National Archives four years ago. The fight was over how to portray the scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation."

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Google's FTC Settlement Over Privacy Breach Makes History; HuffingtonPost.com, 3/30/11

Bianca Bosker, HuffingtonPost.com; Google's FTC Settlement Over Privacy Breach Makes History:

"Google's settlement is unprecedented, not only because it marks the first time the FTC has accused a company of violating privacy rules spelled out under the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework, but also because it is the first settlement requiring a company to institute a "comprehensive privacy program" as part of the agreement, according to the FTC.

Google will also have to submit to regular, independent privacy audits once every two years for the next 20 years and will be required to obtain "affirmative consent" from users before changing how it shares their personal data with third parties."

Monday, March 28, 2011

Nickelodeon launches anti-bullying campaign; Associated Press, 3/28/11

David Bauder, Associated Press; Nickelodeon launches anti-bullying campaign:

"Half of young people ages 14-24 said they had been the victim of cyberbullying, according to a survey conducted in late 2009 for The Associated Press and MTV."

Doctors Should Ask Kids: Are You On Facebook?; NPR, 3/28/11

NPR; Doctors Should Ask Kids: Are You On Facebook? :

"If the pediatrician wants to know if your kids are on Facebook, it's not because she wants to friend them.

The question about Facebook, and other queries about a child's life online, should be part of the medical history doctors take of kids in the age of social media, according to recommendations just out from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parents should find out, too."

Ethical Quandary for Social Sites; New York Times, 3/27/11

Jennifer Preston, New York Times; Ethical Quandary for Social Sites:

"Ebele Okobi-Harris, the director of the business and human rights program at Yahoo, which owns Flickr, said that the case involving Mr. el-Hamalawy’s photos illustrated the challenges of balancing the existing rules and terms of service for users with the new ways that activists are using these tools.

“Flickr was set up as a community for people who love photography to share their photographs,” she said."

Sunday, March 27, 2011

It’s Tracking Your Every Move and You May Not Even Know; New York Times, 3/26/11

Noam Cohen, New York Times; It’s Tracking Your Every Move and You May Not Even Know:

"In the United States, telecommunication companies do not have to report precisely what material they collect, said Kevin Bankston, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who specializes in privacy. He added that based on court cases he could say that “they store more of it and it is becoming more precise.”

“Phones have become a necessary part of modern life,” he said, objecting to the idea that “you have to hand over your personal privacy to be part of the 21st century.”"

A Girl’s Nude Photo, and Altered Lives; New York Times, 3/26/11

Jan Hoffman, New York Times; A Girl’s Nude Photo, and Altered Lives:

"Around the country, law enforcement officials and educators are struggling with how to confront minors who “sext,” an imprecise term that refers to sending sexual photos, videos or texts from one cellphone to another.

But adults face a hard truth. For teenagers, who have ready access to technology and are growing up in a culture that celebrates body flaunting, sexting is laughably easy, unremarkable and even compelling: the primary reason teenagers sext is to look cool and sexy to someone they find attractive."

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Paper Admits to Plagiarism by Reporter; New York Times, 3/16/11

Tanzina Vega, New York Times; Paper Admits to Plagiarism by Reporter:

"The Washington Post published an editor’s note on its Web site Wednesday apologizing for two articles by a longtime Post reporter who used material from The Arizona Republic without crediting that newspaper or citing it as a source."

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

"Huckleberry Finn" and the N-word debate; CBS 60 Minutes, 3/18/11

CBS 60 Minutes; "Huckleberry Finn" and the N-word debate:

""Are you censoring Twain?" correspondent Byron Pitts asked Randall Williams, co-owner and editor of NewSouth Books, publishers of the sanitized edition of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn that replaces the N-word with the word "slave."...

It's aimed at schools that already ban the book, though no one knows how many have. Williams says they are not trying replace Twain's original, N-word included.

"If you can have the discussion and you're comfortable havin' the discussion, have it. Have it with it in there. But if you're not comfortable with that, then here's an alternative for you to use. And I would argue to you that it's still powerful," Williams said.""

Gains, and Drawbacks, for Female Professors; New York Times, 3/21/11

Kate Zernike, New York Times; Gains, and Drawbacks, for Female Professors:

"Despite an effort to educate colleagues about bias in letters of recommendation for tenure, those for men tend to focus on intellect while those for women dwell on temperament.

“To women in my generation, these residual issues can sound small because we see so much progress,” said Nancy H. Hopkins, a molecular biologist who instigated the first report. “But they’re not small; they still create an unequal playing field for women — not just at universities, and certainly not just at M.I.T. And they’re harder to change because they are a reflection of where women stand in society.”"

Saturday, March 19, 2011

[Editorial] A New Internet Privacy Law?; New York Times, 3/18/11

[Editorial] New York Times; A New Internet Privacy Law? :

"This week, the Obama administration called for legislation to protect consumers’ privacy. In the Senate, John Kerry is trying to draft a privacy bill of rights with the across-the-aisle support of John McCain."

Friday, March 18, 2011

[Podcast] Tracing The 'Immortal' Cells Of Henrietta Lacks; NPR's Fresh Air, 3/18/11

[Podcast] [Interview originally broadcast on February 2, 2010.] NPR's Fresh Air; Tracing The 'Immortal' Cells Of Henrietta Lacks:

"For the past 60 years Lacks' cells have been cultured and used in experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialized and have generated millions of dollars in profit for the medical researchers who patented her tissue.

Lacks' family, however, didn't know the cell cultures existed until more than 20 years after her death."

Corbett ignores opinion polls on taxes and budget cuts; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/18/11

Luara Olson and Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Corbett ignores opinion polls on taxes and budget cuts:

"Scranton architect Michele Dempsey suggested that a tax could help pay for unforeseen problems caused by drilling.

"Where is the accountability if and when something goes wrong? If something should go awry, where is the accountability?" she asked."

[Editorial] The U.C.L.A. Video; New York Times, 3/17/11

[Editorial] New York Times; The U.C.L.A. Video:

"Universities have long wrestled with this issue, with many adopting hate-speech codes that punish speech victimizing minorities and women...

The codes are useful tools against real harassment, but they should not be used to abridge the principle of free speech. That would be a far greater threat to education and to a strong democracy."

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

U.C.L.A. Student’s Video Rant Against Asians Fuels Firestorm; New York Times, 3/15/11

Ian Lovett, New York Times; U.C.L.A. Student’s Video Rant Against Asians Fuels Firestorm:

"Robert Hernandez, a professor of Internet journalism at the University of Southern California, said Ms. Wallace’s story served as a reminder of the need to be aware of your “digital footprint” in the Internet age. “People feel a false sense of privacy on the Internet that isn’t there,” he said."

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Facebook Users Who Are Under Age Raise Concerns; New York Times, 3/11/11

Matt Richtel and Miguel Helft, New York Times; Facebook Users Who Are Under Age Raise Concerns:

"Victoria’s father, Brian Lai, an airline mechanic, said young people “have to have experience using the Internet. It’s the future.” He said Victoria told him she was going onto the sites, and he told her: “It’s not good to lie, but you can make an exception.”

Jerry Ng, Victoria’s 14-year-old cousin, agreed. “It’s one thing to lie to a person,” he said. “But this is lying to a computer.”"

Monday, March 14, 2011

[Press Release] Restrictions on library e-book lending threaten access to information; American Library Association (ALA), 3/14/11

[Press Release] American Library Association (ALA); Restrictions on library e-book lending threaten access to information:

"As libraries cope with stagnant or decreased budgets, the recent decision by publisher HarperCollins to restrict the lending of e-books to a limited number of circulations per copy threatens libraries’ ability to provide their users with access to information...

The Equitable Access to Electronic Information Task Force (EQUACC) and the ALA will soon launch a website dedicated to developing a model for e-book lending."

In Germany, Uproar Over a Doctoral Thesis; New York Times, 3/14/11

Michael Kimmelman, New York Times; In Germany, Uproar Over a Doctoral Thesis:

"...Mr. Guttenberg’s crime doesn’t seem so bad to many in a generation of samplers and aggregators. Last year a teenage German author, Helene Hegemann, published a novel that became a finalist for the Leipzig Book Fair prize, despite plagiarism charges against her...

The widespread expectation now is that Mr. Guttenberg, whose popularity has not dimmed but increased, according to the latest polls, will retreat for a while, and, like Mr. Clinton, after an obligatory period of remorse, come back. First he will have to contend with prosecutors, who the other day announced they had opened an investigation. Plagiarism entails breach of copyright crimes here."

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Defense Minister Guttenberg Resigns; Spiegel International, 3/1/11

Spiegel International; Defense Minister Guttenberg Resigns:

"By the end of last week, it had become clear that Guttenberg's dissertation contained dozens of passages that had been copied word-for-word from previously published works without adequate citation. He also included several pages from research notes he requested from parliamentary research assistants. It is not allowed for parliamentarians to use Bundestag research assistants for private business."

Facebook is rewriting its privacy policy; San Jose Mercury News via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/13/11

Mike Swift, San Jose Mercury News via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Facebook is rewriting its privacy policy:

"Facebook's intent to simplify its privacy disclosures, and to create interactive software tools to allow users to see how Facebook and application developers access their data, has drawn praise from some privacy advocates. But, "until Facebook tells its 600 million members what it tells its major advertisers and marketing partners -- on how to configure its system to generate data and other desired ad responses -- it is failing to protect user privacy," said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. "We intend to push the FTC and Congress to force Facebook to come clean about its data privacy practices.""

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A $20 Loan, a Facebook Quarrel and a Fatal Stabbing; New York Times, 3/1/11

Al Baker and Tim Stelloh, New York Times; A $20 Loan, a Facebook Quarrel and a Fatal Stabbing:

"The war of words escalated over Facebook. In capital letters, at 8:52 p.m., Ms. Richards said that she would have the last laugh. Ms. Henriques replied within seconds: “We will see.”...

“Like so many things these days, elements of this case emerged on Facebook,” Mr. Browne said.

To the victim’s relatives, it seemed unreal that the Facebook entries could foreshadow such violence. In fact, Ms. Richards did not consider the exchange she had with Ms. Henriques serious, said her sister, Schneiqua Henry, 20.

“She didn’t pay it any mind,” Ms. Henry said. “She thought it was just another argument.”"

Internet Cheating Scandal Shakes Japan Universities; New York Times, 3/1/11

Martin Fackler, New York Times; Internet Cheating Scandal Shakes Japan Universities:

"While it is unclear whether more than one person was involved, the episode has become a national scandal, raising questions about how to monitor the grueling exams, the main route to success in Japan, in an era of smartphones and instant Internet access.

It also touched a nerve in a proudly egalitarian nation that has struggled to come to terms with its growing economic and social inequalities. Many here are wondering aloud whether admission to top universities — a ticket to a top corporate or government job — remains as merit-based as it used to be, or whether some young people are unfairly getting a leg up, in this case from misuse of new technologies."

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Plagiarism in Dissertation Costs German Defense Minister His Job; New York Times, 3/1/11

Judy Dempsey, New York Times; Plagiarism in Dissertation Costs German Defense Minister His Job:

"The University of Bayreuth, which conferred the doctorate in 2007, revoked Mr. Guttenberg’s academic title, saying he had “seriously violated” the institution’s standards.

Conservatives had hoped that his apology would quell the controversy, but last weekend more than 20,000 scholars from Germany and other parts of Europe sent an open letter to the Chancellery saying that Mrs. Merkel’s continuing support of Mr. Guttenberg was a “mockery” of all those who “contribute to scientific advancement in an honest manner.”

“If the protection of ideas is no longer an important value in our society, then we are gambling away our future,” the statement said."

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Where Freedom of Expression Runs Headlong Into the Impulse to Censor; New York Times, 2/28/11

Clyde Haberman, New York Times; Where Freedom of Expression Runs Headlong Into the Impulse to Censor:

"“The principle of free speech is easy when the speech is something that’s popular and noncontroversial,” Mr. Siegel said. “The real test is when you disagree with the content of the speech and you still defend the right of someone to articulate the message.”"