[Podcast] How Private Is Your Email? It Depends?; NPR's All Things Considered, 11/24/11

[Podcast] NPR's All Things Considered, 11/24/11; How Private Is Your Email? It Depends? :

"Do the police need a warrant to read your email? Believe it or not, two decades into the Internet age, the answer to that question is still "maybe." It depends on how old the email is, where you keep it — and it even depends on whom you ask."

An Excess of Ethics; Library Journal, 11/15/11

John N. Berry III, Library Journal; An Excess of Ethics:

"No principle or rule of professional ethics requires that library workers forfeit any of their rights or job benefits in order to hold their jobs. Support for professional development and advancement is a benefit of working in good libraries. This often includes time off and even payment of costs for conference attendance. I was surprised when many library administrators seemed to disagree with those assertions in a fascinating recent discussion on the PubLib list.

Even the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics (COE) leaves some room for dispute about the ethical responsibilities of library workers and what they owe their employer when they take advantage of certain job benefits and opportunities."

[Editorial] A Push for Online Privacy; New York Times, 11/19/11

[Editorial] New York Times; A Push for Online Privacy:

"Congress should act on the F.T.C.’s recommendation to establish a system that would allow consumers to effectively opt out of all tracking of their online activities. There are other worthy proposals, including the administration’s call for limits on the collection of data about consumers online. Lawmakers have proposed about a dozen privacy bills this year alone. But with Congress stuck in a partisan rut, it is reassuring to see the F.T.C. at work."

Doing the Ethical Thing May Be Right, but It Isn’t Automatic; New York Times, 10/18/11

Alina Tugend, New York Times; Doing the Ethical Thing May Be Right, but It Isn’t Automatic:

"Putting aside the specifics of each case, one question that has come up is, “What would I do?” That is, if I saw what seemed to be a crime or unethical act committed by a respected colleague, coach, teacher or friend, would I storm in and stop it? Would I call the authorities immediately? Would I disregard the potentially devastating impact on my job or workplace or beloved institution?"

My Take: Keep government out of mind-reading business; CNN.com, 11/12/11

Paul Root Wolpe, Ph.D., director of Emory University’s Center for Ethics, CNN.com; My Take: Keep government out of mind-reading business:

"Throughout human history, the inner workings of our minds were impenetrable, known only to us and, perhaps, to God. No one could see what you were thinking, or know what you were feeling, unless you chose to reveal it to them...

Now, for the first time in human history, we are peering into the labyrinth of the mind and pulling out information, perhaps even information you would rather we did not know.

Neuroscientists are actively developing technologies to create more effective lie detectors, to determine if people have been at a crime scene, or to predict who may be more likely to engage in violent crime...

And if brain imaging for lie detection is shown to be reliable, intelligence agencies may want to use it to discover moles, employers may want to use it to screen employees, schools to uncover vandals or cheaters.

But should we allow it?

I believe not."

Plan Would Delay Sales of Generic for Lipitor; New York Times, 11/12/11

Duff Wilson, New York Times; Plan Would Delay Sales of Generic for Lipitor:

"Pfizer has agreed to large discounts for benefit managers that block the use of generic versions of Lipitor, according to a letter from Catalyst Rx, a benefit manager for 18 million people in the United States. The letters have not previously been made public.

A pharmacy group and an independent expert say the tactic will benefit Pfizer and benefit managers at the expense of employers and taxpayers, who may end up paying more than they should for the drug...

“I’m stunned,” said Geoffrey F. Joyce, an associate professor of pharmaceutical economics and a health policy expert at the University of Southern California, after reviewing the letters. “This is just an egregious case."

Penn State trustees stand behind acting leader, vow investigation; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/12/11

Laura Olson and Bill Schackner, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Penn State trustees stand behind acting leader, vow investigation:

"Provost Rodney Erickson, who ascended to the presidency on Wednesday night, addressed the trustees Friday morning and devoted most of his time reassuring the campus, parents, alumni and others that the school would take the necessary corrective actions.

Later in the day, Mr. Erickson said the university will appoint an ethics officer who would report directly to the president. "We will cooperate fully and completely with any ongoing investigation," he said.

Board chairman Steve Garban echoed those sentiments, saying, "We are committed to restoring public trust in this university.""

Questioning Privacy Protections in Research; New York Times, 10/23/11

Patricia Cohen, New York Times; Questioning Privacy Protections in Research:

"Hoping to protect privacy in an age when a fingernail clipping can reveal a person’s identity, federal officials are planning to overhaul the rules that regulate research involving human subjects. But critics outside the biomedical arena warn that the proposed revisions may unintentionally create a more serious problem: sealing off vast collections of publicly available information from inspection, including census data, market research, oral histories and labor statistics."

Privacy and Press Freedom Collide in University Case; New York Times, 10/20/11

Tamar Lewin, New York Times; Privacy and Press Freedom Collide in University Case:

"Those requests set off a shootout between the state’s freedom of information law and the federal privacy law for educational records.

The university, backed by the big guns of academia, argues that the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or Ferpa, forbids disclosure of such information — and threatens the loss of federal financing if it hands over private records. Personal information about students is precisely what the federal privacy act was designed to protect, it said, raising the specter of a world in which students might be shamed by the public release of their academic credentials...

But The Tribune, backed by media groups including The New York Times, argues that the documents are not education records under the federal law, but rather records of questionable conduct, so the public’s right to know should prevail."

Dealing With an Identity Hijacked on the Online Highway; New York Times, 9/26/11

Noam Cohen, New York Times; Dealing With an Identity Hijacked on the Online Highway:

"DESPITE his prominent position as a Republican candidate for president, Rick Santorum has lost control of his online identity. And for all the snickering online about it, his predicament stands as a chilling example of what it means to be at the mercy of the Google algorithm.

For those not in on the joke, Mr. Santorum’s torment is that when you look up his last name on Google, and the Bing search engine as well, you encounter a made-up definition of “Santorum” meant to ridicule him in a way that isn’t remotely fit to be described in a family newspaper."

Century After It Was Banned, Place of Honor for Twain Tale; New York Times, 9/22/11

Abby Goodnough, New York Times; Century After It Was Banned, Place of Honor for Twain Tale:

"Richard Whitehead was researching his new role as a trustee of the public library here when he stumbled on an old, forgotten controversy about the book, Mark Twain’s sly interpretation of the Adam and Eve story.

In 1906, he learned, the library’s trustees voted to ban “Eve’s Diary” because the illustrations, by Lester Ralph, showed a naked (though not graphically so) Eve exploring the wonders of Eden."

For Idaho and the Internet, Life in the Slow Lane; New York Times, 9/13/11

Katherine Q. Seelye, New York Times; For Idaho and the Internet, Life in the Slow Lane:

"“This is about our overall competitiveness,” said Jonathan Adelstein, the administrator of the federal government’s Rural Utilities Service and a major advocate of broadband. “Without broadband, especially in rural areas, kids might not reach their full potential. And we can’t expect to be competitive in a global economy.”"

[Graphic] Comparing Internet Speeds Across the Nation; New York Times, 9/13/11

[Graphic] New York Times; Comparing Internet Speeds Across the Nation

Report calls 1940s syphilis research 'unconscionable'; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/13/11

Torsten Ove, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Report calls 1940s syphilis research 'unconscionable' :

"A report on the medical research of John C. Cutler in Guatemala in the 1940s released this morning by a presidential commission concludes that the syphilis experiments he conducted for the U.S. Public Health Service involved "unconscionable" violations of ethics."

[Op Ed] Bullying as True Drama; New York Times, 9/11

[Op Ed] Danah Boyd and Alice Marwick, New York Times; Bullying as True Drama:

"Antibullying efforts cannot be successful if they make teenagers feel victimized without providing them the support to go from a position of victimization to one of empowerment. When teenagers acknowledge that they’re being bullied, adults need to provide programs similar to those that help victims of abuse. And they must recognize that emotional recovery is a long and difficult process.

But if the goal is to intervene at the moment of victimization, the focus should be to work within teenagers’ cultural frame, encourage empathy and help young people understand when and where drama has serious consequences. Interventions must focus on positive concepts like healthy relationships and digital citizenship rather than starting with the negative framing of bullying. The key is to help young people feel independently strong, confident and capable without first requiring them to see themselves as either an oppressed person or an oppressor."

Suicide Draws Attention to Gay Bullying; New York Times, 9/21/11

Anahad O'Connor, New York Times; Suicide Draws Attention to Gay Bullying:

"Five months ago, Jamey Rodemeyer, a Buffalo junior high school student, got on his webcam and created a video urging other gay teenagers to remain hopeful in the face of bullying.

The 14-year-old spoke of coming out as bisexual and enduring taunts and slurs at school. And he described, in at times desperate tones, rejection and ridicule from other teenagers.

Jamey made the video as part of the It Gets Better project, a campaign that was started last fall to give hope to bullied gay teenagers. “All you have to do is hold your head up and you’ll go far,” he said. “Just love yourself and you’re set. … It gets better.”

But for Jamey, the struggle apparently was just too much. This week his parents announced that their son was found dead, an apparent suicide."

Patient Data Posted Online in Major Breach of Privacy; New York Times, 9/8/11

Kevin Sack, New York Times; Patient Data Posted Online in Major Breach of Privacy:

"A medical privacy breach at Stanford University’s hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., led to the public posting of medical records for 20,000 emergency room patients, including names and diagnosis codes, on a commercial Web site for nearly a year, the hospital has confirmed."

With Cheating Only a Click Away, Professors Reduce the Incentive; Chronicle of Higher Education, 9/4/11

Jie Jenny Zou, Chronicle of Higher Education; With Cheating Only a Click Away, Professors Reduce the Incentive:

"By specifically outlining for students how clicker cheating violates academic honor codes, Mr. Bruff says, universities can clarify the situation for students and bolster professors' positions. "The instructor can point to the honor code—the university has decided that this counts as cheating, so it's not just me being a tough guy. It's that this is commonly accepted as inappropriate," he says.

That kind of clarity works, says Mr. Duncan. At Boulder, the student-enforced honor code takes a strong stance against all forms of cheating. It's one reason that, since the first physics class he watched, he has used clickers for nearly a decade and has caught students cheating only twice."

Commission: Researchers Knew Of Ethical Problems In Guatemala STD Study; NPR's Shots Blog, 8/30/11

Eliza Barclay, NPR's Shots Blog; Commission: Researchers Knew Of Ethical Problems In Guatemala STD Study:

"U.S. researchers knowingly breached medical ethics by infecting Guatemalans with venereal diseases in the 1940s without informing them of the risks, a presidential commission has found.

The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, which was asked by President Obama to investigate the Guatemala study in October 2010, came to the conclusion after learning that the researchers had conducted similar research with American prisoners in 1943 but had given them the chance to make informed consent.

The U.S. government formally apologized for the "reprehensible research" last year."

Ethical 'Reality': A Proposed Code For Producers To Live By; NPR's Monkey See Blog, 8/31/11

Linda Holmes, NPR's Monkey See Blog; Ethical 'Reality': A Proposed Code For Producers To Live By:

"But just as responsible sports teams can make responsible decisions about minimizing risks where they can, there are ways for shows that absolutely don't have to be so exploitative and potentially damaging — shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race and Project Runway and Top Chef and even American Idol and Deadliest Catch — to take their responsibilities to participants more seriously and to distinguish and brand themselves as the shows committed to existing on the do-less-harm end of the spectrum. How do you accomplish that?

With a voluntary, industry-adopted ethics code that would allow a show that wants to agree to specific measures that minimize (do not eliminate, but minimize) potential harm, and in return to be marketed as Not That Kind Of Show."

Bullying Law Puts New Jersey Schools on Spot; New York Times, 8/30/11

Winnie Hu, New York Times; Bullying Law Puts New Jersey Schools on Spot:

"But while many parents and educators welcome the efforts to curb bullying both on campus and online, some superintendents and school board members across New Jersey say the new law, which takes effect Sept. 1, reaches much too far, and complain that they have been given no additional resources to meet its mandates.

The law, known as the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, is considered the toughest legislation against bullying in the nation. Propelled by public outcry over the suicide of a Rutgers University freshman, Tyler Clementi, nearly a year ago, it demands that all public schools adopt comprehensive antibullying policies (there are 18 pages of “required components”), increase staff training and adhere to tight deadlines for reporting episodes."

[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."

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."

[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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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.”"

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?"

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."

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."

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."

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."