The modern web is not a neutral space. It is shaped by technical decisions, business models, laws, and incentives that determine what information circulates, who is visible, who is surveilled, and who profits. As web developers, we do not just build features – we help construct the infrastructure through which people communicate, organize, shop, learn, and make political decisions.

In recent years, many of the most consequential debates about the internet have moved from purely technical questions (“How do we scale this system?”) to ethical and societal ones: Who controls platforms? Who sets the rules for speech? What data is collected, inferred, and sold? What happens when algorithms – not people – decide what we see?

This assignment asks you to examine a current controversy about the internet and analyze it not just as a news story, but as a technical system with real-world consequences. You will explore how specific technologies, policies, or business models shape the web, and reflect on what responsibility, if any, developers have within those systems.

1. Select a Controversy Worth Arguing About

Choose one current controversy about the internet that you find genuinely interesting, confusing, troubling, or worth debating. This should be an issue where reasonable people disagree – and where technical systems, business incentives, and social values collide.

You may select a topic from the curated sources below or propose your own (pending instructor approval). The examples span issues such as AI, platform power, surveillance, speech, censorship, security, and business models – but these categories are not rigid. Many controversies cut across multiple themes.

Your goal is not to summarize a news story. Your goal is to understand:

• How the technology works
• Why the controversy exists
• Who benefits and who bears the costs
• What this reveals about the direction of the modern web

AI & the Internet	NYT Ezra Klein Show (1.5 hrs): Will A.I. Break the Internet? Or Save It? -- Ezra Klein & Nilay Patel Erik Hoel (Feb 2024): Here Lies the Internet, Murdered by Generative AI
Business Models, Power & Monopoly	CNBC (8/14/24): DOJ considers breaking up Google following antitrust case win Reuters (8/5/24): Google has an illegal monopoly on search, US judge finds Reuters (8/23/24): DOJ accuses RealPage of driving up rents “Enshittification” (Cory Doctorow) NPR All Things Considered (Jan 6, 2025): What may be next after a federal court struck down the FCC’s net neutrality rules
Surveillance & Data Collection	The Guardian (2013): NSA Files Decoded Thomas Friedman, NYT: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Security & Hacking	Ars Technica: IoT security is hilariously broken -- and getting worse Wired: Hackers Remotely Kill a Jeep on the Highway
Speech, Misinformation & Social Media	Politico: The Long and Brutal History of Fake News NY Times: What’s Happening in Britain Is Shocking. But It’s Not Surprising Netflix: The Great Hack
Internet Censorship & State Power	Harvard International Review: Building the (Fire) Wall Townsend Center (Berkeley): Internet Censorship, Part 1 Politico: The Great Firewall Is Changing a Generation
Other Tech Journalism & Podcasts	These are good places to discover additional controversies: Decoder (The Verge) Land of the Giants (Vox) Tech Won’t Save Us (Paris Marx) Better Offline (Ed Zitron)

2. Research the Issue (Breadth Matters)

Engage with at least three sources that analyze your chosen controversy. These should reflect different perspectives – for example, regulators, companies, critics, journalists, and affected users.

At least one source should articulate a defense or justification of the technology, policy, or business model involved, even if you ultimately disagree with it.

3. Written Analysis

3.1 Sources Consulted

List all sources you read, watched, or listened to. For each source, include:

• Author(s)
• Title
• Publication or outlet
• Date
• Link

You should consult at least three substantive sources that reflect different perspectives on the issue.

3.2 Describe the Controversy (~1/2 page, single-spaced)

Explain the controversy clearly enough that someone unfamiliar with the issue could understand what is happening and why it matters.

Address the following questions:

• What technology, platform, or system is being examined?
• What is the controversy or conflict?
• Why is this an issue now?
• Who is affected by this issue (e.g., users, companies, governments, activists, marginalized communities)?
• What are the major perspectives, positions, or points of disagreement?

Your goal in this section is accuracy and clarity, not persuasion.

3.3 Analyze the Controversy (~1/2 page, single-spaced)

Now move beyond description and engage critically with the issue.

Consider questions such as:

• Who benefits most from the current system? Who is most harmed?
• What incentives (economic, technical, political) are shaping this situation?
• What tradeoffs are involved?
• Is the controversy likely to be resolved? If so, how? If not, why?
• Could this problem have been prevented, or is it structurally embedded?
• Is this controversy a signal of something larger happening on the internet?

There is no required position. Strong responses demonstrate thoughtful judgment, awareness of complexity, and engagement with uncertainty.

Rubric (20 points total)

Please review the rubric to ensure that you have completed the assignment requirements:

[ ] Research – 4 points

• Consulted at least three substantive sources
• Sources represent multiple perspectives on the issue

[ ] Description of the Controversy – 4 points

• Clearly and accurately explains the issue
• Identifies key stakeholders and context
• Demonstrates effort to understand the facts
• No major facts or perspectives missing

[ ] Analysis of the Controversy – 6 points

• Student meaningfully engages with the issue
• Considers benefits, harms, and tradeoffs
• Avoids oversimplified “good vs. bad” narratives
• Demonstrates independent thinking and judgment

[ ] Presentation – 4 points

• Three-slide summary follows guidelines
• Slides are clear and discussion-ready
• Student presents during class time

[ ] Writing & Citation – 2 points

• Writing is clear, concise, and well-organized
• No significant spelling or grammatical errors
• All sources are cited with sufficient detail
• Use of generative AI (if any) is disclosed appropriately

What to Submit

Upload both your paper and slides (if you submit Google links, make sure that you share with svanwart@unca.edu) to the Moodle by the deadline specified.