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8/17/2019 Privacy Through Poetry: a Poetic Journey Through Privacy in a Digital Age
1/23
Privacy Through Poetry:
A poetic journey through Privacy In A Digital Age
Diana Kelly
Honor 3374Prof. Randy Dryer
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Introduction
Following this introduction is a compilation of poems written as partial fulfillment of the
course requirements for Privacy In A Digital Age. This University of Utah Honors course takes
on the format of a flipped classroom. We listened to video lectures, read pertinent information,
and engaged in discussions through a class blog outside of class. This engagement outside of
class allowed for class time to be used for discussion and exercises. Throughout the course we
discussed several relevant privacy concerns and policies.
These relevant privacy concerns and policies were addressed as blog posts written byeach student. I have written a poem for each blog post. These poems display the multifaceted
struggle to remain private and anonymous in the world we live in. Each poem is written in a
style I felt reflected the tone of the privacy concern or policy. Following each poem is a brief
explanation of the topic and analysis of the poem. I hope this poetic journey through the course
gives you a basic understanding of what was discussed and a greater appreciation for
protecting your privacy. Enjoy!
8/17/2019 Privacy Through Poetry: a Poetic Journey Through Privacy in a Digital Age
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A Private Life
Some say Privacy is dead,
A tribute to Nietzsche, perhaps
Privacy is dead because we killed it.
We yearn for what we have lostTricking ourselves into believing
We live a Private life
We live a Private life
Creating torts for the common law
Protecting us from Orwell’s vision come true
Concocted in 1949 for 1984
Truth in 2016
Truth in 2016Is government surveillance
Privacy is sacrificed for Protection
A public in terror of what can be planned in private.
We live a Private life
One of many lies we tell ourselves
To ease our concerns
About those who might wish us harm
Those who might abuse the system.
Some say Privacy is dead,
A word never written into our constitution,
But inherently valued by the free
Through the Katz test we may tell ourselves
There’s a chance for revival of a term so flexible that
I can say I live a private life.
I can say I live a private life
Hoping there is a chance for revival of a term so flexible that
The Katz test is a comfort
A term inherently valued by the free
A word never written into our constitution
Allowing some to say Privacy is dead
Those who might abuse the system
Those who might wish us harm
Bring concerns, eased by
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One of many lies we tell ourselves:
We live a Private life.
A public in terror of what can be planned in private
Sacrifices privacy for protection
Government surveillance isTruth in 2016
Truth in 2016
Concocted in 1949 for 1984
To protect us from Orwell’s vision come true
We create torts for common law
So we live a Private life
We live a Private life
Tricking ourselves into believingWe don’t yearn for what we have lost
Privacy is dead because we killed it.
A tribute to Nietzsche, perhaps
Some say Privacy is dead.
In A Private Life, I attempt to evoke the sense that privacy is not tangible in today’s
world. With the flexibility of the the meaning of privacy, there is much debate about whether the
expectation of privacy is reasonable. In this poem, I cycle through some of my thoughts on the
subject. I start with the somewhat bold statement of privacy being dead, referencing
Nietzsche’s statement “God is dead and we have killed him.” I believe that in a way this is true
today of privacy. Many of the reasons why we don’t have easily accessible privacy is because
of the willingness we have to give it up in the name of protection. This is a byproduct of the acts
of terror that our generation has witnessed. Out of fear we have denied ourselves a right not
specifically written out in the Constitution, but inferred from the First Amendment, Fourth
Amendment, and Fifth Amendment.
While privacy is not easily attainable, many people go through life assuming that most of
their life is private. This is the mindset that I had before taking this class. This mindset was not
one that came out of total ignorance, but a choice to believe that it was true. I was aware that
the government had access to vast amount of data about its citizens from the Edward Snowden
scandal, I had always treated my social media like the public could see it, and I knew that there
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were risks involved with sharing my credit card information and social security number online,
but I chose to ignore what this meant for my long term privacy.
In the poem, I try to show an inner dialogue of admitting that privacy is not within grasp.
After the bold declaration that Privacy is dead, I move into how we (the collective American
people) trick ourselves into believing that we live private lives. Not only do we trick ourselves,
but we justify giving up privacy out of fear from terrorists who are able to create and execute
plans that are made in private. I then go on to discuss the value of privacy and how through the
Katz test there is still hope for a semblance of privacy. The Katz test was developed in the U.S.
v Katz case of 1967 and tests whether there is a “reasonable expectation of privacy”. Even with
this hope, the previously stated still stands. For this reason, I chose to write in a cyclical
fashion, bringing the poem back to where it started by reversing the poem.
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The Right To Be Forgotten
The right to be forgotten
A ray of sunlight to brighten
The grieving parents of a child
Her remains eternally filedThe pictures leaked
Of her body streaked
Across a cement barrier
Causing anger to stir
In the hearts of her parents
Holding onto fragments
Of their daughter’s life
This right could relieve much strife
From the grieving and changing
It perhaps could bring A return of dignity for the embarrassed
Turning their indiscretions to dust
Already established in Europe
Saving politicians from gossip
Of lives lived in the past
And information that used to last
Now disconnected from a name
Protecting those who live in fame
423,050 requests have graced
Google’s team, now facedWith decisions that define
Where we draw the line
Defining what deserves to be private
Locked away and shut
And what the public needs to know
From what a search result may show
Causing many to be smitten
With the right to be forgotten
As the use of the internet increases and more and more information is accessible
through web searches, the struggle to remain anonymous is multiplying. In a sense we have
become immortal through our social media pages and other personal information uploaded to
the internet. While immortality may seem grand to some, for others it causes great grief or
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potential embarrassment. For one American family, the Catsouras’s, the immortality of their late
daughter is not a welcome condition. Nikki Catsouras was killed in a car crash. Following this
incident, the photos from the scene were leaked onto the internet. Now, every time her name is
typed into Google, those pictures come up immediately . Currently there is no way to remove1
these pictures in America.
A potential solution to these types of situations is the enactment of “the Right to be
Forgotten.” This is a privacy centered policy, enacted in Europe by the European Commission
in 2014. The policy does not require the deletion of information, rather it removes the
association between a particular query, or name, and specific results from the search . This2
policy has put Google in the position of having to deny or grant requests. In a transparency
report, Google disclosed it has received 423,050 requests. Of these requests, 57.2% have lead
to removal of URLs .3
This poem is written to begin examining the worth of such a policy. I discuss the
Catsouras story and mention how it could keep people’s embarrassing pasts hidden. It could
bring relief and dignity to people who might not otherwise have it because of content on the
internet easily associated with their name. While mostly discussing the allure of such a policy, I
do mention that Google is now the decision maker about what information should and should
not be easily accessible though certain searches on the internet. This could lead to a
dangerous precedent of censorship. Regardless, many are still smitten with the “Right to be
Forgotten.”
1 Jeffrey Toobin, “The Solace of Oblivion,” The New Yorker. October 31, 2014,
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/29/solace-oblivion2 “Myth-Busting: The Court of Justice of the EU and the ‘Right to be Forgotten’,” European Commission.
October 9, 2014,
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/files/factsheets/factsheet_rtbf_mythbusting_en.pdf3 “European privacy requests for search removals,” Google. Last Updated April 28, 2016,
https://www.google.com/transparencyreport/removals/europeprivacy/ (These numbers are constantly
changing due to the nature of these statistics. The number of requests on April 29th is 423,974.)
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Real Name Policy
Real Name Policy
Free speech or civility
Anonymity
As I mentioned in the blurb following The Right To Be Forgotten, anonymity has become
increasingly difficult to maintain as the use of the internet has increased. For this reason, many
people fiercely defend the ability for individuals to post anonymously on online forums. This
defense comes from the fact that anonymity protects whistleblowers, victims, and others who
could be in danger if their identity was known. Defenders of anonymous speech also feel that
anonymity allows commenters to be more truthful and confident when engaging in discussion
online . In contrast, many feel that anonymous usernames allow people to be meaner, knowing4
their comments won’t be traced back to them .5
My haiku, Real Name Policy, briefly touches on the debate between anonymous speech
and the possibility of a real name policy. While I am aware that the debate is complex and
requires many considerations, I do feel it comes down to a black and white decision. Do we
want free speech or civility? There will always be trolls and those who hide behind the mask of
anonymity to say cruel things as long as anonymous speech exists, however if it is taken away
many more will lose protection they need to have a voice. We live in a country founded on the
ability of individuals to express their thoughts freely and anonymously. This foundational ability
should be protected through the continuation of anonymous speech.
4 Elizabeth Dwoskin, “Whisper and the Meaning of Anonymity,” The Wall Street Journal. October 28,
2014,
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2014/10/28/whisper-and-the-meaning-of-anonymity/tab/print/?mg=blogs-wsj&url=
http%253A%252F%252Fblogs.wsj.com%252Flaw%252F2014%252F10%252F28%252Fwhisper-and-the-
meaning-of-anonymity%252Ftab%252Fprint5 Kashmir Hill, “Civilizing the Internet, One Lawsuit at a Time (For Now),” Forbes. October 20, 2010,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2010/10/20/civilizing-the-internet-one-lawsuit-at-a-time-for-now/#4
8c2f27736d3
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John & Jane Doe Litigation
Miss Norma McCorvey
Rocked the nation with
A case that would change history
Roe v Wade
Miss Sandra Cano
Won on the same day
A case that broke the status quo
Doe v Bolton
Both cases led to the
Legalization of abortion
To make a woman free
To choose to carry or terminate
A hot topic
Yesterday and today
Making some sick
And others justified
Miss Sandra Cano
And Miss Norma McCorvey
Chose to file under “Doe” and “Roe”
Seeking protection in anonymity
John and Jane Doe litigation has allows plaintiffs to go to court with relative anonymity.
This anonymity has lead to some history changing results like in the famous Roe v Wade case
that brought about the legalization of abortion. My poem seeks to show that there is no doubt
that this protection offered through pseudonyms has allowed for controversial questions to be
taken to court. I am a personal proponent of allowing John and Jane Doe litigation, but the
court’s view on it is nothing short of vague.
Federal law requires that both plaintiffs and defendants list their names in all complaints.
Despite this clear requirement, the US Supreme Court has seen several waves of cases with
anonymous plaintiffs since the early 1970’s . Since this approval, there have been more6
6 Ryan Shiverdecker, “Ducking Duties: Pseudonymous Plaintiffs and the Supreme Court of Ohio,”
University of Cincinnati Law Review. November 8, 2013.
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plaintiffs seeking anonymity. Because of this seemingly ambiguous stance of the courts, many
have called on the US Supreme Court to make a decision about what warrants allowing a
plaintiff to file anonymously. This sentiment has lead some to go as far as calling out the courts
for shirking their duty.7
https://uclawreview.org/2013/11/08/ducking-duties-pseudonymous-plaintiffs-and-the-supreme-court-of-ohi
o/7 Ibid.
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Biometrics
Biometrics
Identify us by
Our physical or behavioral traits
Microsoft billboards recognizeEyes, nose, and mouth
To generate targeted ads
Recognizing our faces with
Incredible accuracy
Causing concerns about consent and privacy
Sending us off to find tinfoil hats
Biometric technology uses physical and/or behavioral traits to identify people. This
includes retina scans, facial recognition, fingerprints, and many more uniquely identifiable traits.
These technologies allow for identification and tracking over large geographical areas. Because
of the intensely personal nature of biometrics, it is important for companies that use these
technologies to be transparent about this use. Unfortunately there are no binding regulations on
the use of many of these technologies. For instance, the FTC has only provided guidelines
“intended to provide guidance to commercial entities” in regards to facial recognition . While8
these guidelines are a step in the right direction, they are in no way legally binding.
This lack of legal regulation of biometric technology is what influenced my acrostic
poem. There are many uses of this technology, one of which is to allow targeted ads based on
facial recognition. While this might seem great, there are some serious privacy concerns to
think about. Consent is one of these concerns. The final line is a reference to the general
paranoia triggered by the increased use of technology to identify and track individuals.
8 Kashmir Hill, “The 7 Dos and Don’t of Facial Recognition,” Forbes. October 23, 2012,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/10/23/the-7-dos-and-donts-of-facial-recognition/#585618a33
b28
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Electronic Communications and Cell Phone Surveillance
Third party doctrine
Some vocally criticize
We live in a world
Dominated by cell phones,Information surrendered.
The third party doctrine was established in the 1970s as a result of US v Miller and Smith
v Maryland. This doctrine states that “a person has no legitimate expectations of privacy in
information he voluntarily turns over to third parties” . This doctrine has been used subsequently9
including cases surrounding location information extracted from cell phones in US v Graham.
With the increase of electronic communication needed to function in this world, the third-party
doctrine has been criticized. This tonka poem explains the reasoning behind this criticism. With
a world dominated by cell phones, a lot of our information is unavoidably surrendered to
third-parties. With the practice of this doctrine, our privacy is seriously compromised.
9 John Villasenor, “What You Need to Know about the Third-Party Doctrine”, The Atlantic. December 30,
2013.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/12/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-third-party-doctr
ine/282721/
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Video Surveillance
Big brother is watching
Has never been more haunting
Than when you realize
You are being watched by mechanical eyes
Has never been more haunting
A curse and a blessing
You are being watched by mechanical eyes
Allowing many to criticize
A curse and a blessing
Frantically to our privacy we cling
Allowing many to criticize
The use of mechanical eyes
Frantically to our privacy we cling
Not even private when driving
Allowing many to criticize
The government’s mechanical eyes
Not even private when driving
Could it bring accountability to enforcing?
The government’s mechanical eyes
Prevent a policeman’s lies?
Could it bring accountability to enforcing?
Keep a black boy from dying
Prevent a policeman’s lies?
How to use the wandering mechanical eyes?
Video surveillance is something that our generation has become accustomed to. My
high school was outfitted with the newest and best security cameras they could get their handson. Stores have surveillance cameras inside and outside. These cameras are usually
accompanied by a sign informing the use of video surveillance. While we may be familiar and
complacent about video surveillance, it is important for us to understand the implications of this
constant surveillance.
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In my poem, I reference the cliche of “Big Brother” from Orwell’s 1984. In Orwell’s
futuristic novel, “Big Brother” is the all seeing government. I touched on this topic in the first
poem of this cycle as well. In a very real way, this vision of Orwell’s has become reality today.
This is seen in the use of ALRP (Automatic License Plate Reading) technology to track vehicles.
With this information, the government has the potential to follow the driving patterns of an
individual. This can be very telling about a person, exposing where they live, work, go to
school, and what activities they indulge in.
The last two stanzas of my poem move into the potential benefits of video surveillance.
Recently, there has been increased attention to police violence toward people of color. An
attractive accountability feature is the use of body cameras on policemen. While this is not a
perfect solution and may even have it’s own privacy concerns, it shows that tools like video
surveillance are only threats when abused. The way we use our technology can and will affect
the quality of our privacy.
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The Snowden Affair
There once was a man named Snowden
He exposed the truth through the pressmen
Now he lives in Russia
Defending his dogmaHis penance for fleeing the bullpen
This limerick is written at the expense of Edward Snowden. In 2013 Edward Snowden
exposed large amounts of classified information collected by the NSA’s global surveillance
programs. He leaked the information through news organizations in the US. In June of 2013,
Snowden was charged with theft of US government property and of violating the Espionage Act
of 1917. In response, Snowden fled to Russia where he now lives and seeks asylum.
Snowden’s revelations have led to many discussions surrounding government
surveillance and secrecy as well as Snowden’s status as an American hero or a traitor. The
Pentagon claims that his revelations will have ‘staggering’ impacts on US intelligence
capabilities . While this may be true, his revelations exposed government programs that10
intruded on millions of American citizen’s lives on a regular basis without their consent. For this
reason, Snowden has been regarded as an American hero by many.
The greatest difference between Snowden and other American heroes who have broken
laws in the name of activism is that Snowden did not stick around to deal with the
consequences of his actions. He fled from confronting his own actions in American courts.
Instead he is stuck in Russia and can never come back to America. This is the influence for my
final line “His penance for fleeing the bullpen.”
10 “Defense Intelligence Agency assessment of damage done by Edward Snowden leaks - read the
report,” The Guardian. May 22, 2014,
http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2014/may/22/pentagon-report-snowden-leaks-damage-repo
rt
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The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Diamonte)
FISC
Secret, Sly
Reviewing, Approving, Allowing
Surveillance, Searches, Security, CertaintyComforting, Validating, Unsuspecting
Privacy, Rights
Trust
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) was created after the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act was passed in 1978. According to their website, “the Court
entertains applications submitted by the United States Government for approval of electronic
surveillance, physical search, and other investigative actions for foreign intelligence purposes” .11
The FISC is conducted ex parte, only considering the side of the government, due to its need to
be top secret. This lack of transparency in conjunction with the courts overwhelming tendency
to approve applications and the fact that each judge is appointed by the Chief Justice have
caused the FISC to receive criticism and distrust.
My poem is written as a diamonte. This type of poem examines opposites. In this case,
the opposites are the FISC and trust. The first half of the poem describes the FISC, the second
half describes trust. The shift of description happens in the middle of the fourth line. I chosetrust as the opposite of the FISC because of the criticism the court has received and because
surveillance inherently comes from a sense of mistrust.
11 “About the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court”, United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Court. http://www.fisc.uscourts.gov/about-foreign-intelligence-surveillance-court
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The Internet of Things Regulation
There once was a fridge who listened to me
Its obedience came with a fee
Potential for breeches
Fearing the glitchesOf the Internet of Things I flee.
This limerick is written about the “Internet of Things” or IoT. The IoT consists of all
internet connected devices spanning from your washing machine and refridgerator to your car.
Connected devices have many benefits such as allowing smart home systems and centralizing
control points for all your IoT devices. IoT devices can also be used to improve health in the
form of exercise trackers and a new pacemaker known as the Accent. Even with all these great
benefits, the IoT poses a big privacy risk.
IoT devices collect a lot of data. This type of data is usually collected only after implied or
express consent, but because most IoT devices lack screens it is much harder to seek consent.
This data could then be used to “make credit, insurance, and employment decisions” . With the12
third-party doctrine in effect, handing over this information to insurance agencies would
essentially be turning your information into the government. In addition, the way the data is
stored and how long it is stored could potentially lead to breaches in security. These privacy
concerns greatly influenced my limerick.
12 Joseph J. Lazzarotti, “FTC Announces ‘Concrete Steps’ for IoT Privacy and Security”, Jackson Lewis.
January 28, 2015,
http://www.workplaceprivacyreport.com/2015/01/articles/hipaa/ftc-announces-concrete-steps-for-iot-privac
y-and-security/
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Data Boker Legislation
Well, they dig dig dig
Well, they dig through data the whole day through
Dig dig dig, that is what they have to do
To pull of that trick to get rich quickIf they dig dig dig, with a formula and click
Dig dig dig, the whole day through
Got to dig dig dig, that is what they have to do in the mine, in the mine
Where a million data shine
They got to dig dig dig, from the morning till the night
Dig dig dig up every data in sight
They got to dig dig dig, in the mine, in the mine
Dig up data by the score
A thousand brokers, sometimes more
And they know what they are digging for
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho
It’s off to work they go
They keep on digging and selling
Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho
Got to make our troubles grow
Well, they keep on digging and selling
Heigh-ho
Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho
To Disney fans, this poem is an obvious homage to the seven dwarfs in Snow White. In
a way, Data brokers are miners of personal data. They dig up the information then sell the data
for a profit “to get rich quick”. Data brokers obtain personal information through public records,
self reported information, social media, cooperative arrangements, and through purchase. This
information is then used for various purposes. These purposes include verifying identities,
differentiating records, marketing, and preventing financial fraud. None of these purposes seem
very dangerous, but the whole system of brokering data brings up many privacy concerns.
There is very little regulation surround data brokers. The information collected and sold
can be used to discriminate against consumers. In addition to potential discrimination, data
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brokers try to circumvent the concept of notice/consent, keeping you in the dark . There have13
been recent steps to increase regulation, allowing the consumer to be informed of what data
has been collected and correct any incorrect data. With or without this added regulation, data
brokers will still be data miners, selling raw materials, or personal data, for a profit.
13 InfoLawGroup LLP, “The Privacy Legal Implications of Big Data: A Primer”, Information Lawgroup.
February 12, 2013,
http://www.infolawgroup.com/2013/02/articles/big-data/the-privacy-legal-implications-of-big-data-a-primer/
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Do-Not-Track (Tonka)
Please do not track
My online activity
Don’t use your cookies
Don’t try to tailor or boostPlease respect this one request
Adding to the struggle of staying anonymous is the inability to navigate the internet
without having your every action tracked. Tacking is the result of websites using software and
cookies. Once collected, this data can lead to improved, personalized internet experiences and
targeted ads. While this is beneficial for websites, the data being collected is often personal and
if abused could lead to serious security concerns. Examples of data that can be collected are
location, number of visits, total pages viewed, and even the page you were on before.
Do-Not-Track is an option for individuals to opt out of being tracked. On the surface, this
options seems great. It works by internet browsers implementing a Do-Not-Track header,
allowing the user to determine their tracking preferences in an HTTP request . This then14
creates something like the Do Not Call list. Unfortunately, the proposal that was issued in 2015
only asks networks and companies to honor this Do-Not-Track header, it does not mandate
them to heed these requests. This lack of respect for requests inspired my tonka poem on the
Do-Not-Track policy, which clearly represents a disdain for the lack of respect from networks
and companies towards consumers.
14 “Tracking Preference Expression (DNT): W3C Candidate Recommendation 20 August 2015,” W3C.
August 20, 2015, https://www.w3.org/TR/tracking-dnt/
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School Monitoring of Student’s Social Media
To eliminate the hurt of an unkind word
Social media must be monitored
Keeping students sheltered from the cruel world
On the surface the benefits seem obvious Action can be taken
To eliminate the hurt of an unkind word
The potential to prevent violence
To respond immediately to threats
Keeping students sheltered from the cruel world
But does it justify
The collection of student passwords
To eliminate the hurt of an unkind word
Hateful speech is not illegal
Do we trade our free speech forKeeping students sheltered from the cruel world
It is up to the school’s discretion
To decide what to sacrifice
To eliminate the hurt of an unkind word
Keeping students sheltered from the cruel world
Bullying has been a part of life since the dawn of humankind, but with the widespread
use of the internet and social media, bullying has shifted from the playground to the computer
screen. With this shift to cyber bullying, the string of school shootings, and the increase in teen
suicide, schools have sought new ways of monitoring student behavior. This has turned to the
monitoring public social media posts by school officials and even, in some cases, going so far
as to request the social media passwords of students. This has opened up a fierce debate
about the morality of such monitoring.
My poem seeks to demonstrate the two sided debate surrounding the issue. The
ultimate goal of any school system is to create a safe place for students to learn. In an effort to
create and maintain safe learning environments, school systems have chosen to decrease
student privacy. Utah recently passed a law prohibiting post-secondary schools from being able
to ask students to disclose their personal social media information . The exact words of the law15
15 Tanya Roscorla, “Student Social Media Monitoring Stirs Up Debate,” Center for Digital Education.
September 30, 2013.
http://www.centerdigitaled.com/news/Student-Social-Media-Monitoring-Stirs-up-Debate.html
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are: “Employer may not request disclosure of information related to personal internet account” .16
The law does not speak for primary, middle, or high schools. This leaves monitoring up to the
discretion of individual schools and districts in Utah.
16 “Internet Privacy Amendments,” Utah State Legislature. 2013,
http://le.utah.gov/~2013/bills/hbillenr/hb0100.pdf
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National DNA Databases
A national database of
Something so personal
Unique to each individual
Our DNA is the very essenceOf our being
A proposal that could bring
Discrimination unlike
What we have seen before
Genetic markers
Determining our place
The worth defined
By the use in solving crimesBut are we willing to pay
With the potential exploitation
Of our unchangeable genetics?
There aren’t many things more personal than DNA. With the increase of biometric
technology, DNA is a more accessible and an efficient way of identifying individuals. DNA is
used in solving crimes, in medical cases, to determine paternity, and even in family history work.
Currently it is considered a reasonable search for law enforcement to collect DNA samples from
all arrestees in America. These databases store massive collections of DNA which pose
potential privacy and discrimination concerns.
Without a definite term length for holding onto the DNA samples, opponents of DNA
databases argue there is a risk of the samples being used “for new and unidentified purposes” .17
In addition, there are serious risks of DNA samples being used to discriminate. Opponents of
DNA databases argue that DNA could be used “to the exclusion of material that might prove the
innocence of the suspect” . Discrimination could also take the form of using genetic markers in18
a legal context. My poem seeks to explain both sides of this debate.
17 Candice Roman-Santos, “Concerns Associated with Expanding DNA Databases”, Hasting Science and
Technology Law Journal. Summer 2010.
http://uchstlj.org/concerns-associated-with-expanding-dna-databases/18 Ibid.