Digital Life: Policy & Privacy Online fellowship

At the same time we become more reliant on digital tools for communication and commerce, we're losing the ability to control information about ourselves. The Internet is exposing users to new privacy concerns, while also raising unique policy questions. This seminar will explore how digital technology and the Internet are reshaping society and culture, with an emphasis on privacy concerns and regulatory policy in domestic and international contexts.

Possible topics to be covered include:

* The Obama administration's technology agenda
* Electronic health records: pros and cons
* Social networking and social media: What's new?
* Privacy: Growth of public databases and digital surveillance
* Google: Technology, antitrust and privacy issues
* Internet regulation, policy and law: Time for change?
* Cyber warfare and terrorism: Security in the digital era
* Information overload: Cognitive impacts
* Children and digital technology: Cyber-bulling and other challenges
* Globalization: Impact of digital technology outside the U.S.
* Electronic crime: How digital crooks are targeting people and companies

This seminar will also include one or two field trips and an optional, pre-seminar multimedia workshop. Our pre-seminar sessions are hands-on instructional demonstrations on leveraging technology in your reporting and for connecting with your audience. Possible topics for this session include social media best-practices, applications for filtering social media; mobile applications for reporting and content delivery; and searching the hidden Web.

Participants for the pre-seminar multimedia workshop will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

Speakers will be experts from top research institutions, government, business and the media. Participants will gain valuable sources and engage in thought-provoking discussions with colleagues from around the country. Knight Center fellowships cover all seminar costs, including reference materials, hotel lodging and meals.

Seminars are held at the University of Maryland, in the metro Washington, D.C. area.

The application deadline has been extended to April 23, 2009. All applications must be received by this date. Visit our website for more information about how to apply: http://specializedjournalism.org/?q=seminars/2009/digital_life