Last updated: 10/11/99
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Internet Trends
Computers, the Internet, and Society

1. Trust and security
   1. How do you know who really sent that email? How do you know it wasn't altered after they sent it? Are people able to deny what they said or did? How can you trust that your information will be treated the way you want it to?
      1. In "the real world" we have paper documents and signatures, together with a scientific and technological basis for verifying the authenticity
         1. This is constantly pushed by counterfeiters and strengthened by new knowledge.
         2. Notary Public will identify you as presenting normal ID papers
         3. These methods of authenticating documents is not foolproof or absolute. People can ignore safeguards and be vulnerable.
      2. Real Jukebox privacy issue
   2. There is a technology that accomplishes the same objectives for digital documents - Public Key / Private Key encryption
      1. Ecryption = encoding, scrambling
      2. Two keys for encryption and decryption
         1. Public key you give to others, it is know to be yours, points to a company that says it is yours. Like a User Name
         2. Private key you keep secure, like a password
         3. If the private key is used to encode a message, only the public key can decrypt it, and vice versa
         4. Given the public key, a very large number can be found that, if factored, yields the private key and breaks the code. The strength of the code is measured by the size of the number that has to be factored -- so many bits. Current standard is 512 bits or about 154 digits. Factoring large numbers is a difficult operation. 512 bit security was just "broken" -- using thousands of computers in their spare time for several months, computer found one private key. Adding a single bit (513) would double the difficulty.
            1. Up until recently, U.S. only allowed export of 40 bit software, but more powerful software was freely available and being sold abroad. Now, export controls have been removed.
         5. Example sequence

            Status	Message
            Pre-encryption	Four score and seven years ago ...
            Encrypted	AvI bR P OB5MkG-S MVwE
            Decrypted	Four score and seven years ago ...

      3. To send an authenticated message, web page, etc., encrypt it with private key, others decrypt in with your public key. they know
         1. It came from you
         2. Content has not been changed
         3. On web browser, key in bottom left (Netscape) is whole, not broken. Web protocol is shttp://
      4. To send a secure message, encrypt it with the receiver's public key
         1. Only the intended recipient can read the message
         2. The recipient knows the message was not changed on the way
      5. Messages can be doubly encrypted
   3. If this technology is used, there is greater danger when the information is "on-site." A disgruntled employee is the worst security leak. Steps to security
      1. Access should be restricted. Those without a need to know should not know that the information exists, where it exists (computer, folder) or what the filename is.
      2. Information should be compartmentalization. Different types of information should be stored separately, so that if one is compromised, other classes will remain secure.
      3. Physical security. Access should be limited by User Name and Password. Passwords should meet standards and be changed regularly.
         1. Minimum of six characters
         2. No dictionary words or names and dates that can be found from biographical information, such as birthday, children's names
         3. Include some numbers.
         4. If stored on a computer, they should be encrypted.
      4. Information should be stored in an encrypted form. Not the norm now, but may be in the future, as companies start to get sued, and insurers have to pay the costs
      5. Backup off-site storage in case file is deleted, corrupted or damaged
   4. Need to trust companies that issue keys, and those who originate information
      1. "Web of trust"
2. Transparency
   1. We all have ways of assessing the reliability and completeness of information in person. On the Internet? Tendency now is to give the benefit of the doubt until we find something to the contrary.
   2. Hidden information inhibits trust. Expectation of customers is that the company /organization / web site is what it says it is
   3. Reputation is easy to lose, hard to reconstruct - who knows who heard what broke the reputation
   4. "Electronic herd" will panic
      1. Insider trading -- information available to others but not to me
      2. Corruption -- decisions not being made on the business merits
      3. Unexplained movements in stock price
3. Disintermediation
   1. Expectation: no intermediaries
      1. Retailers order direct from manufacturer without going through wholesalers
      2. Customers order direct ...
   2. Contrary to expectations, intermediaries are staying alive by servicing online retailers after the sale
4. Convergence (communications)
   1. Currently, we have different channels and applicances for
      1. Radio (analog)
      2. Television (analog)
      3. Telephone (long-distance network is all packet-switching and digital, local service is analog except for cellular)
      4. Data (Internet, digital)
   2. All of these are expected to become digital forms
      1. For the same bandwidth, more information can be sent more clearly by digital methods
      2. All forms of digital information are more alike than analog forms are
         1. Bits are bits
   3. Convergence means that all appliances will converge to one appliance or a series of appliances that will do all information
      1. Will most likely happen in stages
         1. Gateway Destination
         2. Web TV
         3. Cell phone with voice-based email and web browser
         4. Hand-helds, e.g. Palm Pilot
      2. Some planning for a personal wireless short-distance network
   4. Carriers will converge also
      1. Permanent Internet connection - "always there"
      2. High speed
      3. Cable has some advantage Cf telephone because its wiring is high speed
      4. Telephone has dedicated, unshared line, may be able to boost speeds with DSP at end
      5. Consumers will be more responsible
         1. Services to analyze choices?
5. Power shift
   1. Communication power put in hands of end-user
      1. Competition is more easily accessible
         1. Only a mouse click away
      2. The user rates the supplier and communicates to other end users
         1. Students rating faculty on student web sites
         2. Consumers complaining on their own web sites about poor service (Dunkin' Donuts)
      3. Services that aggregate information about suppliers
         1. Web sites that compare airline ticket prices
         2. Compare loan rates, help users fill out forms on line
         3. Auctionwatch.com listing Ebay auction items
   2. End users able to supply information themselves
      1. Personal web sites
      2. With "always on" comes fixed IP, ability to run server directly