What is political blogging? Ought the media be understood as a public sphere-Can the media strengthen the democratic process?

Outline and discuss some of the main debates in relation to digital surveillance and privacy

Why do you think Snowden referenced the Panopticon?

Think back to Bell’s Post-industrial society. What did he say about the reliance of society on knowledge workers? How might this relate to Snowden’s story?

Are you aware of the NSA surveillance story? Does it shock you, worry you? Doesn’t matter? Unsurprised? What was your reaction?

What is E-democracy? From citizenship to netizenship? What is political blogging? Ought the media be understood as a public sphere? Can the media strengthen the democratic process? How have nation states used digital media to weaponize information? What is fake news? Deep fakes? Are female politicians trolled more than their male counterparts?