Santa Clara University — Traces of Ourselves: The Ethics and Politics of Databases

Business Wire, May 11, 2006

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Like it or not, we increasingly leave electronic traces of ourselves whenever we buy something online, e-mail, or participate in online communities, games, or blogs. How do we balance the need to protect individual privacy with the need to share this information for the "public good"? What are reasonable limits on the uses by corporations or the government on an individual's data? These issues and many more will be discussed at "Traces of Ourselves: The Ethics and Politics of Databases" on Tuesday, May 16 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Santa Clara University.

"Companies are profiling us down to the last pencil bought online," said Geoffrey Bowker, executive director for Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society.

This event will feature Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus Development Corp. and president and chair of Open Source Applications Foundation; John Arquilla, professor of Defense Analysis at Naval Postgraduate School; and S. Leigh Star, senior scholar at SCU's Center for Science, Technology, and Society. The event will be moderated by Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

Admission is free. This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Science, Technology, and Society, and the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

What: Traces of Ourselves: The Ethics and Politics of Databases

    Who: Mitch Kapor, Founder, Lotus Development Corp., President and
    Chair, Open Source Applications Foundation

    John Arquilla, Professor of Defense Analysis, Naval Postgraduate
    School

    S. Leigh Star, Senior Scholar, Center for Science, Technology, and
    Society Santa Clara University

    Moderated by: Kirk O. Hanson, Executive Director, Markkula Center
    for Applied Ethics Santa Clara University

    When:  Tuesday, May 16, 2006
           5:30-7 p.m.

    Where: Santa Clara University,
           Arts and Sciences Building,
           Wiegand Center
           500 El Camino Real
           Santa Clara, CA 95053

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,397 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees. Distinguished nationally by the second-highest graduation rate among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. More information is online at www.scu.edu.