CSC 379:Week 5, Group 3: Difference between revisions
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'''Note: Your new study guide does not need to follow the structure of the [http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/risks/reliability/voting/internet/ existing topic page].''' | '''Note: Your new study guide does not need to follow the structure of the [http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/risks/reliability/voting/internet/ existing topic page].''' | ||
==Relevant Class Website Links== | |||
* [http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/risks/reliability/voting/internet/new.html Articles on Internet Voting] | * [http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu/risks/reliability/voting/internet/new.html Articles on Internet Voting] | ||
==Study Guide== | ==Study Guide== | ||
===What is Internet Voting?=== | |||
"Internet voting means the casting of a secure and secret electronic ballot that is transmitted to election officials using the Internet.” | "Internet voting means the casting of a secure and secret electronic ballot that is transmitted to election officials using the Internet.” | ||
===Types of Internet Voting=== | |||
* Poll Site: Voting: Internet technology is added to the traditional voting locations. | * Poll Site: Voting: Internet technology is added to the traditional voting locations. | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
* Remote voting: Citizens would be able to vote from anywhere such as home or office. | * Remote voting: Citizens would be able to vote from anywhere such as home or office. | ||
===Advantages and disadvantages of Internet voting=== | |||
Some of the advantages that are with internet voting | Some of the advantages that are associated with internet voting are that more people will be able to participate since voting will become more accessible. Since Internet voting can be done from one's living room, it also eliminates much of the perceived hassle that limits voter turn-out at conventional polling places. | ||
will be | |||
It will also be cost effective; if everyone | It will also be more cost effective than conventional methods; if everyone uses their own | ||
computers then less equipment will be needed to get voting done. | computers then less equipment will be needed to get voting done. Vote tally will also be nearly instantaneous. | ||
Some of the disadvantages of | Some of the disadvantages of Internet voting include security issues. [http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/01/21_vote.shtml Some] are concerned that hackers may intercept, spoof, trace or alter votes cast from users' computers. In addition to potentially causing false election results, this could also violate a voter's right to keep his votes anonymous. Another concern is that of digital vandalism. It's likely that a Distributed Denial of Service attack may occur on the day of the elections, which would cause the voting system to go down and render it useless. | ||
The other major disadvantage cited by opponents of Internet voting is that of the [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/interviews/internetvoting/issues.html 'digital divide'], which argues that people with lower incomes or less technical knowledge will have less | |||
chance of voting. Proponents of Internet voting offer the counter-argument that conventional polling centers will still be available for those without Internet access. | |||
===Government concerns and the future of Internet voting=== | |||
Due to the growing interest in Internet voting, there have been many studies | |||
conducted on how secure internet voting would be if it were implemented. Although the Pentagon spent $22 million researching the viability of implementing an online voting system to afford Americans who live abroad an easy way to vote, the project was [http://technews.acm.org/articles/2004-6/0331w.html#item1 later scrapped] because of security concerns. Despite this, proponents of online voting are still present in Washington and precedent for successful online systems in [http://technews.acm.org/articles/2003-5/1112w.html#item11 Canadian] and [http://news.com.com/Estonia+pulls+off+nationwide+Net+voting/2100-1028_3-5898115.html Estonian] government already exist, so the future of whether online voting will become a reality in the States remains uncertain. | |||
Revision as of 23:16, 2 August 2007
Internet Voting
Below is the content from the existing study guide on internet voting. Your assignment will be to update the study guide. Expand each section with more detailed and recent content and add at least one new section that provides a thorough overview of areas of ethical concern regarding internet voting. You may rename, move, and reformat content within the study guide as prudent. Include links to articles about instances of internet voting.
Note: Your new study guide does not need to follow the structure of the existing topic page.
Relevant Class Website Links
Study Guide
What is Internet Voting?
"Internet voting means the casting of a secure and secret electronic ballot that is transmitted to election officials using the Internet.”
Types of Internet Voting
- Poll Site: Voting: Internet technology is added to the traditional voting locations.
- Kiosk Voting: Internet would be place at non traditional sites such as mall for convenience of people.
- Remote voting: Citizens would be able to vote from anywhere such as home or office.
Advantages and disadvantages of Internet voting
Some of the advantages that are associated with internet voting are that more people will be able to participate since voting will become more accessible. Since Internet voting can be done from one's living room, it also eliminates much of the perceived hassle that limits voter turn-out at conventional polling places.
It will also be more cost effective than conventional methods; if everyone uses their own computers then less equipment will be needed to get voting done. Vote tally will also be nearly instantaneous.
Some of the disadvantages of Internet voting include security issues. Some are concerned that hackers may intercept, spoof, trace or alter votes cast from users' computers. In addition to potentially causing false election results, this could also violate a voter's right to keep his votes anonymous. Another concern is that of digital vandalism. It's likely that a Distributed Denial of Service attack may occur on the day of the elections, which would cause the voting system to go down and render it useless.
The other major disadvantage cited by opponents of Internet voting is that of the 'digital divide', which argues that people with lower incomes or less technical knowledge will have less chance of voting. Proponents of Internet voting offer the counter-argument that conventional polling centers will still be available for those without Internet access.
Government concerns and the future of Internet voting
Due to the growing interest in Internet voting, there have been many studies conducted on how secure internet voting would be if it were implemented. Although the Pentagon spent $22 million researching the viability of implementing an online voting system to afford Americans who live abroad an easy way to vote, the project was later scrapped because of security concerns. Despite this, proponents of online voting are still present in Washington and precedent for successful online systems in Canadian and Estonian government already exist, so the future of whether online voting will become a reality in the States remains uncertain.