About Sociology of the Internet

Read and answer the questions:


1)- What is the sociology of internet?
The sociology of the internet involves the application of sociological theory and method to the internet as a source of information and communication.

2)- What are the main forms of the new technology?
Sociologists are concerned with the social implications of the technology, new social network, virtual communities and ways of interaction that have arisen.

3)- How can internet be studied by sociologists?
The internet, is of interest for sociologists in various ways: as a tool for research, for example, in using online questionnaries instead of paper ones as a analysis of online communities, virtual communities and virtual worlds.
And studied statistically through network analysis and at the same time interpreted qualitatively, such as through virtual ethnography. Social change can be studied through statistical demographics.

4)- Is social change taking place in our society?
With the new technology, it is observing social change, this advanced communication and corresponds entire internet, is an easier way for communication, adding compartments files and more.

5)- What are the cyber crimes?
A computer crime is any action, characteristic unlawful and guilty, which is given by way computer or aims to destroy and damage computers, electronic media and Internet networks. Because the computer is moving faster than the law, there are computer inland criminal conduct can not be considered as a crime, according to the "theory of crime" and therefore defined as computer abuse and computer crime.
For example:

• Obscene or offensive

The content of a website or other media may be obscene or offensive for a range of reasons. In some cases, such content may be illegal. Similarly, there is no universal legal rules and legal regulations may vary from country to country.
Some jurisdictions limit explicitly prohibit certain speech and racism, political subversion, promoting violence, sedition and the material that incites hatred and crime.

• Harassment

Bullying or harassment is content that is directed specifically to an individual or group with comments or insultativos vexatious because of their sex, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, ethnic and cultural identity, etc.. This happens usually in chat channels, groups or sending emails destined exclusively to offend.

• Drug trafficking

Drug traffickers are increasingly taking advantage of the Internet to sell their illegal substances through encrypted e-mail and other Internet Technology. Some drug traffickers arrange deals at internet cafes, use courier Web sites to track illegal packages of pills, and swap recipes for amphetamines in restricted-access chat rooms.

The rise in Internet drug trades could also be attributed to the lack of face-to-face communication. These virtual exchanges allow more intimidated individuals to more comfortably purchase illegal drugs. The sketchy effects that are often associated with drug trades are severely minimized and the filtering process that comes with physical interaction fades away.

• Threats, Intimidation

Although freedom of speech is protected by law in most democratic societies (in US this is done by First Amendment) that does not include all types of speech. In fact spoken or written "true threat" speech/text is criminalized because of "intent to harm or intimidate", that also applies for online or any type of network related threats in written text or speech

• Spam

Spam, or the unsolicited sending of bulk email for commercial purposes, is unlawful in some jurisdictions. While anti-spam laws are relatively new, limits on unsolicited electronic communications have existed for some time.

• Fraud

Computer fraud is any dishonest misrepresentation of fact intended to let another to do or refrain from doing something which causes loss. In this context, the fraud will result in obtaining a benefit by:

 Altering in an unauthorized way. This requires little technical expertise and is not an uncommon form of theft by employees altering the data before entry or entering false data, or by entering unauthorized instructions or using unauthorized processes;
    Altering, destroying, suppressing, or stealing output, usually to conceal unauthorized transactions: this is difficult to detect;
    Altering or deleting stored data;
    Altering or misusing existing system tools or software packages, or altering or writing code for fraudulent purposes.
Other forms of fraud may be facilitated using computer systems, including bank fraud, identity theft, extortion, and theft of classified information.

• Cyber warfare

Sailors analyze, detect and defensively respond to unauthorized activity within U.S. Navy information systems and computer networks.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) notes that cyberspace has emerged as a national-level concern through several recent events of geo-strategic significance. Among those are included the attack on Estonia's infrastructure in 2007, allegedly by Russian hackers. "In August 2008, Russia again allegedly conducted cyber attacks, this time in a coordinated and synchronized kinetic and non-kinetic campaign against the country of Georgia. Fearing that such attacks may become the norm in future warfare among nation-states, the concept of cyberspace operations impacts and will be adapted by warfighting military commanders in the future.