In this course we will explore the public policies and cultures of use that regulate and drive the Internet. Weekly topics include surveillance and privacy, intellectual property, network neutrality, media ownership, user-generated content, peer-to-peer networks, virtual worlds, and mobile media. Readings are drawn from a wide range of documents, from manifestoes to legal decisions to scholarly essays. We will consider the history of the Internet as well as its current state and possible futures. Students will be expected to do original research that they will present in class and write up as research papers.