OSU-Tulsa Professor Presentation to Explore the Internet's Role in Anti-Terrorism and Privacy

Thursday, April 12, 2007

TULSA – The Internet has become an integral part of everyday life. Many people use it as a commercial and entertainment forum, but one Oklahoma State University-Tulsa professor believes the Web can also play an important role during times of terrorism.
 
OSU-Tulsa professor Dr. Jinkyu Lee will explore the use of the Internet as an effective communication channel between the U.S. government and citizens in his lecture “Implications of the Internet for Anti-Terrorism and Individuals’ Privacy.”
 
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will take place April 17th at 6:30 p.m. in the OSU-Tulsa Conference Center.
 
Lee said the Internet is proving to be an efficient communication tool that significantly improves information flow between citizens and anti- and counter-terrorism organizations. However, the system is not perfect.
 
“Ideally, when citizens face a high terrorism risk, they should feel confident that they can rely on a government Web site for safety information and provide sensitive information to the Web site,” Lee said. “When anti-terrorism organizations use Web sites to gather information input from the public, such as reporting suspicious behavior, they also need to guarantee that they will not misuse any private information gathered.”
 
Lee said many people are unaware of information security and privacy risks that exist on the Internet, even when providing anonymous tips.
 
“Online public services for national security, especially when it comes to submission of private information, often force citizens to make a difficult decision between divulging information that could benefit public safety and risking individual privacy,” Lee said.
 
Lee’s lecture is part of the Faculty Research Excellence Series presented by the OSU-Tulsa Library. OSU-Tulsa is located just north of downtown at 700 N. Greenwood Avenue, near I-244 and Detroit Avenue. To learn more, call 918-594-8000.