Educational Media Reviews Online

This video combines the stories from computer hackers, victims of computer crimes, computer security experts, and government officials to explore the various reasons for hacking, actual and potential results of computer mischief, what is being done to address hacking, and the difficulties in deciding how to create safer Internet policies. Information from the hackers, computer security experts, and government officials is balanced so that hacking is neither glorified nor immortalized; discussions with the victims of computer crimes are presented sympathetically. It also includes the different kinds of hackers: individuals who cause mischief or crime, those who work with government and industry to identify and improve computer systems, and others who fall somewhere in between.

The overall technical quality is very good. All of the presenters could clearly be seen and heard. Most of the background scenes were well lit and excellently composed to illustrate either elements of computer hacker culture or a training simulation designed to explore responses to acts of hacking directed toward groups of people or social institutions. In addition to the concepts of computer hacking, computer crime, and network security, this video could easily be used to facilitate discussions about emerging issues of cyber ethics, corporate responsibility; the vulnerability of personal information on the Internet; and the need to educate individuals about safe computing. This would be a welcome addition to any library with a focus on social computing issues, developing legal issues, and the challenges of life in the age of computers.