This CNNfyi.com lesson plan is supplemented with material from

E-commerce: helpful or harmful?

March 9, 2001
Web posted at: 5:06 PM EST (2206 GMT)

Editor's note: If you are planning to use the news story that this lesson plan is based on for a homework assignment, please write the URL on the board and have your students copy it. CNNfyi.com updates the site in the early evening, so students may have difficulty finding it without the URL. You can find the lesson plan by going to the Subject Areas page and clicking PREVIOUS in the square for Today's Lesson Plan.

Have students read the CNNfyi.com article, "On guard, on the computer" and ask the following:

1. What is computer hacking? Who is the FBI accusing of ongoing computer hacking? What does the FBI say that Eastern European groups want from the companies? What are the hackers threatening to do if their demands are not met? Why do you think the FBI is involved in this investigation? Why did the FBI decide to openly discuss this problem? What does the FBI want businesses to do to protect themselves? Why do you think many web businesses have ignored warnings that a cyber-assault was forthcoming?

2. What is e-commerce? How do you think the threat of computer hacking affects e-commerce? Cite an example from the CNNfyi.com article, "On guard, on the computer" of a hacking incident. What happened to Western Union's Web site? How did Western Union respond to the theft of credit card numbers of more than 15,000 customers? How does the threat of computer hacking make you more concerned about the safety of purchasing goods on the Internet?

3. Brainstorm with the class about different types of items students purchase on the Internet and list these on the board. Have students identify method of payment for these items and also list these on the board. Invite the students to describe what type of protection companies provide for the information that they supply on the Internet. Have a brief discussion about whether students feel safe purchasing items over the Web.

4. Divide the students into groups. Challenge each group to either modify current methods companies use for securing information on the Internet or to develop a new process for providing safety to consumers online. Have students share their ideas with the class.

Extension

Have students follow the HighWired.com's lesson plan, "The social impact of data storage" to discover how hard disks have impacted the storage, distribution and importance of personal information.

If you use CNN NEWSROOM go to Internet Security broadcast on February 16, 2000.

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