Sample Assessments and Rubrics: AI, Privacy and Love

*These questions were made under the assumption that students read about and gained knowledge of our domain and additional information from our annotated bibliography

Assessment 1 Part A: The Spectator’s Need (Relatability) The "spectator" view sees AI as a functional tool for emotional support, a "digital bandage." Question 1. Based on our class discussions regarding the "Intimacy Economy," describe a situation where a person might choose an AI companion over a human one. Why does the "frictionless" nature of AI make it an attractive bandage for isolation? Analysis-This relates to our goal of Mindful Content Delivery. We are looking at the why behind user behavior rather than just the how of the technology.

Part B: The Personal Inquiry (The Human Element) Question 2a. Think of a time you felt unheard or isolated. If a highly sophisticated AI could mirror your emotions and offer "perfect" validation 24/7, would you find that comforting or deeply unsettling? Question 2b. Does the fact that the AI is "simulating" empathy change the value of the comfort you feel? In your view, can a "digital bandage" ever truly heal a social wound, or does it just numb the pain?

Part C: The Specialist Lens (Explicit Principles) Question 3a. Now, look "through the screen" at the power structures. If the "default settings" of this AI are designed to harvest data (as noted by the Mozilla "Privacy Not Included" report), how does your personal vulnerability become a product? Analysis- This targets Critical Thinking. You are asked to synthesize the "subject-matter expertise" (privacy architecture) with the personal experience you described in Part B.

Assessment 2

Part A: Historical Scaffolding (Foundations)

Question 1. Why is ELIZA considered the "ancestor" of the modern intimacy economy? Explain why we treat computers like real people, even when we know the code is simple. Analysis- This provides Explicit Teaching of foundational principles before we move into the "fringe" or more complex modern theories.

Part B: The Institutional Audit (Structural Analysis) Question 2a. Dr. Klein warns that we must see the power structures behind the screen. Pick one modern AI platform (e.g., Replika) and analyze its "default settings" as if you were a digital rights advocate from the EFF. How is the user's emotional dependence leveraged for corporate profit? Is the AI an "enhancement" of human connection or a "substitution" for it? Analysis-This relates to the Appropriate Role of Technology. We are examining if the tech is serving the student/user or if the user is serving the tech's data-extraction goals.

Part C: The "Ghost" in the Social Machine (Synthesis) Question 3a. If your social life became mediated by an "invisible operating system" of AI—where every interaction was recorded and analyzed to "improve your relationships"—would you feel more secure or more controlled? Question 3b. Based on Sherry Turkle’s work, what happens to "human resilience" when we stop practicing the messy, unpredictable parts of real-world love?

Rubric for Assessment 1 Specifications

• Clear explanation of AI as a “digital bandage” within the intimacy economy
• Thoughtful personal reflection that engages with emotional experience
• Analysis of comfort vs. authenticity
• Integration of privacy concerns and institutional power structures
• Coherent and well-structured written response

Grading Exceeds Expectations (A range)

• All components are fully addressed with depth and clarity
• Demonstrates strong connection between personal experience and structural analysis
• Effectively use of course concepts
• Shows critical thinking beyond surface-level description Meets Expectations (B range)
• All components are present but may lack depth
• Demonstrates general understanding of key concepts
• Some connection between personal reflection and analysis, but not fully developed Approaches Expectations (C range)
• Some components are incomplete, unclear, or underdeveloped
• Limited use of course concepts
• Responses tend to be descriptive rather than analytical Does Not Meet Expectations (D/F range)
• Missing major components
• Little evidence of understanding course concepts
• Lacks coherence or meaningful engagement

How this assessment pair helps: These assignments and rubric are intentionally designed to guide students through progressively deeper levels of understanding within the domain of AI, privacy, and love. Assessment 1 moves from relatable, lived experience (the “spectator” perspective) to personal reflection and finally to structural critique, while its rubric reinforces this progression by rewarding integration between emotional insight and institutional analysis. The assessment is designed to ensure students are not engaging with the material without using critical thinking, on a surface level but are able to analyze and apply these concepts to both personal experiences and more specialized tasks.

Rubric for Assessment 2

Specifications

• Accurate explanation of ELIZA and its relevance to modern AI intimacy
• Analysis of a contemporary AI platform’s design
• Application of course concepts
• Thoughtful response to questions about control, mediation, and human resilience
• Clear and structured arguments

Grading Exceeds Expectations (A range)

• Demonstrates strong understanding across all stages (historical, structural, predictive)
• Effectively connects foundational concepts to modern systems
• Provides insightful analysis of power structures and long-term implications
• Uses course materials to support reasoning Meets Expectations (B range)
• Addresses all components clearly
• Shows understanding of key ideas but lacks depth or strong synthesis
• Some use of course concepts, though not fully integrated Approaches Expectations (C range)
• Partial completion of components
• Limited connection between historical and modern analysis
• Responses are more descriptive than analytical Does Not Meet Expectations (D/F range)
• Missing key components
• Minimal understanding of foundational or theoretical concepts
• Lacks critical analysis or coherence

How this assessment pair helps: Assessment 2 is meant to help students build their understanding step by step, starting with basic ideas like ELIZA and moving into bigger questions about AI, privacy, and relationships. The rubric is also focusing on how well students connect those ideas and apply what we’ve learned in class. It pushes students to go beyond just describing things and actually think critically about how AI is shaping intimacy and society.