Publicly Available Personal Information and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act was commissioned by the government agency Industry Canada. This 59 page PDF documents the controversy over expanding efforts by the private sector to collect and disseminate personal data via the Web, as well as the availability of such data from court records… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: October 2002
INS Tracking System Encounters Tech Problems
The USA Today reports that the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) has not been properly implemented on two important fronts: the U.S. borders where the installation of scanners is overdue and in terms of training personnel at the institutions tasked with monitoring non-immigrant students. Continue Reading
E-Government Energy Plan for DOE
The Department of Energy’s CIO issued this report, E-Government Strategic Action Plan, A Roadmap for Delivering Services, which was digitally signed by Spencer Abraham, Sec. of Energy. The DOE is pioneering the use of digital signatures to facilitate the dissemination of official documents electronically, saving printing costs. The technology used is from Adobe Systems and… Continue Reading
ACLU Launches Safe and Free Campaign
This statement by Laura W. Murphy, Director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office, details the organization’s new $3.5 million “Safe and Free Campaign” to keep attention focused on post 9/11 privacy and security measures that threaten individual freedoms. Continue Reading
ICANN Announces New .org Operator
See the ICANN annnouncement indicating the choice of theInternet Society to operate the huge .org top level domain (TLD). The decision has stirred controversy according to an internet.com article, Will Big Business Dictate Public Interest? Continue Reading
Trouble At the Patent Office
Declan McCullagh reports that the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, James E. Rogan, stated in an October 15 lecture at the Heritage Foundation that the tide has turned on the high acceptance rate for patent applications. Previously, 65-70% of applications were granted, and now that same percentage are rejected. The lecture… Continue Reading
Watch Dog Groups Monitor Removal of Web Content
OMB Watch is reporting on government web site scrubbing in a follow-up on this issue that was highlighted in a 9/18/02 article by Education Week. Continue Reading
Web Site Restrictions Hobble Senate Campaigns
Federal government web sites are updated regularly, but the sites of Senators running for re-election cannot be updated within 60 days of a primary or the election according to U.S. Senate Internet Services Usage Rules and Policies. Consequently, a tool acknowledged to be a key asset in maintaining effective communication with consitutents is off-limits. See… Continue Reading
Challenges for E-Commerce Remain
“The State of eCommerce 2002: Beyond the Bubble, Beware the Barriers” is a new report by Netchoice.org, a coalition of businesses that promote e-commerce. The organization also issued an accompanying fact sheet summarizing the report’s conclusions. Although online retail sales continue to grow, and high profile companies such as eBay and Amazon are generating profits,… Continue Reading
Broadcasters and Webcasters Battle On
According to this USA Today article, the National Religious Broadcasters and the National Association Broadcasters are not pleased with the webcasting royalty rate compromise reached by the House, which may derail its chances for passage by the Senate. Continue Reading
Federal Agency Protection of Privacy Act
Legislation (H.R. 4561) that would require federal agencies to “prepare preliminary and final privacy impact statements as part of their rulemaking processes” passed the full House October 7 by voice vote. The measure now moves to the Senate. Testimony in support of the bill from the ACLU is here, and from Privcilla.org here. Continue Reading
Library of Congress and the DCMA
This Copyright Office notice of inquiry seeks comments by December 18, 2002 on the “exemption to the prohibition on circumvention of copyright protection systems for access control technologies.” Continue Reading
