According to this article in today’s San Francisco Chronicle, branch libraries in Santa Cruz County have posted signs (as well as an online statement) warning patrons that “Although the Santa Cruz Library makes every effort to protect your privacy, under the federal USA PATRIOT ACT (Public Law 107-56), records of the books and other materials you borrow from this library may be obtained by federal agents.” The website also links users to the Library Joint Powers Board: A Resolution on the USA PATRIOT Act and Related Measures that Infringe on the Rights of Library Users.
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Daily Archives: March 10, 2003
Resource on Consumer Privacy
From the Center for Democracy and Technology, this new 108 page compendium of papers (PDF), Considering Consumer Privacy: A Resource for Policymakers and Practitioners. The papers address a range of privacy issues including: notice, consent/choice, access, security, private right of action, state pre-emption, the online/offline question, ADR, safe harbors, and verification. The CDT’s resource was… Continue Reading
New Campaign Website Launched by LC
Commissioned by the Library of Congress, a terrific new site called PoliticalWeb.info that provides access to the largest and most comprehensive digital collection of resources ever published on the U.S. campaign and election process. See the press release about last week’s launch of the site here. Among the resources available are a chart indicating the… Continue Reading
Library Surveillance Exclusion Sought
Spurred on by an October 22, 2002 letter from the Vermont Library Association, Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) introduced a new bill on March 6, the Freedom to Read Protection Act, to exempt libraries and bookstores from Section 215 of the Patriot Act. He did so with a bi-partisan coalition of 24 co-sponsors. Section 215 is… Continue Reading
New Homeland Security Website for Schools
This press release announces the launch, by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, of a new government website with resources to assist schools in their response to emergencies that include terrorist incidents. Continue Reading
Report on Search Engines That Index Images
The UK Technical Advisory Service for Images (TASI) released a report, A Review of Image Search Engines, on services that collect and index images from websites. The data was collected during the first week of February 2003, and includes a range of general, specialized and meta-search engines. Continue Reading
Computer Recycling Bill
The National Computer Recycling Act was introduced on March 6, “to encourage and promote the recycling of used computers and to promote the development of a national infrastructure for the recycling of used computers.” Continue Reading
Libraries, Net Filters and the Supreme Court
From the New York Times, Computers in Libraries Make Moral Judgments, Selectively, is a commentary by Geoffrey Nunberg who was an expert witness for the American Library Association in their case challenging the constitutionality of the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Continue Reading
Database of RSS Feeds
Via Slashdot, here is a new search engine for RSS feeds, whose name was briefly Roogle, but currently remains nameless so as to deflect a trademark issue. Continue Reading
Customer Opt-Out Option and Verizon
From the blog Pleasing to Remember, detailed information on how Washington state’s 700,000 Verizon customers can opt-out of being the recipients of marketing and junk mail from the company. If customers do not indicate a choice to opt-out, Verizon will share their data with affiliates and third parties. Continue Reading
