“The IRS launched a Web site to make it easier for political organizations to electronically file required documents and improve the publics access to the information. The Political Organizations Filing and Disclosure site, at www.irs.gov/polorgs, reflects congressional changes from last year intended to ensure that political organizations with tax-exempt status, known as Section 527 political… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: July 2003
Homeland Security and Tracking US Borders
Border tracking system will be partially operational by years end. “One of the Bush administrations most ambitious and complicated homeland security initiatives (the US-Visit Program) – the tracking of about 35 million foreign visitors as they enter and exit the United States annually – will be partially operational by the end of the year, Homeland… Continue Reading
States, Privacy and Growing Opposition to Patriot Act
In the Fight for Privacy, States Set Off Sparks. “An even more dramatic measure of growing concern has been that three states and 133 localities have adopted resolutions critical of the USA Patriot Act. These have usually cited the threat of the F.B.I. rummaging through library and bookstore records, a practice for which there is… Continue Reading
Hearing on Use and Misuse of the Social Security Number
Testimony and Statement for the Record of Chris Jay Hoofnagle, Deputy Counsel, Electronic Privacy Information Center, at the Hearing on Use and Misuse of the Social Security Number, Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means. U.S. House of Representatives, July 10, 2003. Witness List and links to other testimony. Continue Reading
DARPA On the Technology Bleeding Edge
DARPA’s Information Processing Technology Office (IPTO) is soliciting proposals for a program called Real-World Reasoning, to “explore and develop foundations, technology and tools to enable effective, practical automated reasoning of the scale and complexity required for computers to perform complex tasks in the real world requiring intelligence.” “Specifically, the program intends to: 1. Develop and… Continue Reading
Cached Pages on Google Raise Copyright Issues
From News.com: “Through a caching feature on the popular Google search site, people can sometimes call up snapshots of archived stories at NYTimes.com and other registration-only sites. The practice has proved a boon for readers hoping to track down Web pages that are no longer accessible at the original source, for whatever reason. But the… Continue Reading
CA Rep. Voices Opposition to E-Mail Spam Decision
The June 30 decision by the California Supreme Court in Intel Corp. v. Hamidi has spurred California Rep. Chris Cox to announce that this “most peculiar ruling … needs legislative correction.” His comments were made during a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on Legislative Efforts to Combat Spam, held July 9. Continue Reading
Webcasters v. RIAA
Webcaster Alliance, Inc. “announced its’ concerns about anticompetitive conduct in the market for Internet radio, which were made in a letter to the Recording Industry Association of America. The Alliance notified the RIAA of its’ intention to initiate legal proceedings unless the RIAA takes concrete steps to address anticompetitive conditions in the market that threaten… Continue Reading
Microsoft Speech Server
Microsoft has released into beta testing its speech server and said it will launch a partner program for solution providers building speech applications. Microsoft’s White Paper: Microsoft Speech Server, Enabling people to use speech as part of their everyday interactions with software and services whether they are using telephones, mobile devices, or PCs. Continue Reading
New ACLU Report on the Patriot Act
From the press release: The American Civil Liberties Union today said that it has found a consistent pattern of factually inaccurate assertions by the Department of Justice in statements to the media and Congress, statements that mischaracterize the scope, potential impact and likely harm of the now-notorious USA PATRIOT Act. Seeking Truth From Justice: PATRIOT… Continue Reading
Law Libraries: Books and Online Services are Both Essential
Revolution or Evolution for Law Libraries? – “More seasoned practitioners are loath to give up traditional libraries; firms would do well to listen to them.” Continue Reading
Protecting Trademarks and Brands on the Internet
“How a company tries to protect its trademark from misuse is important, especially in the age of the Internet when even one web site created by an angry customer can cause major headaches.” Two professors “are recommending companies try creative approaches to the trademark infringement problem before considering legal action.” Continue Reading
