“The Vanderbilt Television News Archive, the worlds most comprehensive collection of television network news programs, marks its 35th anniversary this week by going digital.” [Link] “Since Aug. 5, 1968, archivists at Vanderbilt University have preserved on videotape and indexed nearly 40,000 hours of network news just as they aired on television sets throughout the nation….the… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2003
Non-Profit Fights Spam
The Inbox Defense Task Force is “a non-profit legal research organization dedicated to tracking down the true identities of spammers.” The organization lists the following goals on its website: Find the Spammers; Create Courtroom-Quality Documentation; Enable Prosecution and Private Legal Action. A lengthy review of this organization’s work, by Keith H. Hammonds, a Fast Company… Continue Reading
ACLU Report on Patriot Act
Unpatriotic Acts: The FBI’s Power to Rifle Through Your Records and Personal Belongings Without Telling You, July 2003, from the ACLU. The focus of this 26 page report (pdf) is an examination of, along with related resources and legal documents on, Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act, “which gives the FBI unprecedented access to… Continue Reading
ALA’s Objections to Childrens Internet Protection Act Decision
CIPA Decision Response: A statement from ALA President Carla D. Hayden and the ALA Executive Board, July 25, 2003. Continue Reading
What is the Liability of ISPs?
Defamation Immunity On The Internet, by John W. Dean: “Recently, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unwisely held, in Batzel v. Cremers, that a federal statute immunizes certain statements on the Internet from defamation liability. But Judge Ronald M. Gould dissented, urging a closer look at the consequences of the ruling.” Continue Reading
Law Prof. Speaks Out on Students and File Sharing
Prof. Anthony D’Amato, Northwestern University School of Law, notes his opposition to Loyola University Chicago’s compliance with an RIAA subpoena for the names of two students who allegedly engaged in file-sharing, contrary to university policy. Continue Reading
TSA Has Additional Screening Measures for Political Activists
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) maintains a no-fly blacklist that may include thousands of names, to which the CIA, FBI, Immigration and Dept. of State contribute information. See also Airline passenger screening tested: “The Homeland Security Department will begin testing a program to classify all airline passengers according to their security risk.” CAPPS II Privacy… Continue Reading
Microsoft’s Website Hit By DOS Attack
“Microsoft’s Web site was made inaccessible for an hour and 40 minutes Friday afternoon when a denial-of-service attack overwhelmed the site with traffic, making it impossible for legitimate page requests to get through.” [Link] Continue Reading
Intelligent Information Gathering
Robin Good’s Mini Guide: Become a News G-d: How to be the first one to know everything about anything – Intelligent Information Agents Come of Age. This 102 page guide, in pdf, is available for purchase via Robin Good’s Sharewood Tidings website. Arranged in 14 short chapters, it evaluates a wide range of free and… Continue Reading
Music Downloaders Undeterred by Copyright Laws
Music Downloading, File-sharing and Copyright: A Pew Internet Project Data Memo [Link] “The struggle to enforce copyright laws in the digital age continues to be an uphill battle for content owners. Data gathered from Pew Internet & American Life Project surveys fielded during March – May of 2003 show that a striking 67% of Internet… Continue Reading
ISP Pac Bell Sues RIAA
“Pacific Bell Internet Services, a unit of SBC Communications Inc., claims subpoenas filed by the Recording Industry Association of America and Titan Media Inc. threaten the privacy rights of its subscribers, most of whom live in California.” [Link] Thanks to Ella V. Delaney, who also provided the following information: Pacific Bell Internet Services v. RIAA… Continue Reading
New Privacy Bill: Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act
From the American Library Association Washington Office Newsline: “Last night, July 31, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), introduced the “Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act.” (S. 1552) This bill contains many provisions that will help to restore some protections of civil liberties weakened by the USA PATRIOT Act. Several provisions are of… Continue Reading
