From Secrecy News: “The Library of Congress has recently acquired a new database of declassified documents that is available to members of the public who use the Library in Washington, DC, though it cannot be remotely accessed. The Declassified Documents Reference System, which was purchased from The Gale Group, “provides full-text access to over 500,000… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: September 2003
Beta Technology Disables Camera Phones to Protect Privacy
UK firm Iceberg Systems is beta testing a new technology, Safe Haven, that identifies the use of portable devices with imaging capabilities, and disables this feature within a specified area. Interest in this technology is driven by estimates that there will be 900 million such imaging devices in use worldwide within the next four years.… Continue Reading
Web Services for Remote Portlets Approved By Global Standards Consortium
The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) “announced that its members have approved Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) version 1.0 as an OASIS Standard, a status that signifies the highest level of ratification. WSRP standardizes the consumption of Web services in portal front ends, as well as the way in which… Continue Reading
New Gallup Poll On Patriot Act
From the Gallup Poll press release, September 9, 2003: “The poll, conducted Aug. 25-26, finds 67% of Americans saying the government should not take steps to prevent terrorism if those steps would violate their basic civil liberties, while 29% say the government should take “all steps necessary” to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the… Continue Reading
Hacker Who Exposed Vulnerabilities on Prominent Websites Out on Bail
According to this AP article, the complaint against computer hacker Adrian Lamo included the charge that in 2002 he hacked into the New York Times intranet to access LexisNexis, which he used to incur several hundred thousand dollars in charges as he searched for press about, among other topics, himself. Lamo is today free on… Continue Reading
Bills Introduced to Expand Patriot Act
Antiterrorism Tools Enhancement Act of 2003, H.R. 3037, To strengthen antiterrorism investigative tools, and for other purposes, introduced September 9, 2003. Pretrial Detention and Lifetime Supervision of Terrorists Act of 2003, H.R. 3040, introduced September 9, 2003. See also Bush Seeks to Toughen Anti-Terror Laws and Justice Bell questions expanded Patriot Act: “A Florida Supreme… Continue Reading
Executive Order on Iraqi Assets
Executive Order 13315 of August 28, 2003, Blocking Property of the Former Iraqi Regime, Its Senior Officials and Their Family Members, and Taking Certain Other Actions. Continue Reading
New DOT Website on Nationwide Highway Construction
The new National Highway Specifications (NHS) website provides a searchable database consisting of “currently approved standard highway construction specifications and supplemental specifications from state highway agencies and highway-related organizations throughout the United States.” It is joint venture with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. See the NHS Help File for more details. Continue Reading
E-Gov and Smart Cards
Electronic Government: Challenges to the Adoption of Smart Card Technology, by Joel Willemssen, managing director, information technology, before the Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations, and the Census, House Committee on Government Reform. GAO-03-1108T, September 9. Highlights. Continue Reading
Next Installment of Slate’s Guide to the Patriot Act
From Slate.com: A Guide to the Patriot Act, Part 3 focuses on electronic suveillance. See also Part 1 and Part 2 of the guide. Continue Reading
New Website on Enforcement of Microsoft Antitrust Judgments
This new website, launched today by the California Dept. of Justice, coordinator for the participating states attorneys general listed on the left side of the homepage, allows consumers to post anonymous, online complaints concerning Microsoft’s “unlawful monopoly conduct.” Continue Reading
House Approved Fair Credit Reporting Act
H.R. 2622, to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to prevent identity theft, improve resolution of consumer disputes, improve the accuracy of consumer records, make improvements in the use of, and consumer access to, credit information, and for other purposes, passed the House on September 10. Congressional Record, September 10, 2003: Fair and Accurate Credit… Continue Reading
