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Daily Archives: November 24, 2003

Intelligence Appropriations Grants FBI Wider Access to Financial Data

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Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Engrossed Amendment as Agreed to by Senate), (H.R. 2417). Senate agreed to conference report by voice vote, November 21. The conference report, H. Rept. 108-381, was approved by the House, by a vote of 264-163, on November 20.

  • The specific provision that is the focus of concern is Sec. 374, Modification to Definition of Financial Institution in Right to Financial Privacy Act. The definition now mirrors that of Title 31, Subtitle IV, Chapter 53, Subchapter II, Sec. 5312, USC. [Link] thereby expanding the range of organizations from whom financial data may be obtained to include the United States Postal Service, casinos and gaming establishments, ISPs, travel agencies, pawnbrokers, insurance companies, auto dealers, airplane and boat sales, real estate agents and brokers, and “any other business designated by the Secretary whose cash transactions have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, or regulatory matters.”

    • Link Rot Undermines Scholarly Web Research

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    Information science. Going, going, gone: lost Internet references. Dellavalle RP, Hester EJ, Heilig LF, Drake AL, Kuntzman JW, Graber M, Schilling LM, Science (subscription only), October 31, 2003, 302: 787-788. “The use of Internet references in academic literature is common, and Internet references are frequently inaccessible. The extent of Internet referencing and Internet reference activity… Continue Reading

    The Real Price Associated With Free Web Applications

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    When Free Isn’t Really Free: Free applications may include adware, spyware, virusus, and result in copyright infringement lawsuits (music downloading). The article refers to the CDT report on spyware issued last week, about which I posted here and legislation to protect consumers against the collection of personal data via spyware, about which I posted here. Continue Reading

    House and Senate Agree on Consumer ID Theft Protection

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    Conferees Reach Agreement on Landmark Identity Theft Legislation: Highlights of the House Financial Services Committee conference report on H.R. 2622 on the National Consumer Credit Reporting System Improvement Act of 2003, indicate the legislation will: “Provide consumers with a free credit report every year from each of the three national credit bureaus, from a single… Continue Reading

    EU to Establish Agency to Combat Cybercrime in 2004

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    Press release, November 20 2003: EU Commission welcomes agreement of Council and Parliament to set up the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). “It will advise Member States and the Commission on security issues and help co-ordinate activities to ensure a high level of network and information security within the Community. It will address… Continue Reading

    UN Report on the State of Global E-Commerce

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    United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, E-Commerce and Development Report 2003 (228 pages, pdf). From the press release: “The E-Commerce and Development Report focuses on trends in information and communications technologies (ICT), such as e-commerce and e-business, and on national and international policy and strategy options for improving the development impact of these technologies… Continue Reading