“In a letter (PDF) to the Transportation Security Administration’s privacy officer, EPIC has asked why the Secure Flight Privacy/IT Working Group is not being operated in accordance with federal law intended to ensure transparency of government advisory committees. “EPIC has urged TSA, since the earliest days of its existence, to develop aviation security policies and initiatives in an open and public manner,” EPIC stated. “Given the clear privacy implications of the Secure Flight program . . . and the obvious public concern surrounding a system that will conduct background checks on tens of millions of citizens, we belive it is critical that any assessments of Secure Flight be made in an open manner.” For more information, see EPIC’s Passenger Profiling Page.”
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Monthly Archives: January 2005
Electronic Evidence Increasingly Important in Trials
The proliferation of PCs, digital cameras, cell phones and other electronic data collection and distribution gadgets has resulted in the increased importance of digital evidence in a range of cases outside the scope of those that involve cybercrimes such as ID theft and fraud. Continue Reading
Competition Between Search Engine Leaders Accelerates
Search Sites Play a Game of Constant Catch-Up: Google and Yahoo are in a neck and neck competition as they each launch new services at a steady pace, broadening the scope of applications available to users. See also Danny Sullivan’s related comments, NYT On Yahoo’s US Gains & Google’s Endless Betas And for some speculation… Continue Reading
Fees for FOI Request to DOJ Could Top $400,000
The DOJ has estimated fees at $372,999 for a FOIA request made by People for the American Way. The group’s efforts to obtain copies of documentation pertaining to cases involving 9-11 detainees has been underway since 2003. Additional information about the matter and the government’s justification for the fees is detailed in this Daily Business… Continue Reading
Upcoming Hearings on Patriot Act Implementation
Press release: “Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) gained the commitment of the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the implementation of the controversial Patriot Act. The review would be of the entire act, including those provisions set to expire at the end of this year. Rep. Lofgren succeeded in adding an amendment to the… Continue Reading
FTC Reports on Telemarking Fraud and Abuse
Press release: FTC Continues Battle Against Telemarketing Fraud and Abuse “The quarterly enforcement update issued today can be found on the FTCs Web site here. The telemarketing fraud and abuse enforcement Web page can be found here.” Continue Reading
CRS Updates Report on Access to Government Information
Access to Government Information in the United States, updated January 7, 2005. Continue Reading
E-Voting Manufacturer Announces Availability of Paper Trail
Press release: Diebold Election Systems Submits Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Printer for Federal Qualification – “Diebold Election Systems has completed design of a paper-based, voter-verifiable printer module that has been submitted for federal system qualification. The module enables a voter to print out, review and verify candidate selections made on a Diebold touch screen voting… Continue Reading
GAO Review of Do Not Call Registry
Telemarketing: Implementation of the National Do-Not-Call Registry GAO-05-113, January 28, 2005, Highlights. “The Conference Report for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, mandated that GAO evaluate the implementation of the national registry. Specifically, this report addresses (1) how FTC and FCC have implemented and operated the national registry, (2) fees collected to cover costs to operate… Continue Reading
Copyright Offices Seeks Comments on “Orphan Works”
SUMMARY: “The Copyright Office seeks to examine the issues raised by “orphan works,” i.e., copyrighted works whose owners are difficult or even impossible to locate. Concerns have been raised that the uncertainty surrounding ownership of such works might needlessly discourage subsequent creators and users from incorporating such works in new creative efforts or making such… Continue Reading
EPA Removes Data From Website to Evaluate Accuracy
From OMB Watch: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed one database from its public website and slightly altered another due to a Data Quality Act (DQA) challenge submitted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber submitted the request May 26, 2004, asserting that physical and chemical property information in several EPA databases was… Continue Reading
Business.com Now Offers People Search
Press release: “Business.com… announced the addition of “People Search” to its core business search capabilities. “People Search” allows business professionals to easily locate and learn about sales prospects, potential business partners, and job candidates on the Web by searching summaries of 24 million business people via a database… (that) continually scans millions of corporate websites,… Continue Reading
