The New York Times sort of catches the wave on the increasingly popular new grass roots broadcasting format, in this article, Tired of TiVo? Beyond Blogs? Podcasts Are Here. Created by tech pioneers Adam Curry and Dave Winer, podcasting offers “amateurs” a means by which they can create and disseminate information on issues great and… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2005
State AGs Request Victim Notification in Growing Database ID Theft Case
From the press release, Office of the Illinois Attorney General, February 16, 2005: “Joined by several other state Attorneys General, Attorney General Lisa Madigan has written to a Georgia company that collects vast amounts of personal and financial data urging that the company immediately notify any Illinoisans whose information may have been breached following the… Continue Reading
Search Engines Facilitate Quick and Easy Name, Address, and Phone Number Locator
There have been a number of articles in recent months on privacy issues associated with search engine queries. This one, Is It Too Easy To Find People On Google? from Investor.com offers a quick review of how data from public sources is aggregated and returned in search results via services from Google, Yahoo and MapQuest. Continue Reading
Bill Calls for Notification When Database ID Theft Occurs
From the press release: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)…called for a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on legislation that she sponsored which would require businesses or government agencies to notify individuals if a database has been broken into and personal data has been compromised, including Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and credit cards. This follows two… Continue Reading
New York Times Buys About.com
From the New York Times press release today: “Our core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and disseminating high-quality news, information and entertainment. We do this at all of our properties and the same is true of About. Ranking in the top 15 most frequently visited sites, About.com is one of the Web’s… Continue Reading
Newsfeeds Now Available From Financial Times and The Economist
The Financial Times and The Economist now provide RSS feeds. The Financial Times requires a subscription to portions of its respective content, so be aware that the newsfeeds will be likewise restricted if you are not a subscriber. The paper is currently offering links to 14 content areas on this webpage. The Economist has two… Continue Reading
Report Gives Most Federal Agencies Failing Grade on Computer Security
The results of the 2004 Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) Report Card, dated February 16, 2005, are a governmentwide grade of D+. Related references: Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis’ (R-VA) statement on the report includes links to the FISMA 2004 Report Grading Element and to a letter to the Commissioner of the Public… Continue Reading
White Paper Critical of High Tech End User License Agreements
Press release: “Today the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) released a white paper (Dangerous Terms A User’s Guide to EULAs) warning consumers about how they can be harmed by end user license agreements (EULAs) for consumer electronics and online services. Many EULAs contain terms that damage consumer interests, including invitations for vendors to snoop on… Continue Reading
California ID Theft Case Now Has National Impact
Updates today on news earlier this week, Data Mining Aggregator Reports Widespread ID Theft, disclose that the scope of the ID theft scam may involve half a million individuals around the country, not just the 35,000 in California as initially reported. Related resources: Defendant In Major ID-Theft Case Found Guilty Choicepoint Fraud Highlights Need for… Continue Reading
DHS Factsheet on Cybersecurity
From the Department of Homeland Security, Fact Sheet: Protecting Americas Critical Infrastructure Cyber Security: “In February 2003, President George W. Bush issued the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace. Recognizing the increasing danger posed by cyber threats and the devastating disruption that could result because of the interdependent nature of information systems that support our… Continue Reading
Bill Introduced to Restore Scientific Integrity to Federal Research and Policymaking
“Restore Scientific Integrity to Federal Research and Policymaking: Reps. Waxman and Gordon introduce H.R. 839, legislation to protect federal science from political interference. The bill includes bars on manipulating science, suppressing research, and using political litmus tests to appoint members of scientific advisory committees.” The following documents are all in PDF format: Bill Summary Press… Continue Reading
Searchable Database of the President’s Appointees
From the Progressive Government Institute, a wealth of data is available on the President’s appointees from this website, which offers users the option of locating specific information via graphical charts for each agency, or using keyword searching on fields that include: Appointee Name or Title, Appointee Job Function, and Nominee Name or Background. “The President… Continue Reading
