INTERNET
Internet Filtering Trial Begins Monday
Anti-Copy Bill Hits D.C.
Government Puts New Controls On Public Access To Weapons Info
BROADCASTING
Broadcasters Should Stop Squatting On Spectrum
INTERNET
INTERNET FILTERING TRIAL BEGINS MONDAY
As part of a massive funding measure passed last year, the Children's
Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires all libraries that receive federal
funding to install Internet filters. The American Library Association and
the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit last year to overturn
the law, saying that it would muzzle constitutionally protected speech. The
Justice Department, on the other hand, takes the position that the new law
does not violate First Amendment rights as it gives communities ultimate
control over how the technology is used. The case, which will be heard in
the same court that overturned two similarly controversial Internet content
laws, is expected to take about nine days. Further information on CIPA is
available from the ACLU Web archive at
http://aclu.org/features/f032001a.html.
[SOURCE: Newsbytes, AUTHOR: David MaGuire]
(http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/175388.html)
ANTI-COPY BILL HITS D.C.
On Thursday, Senator Fritz Hollings, D-SC introduced the Consumer Broadband
and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA) saying, "A lack of security
has enabled significant copyright piracy, which drains American's content
industries to the tune of billions of dollars every year." The bill would
prohibit the sale or distribution of any electronic devices unless it
included copyright-protection mechanisms to be set by the government. Five
senators joined Hollings in supporting the legislation that defines "digital
media devices" as any hardware or software that reproduces, displays, or
"retrieves or accesses" any kind of copyrighted work. Silicon Valley
lobbyists have denounced the CBDTPA. Rhett Dawson, president of the
Information Technology Industry Council has said, "If it were enacted it
could stand in the way of consumers enjoying the benefits of innovation by
having the government make decisions that are best left to the marketplace."
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
(http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,51245,00.html)
GOVERNMENT PUTS NEW CONTROLS ON PUBLIC ACCESS TO WEAPONS INFO
The White House has released new guidelines for government information
requiring federal agencies and departments to remove classified or
"Sensitive but Unclassified" information that could assist possible
attackers in creating weapons. While advocates for government openness
agree that there should be tight controls on classified information, there
are concerns that the "Sensitive but Unclassified Information" category
would allow the government to withhold important information from the
public. Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American
Scientists' government secrecy project has stated that it is "important to
distinguish carefully" since information relating to weapons of mass
destruction can also be used in medical research and emergency preparedness.
Concerning the new guidelines Aftergood said, "It's going to prompt a
far-reaching review, a scrubbing, of not just Web sites, but public reading
rooms, as well as place a new layer of scrutiny on the Freedom of
Information Act."
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/2909817.htm)
BROADCASTING
BROADCASTERS SHOULD STOP SQUATTING ON SPECTRUM
Many broadcasters, as of yet, still haven't rolled-out digital television
(DTV), raising concern that the precious spectrum given to these companies
is wasted. In a prepared statement, Senator McCain said that he "believe[s]
that Congress must address this issue legislatively to protect the American
taxpayer and ensure that the DTV transition will become a reality." McCain
finds merit in the Bush administration 2003 budget that would force
broadcasters to pay a $500 million annual lease on any spectrum they occupy
past 2006. Another proposal, criticized by McCain, would allow broadcasters
to sell back the spectrum that the government gave them to roll out DTV
services.
[SOURCE: Washington Post; AUTHOR: Newsbytes.com Staff]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/15801-1.html)
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