August 2008

Federal Communications Commission member Robert McDowell announced that Rosemary Harold will be joining his staff as Legal Advisor for media issues. Harold has worked at the Commission since December 2005, most recently as Deputy Chief of the FCC's Media Bureau. Before coming to the Commission, she was a partner in the law firm of Wiley Rein and Fielding, LLP, representing clients before the FCC, FTC and FDA. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Harold was a professional journalist. Ms. Harold received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, her M.A in journalism from the University of Missouri, and her B.A. from the College of William and Mary.

As the Democrats and Republicans gather at their national conventions, it is time to really think about a comprehensive national technology policy for the Internet Age. Many laws and policies governing the Internet and digital property are inadequate attempts to transplant rules from a different era. The problems that arise are not just about Net Neutrality (see Comcast) or copyright infringement or digital privacy. They are about all of these things. What we need is a Digital Bill of Rights that spells out what freedoms and rights consumers can expect from Internet service providers, content companies, device manufacturers, and the government itself. Both Presidential candidates have already outlined their technology platforms. (Obama did so last year; McCain only got around to unveiling a formal tech policy earlier this month. Both Obama and McCain also spoke to TechCrunch about their thoughts on tech policy during the primaries). But McCain's technology platform is a bit vague, and Obama's choice of tech-challenged Joe Biden as his running mate is not exactly a confidence builder. The fact is that nobody in either party has pulled together a focused set of principles that can truly guide both lawmakers and policymakers. It's a tall order, but it is important to have a consistent policy governing everything from Internet Protocol regulations to intellectual property on the Web. Here's a first stab at such a bill of rights: The Right to Use and Reuse Content; The Right To Control Digital Property On Your Own Device; The Right To The Free Flow Of Information; The Right To (Some) Privacy; and The Right to Control Your Digital Identity.

A handful of education and education technology associations launched a print and radio public service announcement campaign on Wednesday themed "One Giant Leap for Kids" that asks the presidential candidates to make K-12 student access to ed-tech and modern learning environments a top national priority. The PSAs will be sent to campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama along with five questions about each candidate's vision for the future of the modern classroom.

Last November, hundreds of government, industry leaders and Internet activists from around the planet gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the second Internet Governance Forum. Attendees were invited to complete an online survey about their views of the role of the Internet around the world and how about how governments and other regulators should structure policy about the Internet. Respondents indicated strong support for the establishment of a global Internet users Bill of Rights. Some 66% of those participating in this survey agreed with the statement: "A global Internet Bill of Rights should be adopted." Only 6% disagreed. Some key planks of the Bill of Rights would be: freedom of information, freedom of expression, and the right of people to have affordable access. Some 76% of respondents supported freedom of information as a core ethic of online life and 75% agreed that such a policy ensuring freedom of expression on the Internet should be adopted. On the other side of the issue, 62% of respondents said they believe content controls weaken the Internet. And by a 59%-28% margin, they disagreed with the statement, "My country should have the right to approve the Internet content available to the people of my country."