DIGITAL DIVIDE
Survey Finds Support for School Filters (NYT)
MERGERS
British Telecom, AT&T Abandon Services Merger, Discuss Options (WSJ)
AT&T Wireless Pursues Nextel Deal, Faces Static (WSJ)
Drop in AOL Stock Fuels Speculation About Merger (WP)
WIRELESS
Wireless Wave of the Future (WP)
PRIVACY
Cyber-Crime Treaty (EPIC)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
SURVEY FINDS SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL FILTERS
Issue: Digital Divide
The overwhelming majority of Americans say schools should install filters to
block students from accessing pornography and hate speech, according to a
new national survey commissioned by the Digital Media Forum. Although those
surveyed seemed wary about Internet content, 76 percent said they support
government-funded training to teach educators how to use the Internet, and
60 percent said they support the government's role in brining Internet
access into schools. "The support of federal involvement is high for wiring
classrooms and training teachers," said Andy Carvin, senior associate at
Benton Foundation's Communications Policy Program. The foundation is a
member of the Digital Media Forum, a consortium of six public interest and
consumer groups interested in media policy. "The sense we're getting is
there's strong public support for education and libraries," said Carvin.
Dhavan Shah, of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, conducted the study
for the Digital Media Forum. Shah was surprised by the high level of support
for Internet access programs among those who are not yet online. Typically,
he said, those who are already using the Internet are the strongest
advocates for expanding access.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes), AUTHOR: Rebecca S. Weiner]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/18/technology/18EDUCATION.html)
(requires registration)
MERGERS
BRITISH TELECOM, AT&T ABANDON SERVICES MERGER, DISCUSS OPTIONS
Issue: Mergers
A merger that would have created a giant entity to serve the growing
corporate hunger for high-speed links, Internet access and other data
services fell through when British Telecommunications and AT&T C ended talks
to merge their huge business-services units. The move comes less than a
month after BT confirmed it and AT&T were exploring ways of "broadening and
strengthening the scope of the relationship" between their business-services
segments. Such a merger would have included Concert, an existing BT-AT&T
venture that provides phone and data services to corporate customers. BT
declined to comment specifically on the failed talks. "We're still
continuing to discuss many options of mutual interest regarding our
business services," a BT spokesman said. An AT&T spokesman declined to
comment.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A18), AUTHOR: GAUTAM NAIK and ANITA RAGHAVAN
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB971815742750780447.htm)
(Requires subscription)
AT&T WIRELESS PURSUES NEXTEL DEAL, FACES STATIC
Issue: Mergers
AT&T Wireless and Nextel Communications have been talking about a potential
combination since September that would create a wireless behemoth with 18
million customers, according to people familiar with the situation.
Investors question how the AT&T Wireless unit will gain from such a deal.
Among other things, a combination would pose some big technological
challenges. And, once those are overcome, it wouldn't significantly expand
the unit's coverage area, one goal of cellular-phone combinations. Critics
say AT&T hasn't nurtured its wireless offspring and has instead favored
cable as its favorite son. AT&T and Nextel officials declined to comment on
the ongoing talks.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A21), AUTHOR: Deborah Solomon And Nicole
Harris]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB971815689694144375.htm)
(Requires subscription)
DROP IN AOL STOCK FUELS SPECULATION ABOUT MERGER
Issue: Merger
America Online shares plunged 17 percent to a 52-week low yesterday on
concerns of a potential slowdown in online advertising spending and
uncertainty over the company's pending merger with Time Warner. Time
Warner's stock also fell. Some on Wall Street are wondering whether the two
parties might call off their merger, but sources familiar with the deal
dismissed such speculation. Yesterday's decline was attributed to broader
industry worries that the dot-com shakeout means many Internet companies
are scaling back their ad campaigns, depriving major Web destinations of a
chief source of revenue. The concerns pushed down the stocks of other big
media companies, including Yahoo. Analysts said AOL's stock also suffered
because of media reports that regulators are preparing to go to court to
block the merger if the parties can't agree on concessions.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Alec Klein]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28393-2000Oct17.html)
WIRELESS
WIRELESS WAVE OF THE FUTURE
Issue: InfoTech/Wireless
Starting next month, Japanese consumers will be able to access CD-quality
music through their wireless phones, helping kill the long hours of
commuting to and from work. The new service was one of many innovative
technologies on display in suburban Tokyo earlier this month at a popular
trade show, Ceatec Japan 2000. This year's show focused on the combination
of Internet technologies with wireless phone services, an area in which
Japanese companies lead the world. Among the other technologies showcased at
Ceatec were demonstrations of video images and interactive games for
wireless phones and a service for karaoke fans. Lest you scoff, the cost of
downloading music from the Internet using a mobile phone will be
dramatically lower than that required when using a personal computer. PC
users in Japan have to spend about 20 minutes to download a favorite tune,
but with high-speed mobile communications system called PHS--Personal
Handy-Phone System--consumers will be able to receive the same music in only
a few minutes.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E01), AUTHOR: Akiko Kashiwagi]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26956-2000Oct17.html)
PRIVACY
CYBER-CRIME TREATY
Issue: Privacy
Members of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign (http://www.gilc.org/), an
international coalition of civil liberties and human rights organizations,
have released a letter (http://www.gilc.org/privacy/coe-letter-1000.html)
urging the Council of Europe to reject the current version of its
Convention on Cyber-Crime
(http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/EN/projets/cybercrime.doc). According to
the groups, the draft agreement would infringe on the privacy and free
speech rights of all Internet users.
[SOURCE: Electronic Privacy Information Center]
(http://www.epic.org/)
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