INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Music Body Tries to Quash Study of Antipiracy Steps (WSJ)
INTERNET
Web Sites Track Regulatory Changes (WSJ)
Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 2001 (House)
TELEPHONY
Verizon Seeks Connecticut Service (NYT)
PUBLIC TV
Elmo Gets Wired (NYT)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
MUSIC BODY TRIES TO QUASH STUDY OF ANTIPIRACY STEPS
Issue: Intellectual Property
In September, a consortium affiliated with the music industry, known as the
Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), invited volunteers to test the
security of antipiracy technologies known as watermarks, which are embedded
codes in the digital-music files that can be used to block copies. Now the
consortium is pressuring Princeton University computer-science professor
Edward Felten to suppress research that it says could undermine its efforts
to prevent the digital copying of music. Together with a team of other
cryptographic researchers, Mr. Felten said he was not only able to defeat
four of the watermarking methods in the challenge, but also to make educated
guesses about how the watermarking was done in the first place. SDMI claims
publication of results from the test may violate the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act (DMCA), a 1998 extension to copyright law that prohibits
efforts to defeat copy-protection methods. Some legal scholars believe the
DMCA may be unconstitutional, because it holds the potential to stifle free
expression and academic research into cryptography.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: David P. Hamilton]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB988069076366701618.htm)
(requires subscription)
INTERNET
WEB SITES TRACK REGULATORY CHANGES
Issue: Internet/Government
A few years ago, finding out about changes in federal regulations, would
have required days of research in dusty docket rooms and many quarters for
the copying machine. Now, Internet sites run by government agencies and
private groups provide instant access to the anatomy of almost any rule. The
interest in dissecting federal rules has increased sharply with the Bush
administration's review of dozens of last-minute
regulations issued by the Clinton White House. The General Services
Administration's site at reginfo.gov is an electronic road map to every
federal document that concerns regulation. In addition to the government
sites, the web site of many special interest groups-from the AFL-CIO to the
Heritage Foundation--provide analysis of regulation, often with a partisan
tinge, reflecting the politics of the group sponsoring them.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cindy Skrzycki]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55567-2001Apr23.html)
INTERNET FREEDOM AND BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT ACT OF 2001
Issue: Broadband
Draft of Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of 2001 (Requires
Adobe Acrobat) Legislation scheduled for hearing on Wednesday, Markup on
Thursday. See the Committee schedule for more information.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://www.house.gov/commerce/)
TELEPHONY
VERIZON SEEKS CONNECTICUT SERVICE
Issue: Telephony
Verizon Communications said yesterday that it would seek permission from
federal regulators to offer long-distance telephone service in Connecticut.
Verizon, the nation's largest regional phone company, already provides
long-distance service in New York and last week gained approval to offer it
in Massachusetts. Other regional Bell companies now also offer long-distance
service in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Verizon's application with the
Federal Communications Commission to expand in Connecticut is part of a
wider effort by large local-service companies to compete with big long-
distance providers like AT&T, WorldCom and Sprint. In addition to New York
and Massachusetts,
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Simon Romero]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/24/technology/24PHON.html)
(requires registration)
PUBLIC TV
ELMO GETS WIRED
Issue: Public TV
[Op-ED] Gail Collins has concerns about the seemingly close relationship
between AOL and PBS. "Sesame Street," which is underwritten by AOL,
regularly features a dancing "you've got mail" computer. In February, Elmo
was the special guest of an online chat to kick off a new AOL service for
preschoolers. Collins wonders if Elmo's computer fixation amounts to a PBS
version of product placement. The "Sesame Street" folks say nothing could be
further from the truth. "I wasn't even aware AOL is underwriting it, and I'm
the one responsible for content," said Rosemarie Truglio, the vice president
for education and research. "Our pure goal here is an educational goal - to
address computers in children's lives today," said Ms. Truglio.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Gail Collins]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/24/opinion/24COLL.html)
(requires registration)
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