CONTENT
Cyber Law Journal: Controversial Ruling on Library Filters (NYT)
Employers Call Internet Filtering 'Absolute Necessity'(Newsbytes)
DOMAINS
Domain-Name Challenge at Meeting (WSJ)
BROADBAND
California ISPs Unite To Fight Baby Bells (Newsbytes)
FCC
Powell Touts Move to Digital World (NYT)
CONTENT
CYBER LAW JOURNAL: CONTROVERSIAL RULING ON LIBRARY FILTERS
Issue: Content
Acting on complaints from librarians at Minneapolis's central branch
library, the city's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office ruled
last week that the library, by exposing its staff to sexually explicit
images on unrestricted computer terminals, may have allowed for a hostile
work environment. Free speech advocates quickly expressed
concern that the E.E.O.C.'s decision is a dangerous precedent that could
pressure libraries to aggressively monitor patrons' viewing habits or
install filtering software as a means to ward off potential discrimination
suits. Bob Halagan, the librarians' lawyer in the Minneapolis matter, said
that it is a mistake for people to reduce the
controversy to a filtering vs. non-filtering debate. "As a matter of fact,
my clients are split on the subject," he said. "The answer could be separate
computers for children, filtering, limiting printer access, posting notices
or working with local police. It's a complex issue."
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Carl S. Kaplan]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/01/technology/01CYBERLAW.html)
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EMPLOYERS CALL INTERNET FILTERING 'ABSOLUTE NECESSITY'
Issue: Internet Filtering
According to a survey commissioned by Internet filtering company SurfControl
Inc., 75 percent of U.S. employers believe they have the need to install
Internet filtering and monitoring technology to prevent personal use of the
Internet during business hours. More than two-fifths of bosses in
information technology (42 percent) believe that Internet filtering in the
workplace is "standard operating procedure," while almost three-fourths (70
percent) believe that it should be. Businesses are "waking up to the fact
that the Internet does form a big part of the day-to-day work environment
...," said Kevin Blakeman, president of SurfControl, "and as such (Internet
access) needs to be tuned, particularly in today's environment where
productivity is so important." Blakeman encourages employers to unveil their
filtering and monitoring activity to staff in an Internet acceptable use
policy, although Congress has failed to pass legislation requiring companies
to be more transparent.
[SOURCE: Newsbytes, AUTHOR: David McGuire]
(http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/166332.html)
DOMAINS
DOMAIN-NAME CHALLENGE AT MEETING
Issue: Domain Names
ICANN's authority to approve new domain names instituted by the U.S.
government in 1998 has been challenged by the Internet service provider
New.net that in March began selling 20 alternative suffixes such as
"dot-kids," "dot-god," "dot-sport," "dot.xxx," and "dot-travel." New.net
began offering the unsanctioned suffixes because it complained that ICAAN
has moved too slow in introducing new suffixes. ICANN President M. Stuart
Lynn defended his organization's practices as offering long-term stability
over the "illusory short-term advantages" of rushing out and establishing
new domain names. New.net retorted that ICANN's strategy to build consensus
"inherently cannot serve the diverse and large groups that have varying and
even diametrically opposed stakes." ICANN may commission a task force at
Monday's quarterly meeting to set up procedures for evaluating the
transition to establishing seven new suffixes before it will approve more.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB991337795714511835.htm)
BROADBAND
CALIFORNIA ISPS UNITE TO FIGHT BABY BELLS
Issue: FCC
Internet service providers in California have joined forces as the
California Internet Service Providers Association (CISPA) to go up against
the powerful Baby Bells. The association plans to enter the political battle
against the controversial Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act of
2001. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Tauzin and Dingell, would give the Baby
Bells the power to enter the long-distance data market before proving that
local markets are open to competitors. Another priority for CISPA is Pacific
Bell's request before the California Public Utility Commission to enter the
long-distance market. Says Sue Ashdown of the American ISP Association,
"ISPs have a limited lifespan if Tauzin-Dingell passes."
[SOURCE: Newsbytes.com, AUTHOR: Martin Stone]
(http://www.washtech.com/news/telecom/10148-1.html)
FCC
POWELL TOUTS MOVE TO DIGITAL WORLD
Issue: FCC
While FCC Chairman Michael Powell favors marketplace solutions over
government intervention, he said the commission won't ignore the changes
happening in these markets. "We are a key place for helping be a forum and a
voice and even a regulator for Internet infrastructure evolution on the way
to the all-optical world," he said in an interview with Associated Press on
Thursday. Powell also said that the FCC will review restrictions on media
companies, and promised to look at them with a fresh eye. He noted that many
TV rules were enacted decades ago, when there were only three networks.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Powell-Interview.html)
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