PRIVACY/SECURITY
Cellular Firms Seek 911 Delay (WP)
Living Under an Electronic Eye (NYT)
INTERNET
New Web Suffixes Beset by Trademark, Registration Fights (WP)
Realnetworks Sees Its Future In Content (SJM)
Relief Agencies Retool to Handle Online Flood (NYT)
PRIVACY/SECURITY
CELLULAR FIRMS SEEK 911 DELAY
Issue: Wireless
It has been said before, but it bears repeating: in four days, cell-phone
companies will be required to have technology in place to help emergency
workers track down the location of a 911 call made from a wireless phone. By
all indications they will miss that deadline. All of the companies have
applied to the FCC for waivers on the Oct. 1 deadline. In the waivers, the
various wireless companies claim that the current technologies can not meet
federal rules requiring that they locate the caller within 100 meters, at
least two-thirds of the time. The companies face fines if they are found in
violation of the rules, of without a waiver. Not everyone, however, is a
proponent of the technology: the industry itself points to the pure
technical and logistical hurdles of coordinating a system that can locate an
individual in the vastness or rural areas, or within the "noise" of urban
settings. Add to that the cost of the system: $400,000 to $1 billion. Also,
privacy advocates have, in the past, raised concerns about the application
of such technology for commercial purposes. "It's important for consumers to
have information to know what their options are," and what information they
want automatically disclosed, said Cheryl Leanza, deputy director for
Washington-based Media Access Project, a public interest law firm.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (E05), AUTHOR: Yuki Noguchi]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32392-2001Sep26.html)
LIVING UNDER AN ELECTRONIC EYE
Issue: Security/Privacy
There is a growing tension between decreased personal privacies and
increased public security. And many are asking the question: "If the
technologies to view private records are available to government, should it
be given the powers to use them?" There are, of course, many complexities to
address in answering that question, but in the context of the events of
September 11, more than a few would believe the answer to be "yes." Against
the backdrop of several congressional antiterrorism proposals, current and
historical studies that show Americans tend to be willing to sacrifice
liberties for security.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Lisa Guernsey]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/27/technology/circuits/27PRIV.html)
INTERNET
NEW WEB SUFFIXES BESET BY TRADEMARK, REGISTRATION FIGHTS
Issue: Internet
The rollout of the .biz and .info Web domain suffixes is mired in legal
challenges. A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles heard arguments in two
class-action lawsuits over .biz, slated for launch next month. The suits
raise concerns about the way .biz names are assigned. Similarly, .info, has
been caught up in controversy over whether applicants claimed trademark
rights to win desirable names before they were available to the public. All
of the controversy leads to interesting and opposing view on the process of
establishing new Web domains suffixes. The first view holds that ICANN was
wise to approve only a few new domains instead of hundreds. "These problems
underscore the wisdom of the board in not launching a hundred or a thousand
[suffixes] as some people have urged us to do," said Stuart Lynn, president
and chief executive of ICANN. The other view is more critical, arguing that
ICANN's approval of such a limited amount of new domains creates artificial
scarcity and anxiety. University of Miami law professor, Michael Froomkin
illustrates the view: "Nobody knows when the next round will be or if there
will be a next round," Froomkin said. "That just raises the tension level.
It's not the free-market solution everyone was hoping for."
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Dina ElBoghdady]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32266-2001Sep26.html)
REALNETWORKS SEES ITS FUTURE IN CONTENT
Issue: Internet
After the recent attacks on the World Trade Center, people flocked to the
Web looking for up-to-the-minute information. If the recent spike in
streaming-media traffic is any indication, Web content is more important
than ever, says RealNetworks Chief Executive Rob Glaser. In fact, content
may be the key to his company's future. This week, it introduced RealOne, an
integrated media player designed to strengthen its position against the
rival Windows Media Player. The RealOne player lets users access their
digital music, video and Web content from one application. As essential part
of their strategy to use content to drive downloads and paid subscriptions,
RealNetworks is signing deals with big sports franchises and entertainment
companies.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury, AUTHOR: Kristi Heim]
(http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svfront/real092701.htm)
RELIEF AGENCIES RETOOL TO HANDLE ONLINE FLOOD
Issue: Internet
As the events of September 11th unleashed an unprecedented amount of
giving, the Internet made it possible for millions of dollars in small
donations from around the country and the world to be used for relief
efforts almost instantaneously. "A couple of years ago, it would not have
been possible for citizens to respond with this quickness and magnitude and
get resources to where they're needed immediately," said Lisa Aramony, the
vice president of the AOL Time Warner Foundation. While the American Red
Cross raised $39.5 million online the first week alone, the overwhelming
volume of donations did not come without its problems. The servers that
operate the site were soon jammed with traffic, and people could not get on
to the Web site to find out about relief efforts, where to donate blood or
how to give money to the organization.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jon Christensen]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/26/technology/ebusiness/26RED.html)
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