PRIVACY
Traveling? Take Big Brother Along
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Churches Use Cyberspace to Grow Community Links
'Alternative' Payphones to Bridge Digital Divide in Malaysia,
Bangladesh
INTERNET
Will Broadband Providers Control Net Content in the U.S.?
APC Opposes Actions against Al Jazeera Website
Tuning into the Hype about Wi-Fi
PRIVACY
TRAVELING? TAKE BIG BROTHER ALONG
The Transportation Security Administration's proposed passenger screening
database has drawn criticism from privacy advocates, but its danger may lie
not in government snooping but in the airline and travel agent data on which
it will be based. Travel industry databases contain information as detailed
as what travelers eat, with whom they share rooms and even a hotel staff's
opinion of their disposition. These passenger records are never deleted, and
the TSA is hoping to exclude this information from the jurisdiction of
privacy laws.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Michelle Delio]
(http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,58344,00.html)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
CHURCHES USE CYBERSPACE TO GROW COMMUNITY LINKS
Dr. Abdul Alkalimat, director of the Africana Studies program at the
University of Toledo, has launched a digital divide initiative that has
captured the interest of hundreds of churches across the city of Toledo.
Cyber-Church, as the program is known, has helped local churches go online
by recruiting local young people to train church members and staff so they
can launch websites. To date, over 300 churches have created sites as part
of the initiative. "This is our vision of the future," said Brian Zelip, who
coordinates one of the community technology centers where training takes
place. "We can use information technology to teach lessons without the
exclusion of resources. We can celebrate ourselves by putting ourselves in
cyberspace." Though the program has been most successful in the local
African American community, it is open to all faiths, with local synagogues
and mosques now getting involved.
[SOURCE: Toledo Blade, AUTHOR: Clyde Hughes]
(http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20030403&Category=NEW
S10&ArtNo=104030144)
(http://www.cyber-church.us)
'ALTERNATIVE' PAYPHONES TO BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN MALAYSIA, BANGLADESH
Malaysian telco REDtone has announced plans to install a total of 20,000
"alternative" payphones across Malaysia and Bangladesh. The payphones, which
lack the ability to take coins, tokens or calling cards, will be placed in
coffee shops, stores and other local establishments. Users will leave a
small deposit with the owner of the establishment and be able to make calls
at discounted rates -- rates up to 70 percent less than other telephone
services. REDTone hopes the service will allow greater telephone access in
rural communities that often lack services affordable to local residents.
[SOURCE: The Star (Malaysia), AUTHOR: Ahmad Zuber Ibrahim]
(http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2003/4/4/technology/04rura
l&sec=technology)
(long URL may need to be pasted together if broken)
INTERNET
WILL BROADBAND PROVIDERS CONTROL NET CONTENT IN THE U.S.?
Attendees at this week's Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference in New
York debated the future regulatory environment surrounding broadband
Internet access. Some, including Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital
Democracy, fear that cable providers will limit access to certain content
over their broadband networks. The cable industry refutes this assertion,
and argues against additional regulation in the burgeoning broadband market.
[SOURCE: IDG New Bureau, AUTHOR: Scarlet Pruitt]
(http://www.idg.com.sg/idgwww.nsf/unidlookup/DBA538C52BC6B04C48256CFE0013EEF
6)
APC OPPOSES ACTIONS AGAINST AL JAZEERA WEBSITE
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC), an international
network of civil society organizations, has come out in opposition to recent
attempts to curtail the online presence of Arabic-language news service Al
Jazeera. "The Internet must be allowed to freely perform its unique and
vital role as a promoter of 'freedom of expression' and content diversity,
especially in times of conflict," APC said in a statement released today.
APC noted that online freedom of expression was consistent with the UN
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that the
right to freedom of opinion and expression -- including the right to seek,
receive and impart information -- is a recognized human right and must be
protected. Al Jazeera, which last week launched its English-language online
service (http://english.aljazeera.net), has been the victim of repeated
denial-of-service attacks, domain name hijackings and other malicious hacks.
"The computer hacks, online vandalism and the canceling of Al-Jazeera's web
hosting contract all interfere with the UN declared right to 'receive and
impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers,'" APC said.
[SOURCE: The Association for Progressive Communications]
(http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=10848)
TUNING INTO THE HYPE ABOUT WI-FI
Despite a steady increase in the number of wireless "hotspots" around the
US, consumers have been slow to use the service in locations such as
McDonald's and Starbucks. Nevertheless, companies such as T-Mobile continue
to roll out new locations. "The service hasn't even been promoted yet," said
T-Mobile spokesperson Kim Thompson. Starbucks also reports that they have
been pleased with the level of usage thus far, and have announced plans to
bring Wi-Fi to 500 more shops by year's end.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Elisa Batista]
(http://www.wired.com/news/wireless/0,1382,58305,00.html)
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