COMPETITION
FCC Levies Record Fine Against SBC
INTELLECTUALL PROPERTY
Court Finds Copyright Case a Tough One
BROADCASTING
ANC Determined to Push Ahead with Broadcasting Bill
WIRLESS
Wired, but Drawing the Line
Handheld Translators that Talk
COMPETITION
FCC LEVIES RECORD FINE AGAINST SBC
The FCC fined SBC Communications $6 million on Wednesday for failing to open
its landline telephone network to competing companies. The fine is the
highest ever imposed by the FCC, which had made sharing a condition of SBC's
1999 merger with Ameritech. "Instead of sharing, as the law requires, SBC
withheld and litigated, forcing competitors to expend valuable time and
resources to exercise their rights under the FCC's order," FCC Chairman
Michael Powell said, adding that "[s]uch unlawful, anti-competitive behavior
is unacceptable."
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Ben Charny]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1033-961491.html?tag=fd_top_7)
INTELLECTUALL PROPERTY
COURT FINDS COPYRIGHT CASE A TOUGH ONE
After intense oral arguments on Wednesday, the Supreme Court appeared torn
as to the ultimate outcome of the Eldred v. Ashcroft copyright extension
case. The high court's ruling will determine whether Congress faces any real
limits in giving authors and artists exclusive control of their work -- a
matter made murkier by the Internet's ability to facilitate the spread of
works in the public domain. "I can find a lot of fault with what Congress
did here... [b]ut does it violate the Constitution?" asked Justice Sandra
Day O'Connor, adding that it might not have been good policy to keep so much
art from public use. Stanford Law professor Lawrence Lessig answered Justice
O'Connor's question in the affirmative, arguing that the 20-year extension
exceeds Congress's power to set "limited times" and also violates the First
Amendment. While Lessig focused on potential users of artistic works,
Solicitor General Theodore Olson defended the creators, suggesting that
Congress intended to give artists a wide window to benefit from a work's
distribution.
[SOURCE: USA Today, AUTHOR: Joan Biskupic]
(http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2002-10-09-net-copyright_x.htm
)
BROADCASTING
ANC DETERMINED TO PUSH AHEAD WITH BROADCASTING BILL
Despite constitutional concerns, South Africa's African National Congress
(ANC) is determined to finalize a proposed broadcasting amendment bill this
week. The controversial measure would bring the SA Broadcasting Corporation
(SABC) under ministerial control and create two new television channels.
Communication committee chairman Nkenke Kekana said the ANC was "absolutely
determined" to achieve language equality in broadcasting and that the two
new channels would give better coverage to indigenous languages and local
content. The legal question involves whether creation of new stations by the
ANC usurps the power of the Independent Communications Authority, the
regulatory body charged with issuing broadcast licenses.
[SOURCE: AllAfrica, AUTHOR: Linda Esnor, Business Day]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200210090131.html)
WIRELESS
HANDHELD TRANSLATORS THAT TALK
Computer technology is playing a growing role in the US military. Portable
language translators will be important tools for U.S. troops that might
eventually find themselves in Iraq. The Phraselator, which can help convert
English into spoken Arabic, Farsi or Kurdish, will be able to convey
questions relating to various military concerns. Officials at the U.S.
Special Forces Command say they hope improvements in the current Phraselator
will also help in US coordination with indigenous allied forces and in
communication with civilians. "You get really worried that a bunch of scared
American soldiers and a bunch of scared civilians won't be able to talk to
each other," said John Pike, a military analyst with GlobalSecurity.org.
"Anything they can do to get the civilian population out of harm's way would
help minimize casualties."
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jim Krane]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47695-2002Oct5.html)
WIRED, BUT DRAWING THE LINE
A lot of people who work with technology everyday are beginning to want some
time away from the constant connectivity. "There's something about working
with technology that makes people want to become Quakers," said Chris
Rettstatt, a co-founder of the children's Web site KidFu. Many
professionals are attempting to banish excessive digital devices from their
lives. Karen Matthews of the Computer History Museum, for example, uses the
Handspring Treo, a cell phone/PDA/Internet browser that allows her to
communicate without lugging around a laptop. Others have gone as far as to
eliminate all electronic gadgets from their life outside of work.
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Katie Hafner]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/10/technology/circuits/10resi.html)
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