Communications-Related Headlines for October 23, 2002
DIGITAL DIVIDE
Online Lifestyle is Passing Many By
Africa Unites Against E-Divide
INTERNET
Attack on Internet Called Largest Ever
Your Mentor on Cyberspace is Standing By Now
BROADCASTING
Digital Television: the Time is Now
DIGITAL DIVIDE
ONLINE LIFESTYLE IS PASSING MANY BY
Results from a recent Michigan study show that the digital divide is "as
sharp and as stunning as ever," according to the Detroit Free Press. A
survey on technology use conducted for Cyber-state.org, an Ann Arbor-based
nonprofit, found that wealthy white suburbanites were likely to be online,
but low-income African Americans in Detroit were not. While 70 percent of
residents in suburban Detroit have at a PC in the home and have access the
Internet, that figure drops to just 55 percent for the city of Detroit. The
poll also revealed that only 57 percent of African Americans in the area
have used the Internet, compared to 69 percent of white residents.
Additionally, the survey attempted to measure public concerns about the
Internet, citing worries about public records and the confidentiality of
personal information being available online.
[SOURCE: The Detroit Free Press, AUTHOR: Mike Wendland]
(http://www.freep.com/money/tech/webgap21_20021021.htm)
AFRICA UNITES AGAINST E-DIVIDE
Officials from 50 African countries will meet in Johannesburg next week for
the e-Africa Workshop, seeking ways to make government more accessible to
citizens through technology. Their findings will be included in the New
Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) plan. South Africa's Public
Service and Administration Minister, Geraldine Fraser Moleketi, described
the challenge that the conference faces: "[E]-governance lies at the heart
of two global shifts: the information revolution and the governance
revolution.... They bring the opportunity for... radical gains in efficiency
and effectiveness. However, at present any such benefits are accruing to the
few."
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Lucas Ledwaba, ITWeb]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200210230059.html)
INTERNET
ATTACK ON INTERNET CALLED LARGEST EVER
The Internet's structural core suffered -- but survived -- what experts are
calling the largest and most complex attack on the Internet ever. Around
5:00 p.m. EDT Monday, a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack struck
the 13 "root servers," the master directories for the Internet.
Specifically, the Domain Name System (DNS) relies on the root servers to
direct computers to Internet domains. The attack lasted about an hour,
though Internet users around the world were largely not affected. The FBI is
investigating the incident. Chris Morrow, a network security engineer for
UUNET, said it is too early to tell if the attack was a sign of things to
come. "This could be someone just messing around, but it could also be
something much more serious. It's too soon to say," Morrow said.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: David McGuire and Brian Krebs]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A828-2002Oct22.html)
YOUR MENTOR IN CYBERSPACE IS STANDING BY NOW
Students across the country are flocking to Internet chat rooms, bulletin
board and Web sites that allow them to communicate with tutors and obtain
homework or research assistance. America Online's "Ask a Teacher" program,
for example, allows students to post and ask questions to volunteer
teachers. According to a study by the American Institutes for Research,
nearly 80 percent of students from 12 to 17 years old use the Internet for
schoolwork or research. "You get home from school, post something you don't
understand and then check it after dinner," one student commented. "Then you
see what you're supposed to be doing. It's just as helpful as personal
tutoring."
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Jennifer Medina]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/23/technology/23TUTO.html)
BROADCASTING
DIGITAL TELEVISION: THE TIME IS NOW
FCC Chairman Michael Powell was at once optimistic, defensive and
motivational in his remarks to the Association for Maximum Television
yesterday. Powell spoke at length about the opportunities in front of all
telecommunication media, especially television, while warning the audience
that it would be a "grave error" to underestimate the sector based solely on
"the present set back in digital life." The chairman also reiterated the
FCC's function in attempting to resuscitate the industry, describing it as
taking an "aggressive leadership role," adding "we have used our power to
mandate change when an industry could not -- or would not -- come to a
solution. We will not fail to act to keep things moving." Powell concluded
by highlighting the successes in the area of HDTV and pointing out the
looming challenges faced by manufacturers, broadcasters and retail vendors
alike.
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Powell/2002/spmkp211.html)
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