Free Speech/First Amendment
WP: Ruling Limits Speech Rights for Teachers
Internet
TelecomAM: Internet Said To Help and Hurt Congress,
Consume Human Resources
Wireless
WSJ: Network Snags Imperil Sales Of Motorola
TelecomAM: McCain To Introduce Bill To Repeal Excise
Tax On Telecom Services
TelecomAM: Kennard Calls On Wireless Industry To Meet 'Club' Obligations
Cable
WSJ: TCI Selects At Home Corp. For Services
Regulation
NYT: European Study Paints Chilling Portrait of Technology's Uses
** Free Speech/First Amendment **
Title: Ruling Limits Speech Rights for Teachers
Source: Washington Post (B3)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-02/24/116l-022498-idx.html
Author: Brooke Masters
Issue: Free Speech/First Amendment
Description: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court ruled that a North Carolina school
board did not violate a school teacher's First Amendment rights when it
disciplined her for putting on a controversial play. In the majority opinion
the court found that school boards by definition have control over decisions
that involve cirriculum. "Someone must fix the cirriculum of any school. In
our opinion it is far better public policy...that the makeup of the
cirriculum be entrusted to local school authorities who are in some sense
responsible rather than to the teachers who would be responsible only to the
judges." The teacher picked the play "Independence" which is controversial
because of its portrayal of a "dysfunctional family, including promiscuity
and lesbianism."
** Internet **
Title: Internet Said To Help and Hurt Congress, Consume Human Resources
Source: Telecom AM---feb. 24, 1998
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Internet
Description: The Internet can help the gov't., lobbyists and public interest
groups, but can also pose serious dangers to the institution of the
Congress, speakers said at a conference in Washington. At "Lobbying and the
Internet," Howard Marlowe, head of the Marlowe & Company lobbying firm, said
Web sites he set up for clients have been useful and efficient in
communicating information. He said lobbyists can use the Internet to win
their legislative fights and advised that simple e-mail should not be
overlooked as a means of keeping interested Net users in touch with issues.
** Wireless **
Title: Network Snags Imperil Sales Of Motorola
Source: Wall Street Journal (A3)
http://wsj.com/
Author: John J. Keller & Quentin Hardy
Issue: Networks/Wireless
Description: Motorola is struggling to correct defects in its
cellular-network equipment and software that are crippling its expansion
into new wireless systems and have already led one major customer to cancel
its order. Executives close to the company said PrimeCo Personal Comm. has
canceled its $500 million contract and will replace almost all its Motorola
gear with equipment and software from rival supplier Lucent Technologies.
Motorola's problems supplying systems for so-called personal communications
services could seriously damage its credibility as a leading provider of
network and software world-wide.
Title: McCain To Introduce Bill To Repeal Excise Tax On Telecom Services
Source: Telecom AM---feb. 24, 1998
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Wireless
Description: Senate Commerce Committee Chairman McCain will introduce a bill
"immediately" to repeal the three-percent excise tax on telecom services, he
said Feb. 23. Minutes before, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry
Assoc. President Thomas Wheeler had urged wireless carriers to detail the
costs of various taxes on bills so customers can know "what they're paying
for and why." McCain said state and local governments see the wireless
industry as "a cash cow." He said it should be protected from taxes to
sustain its growth. McCain added that he was "astounded" that the FCC
"resisted" attempts to detail taxes on phone bills.
Title: Kennard Calls On Wireless Industry To Meet 'Club' Obligations
Source: Telecom AM---feb. 24, 1998
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Wireless
Description: "Wireless has arrived" as a "full-fledged member of the telecom
club," said FCC Chairman Kennard. But as a club member, the industry has an
obligation to contribute to the universal service fund, meet E911 location
capability mandates and serve the disabled community. Kennard also said key
decisions are ahead for the industry on wireless tower siting,
interconnection and numbering. He acknowledged the different technical
issues that wireless carriers face, but said "911 calls must go through" and
called on the industry to develop callback and location capability before
the FCC's requirement goes into effect in 2001.
** Cable **
Title: TCI Selects At Home Corp. For Services
Source: Wall Street Journal (B8)
http://wsj.com/
Author: David Bank
Issue: Set-Top Boxes
Description: Tele-Communications Inc. selected At Home Corp. to provide
e-mail services to users of as many as 11 million new cable TV set-top
boxes, a potentially lucrative franchise as online advertising increases.
At Home will also help banks, travel companies and online service providers
develop software for TCI's new set-top boxes. The role will make At Home a
referee between Microsoft and Sun, which were earlier selected to provide
operating systems and other technology for the new boxes. The selection of
At Home is further evidence of the intention of cable operators to retain
control of technology in the new boxes.
** Regulation **
Title: European Study Paints Chilling Portrait of Technology's Uses
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/euro/022498euro.html
Author: Bruno Giussani
Issue: Technology Regulation
Description: A new study by the European Parliament titled "An Appraisal of
Technologies of Political Control" describes the ability of a massive
telecommunications interception network to tap into almost all international
telecommunications as well as parts of domestic phone traffic. According to
the study, written by Steve Wright, and analyst with the Omega Foundation, a
British human rights organization, on behalf of a research unit of the
European Parliament known as STOA (Scientific and Technological Operations
Assessment), the network "targets the telephone, fax and email messages of
private citizens, politicians, trade unionists and companies alike."
Apparently, the network, dubbed Echelon, is operated by intelligence
agencies without any mechanism of democratic control. According to the
report, many governments have spent huge sums of money over the past several
years to develop new technologies for their police and security forces.
While these technologies may be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes
and may be relatively harmless when accompanied by accountability mechanisms
and strong regulation, "without such democratic controls they provide
powerful tools of oppression," the report states. The fear is that with the
increased speed and complexity of technological innovation, controls of the
past are quickly weakening.
*********