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August 2003

Communications-Related Headlines for August 29, 2003

TELECOM
Phone Companies Challenge FCC Rule
China Cell Phone Users Hit 250 Million

ACTIVISM
Today's Tech-Dependent Activists=20

EDTECH
Technology Cited in Sharp Rise of SAT Scores

INTERNET
Vermont Law Violates First Amendment

TELECOM
PHONE COMPANIES CHALLENGE FCC RULE
The country's largest phone companies, including SBC Communications,
BellSouth and Qwest Communications, filed suit in federal court =
yesterday in
an attempt to throw out the FCC's new telephony rules. The order, =
released
last week, allows state regulators to set the price at which the Baby =
Bells
can lease their networks to competitors. States have been eager to =
minimize
lease prices in order to stimulate competition and lower consumer cost, =
a
practice the incumbents collectively claim costs them $180 million a =
month.
Some 10 million homes are served by companies taking advantage of the =
rules,
such as AT&T and WorldCom, ordering bundled long distance and local =
service
for a flat monthly rate. Incumbents such as Verizon, who filed a =
separate
claim, eventually followed suit. The companies are asking the court to =
force
the FCC to make it more difficult for state regulators to insist that
incumbents provide discounts to their competitors. If the FCC resists, =
the
companies want the court to order the FCC to block their rivals from =
signing
up new customers. Some industry insiders expressed concern that the FCC
would not vigorously defend an order for which its chairman did not =
vote,
but FCC spokesman David Fiske assured the press that the opinion would =
be
"diligently defended."
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Christopher Stern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61601-2003Aug28.html

CHINA CELL PHONE USERS HIT 250 MILLION
Already the world's largest market, mobile phone users in China now =
number
over 250 million, the government said Friday. According to a Ministry =
of
Information Industry report, Chinese phone companies signed up roughly =
29
million new members in the first half of 2003 alone. The report also =
noted
that China has 472 million fixed-line phone subscribers. Ministry =
officials
warned that the core mobile technologies remain in the hands of a few
multinational corporations and that Chinese manufacturers would have to
increase the pace of innovation if they plan to capture a larger market
share.
SOURCE: Xinhua News Agency
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-08/29/content_1053785.htm

ACTIVISM
TODAY'S TECH-DEPENDENT ACTIVISTS=20
At next month's meeting of the World Trade Organization in Canc=FAn,
protesters will have at their disposal a number of new, high-tech =
weapons
for communication and mobilization. The Independent Media Center (IMC) =
and
other groups plan to use a peer-to-peer video-sharing service to =
transmit
broadcast-quality video of the protests to television stations and =
other
activists. They will also install wireless networks at the protest =
welcome
center and will stream audio recordings of interviews and speeches over =
the
Internet for rebroadcast on participating radio stations. "Technology =
gives
us the ability to shift the power in the protest to the dissidents," =
said
Rabble, an IMC activist. Only 10 percent of Mexico's population =
regularly
goes online, and the percentage is expected to be lower on the =
Yucat=E1n
peninsula, where Canc=FAn is located, because of poverty in the =
jungle-covered
region. Despite this, organizers say they are confident that the =
available
technologies will allow them to mobilize participants more effectively =
than
ever before. "The Internet has allowed us to have a different kind of
global conversation," said Starhawk, an organizer with the RANT =
Collective.
"Organizing for Canc=FAn wouldn't be as effective without it."
SOURCE: Wired News; AUTHOR: Amit Asaravala=20
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60180,00.html=20

EDTECH
TECHNOLOGY CITED IN SHARP RISE OF SAT SCORES=20
The nation's high school class of 2003 achieved the highest score on =
the
math section of the SAT in at least 36 years; both the average =
cumulative
score and the average verbal scores increased from 2002 as well. There =
is
disagreement as to the reasons for these improvements. The College =
Board,
owner of the exam, said the higher scores were due to increased
participation in advanced math and science courses. Johnny Lott, =
president
of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, credited teaching
methods that include more real-life applications, such as project-based
learning. Although he cited no supporting data, College Board President
Gaston Caperton said high-tech toys that introduce young children to =
math
and the computer programs, helping them retain their interest in the
subject, have also helped boost math scores. Some critics say higher =
scores
are a reflection of the test being easier than it was a generation ago. =
They
cite the prevalence of the Internet, calculators, and preparation =
courses as
contributing to the higher scores, implying that these aides somehow =
detract
from pure brain power.
SOURCE: eSchool News; AUTHOR: L.A. Lorek=20
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=3D4610=20

INTERNET
VERMONT LAW VIOLATES FIRST AMENDMENT
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that a Vermont law designed to =
curb
Internet crimes against children violated the First Amendment. The ACLU =
and
Sexual Health Network, both of which post sexual health and like =
content on
their Websites, sought a court order to protect them from the new law. =
The
US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled that the law was too =
broadly
applied in this instance, and even lawyers for the state of Vermont =
said
that the law was not intended to affect such sites. A lower court =
decision
had ruled the law unconstitutional and struck it down, saying that it
restricted adult speech and had nationwide effects. The 2nd Circuit =
agreed
in part but remanded to the lower court the question of whether or not =
the
law could be otherwise enforced. Vermont Assistant Attorney General =
Joseph
Leon Winn said he is reviewing the decision and will determine wheter =
or not
the state will appeal.
SOURCE: USA Today; AUTHOR: The Associate Press
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-08-28-vt-net-speech_x.=
htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 28, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
The March on Washington 40th Anniversary and Minority Media

TELEPHONY
Straightening Out the Story on Telecom's Routing Game

INTERNET
ALA to Examine CIPA's Impact on Libraries

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Study: More Net Use on Coasts, in the Mountains
SBC Opens Tech Center at St. Mary's University

PRIVACY
Group Gets Private Data on US Officials

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON 40TH ANNIVERSARY AND MINORITY MEDIA
Forty years ago today, a quarter of a million people gathered in front of
the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. urging passage of pending federal
civil rights legislation. Andrea Taylor, president of the Benton
Foundation, and co-author Norris Dickard mark the occasion by looking back
at the progress of minority media over the last 40 years. Covering major
milestones from 1963 to the present, the essay summarizes data on the
current status of minorities as consumers, producers and owners of media in
America. Taylor also explores the ramifications of the FCC's recent media
ownership decision.
SOURCE: Benton Foundation; AUTHORS: Andrea Taylor with Norris Dickard
http://www.benton.org/publibrary/issuesinfocus/1963march.html
See also:
NPR and PBS special features on the March on Washington 40th anniversary
http://www.npr.org/news/specials/march40th/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/local/march40/

TELEPHONY

STRAIGHTENING OUT THE STORY ON TELECOM'S ROUTING GAME
Perhaps MCI isn't alone in manipulating the call routing system to its
advantage, suggests this USA Today article. MCI has come under fire of late,
as allegations by its competitors have prompted a Justice Department
investigation and a congressional inquiry. According to industry analysts,
however, the practice of attempting to route calls to avoid higher
connection fees has been a standard practice for years. "Over the past seven
years, every major segment of the industry, new and old, has spent an
immense amount of time scheming to game the complex process," the Texas
Office of Public Utility Council and Consumers Union told the FCC earlier
this year. In fact, the accusation that MCI arranged for call codes to be
altered is not new. Texas-based long distance reseller NTS pled guilty to
mail fraud last February after federal prosecutors proved that the company
routed calls through older equipment to strip the origin codes before
reaching SBC Communications, a tactic which defrauded SBC of roughly $76
million over five years. Other methods are also common, including the
so-called Internet loophole in the 1996 Telecom Act. When AT&T discovered
how to transmit long distance calls via data packets, which are exempt from
access fees, other industry players followed suit.
SOURCE: USA Today; AUTHORS: Kevin Maney, Andrew Backover and Elliot
Blair Smith
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2003-08-26-mci-cover_x.htm

INTERNET

ALA TO EXAMINE CIPA'S IMPACT ON LIBRARIES
On August 23, a group of librarians and trustees representing the American
Library Association (ALA) met to discuss issues around the Supreme Court
ruling reaffirming the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). CIPA
requires schools and libraries receiving federal edtech dollars to install
filtering software on public computers. In the coming weeks, ALA members and
staff will work to gather information about the financial impacts of CIPA,
an unfunded mandate. They will also begin developing criteria and tools for
evaluating technological protection measures, with an aim of identifying
filters that have the ability to "minimize the harm" of underblocking and
overblocking online information. Other work includes a communications plan
to update ALA members and educate the public, and advocacy to oppose any
further efforts to mandate filters in libraries. "Equity of access is a core
value of the library profession and the ALA, and we must be clear that
installing filters that block access to safe and legal information deepens
the digital divide between those who have Internet access at home, work or
school and those who 'have not,'" said ALA President Carla Hayden in a
statement.
SOURCE: American Library Association; CONTACT: Larra Clark
http://www.ala.org//Content/ContentGroups/Press_Releases2/Press_Releases...
3_August/A_statement_from_ALA_President_Carla_Hayden.htm

DIGITAL DIVIDE

STUDY: MORE NET USE ON COASTS, IN THE MOUNTAINS
A new study released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project reports
that Americans living on the coasts and in Rocky Mountain states access the
Web more than southerners and midwesterners. Pew infers that better
education and higher income levels are predictive of higher levels of
Internet use. Overall, 59 percent of adults said they have accessed the
Internet by the end of last year, up from 50 percent in 2000. Oregon and
Washington state set the pace with 68 percent, with New England clocked at
66 percent and California close behind with 65 percent. Sixty-four percent
of adults in the Rocky Mountain states and the National Capital region have
been online. In contrast, southerners reported only a 48 percent use rate,
the lowest in the country.
SOURCE: USA Today; AUTHOR: Associated Press
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-08-27-pew-net-use_x.
htm
See Also:
A Digital Divide Unconquered
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56643-2003Aug27.html
Read the Pew report:
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=98

SBC OPENS TECH CENTER AT ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY
St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, will open its SBC Center for
Information Technology on September 12. To build the center, the SBC
Foundation donated $1 million through its SBC Excelerator program, which
gives grants to nonprofits aimed at improving technology access, education
and workforce development. St. Mary's President Charles Cotrell said the
center "has an academic function but it also has a community outreach
function." The center, which features a teleconferencing auditorium, wired
and wireless classrooms and satellite TV, will be used for entrepreneurial
courses for the general public, programs for high school students and
teachers and tax preparation courses for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Program. In the spring, the university plans to use the classrooms for its
own students as well. Cotrell hopes the center, located near a city-run
Learning and Leadership Development Center and across the street from the
Memorial Branch Library, will "help encourage digital literacy and break
down the digital divide for people on the city's West Side who do not have
access to the latest technology."
SOURCE: San Antonio Express-News; AUTHOR: L.A. Lorek
http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=110&xlc=1046240

PRIVACY

GROUP GETS PRIVATE DATA ON U.S. OFFICIALS
Proving that just about anything is for sale on the Web these days while
underscoring the need for tougher consumer credit protection laws, a
consumer group was able to obtain the Social Security numbers and addresses
of top government officials. California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and
Consumer Rights said that for $26 each it was able to obtain personal
information on Attorney General John Ashcroft, CIA Director George Tenet and
other chief Bush administration advisors. The group says that pending
legislation in the House would endanger tough consumer privacy laws at the
state level, including the bill signed by California governor Gray Davis
yesterday. "Banks and insurers should not be able to go to Washington as an
end-run around the most protective state privacy laws," said the group's
executive director Jamie Court. While the foundation shares the banking
industry's desire for strong national privacy standards, Court emphasized
the need for allowing states to go the extra mile if they so choose, noting
the importance of halting inter-company trafficking. "If you cannot stop the
traffic in your information among corporate affiliates, you don't have
privacy in this nation," Court said.
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Jennifer C. Kerr, Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58013-2003Aug28.html
Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights:
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 27, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC's Powell Defends Easing Media Ownership Rules

EDTECH
MIT Everyware

E-GOVERNMENT
Nigeria to Begin E-Governance in 2008

TELECOM POLICY
CFA Announces Action Agenda In Response to FCC Triennial Review
Order
Telescam: How Telecom Regulations Harm California Consumers

INTERNET
Who Will Slay the Spam Dragons?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC'S POWELL DEFENDS EASING MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES
FCC Chairman Michael Powell defended his stance on the commission's recent
media ownership rule changes, which face the prospect of a congressional
rebuff. The chairman expressed concerns over congressional proposals to
block the rules adopted in June. "I don't think they are focusing us in a
more constructive media regulatory environment," Powell said yesterday on
Fox News. He declined to predict whether President Bush would veto such
legislation, as the OMB has suggested, but he did note the rarity with which
Bush has threatened to use his veto power. Powell also discussed News
Corp.'s pending purchase of a controlling share in DIRECTV parent Hughes
Electronics, a deal that has drawn much public criticism. While noting that
he is the first chairman in 60 years to block a major media merger, ""we
don't believe we stop mergers just because there is a large public reaction
to them." A ruling on the deal is expected around mid-autumn, he said.
SOURCE: Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: Dow Jones News
http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030826/15/3dp8j.html

EDTECH

MIT EVERYWARE
MIT's bold experiment of posting free course content on the Web, including
video lectures, class notes, tests and course outlines, has proved a
success. In September, MIT will officially launch OpenCourseWare, with 500
courses ranging from philosophy to electrical engineering and computer
science. Initially, some professors had concerns about the program creating
additional work and endangering intellectual property rights. By making the
program voluntary, most objections were addressed. Still, administrators and
professors are quick to note that the Web is no substitute for an MIT
education. Distance education students don't have access to perks such as
teaching assistants and live interaction with professors. Nevertheless,
OpenCourseWare is popular worldwide. The courseware will be translated into
Spanish and Portuguese, and similar translation requests have come from the
Middle East, Ukraine and Mongolia. Anne Margulies, OpenCourseWare's
executive director, said MIT would like to see the evolution of self-managed
learning communities through the software. Challenges to the program include
poor technology infrastructure in developing countries and profiteering
schemes.
SOURCE: Wired Magazine; AUTHOR: David Diamond
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/mit_pr.html
To view OpenCourseWare:
http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html

E-GOVERNMENT

NIGERIA TO BEGIN E-GOVERNANCE IN 2008
The Nigerian federal government has announced plans to have most government
services available online by 2008. Speaking at a launch of the Bureau of
Public Enterprises (BPE) website, Vice President Alhahi Atiku Abubakar said
that the government recognizes the role of information technology in modern
business and public administration and is prepared to face the challenges.
He explained that new incentives and institutional structures would be
needed to ensure the initiative "includes new funding and sharpened
financial incentives to promote electronic service delivery, and the
creation of a government incubator to develop new service ideas." Dr. Julius
Bala, BPE's Director General, disclosed that the website was redesigned to
meet the standards of international investors and to serve as a "credible,
trusted and helpful source of information" about the Nigerian privatization
program and other issues. The site's target audience includes BPE staff,
Nigerian citizens, civil servants, potential investors, the Nigerian
diaspora, donor agencies, researchers and students. Dr. Bala said BPE would
become a paperless office by 2007.
SOURCE: AllAfrica.com; AUTHOR: Emma Ujah, The Vanguard (Nigeria)
http://allafrica.com/stories/200308260534.html

TELECOM POLICY

CFA ANNOUNCES ACTION AGENDA IN RESPONSE TO FCC TRIENNIAL REVIEW ORDER
In a conference call yesterday, Dr. Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation
of America outlined the group's strategy for a national, state-level and
legal response to the FCC's new telephone and broadband rules, which were
released last week. "While the FCC has left the door open to local
competition in voice service, as we feared, they slammed it shut on
broadband competition," said Cooper. "Unless the FCC reverses its decision
to shut competitors out of the broadband network, broadband competition will
shrivel and die as the Baby Bells install fiber in their networks and cut
competitors off." CFA intends to work closely with state regulators to
ensure that local markets remain competitive, and plans a high-level
campaign to preserve access to advanced telecommunications services through
line sharing, which the FCC order threatens to eliminate. CFA's opposition
to the broadband rules will be more intense, resulting in a legal challenge
to the withdrawal of unbundled advanced telecommunications services. CFA
also intends to push the FCC to allocate the cost of facilities supporting
such advanced services into federal jurisdiction, which should prompt states
to lower local rates.
SOURCE: Consumer Federation of American; AUTHOR: Dr. Mark Cooper
Contact Dr. Cooper for more information at mcooper( at )consumerfed.org.

TELESCAM: HOW TELECOM REGULATIONS HARM CALIFORNIA CONSUMERS
The Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a conservative public policy think
tank, has released a study entitled "Telescam: How Telecom Regulations Harm
California Consumers." The study argues that California consumers are
experiencing an annual decline of $120 per average household in economic
output because of poorly crafted telecommunications regulations. Nationally,
the loss is $101 per household. "One of the greatest problems in the telecom
area is not market failure, but government failure," said Stephen Pociask,
the report's author. The report suggests that regulators should "reevaluate
current policies and encourage facility investment rather than encouraging
freeloading and widespread dependency on handouts." In particular, state
regulators should take advantage of the expanded power given to them by the
FCC and implement rational wholesale telecom prices. Proponents of these
recommendations believe that such actions would benefit consumers by
encouraging investment, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth in
California.
SOURCE: Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: PRNewswire
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030827/sfw035_1.html
Download the report:
http://www.pacificresearch.org/pub/sab/techno/telescam.pdf

INTERNET

WHO WILL SLAY THE SPAM DRAGONS?
Despite the passage of anti-spam legislation, South African emailers are
still fighting a deluge of unsolicited messages, prompting a call for legal
action. "Someone has to put some money behind this and make an example of
someone," says Jacques van Niekerk, CEO of Internet marketing company
Acceleration. However, most organizations are leery of investing time and
money in the first real test of South Africa's Electronic Communications and
Transaction Act, which so far has produced only one stalled prosecution
attempt. That instance, in which charges were filed against a Cape Town
company which continued to send a citizen email ads after he asked to be
removed from their list, proved that local authorities "don't attach the
same priority that [the victim does] to this crime as no one was injured and
no loss or damage is visible." A bigger problem facing spam opponents is the
spammers' success rate. "The biggest problem with spam is that it works,"
says Arthur Goldstuck of Internet research company World Wide Worx. "You
need a very small response rate to make a profit and there will always be
some response." Critics argue that the law itself is full of loopholes,
since the act of sending spam itself is not illegal, only the lack of an
"opt-out" option. The law is also devoid of a provision prohibiting the
falsification of sender information.
SOURCE: AllAfrica; AUTHOR: Lesley Stones, Business Day (Johannesburg)
http://allafrica.com/stories/200308210156.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 26, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Commentary: FCC's Local Motion

COPYRIGHT
Court Rules That Trade Secrets Can Outweigh Free Speech

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Global Initiative to Help Close Digital Divide in South Africa
Bridging the Digital Divide in Boca Raton

E-WASTE
Teaching Future Generations to Recycle High-tech Trash

CABLE
Cable on the Blink as Pakistan Operators Challenge Ban

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Event: The Role of Science in the Information Society

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC'S LOCAL MOTION
[Commentary] The Christian Science Monitor surmises that FCC Chairman
Powell's localism task force is a maneuver to "sideline a hot issue by
throwing it to a study committee." Although Powell isn't convinced that
allowing greater concentration of broadcasting ownership could diminish the
amount of local news coverage, he is seemingly willing to look for
solutions. The task force may or may not allay public fears that the new
ownership rules will stifle diversity and further homogenize radio and
television programming. The article argues that Powell's actions are based
on the view that new technologies, from satellite TV to Web radio, will
bring more media diversity and meet local consumer demand. For low-power FM
radio in particular, Powell said he would rapidly expand the number of
licenses. This should increase the opportunities for local companies to find
market niches that many national media companies won't fill, he says. Still,
the opening of more local radio may not be enough to satisfy critics of the
new media ownership rules, argues the Monitor; only a presidential veto may
save Powell's plan.
SOURCE: Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0826/p10s02-comv.html

COPYRIGHT

COURT RULES THAT TRADE SECRETS CAN OUTWEIGH FREE SPEECH
The California Supreme Court brought Andrew Bunner's DVD copyright
infringement case a step closer to completion yesterday, ruling that an
individual's First Amendment right to free speech does not outweigh an
entity's interest in protecting its trade secrets. The remaining issue is
whether or not the DVD decryption software that Bunner posted to his website
was indeed a trade secret, a question that the court remanded to a state
appeals court. Bunner was sued in 1999 by a coalition of companies, all of
which are licensees of DVD encryption software. Bunner posted code for
software written by a Norwegian teenager that could crack the encryption,
allowing digital copying of DVD movies. Bunner's attorneys contend that
since the code was made available on many websites by the time Bunner had
posted it, its status as a trade secret is in question.
SOURCE: The New York Times; AUTHOR: Steve Lohr
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/26/technology/26CODE.html

DIGITAL DIVIDE

GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO HELP CLOSE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN SOUTH AFRICA
ITExpeditors (www.itexpeditors.com) is joining the Digital Partnership
program in South Africa with a donation of 440 Pentium II and Pentium III
computers and other IT equipment from its refurbishment facility. The PCs
will be installed into 88 school-based "eLearning Centers" across South
Africa. The Digital Partnership will pair the donation with Internet access,
free software, digital content and technical support for teachers, students
and the local community. The Digital Partnership is an initiative launched
by The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), an
international charity, and supported by the World Bank, South African public
authorities and community partners, and a network of 30 international
companies, including Microsoft, Cisco, Intel and Oracle. "[ITExpeditors']
generosity will contribute to a real breakthrough in building corporate and
community partnership," said IBLF CEO Robert Davies. "Over 40,000 poor
children and their teachers will now have access to technology for the very
first time."
SOURCE: International Business Leaders Forum; AUTHOR: Steve Morton
http://www.digitalpartnership.org/news.php

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN BOCA RATON
When Boca Raton Rotary Club member Mike Odsess learned that his daughter's
school was updating its computer lab, he knew he had recognized an
opportunity to help underprivileged kids in his community. Odsess arranged
for the school's year-old Macs to be donated to go to several nonprofit
organizations. Among the groups benefiting from the donation are the Boca
Raton Police Athletic League, Boca Helping Hands, Dixie Manor Youth Center,
Whispering Pines Youth Center and the Boca Teen Center. "Most kids are
taught everything on computers at school and there are a lot of
underprivileged kids that don't have access to computers at home," said
Roxanna Trinka, adding that the new computers "will allow them to hit the
ground running and give them the same advantages as everyone else." While
some of the computers will be hooked up in youth centers, several will find
their way into the homes of low-income families.
SOURCE: Boca Raton News; AUTHOR: Kelli Kennedy
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&category=LOCAL%20NEWS&pr...
182

E-WASTE

TEACHING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO RECYCLE HIGH-TECH TRASH
A two-year-old computer-harvesting program at the University of Oregon (UO)
rescues old computers from the university's waste stream and recycles almost
everything but the plastic cases. Irene Smith, an instructor at UO's College
of Education, shows teachers-in-training the complex problem of e-waste and
teaches them how to strip computers down to their basic elements. The
teachers then share that knowledge with their elementary school classes.
Kids not only love to take things apart, they also show a keen understanding
about the environmental downside of technology, Smith said. The next step is
to see whether the UO program can be expanded to other state universities
and even to state government. A drawback of the program is that none of the
recyclables are worth any money: Nick Williams, UO's environmental manager,
says the university has to pay companies to take things such as circuit
boards, plastic-insulated wires and metal.
SOURCE: eSchool News; AUTHOR: eSchool News staff and wire service reports
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=4584

CABLE

CABLE ON THE BLINK AS PAK OPERATORS CHALLENGE BAN
A February ban on Indian TV channels by the Pakistani government has gone on
long enough, the country's cable industry has decided. In protest, cable
operators have refused to air popular international channels such as the
BBC, CNN and Fox, claiming that the effect of the ban on Indian programming
has been "catastrophic." The Cable Operators Association of Pakistan says
that customers have refused to pay their monthly bills since their favorite
Indian programs were blocked. The association accuses the government of
attempting to shut out the competition to state-run Pakistan Television
(PTV), which has lost revenue to Indian programming. Citizens fear that the
government is seeking to exert direct control over information. "Today, the
government has banned Indian channels, tomorrow it may ban the Net," said
housewife Uzma Nasir. Despite the protests, the government stands by its
ban. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority says that the action
was intended "to promote private Pakistani channels," and "[m]any operators
have decided to abide by the law and the government will not review its
decision." Senior Pemra official Waseem Ahmed warned that rogue stations'
"licenses could be cancelled for not showing Pakistani channels."
SOURCE: Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: Ahmad Naeem Khan, OneWorld South Asia
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/oneworld/20030826/wl_onew...
/1793666961061891790

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

EVENT: THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
CERN, the International Council for Science, the Third World Academy of
Sciences and UNESCO are organizing the RSIS forum to discuss the role of
science in the information society. Held in conjunction with WSIS, the forum
is a response to a recent call by Kofi Annan for the world's scientists to
work towards extending science's benefits to all people. Scheduled speakers
at the forum include Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, former
ICANN chair Esther Dyson, Romanian President Ion Iliescu and Thai Crown
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Forum organizers are currently seeking
proposals for exhibits to be displayed over the course of the week;
proposals are due September 30. The forum will be held December 8-9,
immediately prior to the start of the World Summit on the Information
Society.
SOURCE: CERN
http://rsis.web.cern.ch/rsis/

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 25, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP/FCC
PRSA Asks US Senate to Block FCC Ownership Rules Change
Commentary: Powell Leads FCC into Turmoil
Powell Stands Corrected
Dereg Web Site Launched
Consumer Advocate to Provide Feedback on FCC's New Phone Rules

E-GOVERNMENT
UK E-Government Plan Leaves 'Essential Services' Vulnerable to
Viruses

EDTECH
Florida Schools' Internet Service in Jeopardy

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

PRSA ASKS U.S. SENATE TO BLOCK FCC OWNERSHIP RULES CHANGE
The Public Relations Society of America is throwing its weight behind
congressional efforts to roll back the FCC's media ownership rules, the
group said Friday. "The new rules threaten the diversity and local ownership
of broadcast media throughout the nation," said PRSA's Steven V. Seekins.
Consisting of PR professionals from business, nonprofit, government and
other sectors, PRSA is a 20,000-member organization that supports diversity
in media ownership. "In the local media marketplace, we are already
experiencing canned content, 'robot radio,' control of local venues for
public entertainment and news events and growing lack of geographic focus in
news reporting," Seekins said. The organization called on the Senate to
approve the joint resolution originating in the House to roll back the
national broadcast ownership cap to 35 percent.
SOURCE: SocialFunds.com
http://www.socialfunds.com/news/release.cgi/2061.html
View the PRSA Press Release:
http://www.prsa.org/_News/leaders/statement081403.asp

POWELL LEADS FCC INTO TURMOIL
[Commentary] "Bright, articulate and politically well-connected," FCC
Chairman Michael Powell has of late given critics a number of reasons to
question his political astuteness, argues columnist Marilyn Geewax. She
writes that the commission's long tradition of unanimous rulings on major
issues is in tatters after 3-2 votes on media ownership and local telephone
deregulation. After intense criticism, Powell went on the offensive, saying
the FCC would take steps to increase local programming and ensure minority
voices are heard. Skeptics such as Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital
Democracy remain unconvinced. "I think Powell is desperately trying to
salvage his political career, and his ego, by trying to prove that media
concentration isn't really a problem," Chester says. Adds William Daley,
president of SBC Communications: "He can only do so much on his own.... To
be very frank, he needs stronger allies in the administration and stronger
allies on the Hill." However, Powell appears unfazed by the criticism and
demands for his resignation. To fight for deregulation, "I think you better
be prepared to be a really muddy infantry soldier," said Powell, a former
Army platoon leader.
SOURCE: Austin American-Statesman; AUTHOR: Marilyn Geewax
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/bus...
s_f38436d9374301080052.html

POWELL STANDS CORRECTED
In championing the FCC's new localism initiative, Chairman Michael Powell
ruffled more than the feathers of public interest and consumer groups. In
remarks made last week, Powell chastised Sinclair Broadcast Group, Cox
Broadcast and Post-Newsweek Stations, calling them "hypocrites" for
supporting a rollback of the 45 percent broadcast ownership cap in the name
of localism. "The idea that [only they are] uniquely positioned to make
decisions affecting the local community I think is false, simply false -- at
least if the argument is you have to be locally based to serve localism,"
the chairman said. A spokesperson was quick to retract the statement upon
discovering a few minor factual oversights -- primarily that Sinclair has
been conspicuously silent on the cap issue and chose not to take a position.
"Although we have not previously supported a change in the cap, this relates
not to any concerns with such a change, but rather to our being so far below
even the 35 percent cap as to not be overly concerned with this issue," the
company said in a letter to Powell. Cox and Post-Newsweek had similar
concerns, noting that neither company was anywhere near the cap. "The last
time I looked we owned six TV stations, representing coverage of 7.4 percent
of the U.S," said Post-Newsweek president Alan Frank. The FCC spokesperson
said the commission "stand[s] corrected" but added that Powell "was
absolutely correct in suggesting that those supporting a rollback of the
national cap are hardly mom-and-pop operations."
SOURCE: TV Week; AUTHOR: Doug Halonen
http://www.tvweek.com/topstorys/082503powell.html

DEREG WEB SITE LAUNCHED
Taking a cue from public interest opposition to media ownership
deregulation, FCC supporters have taken to the Web. Americans for Tax Reform
launched a website aimed at drumming up "nay" votes when Congress convenes
to approve a spending bill that would roll back part of the FCC's recent
order. ATR blames "congressional liberals" for the re-regulation efforts,
which they say specifically target conservative news personalities, despite
the fact that the congressional activity has garnered widespread bipartisan
support. The site allows users to contact their legislators directly and
plans to advertise on FoxNews.com, the Drudge Report and other websites.
SOURCE: Broadcasting and Cable
http://www.stopmediaregulation.org

CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON FCC'S NEW PHONE RULES,
OUTLINE CONSUMERS' ACTION AGENDA
National consumer advocate Dr. Mark Cooper will host a call-in media
briefing to provide an initial analysis of last week's FCC Triennial Review
Order of telecommunications regulation. Cooper will outline the Consumer
Federation of America's plans for a national, state-level, and legal
response to the new rules. "The FCC left the door open to local competition
in voice service, but slammed it shut on broadband competition," Cooper said
in a statement. He will provide feedback about the order's key provisions
and discuss its impact on consumers. The call will take place TOMORROW,
August 26, 2003 at 1:30pm, EST. US participants can dial in toll-free at
1-888-243-0818, PASSCODE 247209. A replay will be available at 4:30 PM ET
between August 26-29; call 1-888-266-2081, PASSCODE 247209.
SOURCE: Consumer Federation of America
For more information, contact Dr. Cooper at 1-301-384-2204 or
mcooper( at )consumerfed.org.

E-GOVERNMENT

UK E-GOVERNMENT PLAN LEAVES 'ESSENTIAL SERVICES' VULNERABLE TO VIRUSES
A parliamentary investigation has sparked fears that flaws in the UK's

Communications-Related Headlines for August 22, 2003

TELECOM POLICY
Bells Won't Have to Share Broadband
FCC Releases New Phone, Broadband Rules
The FCC's Early Xmas Gift to the Lawyers
Consumers Will Continue to Fight for Competition

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Technology with Social Skills
Hope Floats: Asian Youths to Bridge Digital Divide

INTERNET SECURITY
Global Race Against the Clock to Beat Sobig Virus

-------------------------------------------------------------------

TELECOM POLICY

BELLS WON'T HAVE TO SHARE BROADBAND
Yesterday the FCC released its long-awaited set of rules that will govern
how Baby Bells and their rivals compete in the telecommunications market.
The order relieves the four regional Bells from having to give discounted
line-sharing services to competing Internet Service Providers that offer
residential DSL service. A decision by the FCC in February decision gave
state public utility commissions the authority to decide whether the Bells
must offer discounted rates for phone switching facilities used by
competitors. The order provides a set of guidelines for states to determine
whether there is significant competition in the voice market to loosen
regulations. CompTel, the Competitive Telecommunications Association, says
it is pleased with the FCC's decision to preserve switching discounts, but
concerned about the DSL decision. "The unjustified discontinuation of
line-sharing and premature deregulation of broadband access to customers
nationwide will only serve to strengthen the Bells' monopolistic grasp,"
said CompTel president H. Russell Frisby Jr.
SOURCE: Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: Grant Gross, IDG News Service
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/pcworld/20030822/tc_pcworld/11...

See also:

FCC RELEASES NEW PHONE, BROADBAND RULES
The FCC's long-awaited telecom rules, nearly 600 pages long, maintain the
requirement that regional Bells lease the use of their networks to
competitors at wholesale prices and provides great latitude to state
telephone regulators to establish pricing. While the new rules support
regulating the voice market to promote competition, the order also removes
similar safeguards for broadband Internet access, phasing out the network
discount over the next three years. The commission cites increased
competition in the broadband sector, particularly from the cable industry,
which controls about two-thirds of the domestic residential market. Long
distance providers such as WorldCom and AT&T praised portions of the deal
but were disappointed by the broadband deregulation, which will make it more
difficult for them to bundle services. "Consumers will pay for this lack of
FCC resolve in the form of higher rates, less choice and lower-quality
services," said Robert Quinn, AT&T vice president for federal regulatory
affairs. FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who dissented on the order, criticized
the majority and called the order "a molten morass of regulatory activity
that may very well wilt any lingering investment in the sector."
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Christopher Stern
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28763-2003Aug21.html

THE FCC'S EARLY XMAS GIFT TO THE LAWYERS
Media reports across the country suggest that the FCC's new telecom rules
will face years of court challenges. "Every word will be challenged,"
telecom lawyer Dana Frix told the New York Times. The LA Times quoted AT&T's
Robert Quinn as saying that "[s]ome segment of the industry will appeal
every aspect of" the order. The Dow Jones Newswires said that the order
"signals less the end of a process than the beginning of litigation that has
been promised from virtually every corner of the industry" and predicted
that suits would be filed by both the regional Bells and their competitors
in the high-speed Internet market. Advocacy groups appear equally split on
the issue; while the LA Times reported that consumer groups cheered the
decision, the Consumer Federation of America "fears that broadband could
increasingly be dominated by the Bells and cable TV companies, and has
promised to fight that portion of the rules."
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Cynthia L. Webb
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30786-2003Aug22.html

CONSUMERS WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR COMPETITION
"After six months of regulatory ruminating by the FCC the really hard work
must now begin," said Dr. Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America
regarding yesterday's telecom order. Cooper pledged to continue fighting to
make sure that "state regulators have the flexibility they need to promote
competition." CFA intends to fight to reverse the broadband portions of the
order, however. "Why shouldn't consumers of 21st century communications get
the same benefits from competition that millions of wireline consumers
already enjoy?" he asks.
SOURCE: Consumer Federation of America; AUTHOR: Mark Cooper
Please contact Dr. Cooper at mcooper( at )consumerfed.org for more information.

DIGITAL DIVIDE

TECHNOLOGY WITH SOCIAL SKILLS
A number of development organizations are finding smart ways to use
technology to solve the world's most pressing socioeconomic problems. The
key for many of these initiatives is to focus on technologies appropriate
for the capabilities of NGOs working in capital-poor but labor-rich
developing countries. "It's not high technology or low technology but the
right technology that we're interested in," says Cowan Coventry of the
Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), which works to bring
locally available, affordable technologies to the developing world. In
Sudan, ITDG makes cell phones available so that traders can phone in the
selling prices of commodities to radio networks; then farmers can find the
best price for their products. In the Philippines, watchdog groups are using
a simple software program called Martus to compile, analyze and securely
transmit data on human rights abuses. Project Impact has developed cheaper
manufacturing processes for intra-ocular lenses and high-end hearing aids
and sells these devices for a fraction of the traditional cost. "Poverty
maps," which use global positioning satellite technology to highlight areas
of poverty, have been used in Brazil to redistribute tax revenues and in
South Africa to create a strategy to contain a cholera outbreak.
SOURCE: Tech News World; AUTHOR: Jane Black
http://www.technewsworld.com/perl/story/31398.html

HOPE FLOATS: ASIAN YOUTHS TO BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Fifteen projects have been selected to share a $1 million grant from the
Samsung DigitAll Hope program. The projects range from distance-learning
programs for the blind in Vietnam to helping young farmers in Malaysia
improve crops yields through information technology. In India, the Hope
grant will go towards funding 10 cybercafes in rural areas. This particular
project is part of a larger effort by Development Alternatives to spur the
setup of 48,000 cyber cafes in India over the next six years. Singapore's
Ngee Ann Polytechnic runs a program under its Business Information
Technology course to help young offenders from the prison's reformative
training center learn computer skills. Students develop a seven-week IT
curriculum for the offenders, ages 19-22, who attend classes at the
polytechnic once a week. Professor Leo Tan, who sits on the regional judging
panel for the awards, said hope floats when youths learn the need to help
others. "If I have the expertise, it's my duty, my responsibility, to bring
others along with me," he added.
SOURCE: The Straits Times; AUTHOR: Ho Ka Wei
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/techscience/story/0,4386,205457,00.html

INTERNET SECURITY

GLOBAL RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK TO BEAT SOBIG VIRUS
Computer security experts raced frantically today to prevent a barrage of
data from being unleashed on the Web by the Sobig.F virus. A global hunt was
under way from the United States to South Korea to find and switch off 20
home computers with high-speed broadband connections targeted by hundreds of
thousands of infected computers at 3 pm EDT Friday. Security experts
discovered only late yesterday that the bug has an embedded instruction for
the infected PCs to make contact with the 20 computers, which store an
unknown program. The search has been somewhat successful thus far, as
technicians have located and shut down half of the machines. Analysts
estimate that the Sobig virus has infected over a million computers
worldwide, generating a massive flow of infectious junk emails and bogging
down computer networks.
SOURCE: Yahoo! News; AUTHOR: Bernhard Warner, Reuters
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030822/tc_nm/tech_in...
et_virus_dc

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 21, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Copps Criticizes Willingness to Let Media Consolidation Continue
CCC Calls on FCC to Stay New Media Ownership Rules
Consumer Federation of America Reacts to Powell's Comments

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Commentary: Bridging the Gap

PRIVACY
Feds Want to Track the Homeless

SPECTRUM
New America Foundation Releases Spectrum Policy Guide

BROADBAND
Key FCC Broadband Rules Expected Soon

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

COPPS CRITICIZES WILLINGNESS TO LET MEDIA CONSOLIDATION CONTINUE
"This proposal is a day late and a dollar short," said FCC Commissioner
Michael Copps in a statement released late yesterday regarding the
Commission's announcement of a localism task force. He feels that to say the
media ownership proceedings did not involve a consideration of localism, or
that public comment prior to the vote did not indicate such concerns,
"boggles the mind." He continues: "We should have vetted these issues before
we voted. Instead, we voted; now we are going to vet. This is a policy of
'ready, fire, aim!'" Copps, a vocal opponent of the proposed rule changes
who helped drum up public opposition, suggests that while the review
commences, various deals will be made -- deals that cannot be undone. "[T]he
big news is, the Big Media 'Gold-Rush' is on," he said. Copps closed his
comments with another pleas for a stay of the rules while the study is
completed.
SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission
http://www.fcc.gov

CCC CALLS ON FCC TO STAY NEW MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES
UNTIL IT STUDIES MEDIA CONCENTRATION, LOCALISM
The Center for the Creative Community joined the cacophony of voices
blasting the FCC's localism initiative yesterday, criticizing Chairman
Michael Powell's unwillingness to stay the new media ownership rules during
the review. "While CCC is pleased that Chairman Powell at long last
acknowledges the public's well-founded concerns, the commission obviously
should have studied media concentration before and not after issuing new
rules ensuring even more media concentration," said executive director
Jonathan Rintels, who likened the proposal to "handing Fox (and the other
networks) the key to the media hen house, then 'studying' how many chickens
they eat."
SOURCE: Center for the Creative Community
http://www.creativecommunity.us

CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA REACTS TO POWELL'S COMMENTS
Dr. Mark Cooper of Consumer Federation of America decried statements made by
FCC Chairman Michael Powell in yesterday's press conference. Cooper called
the initiative to promote localism "merely an effort to divert attention
from badly reasoned and badly written ownership rules that won't stand up in
court." Cooper said that Powell misinterprets the countless public comments
filed in opposition to the media ownership rules as a concern for localism
rather than media concentration. He referred to the FCC's review of rules
governing localism without a stay of the June 2 decision as "an insult" to
advocates who months ago told the FCC that it "had not done its homework."
Lastly, Cooper expressed some disappointment with the chairman's call on
Monday for Congress to provide clear policy direction for the FCC rather
than a simple rollback of the June decision. "In fact, with respect to the
national cap, Congress is mandating the reinstitution of a 35 percent cap --
a statement of the express will of Congress," he said. "With respect to the
cross-ownership ban, Congress has made a specific statement of policy --
they want the ban."
SOURCE: Consumer Federation of America; AUTHOR: Mark Cooper
Please contact Dr. Cooper at mcooper( at )consumerfed.org for more information.

DIGITAL DIVIDE

BRIDGING THE GAP
[Commentary] Las Vegas youth are finding ways to bridge the digital divide,
thanks to organizations such as public libraries and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Crystal James, 14, uses her library's computers for email and games during
the summer and gets online homework help during the school year. Danys
Machado, 13, does digital "errands" for his parents, including checking
balances on credit cards and other accounts. Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas
offer computer access for all children, many of whom come from low-income
families. Darnell Dean, program director, says that in 14 years he has only
once encountered a teenager at the clubs who had no computer experience.
James Durrough, teen director at the Andre Agassi unit of the Club, believes
that despite financial circumstances in the neighborhood, teens who are
motivated eventually obtain the computer access they desire.
SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal; AUTHOR: Joan Whitely
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Aug-21-Thu-2003/living/21976631.
html

PRIVACY

FEDS WANT TO TRACK THE HOMELESS
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says that by 2004
agencies receiving grants for homeless programs must have in place the
so-called Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS). HMIS will track
data ranging from Social Security numbers to HIV statuses and mental health
histories. Over the last 15 years, HUD has spent more than USD $11 billion
on homeless assistance, yet the department knows little about the
beneficiaries of this funding. HUD says the mandatory tracking system will
help establish an accurate count of the nation's homeless, streamline
services and reduce fraud. Opponents say the HMIS database will put homeless
people's privacy at risk, particularly women fleeing abusive relationships.
Homeless advocates believe the money local agencies invest in the technology
could be better used elsewhere. Chance Martin, editor of San Francisco's
homeless newspaper, said that a tracking system would discourage illegal
immigrants, paranoia sufferers and those with criminal records from seeking
assistance. The Electronic Privacy Information Center is urging HUD to
extrapolate information from census-like "snapshots" of the homeless
population in different areas rather than collecting individuals' personal
data.
SOURCE: Wired News; AUTHOR: Julia Scheeres
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60124,00.html

SPECTRUM

NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION RELEASES SPECTRUM POLICY GUIDE
The New America Foundation this week released its "Citizen's Guide to the
Airwaves," a primer on US spectrum policy. The guide was delivered to
members of Congress, the press and the think-tank community in an effort to
illustrate the "tremendous value, government mismanagement and impending
giveaway of the nation's airwaves -- the most valuable natural resource of
the information economy." The Citizen's Guide includes a two-sided, 11" x
38" color poster and a 52-page Explanation Report. The poster's front side
is a visual "map" of the spectrum; the backside is a nine-panel overview of
the U.S. spectrum policy debate.
SOURCE: New America Foundation
http://www.newamerica.net/index.cfm?pg=article&pubID=1273

BROADBAND

KEY FCC BROADBAND RULES EXPECTED SOON
The FCC is expected to release its long-awaited rules that will govern
competition across the phone industry, potentially shaping the future of the
broadband and telecommunications business. One of the most controversial
issues is deciding how much the big local telephone companies will be forced
to share their voice and Internet networks with potential competitors. In
February, Chairman Powell said he intended to reduce regulation facing the
Baby Bells, but other commissioners disagreed sharply. The decision could
affect network upgrades and investment plans that represent billions of
dollars in capital spending by both cable companies and the Bells. Verizon
has already made plans to seed much of its existing network with fiber-optic
connections, while SBC is holding off on DSL investments until it sees the
FCC order. The rules are sure to be scrutinized carefully and perhaps
challenged by industry players and Congress. "Less competition is almost
always a bad thing," Jupiter's Lazslo said. "But I'm more optimistic than I
was in February. There still might be enough competition between cable and
phone companies to provide some benefits for consumers."
SOURCE: CNET News; AUTHOR: John Borland
http://news.com.com/2100-1034_3-5066214.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Communications-Related Headlines for August 20, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC to Offer Media Ownership Initiative
Media Companies Family Tree Chart Details Who Owns What

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Commentary: The Digital Divide That Wasn't
Lab at Chicago Puerto Rican Center Will Provide Internet Access

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Digital Opportunity Channel Launches Special Coverage of WSIS

CHILDREN AND TECHNOLOGY
Bionic Youth: Too Much Information?

PRIVACY
Privacy Advocates Call for RFID Regulation

INTERNET
Geeks Grapple With Virus Invasion
Free Online Journal Gives Sneak Preview

-------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC TO OFFER MEDIA OWNERSHIP INITIATIVE
This morning, FCC Chairman Michael Powell announced plans to address public
concern over localism in the US media landscape. The commission will form a
localism task force that will make policy recommendations within the next
year on promoting localism. The task force is one in a series of media
ownership initiatives revealed by Powell at this morning's press conference;
he also intends to speed the licensing process for low-powered radio
stations (often owned by community groups, schools and churches) and direct
FCC staff to solicit comments on existing rules that promote localism.
Powell called the new initiative "an honest attempt to address the concerns
raised by the public about localism during the media ownership proceeding.
It is neither hollow nor political." He also noted his fellow commissioners'
commitment to preserving localism throughout the media ownership process.
SOURCE: The Guardian; AUTHOR: David Ho, Associate Press
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3049595,00.html
See Chairman Powell's remarks via Real video:
http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/mt082003.ram

MEDIA COMPANIES FAMILY TREE CHART DETAILS WHO OWNS WHAT
The top 100 US media companies generated over USD $195 billion in 2002, with
cable companies capturing about a third of that revenue, according to
Advertising Age's 24th annual report on the country's media giants. The list
contains only media distribution firms supported by advertising, and AOL
Time Warner set the pace with $26.9 billion in revenue, a 9 percent
increase. The cable industry as a whole contributed 10 percent to the
overall increase in media revenues among the top 100, while Spanish language
outlets were identified as the largest growth sector, surging 26.7 percent
in the first five months of 2003. The report, which includes a multi-page
color chart outlining the 100 companies and their key holding in different
sectors, is available in PDF format via the link below.
SOURCE: Advertising Age; AUTHOR: Scott MacDonald
http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=38514
Access the report at:
http://www.adage.com/images/random/100mediacos03.pdf

DIGITAL DIVIDE

THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT WASN'T
[Commentary] Though she presents both sides of the digital divide debate,
Business Week's Amey Stone takes the position that the technology gap is
narrowing. Increasing competition in broadband is making high-speed Internet
more affordable, she explains; there is also growing minority representation
on the Web, as new sites and Web businesses are launched to attract black
and Hispanic audiences. According to a recent report from the Pew Internet &
American Life Project, 58 percent of American adults had Internet access in
the spring of 2002 compared to 49 percent in April 2000. However, the growth
in the number of Internet users has stalled, hovering between 57 percent and
61 percent since late 2001. One interpretation is that the results signal a
trend of voluntary Net avoidance. But from another perspective, she says, a
divide still exists and will require time, training and education to
eliminate. "You can't wish away" discrepancies in opportunity, says Norris
Dickard of the Benton Foundation, who believes that community technology
centers, where the public can both connect to the Internet and learn to use
it, need ongoing government support.
SOURCE: Business Week; AUTHOR: Amey Stone
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2003/tc20030819_4285_t...
.htm

LAB AT CHICAGO PUERTO RICAN CENTER WILL PROVIDE INTERNET ACCESS
The Puerto Rican Cultural Center of Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood has
long been associated with political activism, especially relating to Puerto
Rican independence. Now, the center is going online for the first time,
setting up a community technology center and digitizing its vast collection
of Puerto Rican cultural resources. The digitizing project, coordinated by a
team of volunteers, will take up to a year to complete. "People who don't
have access are left behind at a faster and deeper rate than ever," said
Alejandro Luis Molina, technology director for the cultural center. "The big
picture is about the construction of knowledge." The center also hosts
daycare facilities and a private alternative high school.
SOURCE: Chicago Sun-Times; AUTHOR: Sandra Guy
http://www.suntimes.com/output/zinescene/cst-fin-ecol20.html

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY CHANNEL LAUNCHES SPECIAL COVERAGE OF WSIS
The Digital Opportunity Channel (www.digitalopportunity.org) has created a
"special coverage" section to its website dedicated to the upcoming World
Summit on the Information Society. The resource will feature news and
analysis about the summit from a civil society perspective -- especially
NGOs based in the developing world. It also features an interactive
discussion about the summit entitled "Information Society: Voices from the
South," moderated by Partha Pratim Sarker of BytesForAll.org. The channel,
edited by OneWorld South Asia in New Delhi and the Benton Foundation's
Digital Divide Network, focuses on the role of information and
communications technologies (ICT) in global development and strategies for
bridging the digital divide internationally.

CHILDREN AND TECHNOLOGY

BIONIC YOUTH: TOO MUCH INFORMATION?
For children and teens all over the globe, technology is the primary medium
through which they interact socially and recreationally. Until recently,
however, no research existed to indicate whether or not the exposure (or
perhaps overexposure) to technology has been a benefit or detriment to young
minds. In the last five years researchers have found evidence suggesting
that today's children are developing an entirely different set of skills
than their parents due to the brain's ability to adapt. Video games have had
a particularly notable effect on visual perception, though some scientists
worry that the increase in visual stimuli results in stunted emotional
development and other behavioral issues. Correlations have also been found
between video gaming and increased IQ scores. Messaging technology research
is still in its infancy, as scientists try to catalogue the various
behaviors associated with the technology. What seems evident at this point
is that the perceived relationship between avid technology use and
loneliness may be overstated. Messaging also appears to improve social
interaction, build confidence and increase the ability to multitask.
SOURCE: Newsweek; AUTHOR: Fred Guterl
http://www.msnbc.com/news/953368.asp

PRIVACY

PRIVACY ADVOCATES CALL FOR RFID REGULATION
California State Senator Debra Bowen presided over a hearing on radio
frequency identification (RFID), a controversial technology that can be used
to monitor store merchandise wirelessly. Proponents call it the "next
generation barcode," but privacy activists worry that the unchecked use of
RFID could allow retailers to gather unprecedented amounts of information
about activity in their stores and link it to customer information
databases. Beth Givens, director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, urged
Bowen to lead a study of RFID and its "profound privacy and civil liberties
implications." She suggested that RFID be subjected to a set of fair-use
guidelines and that consumers should have the right to permanently disable
the chips upon purchasing such goods. Katherine Albrecht, head of Consumers
Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering, went further and
suggested a moratorium on the commercial use of RFID technology until legal
guidelines are set. Bowen, an outspoken advocate of consumer privacy, said
that the introduction of legislation to control the use of RFID is
"possible," but that she's not at the bill stage yet. Even if she were to
draft a bill, it would not be her goal to outlaw RFID, she said.
SOURCE: CNET News; AUTHOR: Alorie Gilbert
http://news.com.com/2100-1020-5065388.html

INTERNET

GEEKS GRAPPLE WITH VIRUS INVASION
A recent flood of computer viruses and worms has prompted a debate over how
Internet security is best handled. Microsoft in particular seems to believe
that users and system administrators are ultimately responsible for
protecting their own computers. The company took out a full-page ad in
several major newspapers on Tuesday recommending that people use a firewall,
install anti-virus software and use Microsoft Windows Update, which alerts
users when patches are released. On the other hand, experts said that the
most effective fix would be for Microsoft to start producing significantly
more-secure applications and operating systems. "User education is helpful
in damage control, but it doesn't relieve software developers from their
obligation to create secure applications in the first place," said security
researcher Robert Ferrell. Microsoft has been criticized for writing "Swiss
cheese" code: software containing security holes that leave operating
systems and applications open to far too many attacks. "Microsoft's sloppy
code and arrogance is coming home to roost," said network consultant Mike
Sweeney. Despite all the challenges, Ferrell believes that users should be
working toward creating a secure Internet. "We have the technology and the
motivation. All we need now is some leadership and a little momentum," he
said.
SOURCE: Wired News; AUTHOR: Michelle Delio
http://news.com.com/2100-1020-5065388.html

FREE ONLINE JOURNAL GIVES SNEAK PREVIEW
The Public Library of Science (PloS) has released a sneak preview of its
first non-profit, no-cost scientific journal, PloS Biology. The monthly,
peer-reviewed journal hopes to compete with commercial scientific journals
that often charge subscribers thousands of dollars. "I'm delighted with the
quality of the papers we're publishing," said PLoS executive director Vivian
Siegel, who recently left her position as editor of the regarded journal
Cell to manage the new journal. "I think Nature and Science will look at
some of these papers and wish they had them." Funded by a five-year,
multi-million dollar grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, PLoS
currently has the resources to develop their free journal services; they
also plan to charge researchers $1500 for each article they write for the
journal. But competitors remain skeptical about their longterm viability,
saying that PLoS is merely shifting the cost of peer-reviewed journals from
library budgets to research budgets.
SOURCE: New Scientist; AUTHOR: Kurt Kleiner
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994071
PloS homepage:
http://www.plos.org
Sneak preview of PloS Biology:
http://biology.plosjournals.org/

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Communications-Related Headlines for August 19, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
FCC Chairman Warns of More Regulation
FCC Chief Denies Leaving, Previews Agenda
CDD Asks NYSE to Investigate News Corp./Hughes Deal

E-GOVERNMENT
US State Dept: Diversity Immigration Visa Applications to be
Accepted Online Only

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
Canadian Government Seeks Citizen Input for Summit
Bangladeshi PM to Attend Summit

INTERNET
Ireland Looks to Power Grid for Broadband

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MEDIA OWNERSHIP

FCC CHAIRMAN WARNS OF MORE REGULATION
During an interview at the Progress and Freedom Foundation Aspen Summit, FCC
Chairman Michael Powell surprised reporters yesterday by announcing
commission plans to examine the effects of the media ownership rules it
adopted in June. The rules have come under fire this summer from a variety
of interest groups as well as Congress. "As much as I'm invested in the
rules ... I have an obligation as an expert adviser to make sure this is
channeled into something constructive," Powell said. "There is a sentiment
being expressed by the American public, a concern about the media, a concern
about big media." Powell did not release details of the examination but
indicated that he would do so at a Wednesday press conference. Despite the
somewhat positive tone, public interest groups are maintaining a watchful
eye. "He's going full speed ahead in implementing the rules," said Andrew
Schwartzman of the Media Access Project. "He can study to his heart's
content and it's not going to change what's going on."
SOURCE: The Guardian; AUTHOR: David Ho, Associated Press
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3042591,00.html
See Also:
FCC to Study Impact of New Rules on Media Ownership
http://www.statesman.com/business/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/bus...
s_f314acbd05a430c00066.html

FCC CHIEF DENIES LEAVING, PREVIEWS AGENDA
During his remarks yesterday at the PFF Aspen Summit (see above story), FCC
Chairman Michael Powell also laid out an agenda for the next year in his
term, quelling rumors of his impending resignation. Foremost on his to-do
list is a review of the FCC's guidelines to state telephone regulators
regarding the prices local incumbents charge to competitors for the use of
their networks. "I don't think we have local competition in place in a
substantially meaningful way yet," he told Reuters. "I think rates will stay
low and stay competitive all the time if we get competition right." Powell
added that he wasn't quite sure what the right prices are, given that the
current guidelines were created seven years ago. Powell also called on
Congress to provide the FCC with specific media ownership guidelines rather
than participate in what he characterizes as an "anti-vote." "If we're going
to do this, let's pass real laws.... Because at the end of the day ... [a
rollback vote] is not going to produce better media regulation," he said.
SOURCE: The Washington Post; AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky, Reuters
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11656-2003Aug18.html

CDD ASKS NYSE TO INVESTIGATE NEWS CORP./HUGHES DEAL
In a letter to the New York Stock Exchange, Center for Digital Democracy
director Jeff Chester called for an investigation into the likely members of
the proposed Hughes Electronic board of directors. CDD suspects that the
"independent directors" actually have or once had ties to News Corp., Rupert
Murdoch or Hughes itself, which would violate Exchange rules to ensure
proper corporate governance. "If such violations are found, we strongly urge
the NYSE to consider not listing the proposed restructured Hughes
Electronics entity as well as de-listing the parties involved," including
New Corp. and General Motors, Chester said. The letter then outlines the
relationships between the parties and four of the five director candidates.
SOURCE: Center for Digital Democracy
http://www.democraticmedia.org/resources/filings/CDDToNYSE.html

E-GOVERNMENT

US STATE DEPT: DIVERSITY IMMIGRATION VISA APPLICATIONS TO BE ACCEPTED ONLINE
ONLY
The US Department of State announced yesterday that potential immigrants
interested in coming to the US under its Diversity Visa Program would now
have to submit their visa applications online. Approximately six million
people submit applications annually to the program; the US then offers visas
to 55,000 of them through a lottery system. Now, the program is taking a
180-degree turn, technologically speaking: all applicants will be required
to submit their applications online rather than through the mail-only system
used currently. "The Department of State is implementing the new electronic
system in order to improve efficiency in the diversity visa petition process
and make the process less prone to fraud, thus making it less vulnerable to
use by persons who may pose a threat to the security interests of the United
States," the department said in a statement. The statement, however, did not
address the impact of the decision on the millions of otherwise qualified
would-be immigrants who lack Internet access or IT skills.
SOURCE: US Department of State
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/23329.htm

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SEEKS CITIZEN INPUT FOR SUMMIT
The government of Canada is asking Canadians to share their thoughts and
ideas on how information and communications technologies (ICT) can be used
to spur socioeconomic benefits worldwide. The government is collecting these
ideas as it prepares for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS),
to be held in Geneva this December and in Tunis two years later. The website
set up by the government allows Canadians to learn more about the summit,
take part in a survey and submit comments. Submissions are due September 30.
SOURCE: CanadaOne.com; AUTHOR: Michelle Collins
http://www.canadaone.com/ezine/briefs.html?StoryID=03Aug18_2
Website to submit comments to the Canadian government:
http://www.wsis-smsi.gc.ca

BANGLADESHI PM TO ATTEND SUMMIT
The chairman of Bangladesh's telecom regulatory agency has announced that
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will lead the national delegation attending WSIS
in Geneva. "The prime minister decided to attend the summit in response to a
personal invitation from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan," said Bangladesh
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Chairman Syed Marghub Murshed. "We
will try to foster a greater growth in ICT, especially in software through
this summit." He also noted the "pivotal role" that civil society and NGOs
will play at the summit. As part of its participation in the summit, the
government will prepare a national strategy paper on the role of ICTs in
Bangladesh's development.
SOURCE: The Daily Star
http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/08/12/d30812060145.htm

INTERNET

IRELAND LOOKS TO POWER GRID FOR BROADBAND
Irish Communications Minister Dermot Ahern confirmed Monday that the Irish
government is launching a pilot program to deploy broadband Internet via
electric power lines. The initiative, part of a EUR50 million project funded
by the Communications Ministry, will connect schools, homes and businesses
in Tuam, County Galway. "Powerline communications (PLC) systems have the
potential to provide an alternative broadband infrastructure, which can
compete with local fixed telephony, cable and wireless networks," Minister
Ahern said in a statement. Many experts see PLC broadband as an attractive
strategy for bridging the digital divide because most homes already possess
an electricity infrastructure. However, PLC technology currently requires
homes to be within a few miles of a power substation, limiting the range of
deployment.
SOURCE: ElectricNews.net; Author: Matthew Clark
http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9372044.html

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Communications-Related Headlines for August 18, 2003

MEDIA OWNERSHIP
Commentary: Comcast Holds Sports Fans Captive
Extra! Extra! MediaGlom Inc. Claims Local Paper!

E-GOVERNMENT
Agri Minister Pledges E-Gov for Northern Ireland's Farmers

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Report: Community Technology Centers as Catalysts for Community
Change

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
UNITeS, UN Volunteers Launch WSIS Website

INTERNET
'Wider-Fi' Widens

EVENTS
Everett Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture and Awards

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MEDIA OWNERSHIP

COMCAST HOLDS SPORTS FANS CAPTIVE
[Commentary] Despite claims coming from the Michael Powell-led FCC,
competition in the pay TV industry isn't as robust as one might think.
Rather, it can best be described as "a cruel joke," according to consumer
affairs writer Jeff Gelles. Gelles continues to deny himself satellite TV
solely to watch his favorite Philadelphia sports teams on Comcast SportsNet.
Incidentally, Comcast "owns rights to a majority of Phillies games, and just
plain owns the Sixers and Flyers," he writes. "Unless the games are
broadcast by a local station or showcased on a national network, they're not
watchable on DirecTV or its competitor, Dish Network." The reason, Gelles
cites, is a loophole in the 1992 re-regulation of the cable industry that
allows cable companies to deny their competitors access to programming in
which they have an ownership stake if that programming is not delivered via
satellite (Comcast delivers its signal over landlines). Comcast isn't alone
in this practice, as New York's Cablevision has prevented competitor RCN
from offering local sports for several years. While the industry has
attempted to circumvent program-access rules for the past few years, they
may soon become irrelevant -- a movement to use fiber-optic technology to
ensure that all cable companies can broadcast their content without the use
of satellite delivery. The FCC can prevent the loophole from becoming a
national problem, Gelles says, but in the meantime, he remains "a prisoner
of Comcast."
SOURCE: The Philadelphia Inquirer; AUTHOR: Jeff Gelles
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/personal_finance/6548640.htm

EXTRA! EXTRA! MEDIAGLOM INC. CLAIMS LOCAL PAPER!
[Humor] Matt Janz's daily comic "Out of the Gene Pool" offers the first in
what appears be a long satirical assault on media ownership deregulation.
The comic illustrates a paperboy alerting potential customers on the street
that a large media conglomerate, Mediaglom Inc., has taken over the paper
he's selling, the Middletown Crier.
SOURCE: Comics.com; AUTHOR: Matt Janz
http://www.comics.com/wash/genepool/archive/genepool-20030811.html

E-GOVERNMENT

AGRI MINISTER PLEDGES E-GOV FOR NORTHERN IRELAND' FARMERS
Ian Pearson, the UK minister responsible for agriculture and rural
development, has pledged to help "ease the regulatory burden on farmers" by
improving agricultural e-government services. "Farming is not a nine to five
job and so it is important that the Government provides services when and
where farmers need them -- and the use of online services provides such
flexibility," Pearson said during a visit to Greenmount College of
Agriculture and Horticulture in Northern Ireland. Last year, the British
government launched APHIS Online, a livestock transactional service, now
used by 2,000 farmers across Northern Ireland. The ministry's other portal,
www.ruralni.gov.uk, helps farmers comply with government regulations,
research grant opportunities and track livestock.
Source: Farming Life
http://www.farminglife.com/flnews/content_objectid=13297132_method=full_...
id=51658_headline=-e%2DGovernment%2DPledge%2Dfrom%2DMinister-name_page.html
(Re-paste URL if broken)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

REPORT: COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS AS CATALYSTS FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE
A new report commissioned by the Ford Foundation examines how community
technology centers (CTCs) could function more effectively as public spaces
and as forces for positive social change at the community level. The report
summarizes the relevant literature on public spaces and community change and
documents historical and current issues facing CTCs. It then examines these
trends and identifies areas for further research and action, with specific
emphasis on recommendations and a funding program for CTCs that would
broaden both their mission and traditional sources of funds. The report is
published by BCT Partners, Project for Public Spaces Inc. and New School
University's Community Development Research Center.
SOURCE: BCT Partners
http://www.bctpartners.com/resources/CTCs_as_Catalysts.pdf

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

UNITeS, UN VOLUNTEERS LAUNCH WSIS WEBSITE
UN Volunteers and the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS)
have launched a website dedicated to the role of these volunteer
organizations in the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society. The
summit, to be held this December in Geneva, will bring together leaders in
government, civil society and the private sector to discuss strategies for
bridging the digital divide. The UNV/UNITeS website will cover news and
resources regarding volunteerism, information technology and global
development, as well as the role of volunteer organizations in the summit.
SOURCE: United Nations Information Technology Service
http://www.unites.org/wsis/

INTERNET

'WIDER-FI' WIDENS
High-speed Internet users in the rural Midwest are finding a faster and less
expensive connection to the Web than some of their more urban neighbors.
Wireless carriers are able to offer services at speeds faster than a T-1
line at a fraction of the cost of DSL or cable modems. This service isn't
just plain-old Wi-Fi, however: "Wider-Fi" technology enables users to
connect to a wide area network from as far away as 10 miles or more. While
Wider-Fi has become the connection of choice in many rural areas, the
movement is heading for cities. Minnesota's Vicom has commenced building
such a network in the Twin Cities area, installing a set of broadband
transmitters atop a water tower. The company plans to serve the outlying
areas first and doesn't see itself as a competitor to its landline
counterparts. The idea of using wireless technology to serve rural areas has
been popular for over a decade, but the technology itself wasn't up to par.
Only recently has the line-of-sight obstacle been overcome, but many smaller
providers have yet to make the investment in such equipment. Additionally,
these smaller firms seek to keep flying under the radar of incumbent
wire-line providers to avoid being undercut by promotions and other pricing
schemes. Several other hurdles remain as Wider-Fi moves forward, including
the use of licensed versus unlicensed spectrum and the broadband industry's
unfamiliarity with radio technology.
SOURCE: Pioneer Press; AUTHOR: Leslie Brooks Suzukamo
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/6543741.htm

EVENTS

EVERETT PARKER ETHICS IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS LECTURE AND AWARDS
The Telecommunications Research & Action Center (TRAC) and the United Church
of Christ will host the 21st Annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in
Telecommunications Lecture at 12pm on Tuesday, September 16. The event will
honor former FCC chairman Newton Minow and children's television activist
Peggy Charren. This year's distinguished Parker Lecturer will be Jay Harris
of the USC Center for the Study of Journalism and Democracy. The lecture
series and awards honor the Rev. Dr. Everett C. Parker, founder and director
emeritus of the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ, for
his pioneering work in broadcast reform. The event will take place at the
the National City Christian Church, Five Thomas Circle NW, Washington DC. To
attend, please contact Kate Dean at 202-263-2950.
SOURCE: TRAC, Alliance for Public Technology
http://trac.org/parker/index.vtml

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