[Sigifp-l] Information Policy Digest 10/16

[TAMaxwell at aol.com]

Mr. Ashcroft's Dismay
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35613-2002Oct2.html)
Attorney General, John D. Ashcroft, responded to those who have criticized 
him for showing inadequate respect for civil liberties since Sept. 11, 2001.

FREE SPEECH

On campus, violence 'speaks'
(http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/4209749.htm)
A year after September 11 hysteria still persists on university campuses as 
professors are fired and students beaten for their viewpoints.

Violence in the Media
(http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/violenceinthemedia.html)
A collection of quotes and articles put together by the American Library 
Association regarding violence in the media.

Hey Filters, Leave the Kids Alone
(http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,55243,00.html)
Protest of federally mandated Internet filtering in public schools.  
Includes links to the Online Policy Group’s and EFF’s study of two popular 
filtering programs, Bess and SurfControl (mentioned in previous postings).

Intellectual Freedom for Children: The Censor is Coming.
(http://www.ala.org/alsc/if_children.html)
An essential guide to information on intellectual freedom issues, published 
by the ALA.

University backs down on link ban
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-961297.html)
Follow-up to the previously mentioned website link controversy.  The 
University of California at San Diego has abandoned plans to discipline a 
student group for linking to an alleged terrorist Web site, agreeing that 
“links are a First Amendment right”.

Lawsuits and debates intensify over university 'free speech zones'
(http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?ID=20864)
Does putting student rallies in designated areas infringe on students’ First 
Amendment rights?

Digital Representation: Racism on the World Wide Web
(http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_10/rajagopal/)
Full text article from peer-reviewed journal that highlights the various 
methods in which hate is expressed on the Web.

Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act (NCIPA)
(http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ncipa.html)
Two studies commissioned by Congress (2000 and 2002) identify that the best 
way to protect children from ‘questionable’ Internet sites is “through 
online information resources and family education programs.”  Includes 
excellent background information on both CIPA and NCIPA legislation.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell
(http://www.alternet.org/storyhtml?StoryID=14194)
When international tribunals force journalists to testify, it threatens the 
safety of journalists in war zones, freedom of expression, and the 
credibility of media outlets.

High court refuses to give top billing to First Amendment cases
(http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documented=17059)
Out of 30-plus cases, the Supreme Court has only agreed to give billing to 2 
cases that directly relate to the First Amendment.  Five or Six others 
relate indirectly, but this is the fewest number of First Amendment cases on 
the Supreme Court’s docket in ‘recent history’.

33 Scholars Join Brief in Video Games Censorship Case
(http://www.fepproject.org/courtbriefs/atlouissummary.html)
33 media scholars, historians, psychologists, and games researchers filed a 
brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, opposing a law 
that bars minors from video games containing "graphic violence."

PRIVACY/SECURITY

Hacktivists or Cyberterrorists? The Changing Media Discourse on Hacking
(http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue7_10/vegh/)
Full text article from peer-reviewed journal that highlights language of 
government reports and news media sources to shed light on their role in 
forming a negative image of politically motivated hacking in general, and 
online political activism, in particular

Markle Task Force Addresses Role of IT in Fight Against Terror
Report: (http://www.markletaskforce.org/)
A national task force of experts in national security, information 
technology, and privacy is emphasizing the need to balance privacy and 
security as the war against terrorism relies increasingly on information 
analysis.

The Difficult Balance Between Liberty and Security
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/06/opinion/06ROSE.html?ex=1035006618&ei=1&
en=b4c0b266b12403f5)
Is Congress being led to pass laws that challenge all Americans, and not 
just terrorists?

House Passes Bill to Review Federal Agencies' Privacy Rules.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/08/politics/08PRIV.html?ex=1035090009&ei=1&
en=8e4910620c9a3975)
The House passes legislation to require federal agencies to review the 
effects on personal privacy of any new regulations that they propose.

Understanding the Privacy Space
(http://firstmondayorg/issues/issue7_10/brunk/)
Research paper that examines 133 different privacy-related software tools 
and services.  Full text article from peer-reviewed journal.

FBI Misused Secret Wiretaps
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3704-2002Oct9.html)
The latest in a series of FBI mistakes to come to light in connection with 
the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

SCIENCE:  BALANCING OPENNESS AND SECURITY
(http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/2002/10/101102.html)
The delicate balance and relationship between scientific research and 
national security is discussed.

Intellectual Freedom Action Network
(http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ifan_inf.html)
Articles and links to the ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Action Network.

EPIC Alert: October 7
(http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_9.18.html)
Table of Contents:
[1] EPIC Testifies Before Congress on Anti-Privacy Bill
[2] European Conference Reaffirms Support for Data Directive
[3] Landmark Public Domain Case To Be Argued Before Supreme Court
[4] Student Profilers Settle Privacy Cases with FTC
[5] Intellectual Property, Digital Rights Management, Online Privacy
[6] First Monday 2002: Civil Liberties In A New America

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Self-Defense: A Different Tune on Copyright
(http://www.heritage.org/Research/InternetandTechnology/EM835.cfm)
Paper on the Berman P2P bill released recently by Heritage.

Steal This Paper: Spanish daily newspaper goes "copyleft" (www.20minutos.es)
Background on copyleft:
(http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/copyleft.html)

New bills aim to protect consumers' use of digital media
(http:www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4193841.htm)
The battle being waged in Washington over copyright in the digital age 
ratchets up a notch as new legislation is introduced aimed at clarifying 
consumer rights.

CYBERLAW

Legal guru: We don't need cyberlaws.
(http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-958783.html)
David Sorkin says offline laws will work in cyberspace. Special rules will 
make matters worse.