Author archives

Chief Privacy Officers for Each Gov’t Agency

Thanks to GovExec.com, which has been providing readers with information updates about key portions of the voluminous omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 4818), we have news that each agency must now appoint a chief privacy officer and implement data protection measures applicable to the collection of website user information. Reference: H.R. 4818/P.L. 108-447 Consolidated Appropriations Act, …

Subjects: E-Government, Privacy

Website Provides Analysis of Charities to Facilitate “Intelligent Giving”

“Charity Navigator…works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America’s largest charities.” This non-profit, unaffiliated service profiles over 3,400 charities, with information available to users via a searchable database using keyword, category or region fields. The advanced search feature (available free, but requiring registration), allows users to …

Subjects: Internet

GAO Report Reviews Gov’t Data Mining Programs, Limitations and Privacy Issues

From Data Mining: An Overview, updated May 3, 2004: Data mining has become increasingly common in both the public and private sectors. Organizations use data mining as a tool to survey customer information, reduce fraud and waste, and assist in medical research. However, the proliferation of data mining has raised some implementation and oversight issues …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Privacy

Pew Internet Survey Findings on How Musicians View Internet and P2P File Sharing

“A national survey of self-described artists and an online survey of 2,755 musicians find: Artists and musicians on all points of the spectrum from superstars to starving singers have embraced the internet as a tool to improve how they make, market, and sell their creative works…Artists and musicians believe that unauthorized peer-to-peer file-sharing of copyrighted …

Subjects: Copyright

Supreme Court to Review Cable Modem Services Case

Chairman Powell Reacts to Supreme Court Cable Modem Decision: “High-speed Internet connections are not telephones, and I’m glad the Supreme Court has agreed to review the 9th Circuit’s ruling that they are. The 9th Circuit’s decision would have grave consequences for the future and availability of high-speed Internet connections in this country. As the Commission …

Subjects: Courts, Internet