In New Twist on E-Gov, States Sell Goods on e-Bay
Cash-strapped states and localities nationwide are turning to eBay to sell everything from yachts to unclaimed goods in the possession of police departments, according to USA Today.
Author archives
Global Information Technology Report
U.S. is No.1 in technology competitiveness Global Information Technology Report: “Covering a total of 102 economies, the Networked Readiness Index of the new Global Information Technology Report 2003-2004 measures how prepared economies are to participate in, and benefit from, information and communication technology (ICT) developments.” Networked Readiness Index Rankings Profiles of the Top Five Economies …
CAN-SPAM Bill Awaits President’s Signature
Congress approves anti-spam legislation CAN-SPAM Act
9-11 Commission Hearing on Privacy and Terrorism
The 9-11 Commission held a public hearing today on the topic Security and Liberty, that included witness testimony on “domestic intelligence collection, protecting privacy while preventing terrorism, and the use of immigration laws to prevent terrorism.” Prepared statement of EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg. Links to additional testimony will be added as available.
US-VISIT Program Receives Bi-Partisan Scrutiny
On December Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, sent a letter to Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, expressing concerns over the US-VISIT program and publication of required privacy assessment data. As noted on December 1, the Committee on Government Reform also documented concerns regarding the impact of …
TRAC Terrorism Report Summary
From the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) a Special News Advisory About Terrorism in the Two Years After 9/11: “Investigators seek prosecution of more than 6,400 but only five get twenty years or more in prison. Median or typical sentence for those classified as international terrorists is 14 days.” The full-text of the Special Report, …
USPTO Launches Trademark Assignments on the Web
Trademark Assignments on the Web System is Now Available on the United States Patent and Trademark Office Web Site: “The United States Patent and Trademark Office is pleased to announce the availability of the Trademark Assignments on the Web System, effective December 3, 2003. The system is accessible from a number of pages, including the …
Review of E-Gov in 2003
Government officials and observers report on the progress made under the E-Gov Act of 2002 The President signed the E-Government Act on December 17, 2002. IRS leading the pack in privacy beSpacific postings on e-government since September 2002.
Indictment Unsealed on Illegal Sale of Controlled Substances on Web
From a Justice Department press release: “A federal grand jury in Alexandria (VA) has returned a 108-count indictment charging 10 individuals and three companies with illegally selling controlled substances and other prescription drugs over the Internet through various websites.” Indictment
Gov’t Agencies Add Google to Search Intelligence Data
According to Government Computer News, two Google Seach Appliances have been purchased for use on the government’s intranet for classified information sharing that spans numerous agencies, called Intelink.
Net Tax Moratorium to Expire by Year’s End
The Tax Relief Extension Act of 2003 (H.R. 3521 and S. 1896) will expire on December 31, 2003. ‘Net Tax Ban Renewal Hopes Fade for 2003
FOIA Request for “No Fly” Documents Leaves Many Questions Unanswered
In response to a FOIA request for documents on the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) no-fly lists or “watch lists,” the ACLU obtained 94 pages of documents from the FBI that are posted here. The documents are heavily redacted. The ACLU press release is here.
