Chicago Bar Association Announces New Portal
The Chicago Bar Association (CBA) launched a new portal that provides a member customizable homepage, access to case law resources, legal news, court forms, bar committee announcements, and more.
AlltheWeb Vs. Google – Is there really a contest?
AllTheWeb Now A Better Search Experience Than Google. Includes a summary of features tested.
Introduction of Public Domain Enhancement Act
Reps. Lofgren and Doolittle Announce the Public Domain Enhancement Act to Address the Need for Copyright Reform. From the press release of June 25: Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose, CA) and Rep. John Doolittle (R-Rocklin, CA) introduced the Public Domain Enhancement Act, addressing the need to reform copyright laws identified in the recent Supreme Court …
RIAA Prepares for Extensive Legal Action Against File Sharers
From a June 25 Recording Industry Association of America press release: “Starting tomorrow, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will begin gathering evidence and preparing lawsuits against individual computer users who are illegally offering to “share” substantial amounts of copyrighted music over peer-to-peer networks….The RIAA expects to use the data it collects as the …
Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Website Publishers In Libel Case
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (“The nation’s largest — and most controversial — appeals court…”) ruled in favor of website publishers in Batzel v. Cremers (41 page pdf), stating that “providers and users of interactive computer services…..are immune from liability for defamatory or obscene speech…when the material is provided by someone else.” See the …
FTC’s Efforts to Combat ID Theft
FTC Outlines Steps to Assist Identity Theft Victims. Prepared Statement of the Federal Trade Commission on Identity Theft: Prevention and Victim Assistance, Presented by J. Howard Beales, III, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Before the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee of the Financial Services Committee, United States House of Representatives, June 24, 2003.
American Library Assoc. Wants More Info On Net Filters
From this AP article: “The nation’s librarians, set back by a Supreme Court ruling upholding requirements for Internet filters to block p*****graphy, plan to step up pressure on software vendors to disclose more about how their products work.” Related articles worth a look: Questions and Answers on Web Filtering and this EFF webpage on Examples …
Wyden Pursues TIA Investigation
According to Declan McCullagh’s News.com article, Sen. Ron Wyden continues to shine a spotlight on the Pentagon’s TIA surveillance program as he relentlessly pursues the answers to specific questions regarding “the project’s scope, its implications for privacy and civil liberties, and which private-sector and government databases would be linked into the system.” Sen. Wyden’s June …
New Policy Report on Online Privacy
New Annenberg Report Examines Americans Understanding of Online Privacy – “Do Americans understand the purpose on internet privacy policies? Do they know how websites use information about them? Do they trust government to protect their personal information?” Press release The report, 37 pages in pdf, Americans and Online Privacy, The System is Broken, A Report …
Florida Privacy Suits On Personal Data Collection
Major Information Brokers Face Class Action for Invasion of Privacy. Class actions lawsuits filed May 30, 2003 in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida W. Palm Beach. docket in 03-CV-80490, Levine v. ChoicePoint, Inc. et al docket in 03-CV-80491, Levine v. Reed Elsevier, Inc. Docket sheets courtesy of CourtExpress.com
Anti-Spam Crusade Unites Generally Divided Groups
Congress Finds Rare Unity in Spam, to a Point. Promises abound that this will be the year when Congress enacts anti-spam legislation, as bi-partisan support, consumer demand and corporate frustration have reached a crescendo. See my related postings on current legislation here and here, and this June 20 article, Senate Once Again Backs Stringent Penalties …
A Review of Internet Copyright Issues
From today’s Washington Post, Overview: Short History of Copyright in the Digital Age, Internet Sparks a Copyright Fire. From the battles between the entertainment industry, “fair use rights” advocates, consumers and copyright holders, this article touches on the complex, high-stake issues, legislative initiatives and key players making news in this arena.