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See Md. libraries to connect with patrons via the Internet for news about the new AskUsNow! 24/7 live online interactive service. Maryland is the second state to launch an Internet chat-based reference service for patrons, that also uses e-mail follow-up if required. New Jersey’s service has been available for over one year.
According to this article in the March 18 Chronicle of Higher Education, an important conflict has been identified between the Teach Act (2002), which lifts specific copyright restrictions for the purposes of distance learning, and the DMCA (1998), that has a provision preventing the circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works.
EPIC has launched the Online FOIA Gallery 2003, providing “scanned images of documents obtained by EPIC through the Freedom of Infomation Act, including evidence of the misuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, video monitoring of political protesters in Washington, DC, and the names and project titles of the organizations receiving funding from John Poindexter …
Yesterday the U.S. Census Bureau launched a new website, Fast Facts for Congress, that “provides highlights from Census Bureau sources of economic and demographic data for the U.S., states, counties, and congressional districts of the 108th Congress.” Users may search for data by State, District, or County.
A new White Paper from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, released March 14: How the War on Terrorism Affects Access to Information and the Public’s Right to Know Covering the war. Topics covered include: Military tribunals, Access to terrorism & immigration proceedings, Domestic coverage, The USA PATRIOT Act, The reporter’s privilege, Freedom …
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been pursuing a high-profile campaign against P2P file sharing that stretches from college and university campuses to the cubicles of corporate America. On March 12, RIAA President Cary H. Sherman sent letters to 300 companies warning that “significant legal damages” could result from employers and employees who …
UnitedStatesVisas.gov, the “official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures,” was launched today. Currently available only in English, the site will soon add the following five languages: French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese. There are links to information on: U.S. Visa Policy, How to Get a Visa, Visa News, and How to Locate …
Georgia State Senator Eric Johnson spearheaded the “Know Thy Neighbor Act” in 1997 which required that the Board of Pardons and Paroles create an online database through which citizens could ascertain the addresses and respective crimes of the state’s parolees. The Geogia Parolee Database is now available on the web, and users may access information …
The Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration recently issued a report, Federal Agencies’ Controls Over the Access, Disclosure and Use of Social Security Numbers by External Entities (PDF), documenting problems with unauthorized access to, and dissemination of, social security numbers. See also this March 6, 2003 speech by James G. Huse, …
Johnny Sutton, United States Attorney, Western District of Texas announced March 14 that University of Texas at Austin student Christopher Andrew Phillips was charged with unauthorized access to the university’s computer system and the theft of more than 55,000 records containing personal data. Sutton states: “At this point, there is no indication that the stolen …
The Ninth Annual National Conference sponsored by the non-profit think tank Privacy & American Business took place in Washington, D.C. March 13-14. The draft agenda for the Privacy Practitioner’s Workshop, which included more than a dozen presentations, is available in PDF here. A link to the conference speaker’s page is here, and includes California State …
CNN correspondent Kevin Sites is blogging from inside Iraq, and his postings include text, audio and photos. His archives begin on March 9.