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The 2004 Budget was sent to Congress on February 3, 2003 and is available in PDF, either in five downloadable chapters, or as a single file. It covers the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2003. Also available are Supporting Documents and a List of Spreadsheets (in XLS format).
Privacy and Security, A librarian’s dilemma, addresses the challenges faced by public librarians post 9/11 who are committed both to the country’s safety and security, as well as to their patron’s right to privacy. Law professor and library law expert Mary Minow states the issue succinctly: “How do we make sure we protect the privacy …
This Boston Globe Magazine article focuses on the ability of Google’s search technology to link researchers to extensive personal data on individuals who have no reasonable expectation of such data remaining private. Googling someone has become routine for many searchers, and the more thorough the research, the greater the potential to locate and disseminate personal …
In a follow-up to my recent post on fraud in the library/school E-Rate fund, a preliminary investigation has now been launched, at the direction of House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman W.J. “Billy” Tauzin. Tauzin is a vocal critic of the program, and through his spokesman stated, “Schools are hooked up to the Internet …
The Buying of the President 2004 is a new searchable database from the Center for Public Integrity. This is a terrific resource, and is well worth a visit. A press release about the database is here, and indicates that there are currently 200 documents available on the financial history of the declared candidates, as well …
Via Politechbot, Ohio State Law Professor Peter P. Swire, former Chief Counselor for Privacy to President Clinton, filed a declaration in Verizon v. Recording Industry Association of America supporting Verizon’s motion to stay the decision.
American Lawyer Media, Inc. launched a new service, Legal Market Information Source, providing “clients, law firms and companies marketing to the legal industry with trend data, reports, rankings and custom research on major U.S. and global law firms…Initial LMIS product offerings will cover four areas: law firm reports; legal industry briefs; industry ranking tables and …
Here is a follow-up to a January 30 New York Times article on the State Department’s new database of 50 million visa applications to which federal and local law enforcement agencies will have access. This database is part of the Homeland Security initiative. As part of the compliance requirements, colleges and universities must report on …
Safeguarding Our Patrons’ Privacy: What Every Librarian Needs to Know about the USA PATRIOT Act & Related Anti-Terrorism Measures, videotape (120 minutes) and manual (27 pp.), published December 2002, are available for $35 from the Association of Research Libraries.
The American Library Association (ALA) issued a resolution on the Patriot Act that states the organization “considers sections of the act a president danger to the constitution and privacy rights of library users. It not only encourages librarians to defend user privacy, it also asks ALA to take action to obtain and publicize information about …
The University of Indiana Digital Student reported that several hundred students were forced to remove music download files from their computers or their Internet access would be discontinued, in accordance with an RIAA demand. I have made a series of posts on RIAA’s communications with college and university presidents indicating that they are responsible for …
In April 2002, the FTC obtained a judgment and permanent injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennyslvania barring cybersquatter John Zuccarini from continuing an extensive cyberscam. It involved diverting individuals from their intended website destinations to the more than 5,300 sites he owned, through the use of commonly occuring misspellings …