Make free wi-fi truly free

MAKE FREE WI-FI TRULY FREE
[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle, AUTHOR: Nicole Ozer, Kurt Opsahl]
[Commentary] Municipal wireless programs help ensure greater access to information and bridge the significant disparities in technology access among community members, but without more privacy and free speech protections, San Francisco's pending contract with Earthlink and Google threatens to undermine these worthy goals. As the contract stands, there will be no such thing as "free" municipal wireless in San Francisco. If city officials fail to bargain aggressively in the final stages of contract negotiations, San Franciscans will pay a high price for free Internet access -- with their privacy and free speech rights. San Francisco officials need not be timid at the bargaining table with Earthlink and Google. They should use their leverage to press for strong privacy and free speech protections and make San Francisco a model for how to do municipal wireless right.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/17/EDG6QQ501...