September 2012

DNC Touts Open Government Initiatives in party Platform

Democrats used their party platform as an opportunity to tout transparency advances under the Obama administration such as the President’s Open Government Initiative and the government information trove Data.gov.

The platform praises Data.gov in particular for helping the private sector “pioneer innovative new services.” Technology officials have argued companies and nonprofits can build thriving industries from federal information related to energy, the environment and other topics similar to industries based on government-gathered weather and Global Positioning System data.

“We are committed to using government as a platform to spur innovation and collaboration,” the document states. The Democratic platform also touts the administration’s leadership role in the Open Government Partnership, an international coalition launched in 2011 to promote transparency. The platform states the party is “strongly committed to protecting an open Internet that fosters investment, innovation, creativity, consumer choice and free speech, unfettered by censorship or undue violations of privacy.”

US Groups Urge EU to Resist Weakening Privacy Proposal

A group of US consumer and privacy groups urged the European Union to move forward on tough new privacy rules, saying stronger European protections will benefit US Internet users and others around the world.

"We support the EU General Data Protection Regulation and believe that it provides important new protections for the privacy and security of consumers. Moreover, we believe that the promotion of stronger privacy standards in Europe will benefit consumers around the globe, as businesses improve their privacy practices and security standards," nearly two dozen US groups said in a letter Wednesday to the European Parliament. They included the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and Public Citizen. Earlier this year, the commission proposed changes to strengthen the European Union's 1995 data privacy directive. They include shifting the directive into a "regulation" that would be binding on EU states when it is finalized. Other changes include expanding the definition of what data is considered "personal information," requiring companies to offer consumers a "right to be forgotten" online, and authorizing privacy officials to impose bigger fines for privacy violations.

Five technology skills every student should learn

What are the most critical technology skills for students to learn? We recently asked our readers this question, and here’s what they had to say.

Online literacy
Critical thinking
The science behind the technology
Adaptability
Courage

App Developers Win Round In Privacy Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed a privacy lawsuit by consumers against 17 tech companies on the grounds that the consumers' written complaint -- which is supposed to outline their allegations and legal theories -- is too unwieldy for them to proceed.

"The court is not sure who these voluminous screeds are addressed to," U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks in Austin (TX) wrote in an order throwing out the 343-page complaint. "Certainly, they are not written with an eye toward this court's busy docket. Perhaps, plaintiffs had the court of public opinion in mind when they drafted them." The lawsuit dates to March, when a group of consumers sued Path, Hipster, Twitter, Facebook and other tech companies for allegedly collecting or storing users' address books without their consent.

Time-Warner Cable, carriers roll out mobile red carpet for Democratic convention

Service providers taking steps to solve expected mobile congestion problems at the Democratic National Convention this week are addressing issues that are likely to grow in many areas over the next few years.

Time Warner Cable said it has made its Wi-Fi hotspots in Charlotte, North Carolina, free to use while the convention is in town. AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel all have added cell sites, portable COWs (cells on wheels) and distributed antennas to handle the influx. More than 35,000 people are expected to come to the city for this week's convention. Time Warner has 90 Wi-Fi APs (access points) around the Charlotte area that were set up to provide wireless Internet access to its subscribers while away from home. Residents and visitors can also buy service. TWC also has about 120 APs throughout Time Warner Cable Arena, the main venue for the event. The company will make those hotspots available to convention-goers free from Aug. 27 through Sept. 10. The visitors, and anyone else in the area, will be able to get on the system without a username or password.

Ireland unveils broadband plan

Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte says his national broadband plan is "the rural electrification of the 21st century."

The Minister outlined a series of "ambitious" targets to be met within the lifetime of the Government. He said 70-100Mbps should be available to at least 50 percent of the population. At least 40Mbps should be available to at least a further 20 per cent of the population and a minimum of 30Mbps available to all. Rabbitte said Taoiseach Enda Kenny had given him a commitment the State would provide funding of €200 million along with matching investment from private companies. Rabbitte unveiled Delivering a Connected Society – A National Broadband Plan for Ireland in Croke Park on August 30. The plan is based broadly on the Report of the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce, published last May. The taskforce’s membership included the chief executives of the six main telecoms service providers in Ireland. State aid clearance by the European Commission will almost certainly be required to guarantee public funds are not substituting for potential private sector investment.

How Obama can win back the media

[Commentary] The honeymoon between President Barack Obama and the media is over.

I’ve been fascinated by the erosion of fourth-estate support for the president. The upstart from Illinois enjoyed kid-gloves treatment in 2008, like few other candidates in my memory. What worked four years ago won’t cut it today. Obama’s opponents are challenging the media to be more responsible and hard hitting. Summing up the view of conservative voters, a headline on the Washington Post Right Turn blog asked: “How will we know if the media dive back in the tank for Obama?” The implication there is the media were clearly in Obama’s corner the first time around — and that they could well be again.

How can the president win back the media? Here are five ideas:

Have a thicker skin: When you do a Google search for “Obama thin skin,” multiple stories with the same theme appear. Whether the president has “rabbit ears,” as the blurb for a YouTube video claimed, perception can become reality.
Appear in public with the ever-popular Michelle: The First Lady has emerged as a strong and calming influence whether she is speaking with journalists on official White House business or yukking it up on the ABC chat show “The View.”
Be the anti-Mitt Romney: The media noted during the Republican convention that one of Mitt Romney’s biggest challenges is to show that he is a friend of working men and women and not just a rich capitalist. Obama was swept into office on a populist tidal wave, which reporters identified strongly with.
Never let ‘em see you sweat, Mr. President: Obama, has occasionally seemed on edge this year — understandably, what with the state of the economy — and reporters have noticed.
Lighten up: We have seen his hair go from black to gray, it’s understandable that he’s feeling stressed, but he needs to give the impression that he’s enjoying himself. He’s often at his best in lighthearted moments, when he’s giving his picks for the NCAA basketball tournament or shooting baskets with the likes of LeBron James.

What is the value of social media to public service journalism? New research project

In some media markets such as Austria, public service broadcasters are not allowed to use social media freely. It is seen as unfair competition for private sector media organizations who want to make money online. But is this realistic or desirable in a digital world? In a new research project, journalist Nadja Hahn will be looking at the regulations that cover the use of social media by public service broadcasters across Europe. She will be asking what benefits there are for PSB journalists when they can use these new channels or networks. She will also be asking the best way to regulate competition in this area.

Foundations give local news and information projects a boost

Twenty local news and information projects across the country, all backed by their community or place-based foundations, have been awarded $3.67 million in matching funds as winners of the Knight Community Information Challenge.

The winners will:

Open up data: In Boston, a project will train journalists and community members on how to better use data in reporting, and in Chicago, a project will use existing data to increase local government accountability by creating mobile apps and tools.
Strengthen their local news and information infrastructure: In New Jersey, Portland, Ore. and Santa Barbara, Calif., news collaboratives will create and share content across print, web and radio platforms.
Empower communities around social issues: In Mississippi, residents targeted by payday lenders in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Horizon oil spill will learn about local safe lending options. In Washington (DC), an online tool will track affordable rental properties and in Key Biscayne, Fla. residents will monitor coastal and marine habitat to inform people about and help protect the environment.

Privacy and Data Management on Mobile Devices

More than half of mobile application users have uninstalled or avoided certain apps due to concerns about the way personal information is shared or collected by the app, according to a nationally representative telephone survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. In all, 88% of U.S. adults now own cell phones, and 43% say they download cell phone applications or “apps” to their phones.

Among app users, the survey found:

54% of app users have decided to not install a cell phone app when they discovered how much personal information they would need to share in order to use it
30% of app users have uninstalled an app that was already on their cell phone because they learned it was collecting personal information that they didn’t wish to share

Pew also asked about three general activities related to personal data management on cell phones. Among all those who own a cell phone of any kind, we found that:

41% of cell owners back up the photos, contacts and other files on their phone so that they have a copy in case their phone is ever broken or lost
32% of cell owners have cleared the browsing history or search history on their phone
19% of cell owners have turned off the location tracking feature on their cell phone because they were concerned that other individuals or companies could access that information

Benton

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