DIGITAL DIVIDE
Why the Digital Divide is Your Problem Too (ZDNet)
Social Safety Net (NYT)
INTERNET
Foundation Gives $1 Million for Public Internet Efforts (CyberTimes)
Appeals Court rejects New Mexico Internet Law (SJM)
Back To Court For Anti-Porn Law (USA)
Spamming: The E-Mail You Want To Can (House)
GM's New Computerized Voice Provides News, Directions from Web (WSJ)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
Get Out And Vote? I'd Rather Get Online And Vote (USA)
Capitol Hill At A Cross Roads On Info Highway (USA)
TELEVISION
NBC Makes Offer of About $700 Million for San Francisco
Television Station (WSJ)
TELEPHONY
Truth-in-Advertising of Long Distance Services (FCC)
Local Competition in Voice and Data Marketplaces (Senate)
INTERNATIONAL
Some Chinese Flexibility on Internet Seen (NYT)
WTO 2000: The Next Round (House)
ANTITRUST
Microsoft Case Is About A Good Capitalist Practice:
Running Your Competition Out Of Business (USA)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
WHY THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS YOUR PROBLEM TOO
Issue: Digital Divide
A business perspective on the digital divide between rural and urban areas
concerning rollout of high-speed Internet access. 86% of Internet delivery
capacity is concentrated in the 20 biggest cities. Suppliers tend to wire
the areas where they are most likely to make a profit leaving out low-income
and rural areas. Although FCC Chairman talks about high-speed access
reaching all areas, the FCC is letting the private sector get there on its
own. Noncommercial efforts to bridge the divide are underway headed by the
National Urban League, the AOL Foundation and the Benton Foundation. It's a
tough situation, Berst writes. No one wants to restrict private industry and
force it to operate at a loss. But it doesn't make sense to leave millions
out of the fast-access world by letting private industry build only where it
wants. Is fast Internet access a "utility" like the telephone companies?
Should we force fast-access suppliers to wire the entire community? Berst
invites reader to voice their opinions online
(http://f5.dejanews.com/frameset/frameset.cgi?channel=anchordesk&forum=jesse
&msg=18716)
[SOURCE: ZDNet Anchor Desk, AUTHOR: Jesse Berst]
(http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?/adeska/adt1103ba/4059:1061542)
SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Issue: Nonprofits and Technology
[Op-Ed] A recent Aspen Institute seminar on poverty, headed by Nelson
Mandela and
Jimmy Carter focused on the question of whether Internet technology can be
used
for alleviating poverty. Mr. Friedman believes it can. A Web site called
PlaNet Finance is an example of just this potential. PlaNet is wiring 7,000
micro-finance groups around the world into a network that could help
micro-banks save money processing and tracking loans. Micro-loans range
from $10 to $1,000, and are intended to enable people to help themselves.
People who come to the Web site can donate money to selected projects
offered by the best micro-banks
[SOURCE: New York Times (A29), AUTHOR: Thomas L. Friedman]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/opinion/friedman/110399frie.html)
INTERNET
FOUNDATION GIVES $1 MILLION FOR PUBLIC INTERNET EFFORTS
Issue: Internet/Philanthropy
Yesterday, the Markle Foundation announced plans to spend $1 million to get
the general public more involved in Internet governance issues. At least
half of the money will be given to well known nonprofit public interest
groups to help create a international membership for the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet's
controversial governing body. Worldwide general membership will give the
public a say in the election of half of ICANN's 18 elected board members.
"Management of the Internet by a private entity will not be stable or
legitimate if that entity does not adequately include the public voice,"
said the foundation's president, Z