MEDIA & SOCIETY
Cartoons That Aren't for Kids (WP)
No Big Surge in Sex Programs Is Expected From Cable Ruling (NYT)
CORPORATE INITIATIVES
AOL Gets Its Name in Front of Students With
New Service (CyberTimes)
An Oops in Time Warner's Battle for the Internet (NYT)
PRIVACY
Kennard Says U.S. Should Wait Before Regulating Net Privacy (WSJ)
Internet Privacy Hearing (Senate)
Tougher Internet Privacy Rules Would Help Consumers,
Boost Confidence In E-Commerce (CU)
HEALTH ONLINE
Health Coalition Urges Warnings On Internet Medical
Treatment (SJM)
Enforcing the Laws on Internet Pharmaceutical Sales: Where are the
Feds? (House)
SPECTRUM
Global Mobile Phone Standards Urged (SJM)
Wireless Innovations in Communications Initiative (NTIA)
Secondary Markets in Radio Spectrum (FCC)
BROADBAND
Deployment of Broadband (House)
MEDIA & SOCIETY
CARTOONS THAT AREN'T FOR KIDS
Issue: Media & Society
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the
Harvard School of Public Health is recommending that the Motion Picture
Association of America amend its rating system to reflect the content of
movies, a change to the current system that only reflects age categories.
Social researchers at Harvard were moved to call for the change after
completing a review of 74 G-rated animated movies released since 1937. The
researcher found that the length of times spent portraying violence -
"intentional acts where the aggressor make some physical contact that has
potential to inflict injury or harm" - grew dramatically in the 1990s. While
the authors noted a steady increase in violence since 1937, 9 of the 10 most
violent features were released in 1990 or after. "A G rating does not
automatically signify a level of violence acceptable for very young
viewers," wrote the study's authors. The Harvard study is the first to
attempt to systematically document acts of violence in more than 60 years.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (C01), AUTHOR: Paul Fahri]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59337-2000May23.html
NO BIG SURGE IN SEX PROGRAMS IS EXPECTED FROM CABLE RULING
Issue: Cable
The Supreme Court's decision on Monday striking down a law that required
many cable systems to limit sexually explicit channels to late-night hours
will most likely reap a modest increase in profits for programmers but is
not expected to hasten a vast explosion of sexually oriented material on
cable. "I view this primarily as a technical ruling that is more important
for its First Amendment implications," said Chris Dixon, a media analyst for
PaineWebber. "The problem is not whether or not programming is appropriate,
it's whether or not there is space available on the dial or on the set-top
box." Some believe the FCC's rule would have been obsolete within a few
years anyway, as scrambling became universally effective. The ruling really
only affects cable systems that reach ~18 million subscribers.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A14), AUTHOR: Jim Rutenburg]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/scotus/articles/052400cable-review.
html)
See Also:
STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN WILLIAM E. KENNARD ON USA V. PLAYBOY ENTERTAINMENT
GROUP
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Kennard/Statements/2000/stwek039.html)
CORPORATE INITIATIVES
AOL GETS ITS NAME IN FRONT OF STUDENTS WITH NEW SERVICE
Issue: EdTech
AOL( at )School, a version of the America Online's consumer Internet software
that is customized for educators and students, is raising new concerns about
commercialization in schools. Although the service is free, some are dubious
about AOL's intentions. Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center
for Media Education, a Washington-based public interest group, said the
online giant wants to build a new generation of AOL users and pull in their
parents as well. "There's a strategy here to sort of surround the user," he
said. "If they're using it at school, they'll want the service at home. AOL
wants to come in and potentially monopolize the education market." Ann
Flynn, director of education technology partnerships for the National School
Boards Association (NSBA), said AOL( at )School is one of a number of methods
companies are using to get technology, and their product names, into the
classroom. "It's a business," she said. "This is coming out of the business
unit. But it's a free resource for schools, and we're all still struggling
with what these models are and what works."
[SOURCE: CyberTimes, AUTHOR: Rebecca Weiner]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/05/cyber/education/24education.html)
AN OOPS IN TIME WARNER'S BATTLE FOR THE INTERNET
Issue: Corporate Initiatives
In Houston, Time Warner offered employees $100 to order high-speed Internet
access from competitor Southwestern Bell -- and then cancel the order, of
course, after it was confirmed. The plan was to find out where SBC's DSL
service was NOT available and then to exploit any weaknesses in the market.
Some Time Warner employees, however let SBC know what was up -- and now SBC
is a little mad. The local phone giant says it will file complaints
Wednesday with the Federal Communications Commission and the Texas Public
Utilities Commission. TW says it was an error of judgement at the local
level that was quickly corrected when regional mangers found out about it.
SBC is claiming the cost for canceling a confirmed order can be as much as $370.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A1), AUTHOR: Stephen Labaton]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/05/biztech/articles/24net.html)
PRIVACY
KENNARD SAYS U.S. SHOULD WAIT BEFORE REGULATING NET PRIVACY
Issue: Privacy
Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard said
the government should give the information industry a chance to regulate
itself before stepping in with rules governing privacy and other matters.
There are "powerful market incentives for companies to develop their own
means of regulating these privacy issues," said Mr. Kennard. His position
contradicts a recent Federal Trade Commission report to Congress that
asked for more power to regulate Internet privacy. Chairman Kennard, who was
speaking at an international economic conference at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, also said he won't be the "national censor" in charge of approving
the appropriateness of some 50 million Web sites. Instead, he said, the
answer lies in industry, in filtering technology, and people themselves.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (Interactive), AUTHOR: Mark Wigfield]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB959098608743939143.htm)
INTERNET PRIVACY HEARING
Issue: Privacy
The hearing on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) survey of Internet privacy
policies is scheduled for Thursday, May 25, at 9:30 a.m. in room 253 of the
Russell Senate Office Building. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will preside. To access
the hearing live on the Internet on Thursday please go to the Commerce
Committee website at http://commerce.senate.gov, or if your computer is
already equipped with Real Player please go to:
pnm://video.srt.net/~srs_live/commerce.rm.
[SOURCE: US Senate]
(http://www.senate.gov/~commerce/press/106-169.htm)
TOUGHER INTERNET PRIVACY RULES WOULD HELP CONSUMERS, BOOST CONFIDENCE IN
E-COMMERCE
Issue: Privacy
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to present Congress today
with recommendations
for new privacy rules for Internet businesses. Consumers Union (CU) has
expressed great concern about the ways that Internet companies collect and
use private information
about consumers. The May 2000 issue of the CU publication Consumer Reports
featured a special report ("Big Browser is Watching You") about how
companies gather and use personal data about even the most casual Internet
users, often without the consumers' knowledge. Based on Consumer Reports'
findings, CU wrote the FTC to urge regulators to step up their efforts to
help consumers protect their online privacy.
[SOURCE: Consumers Union]
(http://www.consumersunion.org/finance/522pridc00.htm)
HEALTH ONLINE
HEALTH COALITION URGES WARNINGS ON INTERNET MEDICAL
TREATMENT
Issue: Health
A health-care coalition has created voluntary guidelines, "Health Code of
Ethics," that calls for doctors and therapists to warn patients about the
limits of online treatment. The code urges health-care providers to tell
patients when face-to-face interactions are better than cyberchats, and to
help patients find local care offline. Because the Internet is so new, says
Dr. Helga Rippen, chairwoman of the Internet Healthcare Coalition and an
official with drugmaker Pfizer Inc., some professionals may not be aware of
the limits of giving help online. While the phone carries similar
constraints, she said "it's been used for many years." The guidelines also
call for health sites to seek consent before collecting and sharing personal
information, disclose any financial ties and screen content for accuracy.
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/037584.htm
ENFORCING THE LAWS ON INTERNET PHARMACEUTICAL SALES: WHERE ARE THE FEDS?
Issue: Health Online
Thursday, May 25, 2000 10:00 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing entitled: "Enforcing
the Laws on Internet Pharmaceutical Sales: Where are the Feds?" Witnesses
will be by invitation only.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://com-notes.house.gov/schedule.htm)
SPECTRUM
GLOBAL MOBILE PHONE STANDARDS URGED
Issue: Wireless
"We want to move quickly into a future where a phone user in the United
States or in Tokyo or in London can access the Internet on a mobile phone,"
Federal Communication Commission Chairman William Kennard told members of
the World Economic Forum. Chairman Kennard saw the need for a "harmonized
world mobile phone standard" as one of the key challenges on the
telecommunications landscape. He called on conferees "to come up with an
interoperable standard for wireless (phones) in which all manufacturers can
participate," and said that the FCC was "not going to pick a mobile
standard."
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury News, AUTHOR: Andrew J. Glass
(Cox News Service)]
(http://www.mercurycenter.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/006654.htm)
WIRELESS INNOVATIONS IN COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE
Issue: Wireless/Safety
Industry representatives will present new wireless technologies that could
be used by federal law enforcement agencies at a meeting of the Wireless
Innovations in Communications Initiative (WICI) Committee on May 31. The
meeting is in response to presentations made at the May 9 meeting by the
Federal Law Enforcement Users Group (FLEWUG) about the needs of public
safety land mobile communications users.
[SOURCE: NTIA]
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/wici/advisory053100.htm)
SECONDARY MARKETS IN RADIO SPECTRUM
Issue: Spectrum
The FCC will hold a Public Forum addressing issues related to the
development of secondary markets for radio spectrum on Wednesday, May 31,
2000, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Public Forum will be held at the
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC, in
the Commission Meeting Room.
FCC Chairman William Kennard and other FCC Commissioners will provide
opening remarks followed by three panel discussions structured around the
following questions: (1) Can spectrum demand be satisfied in part through
secondary markets? (2) What can we learn from other market models? and (3)
How can FCC policies facilitate the development of secondary markets?
For additional information contact Lisa Gaisford, Office of Engineering and
Technology, 202-418-7280, TTY 202-418-1169 or lgaisfor( at )fcc.gov. News media
contact: Meribeth McCarrick, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau,
202-418-0654, TTY 202-418-7233 or mmccarri( at )fcc.gov or Linda Parris, Office
of Media Relations, 202-418-7121, lparis( at )fcc.gov.
** More info at the URL below **
[SOURCE: FCC]
(http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Public_Notices/2000/da001
139.html)
BROADBAND
DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND
Issue: Broadband
Thursday, May 25, 2000 11:00 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection hearing
focusing on the deployment of broadband technologies. Witnesses will be by
invitation only.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://com-notes.house.gov/schedule.htm)
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