EDTECH
Internet Filters On The Rise In U.S. Schools
Student Skill Is Expected To Bolster Technology
E-GOVERNMENT
Getting Information From State Web Sites at a Price
INTERNET GOVERNANCE
U.S. Will Renew ICANN's Authority
EDTECH
STUDENT SKILL IS EXPECTED TO BOLSTER TECHNOLOGY
A report released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project in
Washington details the use of the Internet in college students lives. Steve
Jones, author of the study says the Internet is as commonplace as books or
pizza in college students lives. Many students are not only using the
Internet to conduct homework or research, but are using the Net to
communicate with professors, download music and socialize with instant
messaging programs. College students, who grew up with computers, use the
Internet much more than the general population. An overwhelming 86 percent
of them had gone online compared with only 59 percent of the general
population. The college report provides "a terrific look into the future,"
said Lee Rainie, the director of the Pew Internet project. "The reason we
care is that these students will be taking their online habits and
expectations into their lives after college, and that will likely lead to
significant changes in work and leisure."
View the report
(http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/pdfs/PIP_College_Report.pdf)
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: John Schwartz]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/16/technology/16NET.html)
(requires registration)
INTERNET FILTERS ON THE RISE IN U.S. SCHOOLS
When Congress required schools to install filters in order to receive
certain technology grants, many districts felt that they had no choice but
to comply. As a result of the federal Children's Internet Protection Act,
schools across the country are installing filters or expanding their use
despite flaws in the software, which sometimes blocks legitimate sites
needed for lessons. The Act also required filtering in libraries, but that
provision is on hold after a federal court in Philadelphia struck it down as
violating First Amendment guarantees. But the requirement for schools was
never challenged, partly because schools typically have greater leeway in
restricting student conduct. Filtering technology has gotten better and the
Internet use more pervasive, making policies based solely on teacher
supervision no longer practical, said Bob Moore, executive director of
information technology at the Blue Valley School District near Kansas City.
But Moore does worry that filters could impede teaching skills that kids
need for life. "You don't teach safety to kids in a basement. You have to
get them out in the real world," he said. "Are we going to be able to teach
our students Internet safety and effective use of the Internet in a gated
community? We won't know that for years."
[SOURCE: Yahoo, AUTHOR: Anick Jesdanun]
(http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=528&ncid=528&e=1&u=/ap/20020914/
ap_on_hi_te/internet_filtering_schools)
E-GOVERNMENT
GETTING INFORMATION FROM STATE WEB SITES AT A PRICE
According to a study released today by Brown University, as government Web
sites improve, they are becoming more likely to impose fees for information.
Darrell West, who conducted the study of 1,265 state and federal Web sites,
said that the practice of charging fees for basic information is a worrisome
trend that could result in two tiers of access to government information.
"E-government planners are starting to segment Web sites," Professor West
said. "That really runs contrary to the open and transparent roots of the
Internet." The study, available at www.InsidePolitics.org, also found that
in general, federal Web sites did a better job offering information and
services than did state sites.
[SOURCE: Yahoo, AUTHOR: Duncan Martell]
(http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/16/technology/16EGOV.html)
INTERNET GOVERNANCE
U.S. WILL RENEW ICANN'S AUTHORITY
California based ICANN, the manager of the Internet's Domain Name System, is
expected to continue managing the Internet's global addressing system when
agreements with the U.S. government are up for renewal at the end of this
month.
Criticized for not involving the online public in its decisions, ICANN is
currently in talks with the U.S. Commerce Department to enact internal
reform laws before their renewal. The U.S. Government formed ICANN to
encourage competition within the domain name industry, but many critics
complain that such efforts of reform don't give a meaningful voice to
Internet users. Center for Democracy and Technology Policy Analyst Robert
Courtney says that any agreement should outline clear steps ICANN must take
to improve its openness and transparency.
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: David McGuire]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13478-2002Sep13.html)
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