Communications-related Headlines for 7/30/99

MEDIA & SOCIETY
Networks Scramble to Add Minority Actors to Fall Lineup (WP)

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Oakland tries to bridge `digital divide' (SJM)

INTERNET
Consumer Groups Join Fray On Cable and 'Open Access' (WSJ)
FTC Wants Online Pharmacies Watched (NYT)
FTC Enforcer Aggressively Targets Fraud in the Point-and-Click World
(WSJ)
Judge Halts Michigan Online Porn Law (CyberTimes)
Coalition Unveils Safety Web Effort (CyberTimes)
Protecting Celebrity Names Online (CyberTimes)
America Online, Apple Team Up To Offer Instant Messaging Service (WSJ)

MERGERS
Nevada Edges Further Into SBC Fray (ChiTrib)

LEGISLATION
Committee Mark Up (House)
Cybersquatting Bill Clears A U.S. Senate Committee (WSJ)

MEDIA & SOCIETY

NETWORKS SCRAMBLE TO ADD MINORITY ACTORS TO FALL LINEUP
Issue: Media & Society
Faster than a speeding bullet, NBC and ABC are racing to add minorities to
their fall prime time schedules. More powerful than a locomotive, was the
NAACP's threat to take legal action against the broadcasters and the
announcement by a Hispanic coalition to boycott the four big networks for a
week in September for not having enough minorities on their networks. CBS
suddenly became the very hip, ethnically diverse network. ABC explained its
lack of Others were furious that the networks were responding to the criticism.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (C1), AUTHOR: Lisa de Moraes]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-07/30/205l-073099-idx.html)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

OAKLAND TRIES TO BRIDGE `DIGITAL DIVIDE'
Issue: Access
The City of Oakland has just launched a new pilot program that attempts to
give low-income families computers and Internet access at home. Over the
next year, officials plan to train the residents of the Acorn Smart Housing
project in computer programs on IBM computers in their homes. The idea for
the Acorn program, which is funded by federal and state grants, was first
brought to the city council five years ago by the tenants association. "We
have to acknowledge the incredible gap between those who have lots of money
and those who have none," said Mayor Jerry Brown, who indicated that he and
the city council are thinking of expanding the program to other sites in
Oakland. "Those who have capital get ahead a lot faster and further."
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury, AUTHOR: K. Oanh Ha]
(http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/indepth/docs/acorn073099.htm)

INTERNET

CONSUMER GROUPS JOIN FRAY ON CABLE AND 'OPEN ACCESS'
Issue: Broadband
Consumer groups such as the Center for Media Education, the Consumers Union,
the Media Access Project and the Consumer Federation of America have joined
the debate over access to high-speed Internet services provided by cable
companies. So far the debate has been between the large telecommunications
and Internet companies such as AT&T and AOL. But the consumer groups say
they have found information showing cable companies have the capability to
control the access customers have to rival video services, Web sites and
Internet-service providers. Yesterday, the groups wrote a letter to Federal
Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard stating that using
network-management equipment, the cable broadband networks "can be
intentionally manipulated to provide wide bandwidth to the user for
commercially affiliated content, but significantly less bandwidth for
generic and cable-unaffiliated Internet services." As evidence, the consumer
groups cited a "white paper" written by Cisco Systems for cable operators,
describing how Cisco's system can manage and prioritize network traffic.
Fearing AT&T is
using cable to create a broadband monopoly, consumer groups and competitors
are calling for FCC action. However, Chairman Kennard has said regulation is
premature and he fears that regulation will stifle local telephone
competition. AT&T rejects the idea that it would use network-management
tools to screen out competing content or Web sites.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Mark Wigfield]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB933290523786153193.htm)

FTC Wants Online Pharmacies Watched
Issue: Health/Internet Regulation
The Federal Trade Commission has urged Congress to pass laws that would
force Internet prescription sites to disclose more information about their
business and their doctors. The FTC hopes that greater disclosure will help
state governments in monitoring the activities of Internet sites that sell
prescription drugs. "The real challenge lies in dealing with the logistical
difficulties of identifying responsible parties and enforcing laws across
states boundaries," said Jodie Bernstein, director of the FTC's Bureau of
Consumer Protection. The FTC recommends that sites should contain the name,
address and phone number of the pharmacy that will dispense the drugs and
where that pharmacy is licensed to do business.
[SOURCE: New York Times (Online), AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/review/crg212.htm)

FTC ENFORCER AGGRESSIVELY TARGETS FRAUD IN THE POINT-AND-CLICK WORLD
Issue: Internet Regulation
Jodie Bernstein, director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of
Consumer Protection is expected to tell Congress today that legislation is
needed to require online pharmacies to post their credentials. FTC officials
believe that would help curb the growth of unauthorized drug sales. Over the
past five years, Bernstein's team of lawyers has pursued more than 90
Internet-related enforcement actions. Bernstein says that most are
get-rich-quick pyramid schemes or miracle weight-loss drugs. So far this
year, the FTC has taken on the big guys like Wal-Mart and Burlington Coat
Factory for allegedly mislabeling clothing in their online catalogs. The FTC
charged Liberty Financial's "Young Investor" Web site with falsely promising
confidentiality to children who filled out a survey. Dell Computer and
Micron Electronics were charged with placing misleading leasing
advertisements on Web sites, including "inconspicuous or unreadable fine
print." All of these companies have reached consent agreements with the FTC,
agreeing to stop the alleged activity.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: John Simons]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB933288100406749076.htm)

JUDGE HALTS MICHIGAN ONLINE PORN LAW
Issue: Internet Regulation/ Content
A Federal District Court in Detroit has struck down a new law intended to
protect children from pornography online. Judge Authur J.Tarnow declared
that Michigan's new Internet Crime Bill was so broadly worded that it would
curb legitimate speech online. "Even under the guise of protecting minors,
the government may not justify the complete suppression of constitutionally
protected speech," wrote Tarnow. Both federal and state laws to shield
online pornography from children have done poorly in the courts. Many
judges, like Tarnow, have determined that the recent laws are so sweeping
that they restrict the First Amendment rights of adults.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes) , AUTHOR: Pamela Mendels]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/07/cyber/articles/30michigan.html)

COALITION UNVEILS SAFETY WEB EFFORT
Issue: Internet/Filtering
A coalition of companies and association unveiled a new Web site yesterday
in order to give parents easy access to online safety tips and information
on a wide variety of filtering and monitoring products. The site, which is
part of a larger effort called GetNetWise, was launched by American Online,
Lycos, Walt Disney, Microsoft, Yahoo! and groups like the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children. In response, Vice President Al Gore
said, "I think it is safe to say that never before in the history of a new
industry have so many companies that compete in the boardroom come together
to insure our children's safety in the living room." The site contains
details about more than 80 commercial software programs parents can use to
block Web sites inappropriate for children, to see where their children
have been and to set limits as to how long they can stay online.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes) , AUTHOR: Jeri Clausing]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/07/cyber/articles/30children.html)
See Also:
WEB FIRMS LAUNCH A CHILD SAFETY SITE
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A1) , AUTHOR: John Schwartz]
(http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-07/30/172l-073099-idx.html)
See Also:
NEW SITE HELPS PARENTS GET WISE ON KIDS' NET USE
[SOURCE: San Jose Mercury, AUTHOR: JOHN SCHWARTZ]
(http://www.sjmercury.com/svtech/news/breaking/merc/docs/netkid073099.htm)

PROTECTING CELEBRITY NAMES ONLINE
Issue: Legal Issues
Celebrity Nancy Kerrigan recently sued those who run the Web site
NYGateway.com for showing her name on a pornography site. Though her lawyer,
Victor H. Polk, Jr,. got the site removed, he said the incident dramatizes
what he considers to be a troubling failure of the law to give celebrities
-- or anyone else for that matter -- adequate means to safeguard their
reputations or control the use of their names and likenesses on the
Internet. A landmark case, Zeran V. American Online, encourages free speech
on the Web and makes ISPs immune from suits even if they are put on notice
that they are hosting unlawful material. Polk says he would like to see ISPs
given the same responsibility that Congress placed on them in the context of
copyright infringement as stated in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of
1998.
[SOURCE: New York Times (CyberTimes) , AUTHOR: Carl S. Kaplan]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/07/cyber/cyberlaw/30law.html)

AMERICA ONLINE, APPLE TEAM UP TO OFFER INSTANT MESSAGING SERVICE
Issue: Online Services
AOL announced it will work with Apple Computers in the field of instant
messaging and push efforts to allow competing services to exchange instant
messages. AOL and Apple plan to work together to build new messaging
products. Barry Schuler, president of AOL's interactive-services group, said
the products will be largely based on AOL's software and could carry Apple's
brand. Those products will allow "seamless" communication among users of
Apple's Macintosh computers, as well as with users of the AOL Instant
Messenger service. Macintosh users were among the earliest users of AOL. The
latest relationship could help AOL, since Apple's latest iMacs are
attracting first-time buyers to the market. The collaboration between these
two companies appears to have no direct connection to AOL's dispute with
Microsoft over the dueling messaging software. But AOL also disclosed it was
taking steps that could be seen as a partial concession in the feud.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Don Clark]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB933272693310060214.htm)

MERGERS

NEVADA EDGES FURTHER INTO SBC FRAY
Issue: Mergers
By a 2-1 vote, the Public Utility Commission of Nevada voted to summon SBC
Communications to explain why the company's takeover of Ameritech should not
require the state's review and approval. SBC contends that Nevada law does
not give the PUC jurisdiction, but the Commission staff and 2 commissioners
disagree. The merger was first announced in May 1998 and SBC & Ameritech
executives fear that a decision by the Nevada PUC to review the deal will
delay the merger so long that it unravels.
[SOURCE: Chicago Tribune (Sec 3, p.3), AUTHOR: Jon Van]
(http://chicagotribune.com/tech/news/article/0,2669,ART-32304,FF.html)

LEGISLATION

Cybersquatting Bill Clears A U.S. Senate Committee
Issue: Legislation
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation to limit
cybersquatting by people who register Internet domain names with the purpose
of selling them later. A bipartisan group including Judiciary Committee
Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) sponsored this legislation. The bill would allow
trademark owners to recover statutory damages in cases where a person who
intended to unfairly profit from its sale. The measure also would allow
trademark owners to seek the forfeiture, cancellation or transfer of an
infringing domain name after satisfying the court that it has tried but was
unable to locate the person who registered it. Senator Hatch said many
cybersquatters register domain names under aliases or otherwise provide
false information, which makes it difficult for corporations and others to
locate them. The bill contains no criminal penalties and was sent to the
full Senate after the Judiciary Committee voice vote.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB933300984173737383.htm)

COMMITTEE MARKUP
Issue: Legislation
From News Release: A bill to pave the way for the use of electronic
signatures in on-line business transactions, unanimously passed the House
Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee today. The Finance and Hazardous
Materials Subcommittee approved the bill last week. Virginia Congressmen,
Chairman Tom Bliley (R-VA) and U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) introduced the
bill in May. The bill, H.R. 1714, The Electronic Signatures in Global and
National Commerce Act (E-SIGN), would allow consumers and businesses to use
electronic signatures, the same way they use hand-written signatures, when
making on-line business transactions. The bill is needed to remove legal
uncertainties surrounding the status of electronic signatures and
records....The Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection
Subcommittee marked up Title I and II of H.R. 1714 today. An amendment,
offered by Subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin, was approved today by voice
vote. The amendment makes changes to Title I and Title II of the bill. No
date for a full committee mark-up has been announced. Specifically, H.R.
1714 would: provide for the acceptance of electronic signatures and records
in interstate commerce; direct the Secretary of Commerce to promote the
principles of this legislation overseas; and provide for the acceptance of
electronic signatures and records by the securities industries.
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://com-notes.house.gov/cchear/hearings106.nsf/eeae8466ba03a2158525677f0
04b4d11/8e74c9a705827b86852567bd005dc182?OpenDocument)

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...and we are outta here. Has July passed us by so quickly? Enjoy the summer
while it is still here.