--------------------------------------------------------------- EPIC DIGEST AT PRIVACY.ORG EPIC-DIGEST is a weekly update of news, information, and action items posted on privacy.org. May 15-24, 2001 TOC------------------------------------------------------------ NEWS CIPA Filtering Deadline Delayed FTC Nominee Wonıt Commit to Position on Privacy Amendment Would Restrict Collection of Data on Schoolchildren Schools May Implement Packet Sniffers to Monitor Students Publication of Illegally Intercepted Phone Conversation Protected Supreme Court to Review COPA Decision Ashcroft Says Anonymity Harms Law Enforcement ACTION Support the Privacy Coalition's Privacy Pledge NEWS----------------------------------------------------------- CIPA Filtering Deadline Delayed According to a settlement agreement between ACLU, EPIC, ALA, and government attorneys, librarians will have until July 2002 to certify compliance with federal Internet filtering requirements. Technology: Libraries get delay in Internet filter case, Nandotimes (AP), May 16, 2001. http://archive.nandotimes.com/technology/story/0,1643,500560928-500802363-504360380-0,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------- FTC Nominee Wonıt Commit to Position on Privacy FTC Chair nominee Timothy Muris said during a Congressional hearing that he would investigate privacy issues. However, he would not commit to advocating legislation to protect individualsı privacy. Muris Confirmation Hearings, Tech Law Journal Daily Report, May 17, 2001. http://www.techlawjournal.com/alert/2001/05/17.asp FTC Nominee Muris Commits to Mission, But Not to Legislation Senate Committee Questions Agency Hopeful, Washington Post, May 17, 2001. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37102-2001May16.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Amendment Would Restrict Collection of Data on Schoolchildren An Amendment to an education bill proposed by Senators Dodd (D-CT) and Shelby (R-AL) would require schools to give notice and obtain parental consent before allowing commercial interests to collection information on schoolchildren. SA 457, Student Privacy Amendment. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.a.457: Bill Takes On Ads at School, Wired, May 17, 2001. http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,43847,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Schools May Implement Packet Sniffers to Monitor Students School systems attempting to prevent students from viewing certain content may implement new packet sniffing software to monitor students. The new programs apparently can detect proscribed activities, including viewing pornographic and violent content or downloading copyright-protected music. Schools Get Tool to Track Students' Internet Use, New York Times, May 21, 2001 (registration required). http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/21/technology/21SNIF.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Publication of Illegally Intercepted Phone Conversation Protected In a 6-3 decision, the US Supreme Court held that the publication of an illegally-intercepted phone conversation is protected under the First Amendment. In this narrow decision, the Court held that the First Amendment protects publishers of information of legitimate public concern. However, the publisher can play no part in the interception of the communication. Bartnicki v. Vopper, Supreme Court Opinion, Supreme Court Web Site. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/21may20011055/www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/00pdf/99-1687.pdf Court Rules on Wiretap Law, Yahoo News (AP), May 21, 2001. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010521/pl/scotus_taped_call_3.html High Court Says Press Isn't Liable for Use of Ill-Gotten Tapes, New York Times, May 22, 2001 (registration required). http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/22/national/22SCOT.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Supreme Court to Review COPA Decision The Supreme Court will review a lower court decision to enjoin enforcement of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). COPA prohibited the publication of objectionable material on the Internet that is accessible to minors. EPIC and ACLU successfully blocked COPA in the federal courts, asserting that the law impinged on First Amendment rights. Supreme Court to consider online porn law, CNN, May 21, 2001. http://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/05/21/scotus.porn.02.ap/index.html EPIC COPA Resources, EPIC Web Site. http://www.epic.org/free_speech/copa/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Ashcroft Says Anonymity Harms Law Enforcement In a speech delivered at the Computer Privacy, Policy, and Security Institute, Attorney General John Ashcroft said that anonymity impedes law enforcement efforts. To aid police investigations, Ashcroft urged business executives to report security violations and attempts of cyber vandals to access commercial information. Remarks of Attorney General John Ashcroft, Department of Justice Web Site. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/AGCPPSI.htm Attorney General Complains About Net Anonymity, Newsbytes, May 23, 2001. http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/166047.html Aschroft warns of online anonymity, tells firms to report attacks, Declan McCullaghıs Politechbot.com, May 23, 2001. http://www.politechbot.com/p-02052.html --------------------------------------------------------------- Privacy.org is a joint project of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (http://www.epic.org) and Privacy International (http://www.privacyinternational.org). For more information, e-mail Chris Hoofnagle at digest-editor@privacy.org. --------------------------------------------------------------- How to unsubscribe from EPIC-DIGEST: You can leave the EPIC-DIGEST by entering the subscription e-mail address at http://www.privacy.org/digest.php and selecting "unsubscribe." 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