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ACM
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USACM Joins Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee
USACM Calls for Accuracy in Crime Databases
USACM Makes Recommendations to Enhance Web Site Privacy
Changes to the USACM Committee Roster for 2003
Anti Spam Bill Introduced in the Senate
Technology and Privacy Appointments Made at DHS
NSF Begins Work on Data-mining Projects
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INTRODUCTION
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USACM Joins Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee
USACM was recently added to the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC). The organization is a diverse group of public interest, non profit and industry groups working to educate Congress and the public about important Internet-related policy issues. By joining the ICAC, USACM pledged to support the goals of the effort, including: promoting the growth and advancement of the Internet; providing a bipartisan forum for Internet concerns to be raised; promoting the education of Members of Congress and their staffs about the Internet; promoting commerce and free flow of information on the Internet; advancing the United States’ world leadership in the digital world; and maximizing the openness of and participation in government by the people. As a member of ICAC, USACM will be called on to provide expertise on Internet technology policy, participate in panel discussions, and submit white-papers on various Internet-related policy issues.
As a member of ICAC, USACM was invited to submit a one-page paper regarding policy issues associated with Digital Rights Management (DRM). In its brief submission, USACM cautioned that broad DRM mandates built into computers, operating software, and other digital devices could interfere with many legal, non-infringing uses of digital computing. USACM concluded that such interference could threaten the overall security of our nation’s information infrastructure, competitiveness of the U.S. IT industry, and continued innovations in software and digital computing.
For more information on the ICAC and a list of members, see:
http://www.netcaucus.org/advisory/
To review recent one-page submissions regarding Digital Rights Management policy issues by USACM and other ICAC members, see:
http://www.netcaucus.org/events/2003/drm/onepagers/
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USACM Calls for Accuracy in Crime Databases
USACM joined a broad coalition of groups in endorsing an Electronic Privacy Information Center letter recently sent to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The letter requests that the DOJ reconsider its proposed change in administrative policy regarding accuracy in the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) electronic criminal databases. The change in administrative policy releases NCIC from its statutory duty to make a reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of their criminal records. The Privacy Act of 1974 provides guidance regarding accuracy in electronic information held by the federal government.
NCIC’s database also provides information to local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies conducting routine investigations and background checks. There is concern that a lack of accuracy in the criminal databases maintained by NCIC would increase the potential for false positives and false negatives in the search for potential terrorist threats, as well as, compromise the judicial due process rights of law-abiding residents of the United States.
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USACM Makes Recommendations to Enhance Web Site Privacy
USACM recently submitted a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) offering comment on its efforts to draft privacy guidelines governing public and private electronic communications. Public Law Number 107-347, also known as the E-Government Act of 2002, directs the OMB to undertake the first major rewrite in federal privacy regulations since the passage of the landmark Privacy Act of 1974. OMB is working to produce a list of privacy guidelines that agency personnel must follow. Other provisions of the law require agencies to conduct a privacy impact assessment for every new system or information collection activity, and require the inclusion of “machine readable formats” to facilitate electronic communication of privacy policies.
In addition to this effort, the OMB reinstated the Federal CIO Council’s Privacy Committee to provide assistance regarding implementation of the new law. This committee will be comprised of privacy experts from throughout the Federal government.
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Changes to the USACM Committee Roster for 2003
Several Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) members have been added to the ACM’s US Public Policy Committee (USACM) over the last year. Founded in 1993, the USACM has worked to educate policymakers and members of the ACM regarding the impact that IT policy has on computing professionals and their work. The new committee members will join longstanding members in fostering USACM’s efforts to assist policymakers and the public in understanding information technology and to advance a policy framework that supports innovations in computing and related disciplines.
To review recent activities of the USACM, see:
http://www.acm.org/usacm/NewsUSACM.htm
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Anti Spam Bill Introduced in the Senate
Senators Conrad Burns (R-MT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) recently reintroduced a bill, S. 877, the CAN-SPAM Act. The bill would impose criminal penalties if bulk e-mailers disguise their identities and do not provide valid means of unsubscribing from e-mail lists. In addition, all unsolicited marketing e-mail would be required to have a valid return e-mail address so recipients could unsubscribe from bulk e-mailing lists. The bill prohibits marketers, once notified, from sending any further messages to a consumer who has asked them to stop. The legislation allows Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to bring action to keep unlawful spam from their networks, and directs the Federal Trade Commission to impose civil fines on those who violate the law. Finally, the bill also permits State Attorneys General to bring legal action on behalf of citizens who have complaints regarding bulk e-mail marketers.
Earlier this month,
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Technology and Privacy Appointments Made at DHS
This month marked the swearing-in of Dr. Charles McQueary as the first Undersecretary for the Directorate of Science and Technology for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to coming to the department, Dr. McQueary held the positions of President of General Dynamics Advanced Technology systems, President and Vice President of business units for AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and a Director for AT&T Bell Laboratories.
In an interview given earlier this month, Dr. McQueary stated that he intends to make the new department a leader in scientific and technological innovation through its anticipated announcement of over 40 “areas of interest.” The announcement is dependent upon Congressional approval of a reprogramming request to fund radiological and chemical areas and some systems engineering areas.
In other DHS news, Secretary
of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced the appointment of Nuala O’Connor Kelly to be the new Privacy Officer at
the department. O’Connor Kelly currently serves at the Department of Commerce
where she has been the Privacy Officer, Chief Counsel for Technology and the
Deputy Director for Policy and Planning. Previously, she worked at Double Click
as the Vice President for Data Protection and Chief Privacy Officer. She was
also an Associate for Sidley and
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NSF Begins Work on Data-mining Projects
The National Science Foundation (NSF) will fund $4 million in research dollars over the next two years as part of the Management of Knowledge Intensive Dynamic Systems (MKIDS) program. The program is part of NSF’s charter to support science and engineering research related to national security. NSF will be working with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on developing technology to transform information to “wisdom” by enhancing computer network data-mining capabilities. The program will focus on how to improve data-mining systems, which monitor vast streams of data in search of specific pieces of information.
To review the NSF press release, see:
http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/03/pr0342.htm
To review the USACM Letter on data mining, see:
http://www.acm.org/usacm/Letters/tia_final.html
To review current NSF funding opportunities, see:
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Earlier this year the State of
USACM has been active in working to improve e-voting
technology. In addition, individual members of USACM have played a
leading role, such as Dr. David Dill, in informing
In related news, the USACM sent a letter to
To review Rebecca Mercuri’s testimony before the House Science Committee, see:
http://www.house.gov/science/full/may22/mercuri.htm
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In April, the Texas Senate approved a measure
that would exempt engineers who are employed at
private companies from a state law that requires engineers to be licensed. The
bill allows information technology (IT) industry employees to use the term
“engineer” in their title without having to be licensed
by the State Board of Engineers. Currently, individuals who
are not licensed and call themselves “engineers” could face penalties
from the board. The legislation is strongly supported
by several leading IT companies that have expressed concern that without a
change in the law, companies based in
To review the ACM Position on Software Engineering as a Licensed Engineering Profession, see:
http://www.acm.org/serving/se_policy/selep_main.html
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For earlier editions of the ACM Washington Update,
see: http://www.acm.org/usacm/update/.
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