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ACM
USACM Joins Other
Scientific Leaders to Recommend Database Policy
USACM Members Testify
Before Congress on Cyber Security and Digital Rights
Congress
Eliminates Most Funding for TIA
USACM Participates in
Congressional Sponsored Voting Discussion
October Deadline for
CFP 2004 Conference Papers
USACM Helps to Shape
Key IT Policies
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USACM Joins Other
Scientific Leaders to Recommend Database Policy
USACM recently endorsed the Congressional testimony of ACM Fellow William Wulf regarding proposals to create additional legal protections for data (facts and ideas) contained in a database. Recognizing that access to and use of factual data in the public domain is essential to the creation of knowledge, to the validation of scientific claims, and to the progress of science and our nation's system of innovation, USACM remains concerned that new database protection proposals could threaten the legitimate needs and expectations of the research and higher education communities. Of particular interest to USACM, Dr. Wulf's database statement articulates a number of policy principles to serve as a framework for database protection measures to ensure that a reasonable balance of interests among all stakeholders in the information economy is maintained. Dr. Wulf's database statement was also endorsed by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Association of Universities, and the American Libraries Association.
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USACM Members Testify
Before Congress on Cyber Security and Digital Rights
Two members of USACM recently appeared as witnesses at Congressional hearings on policy matters of interest to USACM and the computing community. On September 17, USACM Co-Chair Gene Spafford made recommendations regarding the certification of software and the role it should play in governmental acquisitions before the House Government Reform Committee Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census. Earlier that day, USACM Member Edward Felten appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee to discuss digital rights management (DRM) proposals and whether the government should require the inclusion of DRM anti-copying technology in digital TV equipment.
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The Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the National Academy of Sciences issued a new report entitled “Innovation in Information Technology,” which recommends increased federal support of information technology (IT) research and the maintenance of the unique beneficial character of federally directed research programs.
The CSTB
report found
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At the Federal level, legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to address
the problem of bulk e-mail. The SPAM
bills take differing approaches, which range from tighter rules on the form and
format of unsolicited bulk e-mail to the application of civil and criminal
penalties for those found to be in violation.
In July, USACM joined a broad coalition of groups in endorsing a SPAM policy letter sent to
members of Congress. Coordinated by the
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Congress
Eliminates Most Funding for TIA
As part of the Fiscal Year 2004 budget Congress has
eliminated all funding to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s
(DARPA) Information Awareness Office,
which manages the Total
Information Awareness (TIA) project.
All research except for four small non-controversial components of the
former the TIA program face elimination. The remaining research components of
TIA relate to software research on collaborative tools designed to assist in
the analysis of disparate sources of information. While Federal law restricts the domestic
gathering of data on
To review a statement on TIA funding by the Computing Research Association, see:
http://www.cra.org/govaffairs/content.php?cid=19
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USACM Participates in
Congressional Sponsored Voting Discussion
USACM Co-Chair Barbara Simons participated in the Congressional Black Caucus 33rd Annual Legislative Week as a panelist in a discussion of the new Help American Vote Act Law. Dr. Simons offered comment on USACM's recommendation that a voter-verified audit trail be one of the essential requirements for deployment of new voting systems.
USACM has been active in working to improve e-voting technology and educating policymakers regarding the importance of requiring a voter verifiable audit trail in electronic or computerized voting systems. In addition, individual members of USACM have played a leading role in educating national, state, and local public policymakers and election officials regarding the limitations of current e-voting technology.
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October Deadline for
CFP 2004 Conference Papers
The deadline for submitting suggestions for tutorials,
plenary sessions, and workshops for the 2004 Program Committee of the Fourteenth
Conference on Computers, Freedom, and Privacy (CFP2004) is
To respond to the request for proposals, see:
http://www.cfp2004.org/CallForProposals.html
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The U.S. Commerce Department and the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently reached an agreement to extend
for another three years their Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) to transition management of the Internet domain name
and numbering system (DNS). The current
agreement was due to expire on
A recent report of USACM's Internet Governance Committee (IGC) is critical of the ability of ICANN to create private rules and regulations that impact free speech and robust use of the Internet by noncommercial communities and identifies certain barriers to participation in ICANN policymaking. As part of its efforts to ensure that the Internet continuously develops as a communications medium beneficial to all members of the global Internet community, USACM has urged ICANN to focus on its core technical mission, to work more closely with the technical community, and to be more democratic by electing at least half of its representatives from the public.
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USACM Helps to Shape
Key IT Policies
USACM continues to engage the ACM membership and community in relevant policy discussions to assist policymakers and the public in understanding complex information technology issues. Through its policy efforts, USACM is helping to shape the development of national and global policies that advance the open interchange of information concerning computing and related disciplines. A recent article in ACM MemberNet highlights some of USACM's recent activities that seek to preserve a reasonable balance in intellectual property protection, to maintain individual privacy safeguards, and to enhance the security of our nation's cyber infrastructure.
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