***************************************************** Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. *****************************************************
TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2003 Entertainment Groups Appeal File-Sharing Ruling Threat of Legal Action Hits Home for Some File Sharers California Gets Close to Tough Privacy Law China to Use Electronic ID Cards ENTERTAINMENT GROUPS APPEAL FILE-SHARING RULING Three media groups have filed an appeal to a federal court ruling in April that freed Grokster and Streamcast from responsibility for the copyright violations of their users. The ruling does not apply to Sharman Networks, distributor of the Kazaa file-sharing software. The Recording Industry Association of America, along with the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Music Publishers Association, argue in their appeal that Judge Stephen Wilson's decision disregarded a previous appeals court opinion regarding Napster, which held the maker of the file-sharing software responsible. Michael Page, an attorney for Grokster, said Wilson did follow the tenets of the Napster decision and ruled properly. A similar case against Sharman Networks is still pending in Wilson's court. CNET, 19 August 2003 http://news.com.com/2100-1026_3-5065729.html THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION HITS HOME FOR SOME FILE SHARERS Despite a letter this week from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) indicating that the trade group would only pursue prosecution of those who illegally share "substantial" numbers of files, many consumers fear that they will be targets of RIAA subpoenas. The RIAA's letter did not define "substantial" or so-called "de minimis users," leaving many wondering where the line will be drawn. A spokesman for the RIAA noted that sharing even one copyrighted file is illegal but reiterated that the group is pursuing only the most egregious violators. Although some file sharers remain defiant--arguing that the RIAA is violating their privacy and that the group's ambiguity over who will be targeted is unreasonable--others appear spooked by the group's actions and have either stopped sharing files or are taking steps to shield themselves from prosecution. Wired News, 20 August 2003 http://www.wired.com/news/mp3/0,1285,60110,00.html CALIFORNIA GETS CLOSE TO TOUGH PRIVACY LAW Fearing an even tougher ballot initiative, the California Assembly has passed a privacy bill that would place severe limits on what information financial institutions would be allowed to share. The bill is expected to pass easily through the state Senate, and Governor Gray Davis has said he will sign the bill. The bill had previously been rejected by committees, but lawmakers appeared nervous that an initiative from consumer groups would be placed on a March ballot and would likely pass. That initiative would have required institutions to request permission from consumers before sharing any information with any company. Steve Blackledge of the California Public Interest Research Group said the "ball is now in the bankers' and insurers' court" on whether they will challenge the law in court. San Jose Mercury News, 19 August 2003 http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/6568074.htm CHINA TO USE ELECTRONIC ID CARDS Chinese officials plan to replace current identification cards with electronic ones, a move that has some worried about the government's ability and intentions to infringe on personal privacy. The current cards include some personal information but are, according to government officials, easy to counterfeit. The new cards will contain computer chips that will store much more information about each person than the existing cards, prompting some observers to note that the cards will give the government a powerful tool to keep track of political or religious dissidents. Critics point to the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in 1989, when the government put pictures of ID cards on television, trying to locate student leaders of the movement. The new cards could give officials an easy way to locate people they were looking for. New York Times, 19 August 2003 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/19/international/asia/19CHIN.html ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/pub/edupage/edupage.html ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. For information on EDUCAUSE publications see http://www.educause.edu/pub/ ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information on all EDUCAUSE learning and networking opportunities, see http://www.educause.edu/conference/ ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2003, EDUCAUSE
