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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2004 FTC Orders Clear Labels for Pornographic Spam FTC and Others Warn Users to Secure Servers P2P Companies Claim They Can't Filter Content Maryland Report Warns of Electronic Voting Risks U.S. VISIT Program Catches Criminals Chinese Firm Joins Open Source Group FTC ORDERS CLEAR LABELS FOR PORNOGRAPHIC SPAM The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a new regulation that applies to pornographic e-mail. Beginning in June, unsolicited e-mail regarding online pornography must include the words "SEXUALLY-EXPLICIT-CONTENT" in the subject line. Pornographers, like other e-mail marketers, must also include postal addresses and valid tools to opt out of future mailings. The FTC crafted the new rule, which will override some state regulations that require "ADV:ADULT" in the subject line, because such labeling could pertain to non-pornographic adult content such as that concerning gambling or tobacco. The FTC regulation also forbids pornographers from including graphic sexual images within the body of e-mail messages. There will be a three-week public comment period on the new rule. USA Today, 29 January 2004 http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2004-01-29-spam-label_x.htm FTC AND OTHERS WARN USERS TO SECURE SERVERS In conjunction with local regulatory agencies, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent notices to hundreds of thousands of computer users in 26 countries that they may unwittingly be part of the spam problem. Spammers often route messages through others' computers. Improperly configured computers can allow spammers to use those machines in their e-mail campaigns, and recipients of spam often believe messages originated from these compromised machines. According to the FTC, most compromised computers are within corporations, not in homes. The FTC's initiative, called Secure Your Server, is an effort to educate computer users about configuring systems to prevent spammers' unauthorized access. The message sent this week encourages those whose systems have been identified as improperly configured to visit the FTC's Web site for information about how to protect themselves. CNN, 30 January 2004 http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/30/ftc.spam.ap/index.html P2P COMPANIES CLAIM THEY CAN'T FILTER CONTENT A trade group representing companies that produce file-trading software has responded to appeals that they filter illegal content from their networks by arguing that such filtering is not technically possible. The group's comments come in response to calls--including those from Congress--that file-sharing companies take an active role in removing illegal content from their networks. In a letter to Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-N.C.), P2P United said that members of Congress and the public have been misled into believing that file-sharing companies have the ability to filter copyrighted material or child pornography from their networks and simply choose not to do so. Decentralized networks, such as those of Kazaa and Gnutella, cannot be policed for illegal content the way a centralized network--such as the original Napster--can be, according to the group. Some companies, however, dispute the trade group's claim. A company called Audible Magic has reportedly demonstrated to Congress and members of the recording industry that its technology can effectively filter content on decentralized networks. CNET, 28 January 2004 http://news.com.com/2100-1038_3-5149720.html MARYLAND REPORT WARNS OF ELECTRONIC VOTING RISKS In the latest critique of electronic voting systems made by Diebold Inc., a report from RABA Technologies says that the software should be rewritten to overcome security weaknesses. Authors of the report said the systems lack sufficient security to prevent hackers from altering the outcome of an election. The report noted, however, that shy of malicious hacking, the systems are able to count and record votes accurately. This new report echoes concerns raised by an earlier report about the voting machines. A spokesman from Diebold said the company has addressed or is capable of fixing all of the concerns raised in the new report. Diebold voting systems are slated for use in primary elections in March in Maryland, and the state of Georgia has chosen to use the systems in its statewide elections. New York Times, 30 January 2004 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/29/technology/29CND-SECU.html U.S. VISIT PROGRAM CATCHES CRIMINALS According to government officials, the recently launched U.S. VISIT program has been successful in identifying wanted individuals who had formerly been able to enter and leave the United States without being properly identified. The program, which fingerprints and photographs most people entering the country, began operating January 15 at more than 100 airports and 14 seaports. According to Asa Hutchinson of the Department of Homeland Security, the system has processed more than 600,000 individuals and has caught at least 30 people wanted for a variety of crimes. Hutchinson said the program has not caused significant delays for travelers. Visitors from 28 nations--considered less likely sources of terrorists--are exempt from the program. Some of the countries subject to the new program, including Brazil, have objected to the program. Washington Post, 29 January 2004 (registration req'd) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58249-2004Jan28.html CHINESE FIRM JOINS OPEN SOURCE GROUP A major Chinese software firm has announced plans to join the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL). Beijing Co-Create Open Source Software becomes the second Asian company to join the open source group this week after Japan's NEC Soft. According to the OSDL, the Chinese firm will work on development of a Linux kernel and a Linux operating system for the Chinese market. Officials from OSDL believe that other Chinese firms will also join the group, reflecting a growing interest in open source development in China. The state-owned Beijing Software Industry Productivity Center estimates increases in Linux sales in China of 40 percent each year between 2002 and 2007. ZDNet, 30 January 2004 http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5150872.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. 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