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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 09, 2006 UC System Signs On to Google Book Scanning Researchers Create Categories of Technology Use AOL Regrets Disclosing Search Results More VA Data Goes Missing UC SYSTEM SIGNS ON TO GOOGLE BOOK SCANNING The University of California will join Oxford University, Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Public Library in Google's controversial book-scanning project. The UC System comprises more than 100 libraries on 10 campuses, and the new deal will give Google access to many millions of volumes housed at those libraries. As with other texts in Google's program, digital copies will only be accessible through its own search engine. Google still faces legal opposition to its program, which scans copyrighted material as well as public domain texts, though access to protected work is limited. The UC System also participates in the Open Content Alliance (OCA), which takes a different approach to copyrighted works, scanning only those for which copyright owners have provided explicit permission. Although Jennifer Colvin, strategic communications manager at the California Digital Library, rejected the idea that participating in both projects represents a conflict, others disagreed. Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, said, "Having a public institution decide to go with Google's restrictions doesn't help the idea of libraries being open in the future." CNET, 8 August 2006 http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-6103540.html RESEARCHERS CREATE CATEGORIES OF TECHNOLOGY USE Researchers at University College London (UCL) have assigned 1 of 23 categories to each postal code in the United Kingdom, characterizing the level of involvement with technology of residents in that area. The researchers started with 8 categories, which they then split into the total of 23 "e-types" ranging from "e-unengaged" to "e-experts." Based on data from electoral rolls, the census, and Experian, researchers assigned one of the e-types to each of 1.7 million postal codes. Those involved in the project said the effort is intended to create a full picture of technology access and usage in the United Kingdom, as opposed to the notion that there are simply technology "haves" and technology "have-nots." Paul Longley, professor at UCL who led the study, stressed that the message is not simply one of rankings, showing who has more and assuming that everyone wants more than they have. The research project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, was conducted in conjunction with the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham. BBC, 8 August 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5256552.stm AOL REGRETS DISCLOSING SEARCH RESULTS Officials at AOL have apologized for making search records public, calling it a "screw-up" that would not have happened had it been properly reviewed. Researchers in a number of fields use, or would like to use, search records to understand Web surfing habits and how to make searches more efficient. AOL put randomly selected search histories for 658,000 subscribers online, where researchers and the public could access them. Although the records did not contain names, many said the posting puts those users at risk of being identified through inductive reasoning based on their searches. Ari Schwartz, deputy director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said, "We think it's a major privacy concern, and we're glad to see AOL is taking it seriously." AOL said that despite their intention of assisting the research and academic communities, putting the search records online was wrong and they have since taken them down. Internet researcher Steve Beitzel noted that AltaVista and Excite have previously disclosed similar information and that no harm came from those disclosures. ZDNet, 8 August 2006 http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,39020336,39280573,00.htm MORE VA DATA GOES MISSING Following the theft in May and subsequent recovery of a Veterans Administration (VA) laptop containing personal information on more than 26 million veterans, a subcontractor to the agency now says a desktop computer is missing, putting information on as many as 38,000 veterans at risk. The computer belongs to Unisys, which confirmed that data including names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for 18,000 people were definitely on the computer. Another 20,000 records may have also been on the machine; the VA and Unisys are trying to determine whether those additional records were compromised. Unisys and the VA are working to contact those affected by the incident. Internet News, 8 August 2006 http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3625256 ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your settings, or access the Edupage archive, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 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] ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE RESOURCES The EDUCAUSE Resource Center is a repository for information concerning use and management of IT in higher education. 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