Debunking TIA.

David Weinberger comments on a piece by David Reed which essentially says that all of the writing which trashes the TIA initiative as a threat to civil liberties is giving the initiative more credibility than it deserves. 

I sat on a panel that discussed PATRIOT and TIA recently along with a former FBI agent (who was very well-connected) who said, "Don't worry - we don't have the computational power to do what you are worried we could do.  We have a hard enough time focusing on the bad guys."

I tend not to disagree with his statement with one exception-- what if that focus shifts?  Even if they "can't" watch all of us, those that fall into that focus will feel the pain.

10:45:24 AM    

Links - Defined.

Canter provides multiple links to writings about links.  The writing is technical in focus but provides some good context in understanding the purpose of links in the blog arena.

10:33:38 AM    

Heavy stuff.

Just discussed how the "Really Big Corporate" types are using their political strength to dictate the "battlefield", to use a common term now, on issues of content, infrastructure, and who makes money on what at a luncheon with the Atlanta chapter of the Federal Communications Bar.  Didn't realize we literally had a battle shaping up just down the street.

DMCA vs. Free Speech, cont'd.

I just heard from folks at the InterZOne conference in Atlanta, where, apparently, conference organizers and two scheduled speakers have been served with cease-and-desist requests. At issue are the "intellectual property rights" of Blackboard Inc. Here's an excerpt from Blackboard's attorney's letter:

It recently has come to Blackboard's attention that Billy Hoffman and Virgil Griffith are intending to speak as co-panelists in your upcoming InterzOne II conference on April 11, 2003. The website located at www.yak.net/acidus, Mr. Hoffman's website, states that, "The signals to and from several Blackboard readers have been captured, as well as how data is stored on the cards. Using this knowledge Virgil and I have created a drop-in compatible reader, that will work with an existing RS-485 network. Computer code to emulate any reader made as well as hardware specs to wire the readers and control circuits will be launched." Explaining, Mr. Hoffman's website states that "This will show not only did we hack the system, but we hacked it so far we could build functional readers from scratch." The website states that he intends at this conference to "release code to make a computer emulate any Blackboard reader, as well as the hardware designs ... to make a drop in replacement for any Blackboard reader." The website also threatens that, because "Blackboard wouldn't make their system more secure, or tell people how to secure it, I'll simply make compatible ones myself and give them away."

Please be advised that the actions described on Mr. Hoffman's website, including the hacking of Blackboard's system, are illegal, and that any effort by either Mr. Hoffman or Mr. Griffith to convey to others at your Conference any information gleaned in whole or in part from such actions, particularly in an effort to cause Blackboard economic harm, would be improper. Please be advised of our view that it would be actionable for you or your conference to facilitate Mr. Hoffman's and Mr. Griffith's announced plans for, among other things, the disclosure of signals captured, the releasing of code, the description of development of functional readers, and the hardware specs to wire the readers and/or control circuits. Please be advised further that the www.yak.net/acidus website's use of the Blackboard name and the Blackboard logo is unauthorized and far exceeds the parameters of any nominative fair use, constituting a false designation of origin in violation of the federal Lanham Act, and we caution that we have not authorized Blackboard's name or logo to be used in any seminar or conference materials or in any presentation. We are also examining whether the actions of Mr. Hoffman and Mr. Griffin may have violated other federal laws, including (among others) the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, the Economic Espionage Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Wiretap Act, and the Consumer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as Georgia's Computer Systems Protection Act.

My correspondent writes, We're trying to get the word out as fast as possible because this is most definitely not cool.

[The Doc Searls Weblog]

10:23:04 AM    

Riches in paid links

This NY Times article has interesting analysis of the growth of Google, and their success at paid advertising.

In Searching the Web, Google Finds Riches. The band of technoinsurgents who run Google are striking a blow against the giant Web portals by rewriting the rules of Internet advertising. By John Markoff and G. Pascal Zachary. [New York Times: Business]

9:36:38 AM    

"PATRIOT ACT" no protector of Freedom.

An editorial in the Macon (Ga) Telegraph, castigates the PATRIOT ACT as a ruse when it somes to protecting our freedoms.

The Patriot Act allows law enforcement to install trap and trace devices to phone lines to collect all outgoing and incoming numbers and that type of surveillance also applies to computers and their use on the Internet. They can delve into personal financial records, what citizens buy and where - all without any suspicion of wrongdoing. There is, however, punishment of the bank, Internet access provider or the corner bookstore and library if they refuse to cooperate or alert the person being investigated. And now comes the government again with Patriot Act II that would further erode liberties of Americans. Congress will have more time to study this assault on personal freedoms. The shock of Sept. 11, while still apparent has abated and we can only pray for the day, Dec. 31, 2005, when many of the provisions of the initial Patriot Act expire.

Unfortunately, efforts are underway to remove the sunset clause.  If a small, conservative newspaper sees the threat so clearly, are we far from an uprising against this Ashcroft scheme to make us safe from ourselves and subservient to big brother?

9:21:54 AM