InternetPolicy.net

Global e-government

E-government services are popping up in various places around the globe. Amongst the initiatives includes, UK government which is considering the establishment of an online marketplace that would facilitate trade in services and goods. South Korea has opted to adopt open source software for a scheme to connect schools to government offices via the internet. And now South China's Guangdong Province are now equipped to issue certificates, such as birth permits to its citizens, over the internet. http://www.enn.ie/frontpage/news-9548944.html

Internet Database To Track FCC Spectrum Proceedings

The FCC's Spectrum Policy Task Force (SPTF) has launched a new Internet tracking tool that will allow users to access information on the Commission's spectrum-related proceedings. The tracking tool is part of the SPTF's efforts to improve access to information on the Commission's ongoing spectrum-related proceedings and initiatives. The measure is aimed at providing the public, industry researchers and other interested parties with one place on the FCC's Web site where these proceedings and initiatives are listed, with one- or two-click access to public comments, Commission documents and other related materials.
To access the tracking tool, go to the link on the SPTF's homepage at http://www.fcc.gov/sptf/ and click on the "Proceedings & Initiatives" hyperlink. Currently, 30 ongoing proceedings are listed. From http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/150/9105?7649

CIO 2.0: The changing role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in government - From technology steward to business leader

Online book aimed at providing a conceptual framework for government leaders on the importance of the role of the Chief Information Officer. The book stresses that the CIO’s primary role is evolving and its main challenge is "to help other government leaders see what’s possible, then driving that vision of transformation through an organization where bureaucracy and culture make it difficult to change." It seeks to assist government leaders to use information and technology to "create more value—for their agencies and for the constituents those agencies serve." It also describes the top IT challenges that governments currently face and identifies key competencies required to address them. http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/dtt_public_CIObook_041004.pdf

UK gov investigating E-Bay-style ''service'' marketplace for unemployed

The British government is considering the creation of an online marketplace modeled on E-Bay, but oriented towards the trading of services rather than goods, with the aim of reducing unemployment.
http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=2751

Start an Online Public Commons

Despite thousands of political online discussions across the Internet, an active "online public commons" e-mail list probably does not -yet- exist for your town, region, or nation. Most online discussions are based on a specific topic, cause, or hosted by someone with an ax to grind or secret agenda. What we need are geography/democracy-based multi-topic online public spaces sponsored in a non-partisan way (by a group of individuals through a club, non-profit, or community partnership, etc.) where citizens from across the political spectrum gather for online discussion and deliberation on real public issues. http://www.e-democracy.org/do/commons.html

Avoiding the E-Commerce Trap

The great internet "flop" is still gravely etched in the imagination, yet notwithstanding the stock market setbacks of a few years ago ecommerce has been making steady progress. According to Emarketer, average on line expenditure in the US grew by 25 per cent in 2001, 15 per cent in 2003 and is expected to advance a further 12 per cent this year.
In Europe, Forrester Research disclosed in February that 60 per cent of the UK's adult population is on the "net" at least once a month, while the figures for Germany (59 per cent), Italy (45 per cent), France (41 per cent) and Spain (29 per cent) also suggest the medium is gaining in popularity. http://www.ebfonline.com/main_feat/in_depth/in_depth.asp?id=489

"Sue a Spoofer" and Internet Domain Trademaking Services Announced by Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy

ISIPP Takes Aim at Domain Spoofers with 'Death by 1000 Papercuts' Strategy.
The Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy (ISIPP) announced August 16, 2004 a suite of new services designed to help protect online businesses from having their Internet domains misappropriated and used, or "spoofed", in spam. 'Spoofing' refers to someone such as a spammer forging an email header so that it appears that the email comes from somewhere other than the actual source.

Estonia - the state of the e-state

Seven years ago, the then Estonian president Lennart Meri, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Fund, launched the Tiger Leap initiative, an ambitious plan to bring Estonia into the information age. The idea was to put computers into every school, to create public Internet access and to publish government documents online. A report published last month showed that 52 percent of the Estonian population aged between 6 and 74 is now using the Internet. http://www.baltictimes.com/art.php?art_id=10522

Anti-Spam Legislation: Report on non-OECD Countries

This report was originally prepared for the OECD Workshop on Spam held in Brussels (February 2 -3, 2004). Countries covered by the report are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Authors present provide a concise background on spam and the situation in the above countries. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/26/47/31861202.pdf

Who "manages" the Internet?

These slides present a general overview of the current organizational structure and decision making related to the international Internet infrastructure. The author also indicates that Internet stability should become top concern internationally and identifies key areas where global coordination is needed. Presentation made by Michael R. Nelson, Vicepresident of Public Policy of the Internet Society, at INET 2004 (May 10 - 14, 2004, Barcelona, Spain). 25 slides.
http://www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/inet/04/documents/InternetGovernance.ppt