From AsiaMedia:
Malaysia may introduce tough Internet laws to control bloggers and prevent them from spreading “disharmony, chaos, seditious material and lies” on their websites.
Deputy Science and Technology Minister Kong Cho Ha accused some writers of posting controversial articles to attract readers, but said moves such as registering bloggers would be difficult.
Archive of entries posted on December 2006
Malaysia considering laws to rein in errant bloggers
McCartney, Clapton, U2 among performers urging British copyright extension
From the Mercury News:
Paul McCartney, U2 and Eric Clapton joined thousands of other musicians Thursday in an appeal to the government to extend the British copyright protection on their recordings.
The performers took out a full-page advertisement in the Financial Times newspaper calling for “fair play for musicians,” in response to a report recommending that the [...]
Cost of Canadian Copyright Licenses Causing Documentaries to be Withdrawn
From the Globe and Mail:
Thanks to spiralling copyright licensing costs, payable to whoever holds the copyright (unions, archives, creators, corporations) — and thanks, too, to the rising cost of insurance to protect against copyright claims — more and more public film footage is no longer available to the Canadian public, nor for use by Canadian [...]
Australian Copyright Bill Passes Both Houses of Parliament
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
The controversial Copyright Amendment Bill 2006, which, as of yesterday, passed through both houses of Parliament, will become law by January 1.
Before it passed through the Senate, the bill underwent significant modifications, following immense criticism by industry bodies, the media and the public.
Government issues new privacy guidelines
From the Washington Post:
The Bush administration on Monday released new guidelines aimed at protecting the privacy of U.S. citizens as the government moves to enhance its sharing of information as part of post-September 11 reforms.
The guidelines, approved by President George W. Bush last month, cover a broad range of government agencies from the CIA and [...]
Shutdown of EPA Libraries Worries Scientists, Advocates
From Common Dreams:
Concerned about the kinds of pollutants spilling into your local rivers and streams and how they could affect your health?
As the Environmental Protection Agency closes some scientific libraries around the country, EPA scientists and other environmental advocates worry whether that kind of information could become harder to find.
They fear that the agency’s plan [...]
Internet Archive Helps Secure Exemption To The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Press Release:
Thanks to the hard work of two great law school students of Peter Jaszi of American University, Jieun Kim and Doug Agopsowicz, the Internet Archive and other libraries may continue to preserve software and video game titles without fear of going to jail. This is a happy moment, but on the other hand this [...]
House Dems push EPA to postpone library closures
From Government Executive Magazine:
Four Democratic representatives likely to lead key oversight committees next year have demanded that the Environmental Protection Agency halt actions to dismantle a system of regional libraries until the plans have been studied more closely.
Closing of libraries irks backers of the EPA
From the Boston Globe:
As the Environmental Protection Agency closes some scientific libraries around the country, EPA scientists and other environmental advocates worry that it might be harder for the public to find out about pollutants spilling into local rivers and streams.
They fear that the agency’s plan to save money by replacing printed resources with digitized [...]
US elections delay open access articles bill
From Information World Review:
The mid-term elections in the US are likely to delay the introduction of the Federal Research Public Access Act, with the bill having to be re-introduced to the US Senate in 2007. Despite the delay, the volume of support for the bill grows ever louder.