New Pew Internet & American Life Project report:
Many Americans assume that China’s internet users are unhappy about their government’s control of the internet, but a new survey finds most Chinese say they approve of internet regulation, especially by the government.
According to findings from the fourth and most recent of a series of surveys about internet [...]
Archive of entries posted on March 2008
Most Chinese Say They Approve of Government Internet Control
Open-government advocate calls Ohio Supreme Court records panel unconstitutional
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
A leading open- government advocate says the Ohio Supreme Court is exceeding its powers by trying to take control of state court records.
Cleveland lawyer David Marburger, of the Ohio Coalition for Open Government, said a court- appointed commission drawing up rules on what court records the public should have access to [...]
Section 108 Final Report Released
Section 108 Final Report:
The Study Group’s recommendations, conclusions, and other outcomes of its discussions are described in this Report in three separate sections:
• “Recommendations for Legislative Change” addresses issues for which the Study Group agreed a legislative solution is appropriate and agreed on recommendations for legislative change. These recommendations often are subject to the resolution of [...]
EPA to Re-Open Libraries by Fall – But They Won’t Be the Same
From Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has told Congress that it will re-open its shuttered libraries in some form by September 30, 2008 but the libraries will not be restored to their former status and capabilities, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Several of the libraries will re-open with [...]
GPO: Authenticated Public and Private Laws
From GPO Access:
Beginning with the 110th Congress, the Public and Private Laws on GPO Access have been digitally signed and certified. GPO has signed and certified the PDF files to assure users that the online documents are official and authentic. More on GPO’s Authentication Initiative.
Marine Corps Will Restore Online Access to Public Documents
From Secrecy News:
The U.S. Marine Corps has agreed to restore public access to unclassified doctrinal documents on its web site.
The official Marine Corps doctrine web site remains inaccessible. But in response to a Federation of American Scientists request (pdf) under the Freedom of Information Act, the Marine Corps said that all releasable contents would soon [...]
Sexual content law irks booksellers
From the Indianapolis Star:
A new state law that requires sellers of adult material to register with the state has Hoosier bookstore owners fuming about government censorship and threatening a legal challenge.
“This lumps us in with businesses that sell things that you can’t even mention in a family newspaper,” said Ernie Ford, owner of Fine Print [...]
EPA Officials Brief SLA on Plans to Reestablish Closed Libraries by September 2008
SLA Press Release:
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) today met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials to review the agency’s report to the U.S. Congress on the future direction of its library network. The report, submitted on 26 March, explains the steps EPA intends to take to reopen libraries closed over the last two years, [...]
Germany’s Top Court Curtails Disputed Data Storage Law
From Deutsche Welle:
In a blow to Berlin’s efforts to boost anti-terrorism measures, Germany’s highest court on Wednesday, March 19 blocked parts of a sweeping data-collection law that had prompted large protests by civil liberties.
Germany’s constitutional court on Wednesday severely curbed parts of a wide-reaching and highly controversial data collection law that requires telecom companies to [...]
Syria tightens Internet monitoring, jails bloggers
From the Mercury News:
Syria is cracking down more on Internet use, imposing tighter monitoring of citizens who link to the Web, as well as jailing bloggers who criticize the government and blocking YouTube and other Web sites deemed harmful to state security.