Wednesday, May 31, 2006

A Benton Headline: FROM THE INTERNET TO THE WHITE HOUSE [SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jim VandeHei] Unity08 -- which includes Hamilton Jordan, Gerald Rafshoon, Doug Bailey and former Maine governor Angus King -- has launched a campaign to remake Internet politics, taking a forum that until now has been associated with ideologues and angry partisans and using it to start a movement culminating in a bipartisan presidential ticket in 2008. Their goal is to offer an alternative to the two major party choices -- a unity ticket that will emerge after secure, online balloting that they hope will include millions of Americans. In an announcement statement, Unity08 said its efforts are a reaction to a system that has "polarized and alienated the American people" through partisanship and interest-group politics. Unity08's organizers estimate that if 20 percent of the voting public signs on -- hardly a modest goal but only slightly more than what independent H. Ross Perot won in his dramatic 1992 presidential campaign -- then "our voters will decide the 2008 elections." 12:37:53 PM    comment []

from BNA News: SINGAPORE TO KEEP POLITICAL INTERNET SPEECH RULES Singapore said rules governing the use of the Internet to express political views during elections will remain to avoid "undesirable situations" when false information is posted for personal gains. Lee said however the government was open to adjusting its policies to take into account the changes of still-evolving Internet technologies and other forms of new media. [AFP] CANADIAN PRIVACY COMMISH RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT Canada's Privacy Commissioner has released her annual report on Canada's private sector privacy legislation. It notes that complaints decreased last year, though the Commissioner expresses concern about RFID and privacy. Report at http://www.privcom.gc.ca/information/ar/200506/2005_pipeda_e.asp CHINA, US SPAR OVER ENCRYPTION The agency promoting China's wireless encryption standard has accused a US engineers' group of waging a conspiracy that led a global organization to reject the Chinese system. China made the accusation in its appeal against the International Standards Organization's decision in March to reject its encryption system, known as WAPI. US SUPREME COURT PASSES ON YAHOO CASE The Supreme Court has passed up a chance to consider whether Yahoo could use American courts to resolve an overseas dispute over the Internet company's display of Nazi memorabilia. A French judge had ordered Yahoo to take Nazi paraphernalia off its site, yahoo.com. Yahoo's lawyers contested the decision in federal court in California, not France, arguing that it violated the company's constitutional free speech rights. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the company's lawsuit earlier this year, but did not resolve whether US-based Internet companies are liable for damages in foreign courts for displaying content that is unlawful overseas but protected in the US. 11:37:45 AM    comment []

Hackers gain access to server hosting bank Web sites (AP) 9:37:24 AM    comment []