OWNI
Cet "Objet Web Non Identifié" est un blog né dans la polémique contre la loi Hadopi et, plus généralement sur le rôle d'Internet dans la politique.-Politic Show)
Il s'intéresse particulièrement aux reseaux sociaux et conseille les administrations et entreprises dans l'usage qu Web participatif.
Site de "journalisme augmenté" , il recueille des données en coopération par exemple avec "60 millions de consommateurs" ou la Fondation France Libertés.A aussi passé un accord avec WikiLeaks...
Sa notoriété lui permet d'installer une filiale dans la Silicon Valley.
Nicols Voisin, jeune fondateur d'OWNI, vient d'e^tre nomm' au Conseil National du Numérique
INDEX DE L'INFORMATION NUMERIQUE
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est information technology. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est information technology. Afficher tous les articles
mercredi 3 août 2011
mercredi 21 janvier 2009
INFORMATION NUMERIQUE
Source: france.usembassy
A Policymaker's Guide to Network Management
George Ou. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). December 2008. 58 pages.
In this report, the author explains how advanced networks actually work and documents how, if Internet service providers (ISPs) are to provide customers a good Internet service and operate their networks efficiently, they must be able to allocate bandwidth between users and apply network management tools to shape traffic from multiple applications. He argues, however, that ISPs can and should do this in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.
News and information as digital media come of age
Persephone Miel and Robert Faris. Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. December 2008. 52 pages.
Every day, more people turn to the Internet as a primary source of news: reading blogs, visiting aggregators and online news sites, watching video clips, listening to podcasts, and opening links in emails from friends. Members of this growing audience are not only consumers of the news -- many are shaping the news agenda for themselves and others: selecting, combining, and commenting on stories as well as creating their own. The United States is now several years into what promises to be a transformation of the media. It is driven by the rapid expansion of the number of people and organizations newly engaged as authors, editors, and publishers. In the United States and other developed countries, this expansion is occurring in tandem with serious contractions in the traditional news media. This paper explores the impact of the remarkable array of new media structures that have arisen to take advantage of these new opportunities and evaluates the problems and limitations associated with these changes.
The Future of the Internet III
Janna Quitney Anderson and Lee Rainie. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. December 14, 2008. 138 pages.
Experts expect major tech advances as the phone becomes a primary device for online access, voice-recognition improves, and the structure of the Internet itself improves. They disagree however about whether this will lead to more social tolerance, more forgiving human relations, or better home lives.
Adults and video games
Amanda Lenhart, Sydney Jones and Alexandra Rankin Macgill. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. December 7, 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Adult_gaming_memo.pdf
More than half -- 53% -- of all American adults play video games of some kind, whether on a computer, on a gaming console, on a cell phone or other handheld device, on a portable gaming device, or online. About one in five adults (21%) play everyday or almost everyday. While the number of video gamers among adults is substantial, it is still well under the number of teens who play, as fully 97% of teens play video games.
Internet Overtakes Newspapers As News Source
Andrew Kohut and Michael Remez. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. December 23, 2008. 7 pages.
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/479.pdf
The Internet, which emerged this year as a leading source for campaign news, has now surpassed all other media except television as a main source for national and international news. Currently, 40% say they get most of their news about national and international issues from the internet, up from just 24% in September 2007. For the first time, more people say they rely mostly on the Internet for news than cite newspapers (35%). Television continues to be cited most frequently as a main source for national and international news, at 70%.
FIVE GUIDEPOSTS FOR THE FUTURE OF MUNICIPAL WIRELESS
Sascha D. Meinrath. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #24. December 2008. 4 pages.
As municipalities rethink their broadband strategies, they should be looking to implement five best practices to support liberation and avoid lock-in: build hybrid infrastructures, utilize open technology, prioritize competition, think holistically, and Embrace change as the new status quo.
When Technology Fails
John B. Horrigan and Sydney Jones. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. November 16, 2008. 14 pages.
Modern information and communication technologies open doors to a wealth of information. But many users find it difficult to set up these devices and frustrating when they break. Half (48%) of adults who use the Internet or have a cell phone say they usually need someone else to set up a new device for them or show them how to use it. And many users of various devices and services encounter breakdowns from time to time. Coping with these failures helps to distance users from technology use.
From "Dinosaurs" to Digital: An Examination of Ongoing Innovations in Copyright Industries
Andrea Siwek. The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Progress on Point # 15.19. December 2008. 10 pages.
Cynics often argue that in the digital age “old media” has become obsolete. Despite such hyperbole, “old media” remains viable in the digital age. Various business model and technology innovations across a broad range of mediums are ensuring that these industries do not get bypassed as a result of new technologies. The Internet has changed two fundamental aspects for copyright industries and creators: the cost of distributing content and the means by which it is distributed. This paper explores how the traditional media industries are working innovatively to adapt to these changes to have not only a presence but a purpose in the digital age.
Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008
Elaine Allen and Jeff Seaman. The Sloan Consortium. November 2008. 28 pages.
http://www.sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/pdf/staying_the_course.pdf
The number of students taking at least one online course continues to expand at a rate far in excess of the growth of overall higher education enrollments. The most recent estimate, for fall 2007, places this number at 3.94 million online students, an increase of 12.9 percent over fall 2006. This study is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education.
Voir Teleformation
A Policymaker's Guide to Network Management
George Ou. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). December 2008. 58 pages.
In this report, the author explains how advanced networks actually work and documents how, if Internet service providers (ISPs) are to provide customers a good Internet service and operate their networks efficiently, they must be able to allocate bandwidth between users and apply network management tools to shape traffic from multiple applications. He argues, however, that ISPs can and should do this in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.
News and information as digital media come of age
Persephone Miel and Robert Faris. Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. December 2008. 52 pages.
Every day, more people turn to the Internet as a primary source of news: reading blogs, visiting aggregators and online news sites, watching video clips, listening to podcasts, and opening links in emails from friends. Members of this growing audience are not only consumers of the news -- many are shaping the news agenda for themselves and others: selecting, combining, and commenting on stories as well as creating their own. The United States is now several years into what promises to be a transformation of the media. It is driven by the rapid expansion of the number of people and organizations newly engaged as authors, editors, and publishers. In the United States and other developed countries, this expansion is occurring in tandem with serious contractions in the traditional news media. This paper explores the impact of the remarkable array of new media structures that have arisen to take advantage of these new opportunities and evaluates the problems and limitations associated with these changes.
The Future of the Internet III
Janna Quitney Anderson and Lee Rainie. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. December 14, 2008. 138 pages.
Experts expect major tech advances as the phone becomes a primary device for online access, voice-recognition improves, and the structure of the Internet itself improves. They disagree however about whether this will lead to more social tolerance, more forgiving human relations, or better home lives.
Adults and video games
Amanda Lenhart, Sydney Jones and Alexandra Rankin Macgill. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. December 7, 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Adult_gaming_memo.pdf
More than half -- 53% -- of all American adults play video games of some kind, whether on a computer, on a gaming console, on a cell phone or other handheld device, on a portable gaming device, or online. About one in five adults (21%) play everyday or almost everyday. While the number of video gamers among adults is substantial, it is still well under the number of teens who play, as fully 97% of teens play video games.
Internet Overtakes Newspapers As News Source
Andrew Kohut and Michael Remez. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. December 23, 2008. 7 pages.
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/479.pdf
The Internet, which emerged this year as a leading source for campaign news, has now surpassed all other media except television as a main source for national and international news. Currently, 40% say they get most of their news about national and international issues from the internet, up from just 24% in September 2007. For the first time, more people say they rely mostly on the Internet for news than cite newspapers (35%). Television continues to be cited most frequently as a main source for national and international news, at 70%.
FIVE GUIDEPOSTS FOR THE FUTURE OF MUNICIPAL WIRELESS
Sascha D. Meinrath. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #24. December 2008. 4 pages.
As municipalities rethink their broadband strategies, they should be looking to implement five best practices to support liberation and avoid lock-in: build hybrid infrastructures, utilize open technology, prioritize competition, think holistically, and Embrace change as the new status quo.
When Technology Fails
John B. Horrigan and Sydney Jones. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. November 16, 2008. 14 pages.
Modern information and communication technologies open doors to a wealth of information. But many users find it difficult to set up these devices and frustrating when they break. Half (48%) of adults who use the Internet or have a cell phone say they usually need someone else to set up a new device for them or show them how to use it. And many users of various devices and services encounter breakdowns from time to time. Coping with these failures helps to distance users from technology use.
From "Dinosaurs" to Digital: An Examination of Ongoing Innovations in Copyright Industries
Andrea Siwek. The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Progress on Point # 15.19. December 2008. 10 pages.
Cynics often argue that in the digital age “old media” has become obsolete. Despite such hyperbole, “old media” remains viable in the digital age. Various business model and technology innovations across a broad range of mediums are ensuring that these industries do not get bypassed as a result of new technologies. The Internet has changed two fundamental aspects for copyright industries and creators: the cost of distributing content and the means by which it is distributed. This paper explores how the traditional media industries are working innovatively to adapt to these changes to have not only a presence but a purpose in the digital age.
Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008
Elaine Allen and Jeff Seaman. The Sloan Consortium. November 2008. 28 pages.
http://www.sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/pdf/staying_the_course.pdf
The number of students taking at least one online course continues to expand at a rate far in excess of the growth of overall higher education enrollments. The most recent estimate, for fall 2007, places this number at 3.94 million online students, an increase of 12.9 percent over fall 2006. This study is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education.
Voir Teleformation
samedi 8 novembre 2008
USA: TECHNOLOGIES DE L'INFORMATION
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS:Information Research Center (IRC)
Embassy of the United States of America
RaphaelVF@state.gov
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
Management Improvements Needed on the Department of Homeland Security’s Next Generation Information Sharing System
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Committees. October 2008. 58 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0940.pdf
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating the federal government's homeland security communications with all levels of government. In support of this mission, DHS implemented, and has been enhancing, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). It also has proposed a follow-on system, called Next Generation HSIN (HSIN Next Gen). GAO was asked to determine whether DHS has stopped further improvements on HSIN and if so, the department's rationale for doing so and plans for acquiring its proposed follow-on system HSIN Next Gen, and whether the department is effectively managing the HSIN Next Gen acquisition.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION:
Information on the Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program and Consumer Participation in the Program
Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate. September 23, 2008. 16 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081181t.pdf
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Information on the Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program and Consumer Participation in the Program
Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives. September 16, 2008. 16 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081161t.pdf
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program Is Under Way, but Preparedness to Manage an Increase in Subsidy Demand Is Unclear
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Requesters. September 2008. 46 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081040.pdf
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all full-power television stations in the United States to cease analog broadcasting after February 17, 2009, known as the digital television (DTV) transition. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for implementing a subsidy program to provide households with up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converter boxes. In this requested report, GAO examines what consumer education efforts have been undertaken by private and federal stakeholders and how effective NTIA has been in implementing the converter box subsidy program, and to what extent consumers are participating in the program.
ELECTRONIC WASTE: HARMFUL U.S. EXPORTS FLOW VIRTUALLY UNRESTRICTED BECAUSE OF MINIMAL EPA ENFORCEMENT AND NARROW REGULATION
John B. Stephenson, Director, Natural Resources and Environment. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives. September 17, 2008. 21 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081166t.pdf
ELECTRONIC WASTE: EPA Needs to Better Control Harmful U.S. Exports through Stronger Enforcement and More Comprehensive Regulation
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to the Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives. August 2008. 67 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081044.pdf
Increasingly, U.S. consumers are recycling their old electronics to prevent the environmental harm that can come from disposal. Concerns have grown, however, that some U.S. companies are exporting these items to developing countries, where unsafe recycling practices can cause health and environmental problems. Items with cathode-ray tubes (CRT) are particularly harmful because they can contain 4 pounds of lead, a known toxin. To prevent this practice, since January 2007, EPA began regulating the export of CRTs under its CRT rule, which requires companies to notify EPA before exporting CRTs. In this context, GAO examined the fate of exported used electronics, the effectiveness of regulatory controls over the export of these devices, and options to strengthen federal regulation of exported used electronics.
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION:
DHS Needs to Better Address Its Cybersecurity Responsibilities
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives. September 16, 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081157t.pdf
Recent cyber attacks demonstrate the potentially devastating impact these pose to the U.S. computer systems and to the federal operations and critical infrastructures that they support. They also highlight that the United States need to be vigilant against individuals and groups with malicious intent, such as criminals, terrorists, and nation-states perpetuating these attacks. Federal law and policy established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the focal point for coordinating cybersecurity, including making it responsible for protecting systems that support critical infrastructures, a practice commonly referred to as cyber critical infrastructure protection. Since 2005, GAO has reported on the responsibilities and progress DHS has made in its cybersecurity efforts. GAO was asked to summarize its key reports and their associated recommendations aimed at securing the U.S. cyber critical infrastructure.
INFORMATION SECURITY:
Actions Needed to Better Protect Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Unclassified Computer Network
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Committees. September 2008. 49 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081001.pdf
The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which is operated by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has experienced security lapses protecting information on its unclassified computer network. The unclassified network contains sensitive information. GAO assessed the effectiveness of the security controls LANL has in place to protect information transmitted over its unclassified computer network, assessed whether LANL had implemented an information security program for its unclassified network, and examined expenditures to protect LANL's unclassified network from fiscal years 2001 through 2007.
Trends in Telephone Service
Industry Analysis and Technology Division. Wireline Competition Bureau. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). August 2008. 178 pages.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-284932A1.pdf
This report presents information about the size, growth, and development of the telephone industry, including data on market shares, minutes of calling, number of lines, and telephone subscribership. It also provides information about access charges, telephone rates and price changes, consumer expenditures for service, employment, infrastructure, international telephone traffic, local competition, long distance carriers, residential telephone usage, and universal service support.
CYBER ANALYSIS AND WARNING: DHS Faces Challenges in Establishing a Comprehensive National Capability
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives. July 2008. 67 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08588.pdf
Cyber analysis and warning capabilities are critical to thwarting computer-based (cyber) threats and attacks. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to, among other things, coordinate the nation's efforts to prepare for, prevent, and respond to cyber threats to systems and communications networks. GAO's objectives were to identify key attributes of cyber analysis and warning capabilities, compare these attributes with US-CERT's current capabilities to identify whether there are gaps, and identify US-CERT's challenges to developing and implementing key attributes and a successful national cyber analysis and warning capability.
Roundtable Discussion on Phishing Education
Division of Consumer and Business Education and Division of Marketing Practices. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). July 2008. 15 pages.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/080714phishingroundtable.pdf
Phishing uses deceptive spam that appears to be coming from legitimate, well-known sources to trick consumers into divulging sensitive or personal information, such as credit card numbers, other financial data, or passwords, either through a reply email or a link to a copycat of the purported source’s website. During the July 2007 Spam Summit of the Federal Trade Commission, panelists identified consumer and business education as a key tool for helping to reduce the number of consumers who fall victim to phishing scams.
THINK TANKS AND RESEARCH CENTERS:
The opinions expressed in these publications do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government
Networked Families
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. October 19, 2008. 44 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Networked_Family.pdf
The Internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership. Households with a married couple and minor children are more likely than other household types -- such as single adults, homes with unrelated adults, or couples without children -- to have cell phones and use the Internet. Cell phones allow family members to stay more regularly in touch even when they are not physically together. Moreover, many members of married-with-children households view material online together.
A Comparison of the Technology Policies of Barack Obama and John McCain
Arlene Holen. Technology Policy Institute. Policy Perspective. October 8, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/a%20comparison%20of%20the%20technology%20policies%20of%20barack%20obama%20and%20john%20mccain.pdf
This comparison is drawn from and adheres closely to statements on the presidential candidates’ websites. Both websites list technology among the issues most important to their campaigns. The comparison summarizes the candidates’ views on key issues and highlights important similarities and differences. Both candidates share the goals of strengthening American science, technology and innovation; developing a skilled workforce; enhancing intellectual property protection; and encouraging a modern communications infrastructure. Some of their policy approaches are quite different however. For example, they differ sharply in emphasizing increased federal spending vs. tax incentives to achieve policy goals and in their positions on network neutrality.
Comparing the Candidates’ Technology and Innovation Policies
Stephen J. Ezell and Robert D. Atkinson. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). September 29, 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/2008-CampaignTechAgenda.pdf
Innovation drives long-term national economic growth and has in fact been responsible for 80 percent of the growth in the U.S. economy since World War II. This places technology and innovation squarely at the center of the issue -- the economy -- that voters have identified as the most important in the 2008 Presidential election. Both John McCain and Barack Obama’s campaigns increasingly recognize the central role that science, technology, and innovation play in economic growth and have developed specific policy positions on these issues. This ITIF policy brief compares and assesses the candidates’ technology and innovation policies across a number of specific issues areas, including: taxes, R&D funding, broadband and net neutrality, e-government, digital transformation, education and workforce development, trade, patent and intellectual property, and energy and the environment.
BEING ONLINE IS NOT ENOUGH: STATE ELECTIONS WEB SITES
The Pew Center on the States. October 2008. 36 pages.
http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Election_reform/VIP_FINAL_101408_WEB.pdf
Many of those going to the polls on November 4 will be first-time voters who will need to know how to register to vote, where to vote and, likely, who and what are on the ballots for the 2008 elections. Today’s technology should make it easier for these first-time voters. While it is clear that the Internet helps people search for and use information, it is not clear, however, that voters will in fact find the information they are looking for or that the information they do find will help them vote in the coming elections.
Digital Quality of Life: Understanding the Personal and Social Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution
Robert D. Atkinson and Daniel D. Castro. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). October 2008. 185 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/DQOL.pdf
In the new global economy, information technology (IT) is the major driver of both economic growth and improved quality of life. In its 2007 report, the ITIF documented how IT, since the mid-1990s, has been the principal driver of increased economic growth not only in the United States but also in many other nations. IT is also at the core of dramatic improvements in the quality of life for individuals around the world. In this new report, the authors show how IT is the key enabler of many, if not most, of today’s key innovations and improvements in our lives and society -- from better education and health care, to a cleaner and more energy-efficient environment, to safer and more secure communities and nations.
Do High Call Termination Rates Deter Broadband Deployment?
T. Randolph Beard and George S. Ford. Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies. Policy Bulletin No. 22. October 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.phoenix-center.org/PolicyBulletin/PCPB22Final.pdf
Does the current way by which providers compensate each other for the exchange of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), wireless, local and long-distance calls inhibit broadband deployment? The question is timely, as the Federal Communications Commission is presently considering a comprehensive intercarrier compensation reform proposal that would establish lower and more uniform rates for the transport and termination of all forms of traffic, regardless of point-of-origin and technology.
The Lobby that Cried Wolf
Benjamin Lennett. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #23. October 2008. 14 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/Lobby_That_Cried_Wolf.pdf
In an October 2007 letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), executives from the four largest TV networks told the Commission that proposals to allow low-power Wi-Fi type devices to operate on vacant TV channels, “could cause permanent damage to over-the-air digital television reception." Such a dire warning would ring alarm bells for policymakers, if not for the fact that similar nightmare scenarios have been predicted before. In numerous public relations and lobbying campaigns, broadcasters and their respective lobbies have relied upon similar doomsday pronouncements to inhibit competition and maintain their exclusive control over the valuable, but grossly under-utilized, broadcast spectrum.
Net Neutrality Regulation in the United States
Barbara S. Esbin. The Progress and Freedom Foundation (PFF). Progress Snapshot Release 4.21. October 2008. 3 pages.
http://pff.org/issues-pubs/ps/2008/pdf/ps4.21pointofview.pdf
The United States moved closer to “Net Neutrality” regulation this year when the Federal Communications Commission found that Comcast, a cable broadband Internet service provider, violated a set of Internet policy principles the FCC adopted in 2005 by limiting peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic. The ruling was the culmination of a ten-year effort that began as a call for wholesale “open access” to the cable platform for third-party Internet service providers.
Networked Workers
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. September 24, 2008. 57 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Networked_Workers_FINAL.pdf
The majority of employed adults (62%) use the Internet or email at their job, and many have cell phones and Blackberries that keep them connected even when they are not at work. Working Americans express mixed views about the impact of technology on their work lives. On the one hand, they cite the benefits of increased connectivity and flexibility that the Internet and all of their various gadgets afford them at work. On the other hand, many workers say these tools have added stress and new demands to their lives.
Teens, Video Games and Civics
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. September 16, 2008. 76 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_Report_FINAL.pdf
The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. Game playing, however, sometimes involves exposure to mature content, with almost a third of teens playing games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
The DTV Coupon Program: A Boon to Retailers, not Consumers
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. Policy Perspective. September 15, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/the_dtv_coupon_program.pdf
In principle, the DTV coupon program reduces the cost to households of the digital transition by allowing them to spend $40 less on a converter box than they otherwise would. This analysis reveals, however, that coupon program has created a floor on the price of these converter boxes. Because consumers pay $0 with the coupon for any box priced $40 or less, retailers have little incentive to reduce the price below $40. An analysis of converter box prices at retailers around the country suggests that the coupon program has increased the price of converter boxes by $21-34.
USE OF CLOUD COMPUTING APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. September 12, 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cloud.Memo.pdf
Some 69% of online Americans use webmail services, store data online, or use software programs such as word processing applications whose functionality is located on the web. In doing so, these users are making use of “cloud computing,” an emerging architecture by which data and applications reside in cyberspace, allowing users to access them through any web-connected device.
Cybersecurity Economic Issues: Corporate Approaches and Challenges to Decisionmaking
Rand Corporation. Research Brief. September 2008. 5 pages.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/2008/RAND_RB9365.pdf
This research brief presents findings that address key cybersecurity concerns, perceptions of the importance of cybersecurity, and considerations for cybersecurity investment decisions. In particular, it suggests that companies, the government, and other organizations can help improve our understanding of cybersecurity economics by monitoring cybersecurity incidents and responses, soliciting and using standard terminology and measures, and sharing data whenever possible.
Time for a Post-Partisan Broadband Debate
Robert D. Atkinson. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). September 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/Post-PartisanBroadbandDebate.pdf
In the last few years, the debate over broadband policy has become increasingly partisan and bitter. In this Report, the author argues that it is time to move beyond the partisan bickering. By reviewing the merits and shortcomings of each side’s position, the author draws a blueprint for pragmatic broadband progress in the areas of the U.S. broadband position, net neutrality, the role of competition and overall broadband policy.
THE ECONOMICS OF AUCTIONING DTV WHITE SPACE SPECTRUM
Michael Calabrese and Gregory Rose. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Working Paper #22. September 2008. 31 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/NoWindfallInWS_CalRose.pdf
A one-time auction of the guard band and other vacant channels in each local television market -- so-called "spectrum white space" -- would provide minimal revenue to the Treasury, while simultaneously ensuring that most of this unused "beachfront" spectrum will remain fallow, stifling the broadband services and innovation that could generate far more long-term economic activity. Alternatively, opening unlicensed access to the DTV white space for use by all American homes and businesses would do far more to promote opportunities for broadband deployment, innovation and efficient utilization of this spectrum.
Podcast Downloading 2008
Mary Madden and Sydney Jones. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. August 28, 2008. 5 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Podcast_2008_Memo.pdf
As gadgets with digital audio capability proliferate, podcast downloading continues to increase. Currently, 19% of all Internet users say they have downloaded a podcast so they could listen to it or view it later. This most recent percentage is up from 12% of Internet users who reported downloading podcasts in an August 2006 survey and 7% in a February-April 2006 survey. Still, podcasting has yet to become a fixture in the everyday lives of Internet users, as very few Internet users download podcasts on a typical day.
Whither the internet?
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. August 27, 2008. 6 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP-IGFsurvey.pdf
Last November, hundreds of government, industry leaders and Internet activists from around the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the second Internet Governance Forum. A survey conducted at the forum shows attendees want an online Bill of Rights and more competition among service providers
The Engaged E-patient Population
Susannah Fox. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. August 26, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Health_Aug08.pdf
The Pew Internet Project estimates that between 75% and 80% of Internet users have looked online for health information. Information gathering has become a habit for many Americans, particularly those in the 55% of households with broadband connections. For example, 78% of home broadband users look online for health information, compared with 70% of home dial-up users. Home broadband users are twice as likely as home dial-up users to do health research on a typical day -- 12% vs. 6%.
KEY NEWS AUDIENCES NOW BLEND ONLINE AND TRADITIONAL SOURCES
The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. August 17, 2008. 129 pages.
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/444.pdf
For more than a decade, the audiences for most traditional news sources have steadily declined, as the number of people getting news online has surged. Today, however, a sizable minority of Americans find themselves at the intersection of these two long-standing trends in news consumption. Integrators, who get the news from both traditional sources and the Internet, are a more engaged, sophisticated and demographically sought-after audience segment than those who mostly rely on traditional news sources. Integrators share some characteristics with a smaller, younger, more Internet savvy audience segment, Net-Newsers, who principally turn to the web for news, and largely eschew traditional sources.
Search Engine Use
Deborah Fallows. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. August 6, 2008. 6 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Search_Aug08.pdf
The percentage of Internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%). With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling ever closer to the 60% of Internet users who use email.
State and Federal Electronic Government in the United States, 2008
Darrell M. West. Governance Studies. The Brookings Institution. August 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2008/0826_egovernment_west/0826_egovernment_west.pdf
This report assesses the nature of American state and federal electronic government in 2008 by examining whether e-government effectively capitalizes on the interactive features available on the World Wide Web to improve service delivery and public outreach. Although considerable progress has been made over the past decade, e-government has fallen short of its potential to transform public-sector operations. This report closes by suggesting how public officials can take maximum advantage of technology to improve government performance.
Improving Technology Utilization in Electronic Government around the World, 2008
Darrell M. West. Governance Studies. The Brookings Institution. August 2008. 32 pages.
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2008/0817_egovernment_west/0817_egovernment_west.pdf
Despite the great promise of technological advancement, public sector innovation has tended to be small-scale and gradual. Factors such as institutional arrangements, budget scarcity, group conflict, cultural norms and prevailing patterns of social and political behavior have restricted government actions. Because governments are divided into competing agencies and jurisdictions, policymakers struggle to get bureaucrats to work together in promoting technological innovation. Budget considerations prevent government offices from placing services online and using technology for democratic outreach. Cultural norms and patterns of individual behavior affect the manner in which technology is used by citizens and policymakers.
Previous issues of Information Technologies -- Documents on the Web are available at: http://france.usembassy.gov/economics.html
Voir aussi: Index de l'Internet
Embassy of the United States of America
RaphaelVF@state.gov
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
Management Improvements Needed on the Department of Homeland Security’s Next Generation Information Sharing System
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Committees. October 2008. 58 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0940.pdf
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating the federal government's homeland security communications with all levels of government. In support of this mission, DHS implemented, and has been enhancing, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). It also has proposed a follow-on system, called Next Generation HSIN (HSIN Next Gen). GAO was asked to determine whether DHS has stopped further improvements on HSIN and if so, the department's rationale for doing so and plans for acquiring its proposed follow-on system HSIN Next Gen, and whether the department is effectively managing the HSIN Next Gen acquisition.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION:
Information on the Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program and Consumer Participation in the Program
Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate. September 23, 2008. 16 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081181t.pdf
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Information on the Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program and Consumer Participation in the Program
Mark L. Goldstein, Director, Physical Infrastructure. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives. September 16, 2008. 16 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081161t.pdf
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Implementation of the Converter Box Subsidy Program Is Under Way, but Preparedness to Manage an Increase in Subsidy Demand Is Unclear
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Requesters. September 2008. 46 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081040.pdf
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all full-power television stations in the United States to cease analog broadcasting after February 17, 2009, known as the digital television (DTV) transition. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for implementing a subsidy program to provide households with up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converter boxes. In this requested report, GAO examines what consumer education efforts have been undertaken by private and federal stakeholders and how effective NTIA has been in implementing the converter box subsidy program, and to what extent consumers are participating in the program.
ELECTRONIC WASTE: HARMFUL U.S. EXPORTS FLOW VIRTUALLY UNRESTRICTED BECAUSE OF MINIMAL EPA ENFORCEMENT AND NARROW REGULATION
John B. Stephenson, Director, Natural Resources and Environment. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives. September 17, 2008. 21 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081166t.pdf
ELECTRONIC WASTE: EPA Needs to Better Control Harmful U.S. Exports through Stronger Enforcement and More Comprehensive Regulation
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to the Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives. August 2008. 67 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081044.pdf
Increasingly, U.S. consumers are recycling their old electronics to prevent the environmental harm that can come from disposal. Concerns have grown, however, that some U.S. companies are exporting these items to developing countries, where unsafe recycling practices can cause health and environmental problems. Items with cathode-ray tubes (CRT) are particularly harmful because they can contain 4 pounds of lead, a known toxin. To prevent this practice, since January 2007, EPA began regulating the export of CRTs under its CRT rule, which requires companies to notify EPA before exporting CRTs. In this context, GAO examined the fate of exported used electronics, the effectiveness of regulatory controls over the export of these devices, and options to strengthen federal regulation of exported used electronics.
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION:
DHS Needs to Better Address Its Cybersecurity Responsibilities
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives. September 16, 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081157t.pdf
Recent cyber attacks demonstrate the potentially devastating impact these pose to the U.S. computer systems and to the federal operations and critical infrastructures that they support. They also highlight that the United States need to be vigilant against individuals and groups with malicious intent, such as criminals, terrorists, and nation-states perpetuating these attacks. Federal law and policy established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the focal point for coordinating cybersecurity, including making it responsible for protecting systems that support critical infrastructures, a practice commonly referred to as cyber critical infrastructure protection. Since 2005, GAO has reported on the responsibilities and progress DHS has made in its cybersecurity efforts. GAO was asked to summarize its key reports and their associated recommendations aimed at securing the U.S. cyber critical infrastructure.
INFORMATION SECURITY:
Actions Needed to Better Protect Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Unclassified Computer Network
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Committees. September 2008. 49 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081001.pdf
The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which is operated by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has experienced security lapses protecting information on its unclassified computer network. The unclassified network contains sensitive information. GAO assessed the effectiveness of the security controls LANL has in place to protect information transmitted over its unclassified computer network, assessed whether LANL had implemented an information security program for its unclassified network, and examined expenditures to protect LANL's unclassified network from fiscal years 2001 through 2007.
Trends in Telephone Service
Industry Analysis and Technology Division. Wireline Competition Bureau. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). August 2008. 178 pages.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-284932A1.pdf
This report presents information about the size, growth, and development of the telephone industry, including data on market shares, minutes of calling, number of lines, and telephone subscribership. It also provides information about access charges, telephone rates and price changes, consumer expenditures for service, employment, infrastructure, international telephone traffic, local competition, long distance carriers, residential telephone usage, and universal service support.
CYBER ANALYSIS AND WARNING: DHS Faces Challenges in Establishing a Comprehensive National Capability
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives. July 2008. 67 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08588.pdf
Cyber analysis and warning capabilities are critical to thwarting computer-based (cyber) threats and attacks. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to, among other things, coordinate the nation's efforts to prepare for, prevent, and respond to cyber threats to systems and communications networks. GAO's objectives were to identify key attributes of cyber analysis and warning capabilities, compare these attributes with US-CERT's current capabilities to identify whether there are gaps, and identify US-CERT's challenges to developing and implementing key attributes and a successful national cyber analysis and warning capability.
Roundtable Discussion on Phishing Education
Division of Consumer and Business Education and Division of Marketing Practices. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). July 2008. 15 pages.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/080714phishingroundtable.pdf
Phishing uses deceptive spam that appears to be coming from legitimate, well-known sources to trick consumers into divulging sensitive or personal information, such as credit card numbers, other financial data, or passwords, either through a reply email or a link to a copycat of the purported source’s website. During the July 2007 Spam Summit of the Federal Trade Commission, panelists identified consumer and business education as a key tool for helping to reduce the number of consumers who fall victim to phishing scams.
THINK TANKS AND RESEARCH CENTERS:
The opinions expressed in these publications do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government
Networked Families
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. October 19, 2008. 44 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Networked_Family.pdf
The Internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership. Households with a married couple and minor children are more likely than other household types -- such as single adults, homes with unrelated adults, or couples without children -- to have cell phones and use the Internet. Cell phones allow family members to stay more regularly in touch even when they are not physically together. Moreover, many members of married-with-children households view material online together.
A Comparison of the Technology Policies of Barack Obama and John McCain
Arlene Holen. Technology Policy Institute. Policy Perspective. October 8, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/a%20comparison%20of%20the%20technology%20policies%20of%20barack%20obama%20and%20john%20mccain.pdf
This comparison is drawn from and adheres closely to statements on the presidential candidates’ websites. Both websites list technology among the issues most important to their campaigns. The comparison summarizes the candidates’ views on key issues and highlights important similarities and differences. Both candidates share the goals of strengthening American science, technology and innovation; developing a skilled workforce; enhancing intellectual property protection; and encouraging a modern communications infrastructure. Some of their policy approaches are quite different however. For example, they differ sharply in emphasizing increased federal spending vs. tax incentives to achieve policy goals and in their positions on network neutrality.
Comparing the Candidates’ Technology and Innovation Policies
Stephen J. Ezell and Robert D. Atkinson. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). September 29, 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/2008-CampaignTechAgenda.pdf
Innovation drives long-term national economic growth and has in fact been responsible for 80 percent of the growth in the U.S. economy since World War II. This places technology and innovation squarely at the center of the issue -- the economy -- that voters have identified as the most important in the 2008 Presidential election. Both John McCain and Barack Obama’s campaigns increasingly recognize the central role that science, technology, and innovation play in economic growth and have developed specific policy positions on these issues. This ITIF policy brief compares and assesses the candidates’ technology and innovation policies across a number of specific issues areas, including: taxes, R&D funding, broadband and net neutrality, e-government, digital transformation, education and workforce development, trade, patent and intellectual property, and energy and the environment.
BEING ONLINE IS NOT ENOUGH: STATE ELECTIONS WEB SITES
The Pew Center on the States. October 2008. 36 pages.
http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Election_reform/VIP_FINAL_101408_WEB.pdf
Many of those going to the polls on November 4 will be first-time voters who will need to know how to register to vote, where to vote and, likely, who and what are on the ballots for the 2008 elections. Today’s technology should make it easier for these first-time voters. While it is clear that the Internet helps people search for and use information, it is not clear, however, that voters will in fact find the information they are looking for or that the information they do find will help them vote in the coming elections.
Digital Quality of Life: Understanding the Personal and Social Benefits of the Information Technology Revolution
Robert D. Atkinson and Daniel D. Castro. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). October 2008. 185 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/DQOL.pdf
In the new global economy, information technology (IT) is the major driver of both economic growth and improved quality of life. In its 2007 report, the ITIF documented how IT, since the mid-1990s, has been the principal driver of increased economic growth not only in the United States but also in many other nations. IT is also at the core of dramatic improvements in the quality of life for individuals around the world. In this new report, the authors show how IT is the key enabler of many, if not most, of today’s key innovations and improvements in our lives and society -- from better education and health care, to a cleaner and more energy-efficient environment, to safer and more secure communities and nations.
Do High Call Termination Rates Deter Broadband Deployment?
T. Randolph Beard and George S. Ford. Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies. Policy Bulletin No. 22. October 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.phoenix-center.org/PolicyBulletin/PCPB22Final.pdf
Does the current way by which providers compensate each other for the exchange of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), wireless, local and long-distance calls inhibit broadband deployment? The question is timely, as the Federal Communications Commission is presently considering a comprehensive intercarrier compensation reform proposal that would establish lower and more uniform rates for the transport and termination of all forms of traffic, regardless of point-of-origin and technology.
The Lobby that Cried Wolf
Benjamin Lennett. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #23. October 2008. 14 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/Lobby_That_Cried_Wolf.pdf
In an October 2007 letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), executives from the four largest TV networks told the Commission that proposals to allow low-power Wi-Fi type devices to operate on vacant TV channels, “could cause permanent damage to over-the-air digital television reception." Such a dire warning would ring alarm bells for policymakers, if not for the fact that similar nightmare scenarios have been predicted before. In numerous public relations and lobbying campaigns, broadcasters and their respective lobbies have relied upon similar doomsday pronouncements to inhibit competition and maintain their exclusive control over the valuable, but grossly under-utilized, broadcast spectrum.
Net Neutrality Regulation in the United States
Barbara S. Esbin. The Progress and Freedom Foundation (PFF). Progress Snapshot Release 4.21. October 2008. 3 pages.
http://pff.org/issues-pubs/ps/2008/pdf/ps4.21pointofview.pdf
The United States moved closer to “Net Neutrality” regulation this year when the Federal Communications Commission found that Comcast, a cable broadband Internet service provider, violated a set of Internet policy principles the FCC adopted in 2005 by limiting peer-to-peer (P2P) traffic. The ruling was the culmination of a ten-year effort that began as a call for wholesale “open access” to the cable platform for third-party Internet service providers.
Networked Workers
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. September 24, 2008. 57 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Networked_Workers_FINAL.pdf
The majority of employed adults (62%) use the Internet or email at their job, and many have cell phones and Blackberries that keep them connected even when they are not at work. Working Americans express mixed views about the impact of technology on their work lives. On the one hand, they cite the benefits of increased connectivity and flexibility that the Internet and all of their various gadgets afford them at work. On the other hand, many workers say these tools have added stress and new demands to their lives.
Teens, Video Games and Civics
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. September 16, 2008. 76 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_Report_FINAL.pdf
The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. Game playing, however, sometimes involves exposure to mature content, with almost a third of teens playing games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.
The DTV Coupon Program: A Boon to Retailers, not Consumers
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. Policy Perspective. September 15, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/the_dtv_coupon_program.pdf
In principle, the DTV coupon program reduces the cost to households of the digital transition by allowing them to spend $40 less on a converter box than they otherwise would. This analysis reveals, however, that coupon program has created a floor on the price of these converter boxes. Because consumers pay $0 with the coupon for any box priced $40 or less, retailers have little incentive to reduce the price below $40. An analysis of converter box prices at retailers around the country suggests that the coupon program has increased the price of converter boxes by $21-34.
USE OF CLOUD COMPUTING APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. September 12, 2008. 9 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cloud.Memo.pdf
Some 69% of online Americans use webmail services, store data online, or use software programs such as word processing applications whose functionality is located on the web. In doing so, these users are making use of “cloud computing,” an emerging architecture by which data and applications reside in cyberspace, allowing users to access them through any web-connected device.
Cybersecurity Economic Issues: Corporate Approaches and Challenges to Decisionmaking
Rand Corporation. Research Brief. September 2008. 5 pages.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/2008/RAND_RB9365.pdf
This research brief presents findings that address key cybersecurity concerns, perceptions of the importance of cybersecurity, and considerations for cybersecurity investment decisions. In particular, it suggests that companies, the government, and other organizations can help improve our understanding of cybersecurity economics by monitoring cybersecurity incidents and responses, soliciting and using standard terminology and measures, and sharing data whenever possible.
Time for a Post-Partisan Broadband Debate
Robert D. Atkinson. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). September 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/Post-PartisanBroadbandDebate.pdf
In the last few years, the debate over broadband policy has become increasingly partisan and bitter. In this Report, the author argues that it is time to move beyond the partisan bickering. By reviewing the merits and shortcomings of each side’s position, the author draws a blueprint for pragmatic broadband progress in the areas of the U.S. broadband position, net neutrality, the role of competition and overall broadband policy.
THE ECONOMICS OF AUCTIONING DTV WHITE SPACE SPECTRUM
Michael Calabrese and Gregory Rose. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Working Paper #22. September 2008. 31 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/NoWindfallInWS_CalRose.pdf
A one-time auction of the guard band and other vacant channels in each local television market -- so-called "spectrum white space" -- would provide minimal revenue to the Treasury, while simultaneously ensuring that most of this unused "beachfront" spectrum will remain fallow, stifling the broadband services and innovation that could generate far more long-term economic activity. Alternatively, opening unlicensed access to the DTV white space for use by all American homes and businesses would do far more to promote opportunities for broadband deployment, innovation and efficient utilization of this spectrum.
Podcast Downloading 2008
Mary Madden and Sydney Jones. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. August 28, 2008. 5 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Podcast_2008_Memo.pdf
As gadgets with digital audio capability proliferate, podcast downloading continues to increase. Currently, 19% of all Internet users say they have downloaded a podcast so they could listen to it or view it later. This most recent percentage is up from 12% of Internet users who reported downloading podcasts in an August 2006 survey and 7% in a February-April 2006 survey. Still, podcasting has yet to become a fixture in the everyday lives of Internet users, as very few Internet users download podcasts on a typical day.
Whither the internet?
The Pew Internet & American Life Project. August 27, 2008. 6 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP-IGFsurvey.pdf
Last November, hundreds of government, industry leaders and Internet activists from around the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the second Internet Governance Forum. A survey conducted at the forum shows attendees want an online Bill of Rights and more competition among service providers
The Engaged E-patient Population
Susannah Fox. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. August 26, 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Health_Aug08.pdf
The Pew Internet Project estimates that between 75% and 80% of Internet users have looked online for health information. Information gathering has become a habit for many Americans, particularly those in the 55% of households with broadband connections. For example, 78% of home broadband users look online for health information, compared with 70% of home dial-up users. Home broadband users are twice as likely as home dial-up users to do health research on a typical day -- 12% vs. 6%.
KEY NEWS AUDIENCES NOW BLEND ONLINE AND TRADITIONAL SOURCES
The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. August 17, 2008. 129 pages.
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/444.pdf
For more than a decade, the audiences for most traditional news sources have steadily declined, as the number of people getting news online has surged. Today, however, a sizable minority of Americans find themselves at the intersection of these two long-standing trends in news consumption. Integrators, who get the news from both traditional sources and the Internet, are a more engaged, sophisticated and demographically sought-after audience segment than those who mostly rely on traditional news sources. Integrators share some characteristics with a smaller, younger, more Internet savvy audience segment, Net-Newsers, who principally turn to the web for news, and largely eschew traditional sources.
Search Engine Use
Deborah Fallows. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Data Memo. August 6, 2008. 6 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Search_Aug08.pdf
The percentage of Internet users who use search engines on a typical day has been steadily rising from about one-third of all users in 2002, to a new high of just under one-half (49%). With this increase, the number of those using a search engine on a typical day is pulling ever closer to the 60% of Internet users who use email.
State and Federal Electronic Government in the United States, 2008
Darrell M. West. Governance Studies. The Brookings Institution. August 2008. 19 pages.
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2008/0826_egovernment_west/0826_egovernment_west.pdf
This report assesses the nature of American state and federal electronic government in 2008 by examining whether e-government effectively capitalizes on the interactive features available on the World Wide Web to improve service delivery and public outreach. Although considerable progress has been made over the past decade, e-government has fallen short of its potential to transform public-sector operations. This report closes by suggesting how public officials can take maximum advantage of technology to improve government performance.
Improving Technology Utilization in Electronic Government around the World, 2008
Darrell M. West. Governance Studies. The Brookings Institution. August 2008. 32 pages.
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2008/0817_egovernment_west/0817_egovernment_west.pdf
Despite the great promise of technological advancement, public sector innovation has tended to be small-scale and gradual. Factors such as institutional arrangements, budget scarcity, group conflict, cultural norms and prevailing patterns of social and political behavior have restricted government actions. Because governments are divided into competing agencies and jurisdictions, policymakers struggle to get bureaucrats to work together in promoting technological innovation. Budget considerations prevent government offices from placing services online and using technology for democratic outreach. Cultural norms and patterns of individual behavior affect the manner in which technology is used by citizens and policymakers.
Previous issues of Information Technologies -- Documents on the Web are available at: http://france.usembassy.gov/economics.html
Voir aussi: Index de l'Internet
jeudi 31 juillet 2008
US TECHNOLOGIES Summer 2008
National Do Not Call Registry: Annual Report to Congress for FY 2007 Pursuant to the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act on Implementation of the National Do Not Call Registry
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). July 2008. 20 pages.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/P034305FY0dncreport.pdf
The National Do Not Call Registry is, by virtually every available measure, an effective consumer protection initiative. By the end of FY 2007, there were more than 145 million telephone numbers on the National Registry. The available data show that compliance with the National Registry provisions of the Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule (“Amended TSR”) is high and that, as a result, consumers are receiving fewer unwanted telemarketing calls. The National Registry received over 19 million new registrations during FY 2007. Approximately 66,000 sellers, telemarketers, and exempt organizations accessed the National Registry during the fiscal year, with over 6,000 of those entities paying fees totaling more than $21.5 million. The FTC initiated three new cases alleging violations of the National Registry and resolved or added defendants to eight cases that were filed before FY 2007 but were still pending.
Privacy: Congress Should Consider Alternatives for Strengthening Protection of Personally Indentifiable Information
Linda Koontz. Director. Information Management Issues. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate. June 18, 2008. 27 pages.
Concerns have been raised about the privacy and security of personal information in light of advances in information technology and the increasingly sophisticated ways in which the government obtains and uses information. Federal agencies' use of personal information is governed by the Privacy Act of 1974 and the E-Government Act of 2002, while the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provides implementation guidance and oversight. These laws and guidance are based on the Fair Information Practices, a set of widely accepted principles for protecting privacy. GAO was asked to testify on its report concerning the sufficiency of privacy protections afforded by existing laws and guidance.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Broadcasters’ Transition Status, Low-Power Station Issues, and Information on Consumer Awareness of the DTV Transition
Mark L. Goldstein. Director. Physical Infrastructure Issues. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives. June 10, 2008. 23 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08881t.pdf
This requested report examines the status of broadcast stations in transitioning to digital, the extent to which broadcast stations are encountering issues, and the actions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken to guide broadcasters in the digital transition. Television broadcast stations have made substantial progress in transitioning to digital television, with the vast majority already transmitting a digital signal. Approximately 91 percent of the 1,122 full-power stations responding to this survey are currently transmitting a digital signal, with approximately 68 percent of survey respondents transmitting their digital signal at full strength and 68 percent transmitting their digital signal on the channel from which they will broadcast after the transition date. Some stations, however, still need to complete construction of their final digital facilities, and others need to relocate their digital channel to complete the transition.
Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
Lennard G. Kruger and Angele A. Gilroy. Congressional Research Service (CRS). June 4, 2008. 38 pages.
http://www.ipmall.info/hosted_resources/crs/RL30719_080604.pdf
Broadband technologies are currently being deployed primarily by the private sector throughout the United States. While the numbers of new broadband subscribers continue to grow, studies and data suggest that the rate of broadband deployment in urban and high income areas may be outpacing deployment in rural and low-income areas. Some policymakers, believing that disparities in broadband access across American society could have adverse economic and social consequences on those left behind, assert that the federal government should play a more active role to avoid a “digital divide” in broadband access. One approach is for the federal government to provide financial assistance to support broadband deployment in underserved areas. Others, however, believe that federal assistance for broadband deployment is not appropriate. Some opponents question the reality of the “digital divide,” and argue that federal intervention in the broadband marketplace would be premature and, in some cases, counterproductive.
Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues
Angele A. Gilroy and Lennard G. Kruger. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 27, 2008. 23 pages.
Some areas of the nation -- particularly rural and low-income communities -- continue to lack full access to high-speed broadband Internet service. In order to address this problem, the 110th Congress is examining a wide range of issues including the scope and effect of federal broadband financial assistance programs (including universal service and the broadband programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service), and the impact of telecommunications regulation and new technologies on broadband deployment. One facet of the debate over broadband services focuses on whether present laws and subsequent regulatory policies are needed to ensure the development of competition and its subsequent consumer benefits, or conversely, whether such laws and regulations are overly burdensome and discourage investment in and deployment of broadband services.
Broadband Loan and Grant Programs in the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service
Lennard G. Kruger. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 15, 2008. 35 pages.
Some key issues pertinent to a consideration of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) broadband programs include restrictions on applicant eligibility, how “rural” is defined with respect to eligible rural communities, how to address assistance to areas with preexisting broadband service, technological neutrality, funding levels and mechanisms, and the appropriateness of federal assistance. Ultimately, any modification of rules, regulations, or criteria associated with the RUS broadband program will likely result in “winners and losers” in terms of which companies, communities, regions of the country, and technologies are eligible or more likely to receive broadband loans and grants.
The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Funding Issues and Activities
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 15, 2008. 19 pages.
Proponents of federal support of information technology (IT) R&D assert that it has produced positive outcomes for the country and played a crucial role in supporting long-term research into fundamental aspects of computing. Government-funded IT research often leads to open standards, something that many perceive as beneficial, encouraging deployment and further investment. Industry, on the other hand, is more inclined to invest in proprietary products and will diverge from a common standard when there is a potential competitive or financial advantage to do so. Finally, proponents of government support believe that the outcomes achieved through the various funding programs create a synergistic environment in which both fundamental and application-driven research are conducted, benefitting government, industry, academia, and the public. Critics assert that the government, through its funding mechanisms, may be picking “winners and losers” in technological development, a role more properly residing with the private sector. For example, the size of the NITRD Program may encourage industry to follow the government’s lead on research directions rather than selecting those directions itself.
“Spam”: An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 14, 2008. 21 pages.
Spam, also called unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or “junk email,” aggravates many computer users. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing technique that is protected by the First Amendment, and that some consumers want to receive such solicitations. On December 16, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, P.L. 108-187. It went into effect on January 1, 2004. The CAN-SPAM Act does not ban UCE. Rather, it allows marketers to send commercial email as long as it conforms with the law, such as including a legitimate opportunity for consumers to “opt-out” of receiving future commercial emails from that sender. Proponents of CAN-SPAM have argued that consumers are most irritated by fraudulent email, and that the law should reduce the volume of such email because of the civil and criminal penalties included therein. Opponents counter that consumers object to unsolicited commercial email, and since the law legitimizes commercial email (as long as it conforms with the law’s provisions), consumers actually may receive more, not fewer, UCE messages.
Broadband over Powerlines: Regulatory and Policy Issues
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 13, 2008. 21 pages.
Congress has expressed significant interest in increasing the availability of broadband services throughout the nation. Broadband over powerlines (BPL) has the potential to play a significant role in increasing the competitive landscape of the communications industry as well as extend the reach of broadband to a greater number of Americans. BPL, like any technology, has its advantages and disadvantages. Proponents state that BPL is less expensive to deploy than the cable and telephone companies’ broadband offerings; it does not require upgrades to the actual electric grid; and, it is not limited by some technical constraints of its competitors. However, critics are concerned that BPL interferes with licensed radio frequencies used for amateur radio, government, and emergency response.
Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology
Peter R. Orszag. Director. Congressional Budget Office (CBO). CBO Paper. May 2008. 46 pages.
Health information technology (health IT) plays a key role in health care. Providers such as physicians and hospitals generate and process information as they provide care to patients. Managing that information and using it productively pose a continuing challenge, particularly in light of the complexity of the U.S. health care sector, with its many different types of providers, services, and settings for care. Health IT has the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of the health sector by helping providers manage information. It could also improve the quality of health care and, ultimately, the outcomes of that care for patients. In this paper, prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, the Congressional Budget Office examines the evidence on the costs and benefits of health IT, possible barriers to a broader distribution and use of it in hospitals and clinicians’ offices, and possible options for the federal government to promote use of health IT.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Majority of Broadcasters Are Prepared for the DTV Transition, but Some Technical and Coordination Issues Remain
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Requesters. April 2008. 38 pages.
This requested report examines the status of broadcast stations in transitioning to digital, the extent to which broadcast stations are encountering issues, and the actions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken to guide broadcasters in the digital transition. To address these issues, GAO conducted a Web-based survey of full-power television broadcast stations. GAO surveyed 1,682 stations and obtained completed questionnaires from 1,122 stations, for a response rate of 66.7 percent.
THINK TANKS AND RESEARCH CENTERS:
The opinions expressed in these publications do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government
HOME BROADBAND ADOPTION 2008
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. July 2008. 31 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf
Some 55% of all adult Americans now have a high-speed Internet connection at home. The percentage of Americans with broadband at home has grown from 47% in early 2007. Poorer Americans saw no growth in broadband adoption in the past year while at the same time nearly one-third of broadband users pay more to get faster connections.
THE INTERNET AND THE 2008 ELECTION
Aaron Smith and Lee Rainie. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. June 15, 2008. 27 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_2008_election.pdf
A record-breaking 46% of Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about the campaign, share their views and mobilize others. A significant number of voters are also using the Internet to gain access to campaign events and primary documents. Some 39% of online Americans have used the Internet to access "unfiltered" campaign materials, which includes video of candidate debates, speeches and announcements, as well as position papers and speech transcripts. Online activism using social media has also grown substantially since the first time the Pew Center probed this issue during the 2006 midterm elections.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY: A STATE-BY-STATE PICTURE OF OCCUPATIONS THAT GAIN FROM GREEN INVESTMENTS
Robert Pollin and Jeannette Wicks-Lim. Political Economy Research Institute. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. June 2008. 15 pages.
http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/atf/cf/%7B3637E5F0-D0EA-46E7-BB32-74D973EFF334%7D/NRDC_report_May28.pdf
This report provides a snapshot of what kinds of jobs are needed to build a green economy in the United States. The authors focus on six key strategies for attacking global warming and highlight some of the major “green jobs” associated with each of these approaches: building retrofitting, mass transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels. Millions of U.S. workers -- across a wide range of familiar occupations, states, and income and skill levels -- will all benefit from the project of defeating global warming and transforming the United States into a green economy.
RURAL BROADBAND AND THE TV WHITE SPACE: HOW UNLICENSED ACCESS TO VACANT TELEVISION CHANNELS CAN BRING AFFORDABLE WIRELESS BROADBAND TO RURAL AMERICA
Benjamin Lennett. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #22. June 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/Rural_Broadband_and_TV_WhiteSpace.pdf
In 2004, the FCC initiated a proceeding to determine rules to allow the unlicensed operation of wireless communication devices in unused television band spectrum between channels 2 and 51. These vacant and unassigned television channels, known as the TV “white spaces,” would help make affordable wireless broadband in rural America a reality.
THE INTERNET AND CONSUMER CHOICE
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. May 18, 2008. 42 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Consumer.Decisions.pdf
Networked information gives consumers ready access to resources that can provide clues about product quality, terms of service, and other features. This report examines the process by which people come to purchase three types of products that, in different ways, are likely to be influenced by online information. This reports finds that the Internet plays an important role in how people conduct research for purchases, but it is just one among a variety of sources people use and usually not the key factor in final purchasing decisions.
EXPLAINING INTERNATIONAL BROADBAND LEADERSHIP
Robert D. Atkinson, Daniel K. Correa and Julie A. Hedlund. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). May 2008. 108 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/ExplainingBBLeadership.pdf
It is hard to follow broadband telecommunications policy without hearing almost weekly that the United States ranks 15th out of 30 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations in broadband adoption. But it is much less apparent why the United States is behind. Indeed, relatively little work has been done to understand why some nations are ahead, and why some, like the United States, are lagging. By examining OECD nations through statistical analysis and in-depth case studies of nine nations, including the United States, this report identifies factors that have spurred broadband performance in other nations, presents key findings that government and the technology industry must recognize if they are to find the right course for the United States, and proposes key policy recommendations that will drive greater broadband performance.
UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL BROADBAND COMPARISONS
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. May 2008. 56 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/wallsten_international_broadband_comparisons.pdf
Discussions about broadband policy in the United States today inevitably begin by citing OECD estimates. Many analysts interpret the low ranking of the U.S. in broadband penetration relative to other OECD countries as meaning that U.S. broadband policy has been a failure. Whatever the relationship between rankings and policy, the OECD estimates are inaccurate and therefore misleading. In fact, broadband is nearly universally available in the U.S. and the U.S. compares favorably to other rich countries in terms of broadband penetration, speeds, and in broader measures of information and communications technology.
THE BROADBAND EFFICIENCY INDEX: WHAT REALLY DRIVES BROADBAND ADOPTION ACROSS THE OECD?
George S. Ford, Thomas M. Koutsky and Lawrence J. Spiwak. Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies. Policy Paper Number 33. May 2008. 27 pages.
http://www.phoenix-center.org/pcpp/PCPP33Final.pdf
In this paper, the authors assess the performance and efficiency of OECD countries with respect to broadband Internet subscription. Using the econometric technique of Stochastic Frontier Analysis, they estimate scores indicating the efficiency with which a country converts its economic and demographic endowments into broadband subscriptions. With very few exceptions, they find that broadband subscription in OECD countries is consistent with those endowments -- about two thirds of OECD countries have an efficiency rate of 95% or better. Significantly, the United States has an efficiency index of 96.7%, which is slightly higher than Japan (96.3%) and Korea (95.8%). Consistent with earlier research, they find that economic and demographic endowments explain nearly all of the variation in broadband subscriptions (91%).
REVERSE AUCTIONS AND UNIVERSAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE: LESSONS FROM GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. April 2008. 20 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/wallsten_global_reverse_auctions-1.pdf
The United States now spends around $7 billion on universal service programs -- subsidies intended to ensure that the entire country has access to telecommunications services. Most of this money supports telecommunications service in “high cost” (primarily rural) areas, and the High Cost fund is growing quickly. In response to this growth, policymakers are considering using reverse auctions, or bids for the minimum subsidy, as a way to reduce expenditures. While the U.S. has not yet distributed funds for universal service programs using reverse auctions, the method has been used widely.
Previous issues of Information Technologies – Documents on the Web are available at: http://france.usembassy.gov/irc/econ/webalert/default.htm
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). July 2008. 20 pages.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/P034305FY0dncreport.pdf
The National Do Not Call Registry is, by virtually every available measure, an effective consumer protection initiative. By the end of FY 2007, there were more than 145 million telephone numbers on the National Registry. The available data show that compliance with the National Registry provisions of the Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule (“Amended TSR”) is high and that, as a result, consumers are receiving fewer unwanted telemarketing calls. The National Registry received over 19 million new registrations during FY 2007. Approximately 66,000 sellers, telemarketers, and exempt organizations accessed the National Registry during the fiscal year, with over 6,000 of those entities paying fees totaling more than $21.5 million. The FTC initiated three new cases alleging violations of the National Registry and resolved or added defendants to eight cases that were filed before FY 2007 but were still pending.
Privacy: Congress Should Consider Alternatives for Strengthening Protection of Personally Indentifiable Information
Linda Koontz. Director. Information Management Issues. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate. June 18, 2008. 27 pages.
Concerns have been raised about the privacy and security of personal information in light of advances in information technology and the increasingly sophisticated ways in which the government obtains and uses information. Federal agencies' use of personal information is governed by the Privacy Act of 1974 and the E-Government Act of 2002, while the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provides implementation guidance and oversight. These laws and guidance are based on the Fair Information Practices, a set of widely accepted principles for protecting privacy. GAO was asked to testify on its report concerning the sufficiency of privacy protections afforded by existing laws and guidance.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Broadcasters’ Transition Status, Low-Power Station Issues, and Information on Consumer Awareness of the DTV Transition
Mark L. Goldstein. Director. Physical Infrastructure Issues. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Testimony before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives. June 10, 2008. 23 pages.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08881t.pdf
This requested report examines the status of broadcast stations in transitioning to digital, the extent to which broadcast stations are encountering issues, and the actions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken to guide broadcasters in the digital transition. Television broadcast stations have made substantial progress in transitioning to digital television, with the vast majority already transmitting a digital signal. Approximately 91 percent of the 1,122 full-power stations responding to this survey are currently transmitting a digital signal, with approximately 68 percent of survey respondents transmitting their digital signal at full strength and 68 percent transmitting their digital signal on the channel from which they will broadcast after the transition date. Some stations, however, still need to complete construction of their final digital facilities, and others need to relocate their digital channel to complete the transition.
Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
Lennard G. Kruger and Angele A. Gilroy. Congressional Research Service (CRS). June 4, 2008. 38 pages.
http://www.ipmall.info/hosted_resources/crs/RL30719_080604.pdf
Broadband technologies are currently being deployed primarily by the private sector throughout the United States. While the numbers of new broadband subscribers continue to grow, studies and data suggest that the rate of broadband deployment in urban and high income areas may be outpacing deployment in rural and low-income areas. Some policymakers, believing that disparities in broadband access across American society could have adverse economic and social consequences on those left behind, assert that the federal government should play a more active role to avoid a “digital divide” in broadband access. One approach is for the federal government to provide financial assistance to support broadband deployment in underserved areas. Others, however, believe that federal assistance for broadband deployment is not appropriate. Some opponents question the reality of the “digital divide,” and argue that federal intervention in the broadband marketplace would be premature and, in some cases, counterproductive.
Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and Issues
Angele A. Gilroy and Lennard G. Kruger. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 27, 2008. 23 pages.
Some areas of the nation -- particularly rural and low-income communities -- continue to lack full access to high-speed broadband Internet service. In order to address this problem, the 110th Congress is examining a wide range of issues including the scope and effect of federal broadband financial assistance programs (including universal service and the broadband programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service), and the impact of telecommunications regulation and new technologies on broadband deployment. One facet of the debate over broadband services focuses on whether present laws and subsequent regulatory policies are needed to ensure the development of competition and its subsequent consumer benefits, or conversely, whether such laws and regulations are overly burdensome and discourage investment in and deployment of broadband services.
Broadband Loan and Grant Programs in the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service
Lennard G. Kruger. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 15, 2008. 35 pages.
Some key issues pertinent to a consideration of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) broadband programs include restrictions on applicant eligibility, how “rural” is defined with respect to eligible rural communities, how to address assistance to areas with preexisting broadband service, technological neutrality, funding levels and mechanisms, and the appropriateness of federal assistance. Ultimately, any modification of rules, regulations, or criteria associated with the RUS broadband program will likely result in “winners and losers” in terms of which companies, communities, regions of the country, and technologies are eligible or more likely to receive broadband loans and grants.
The Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program: Funding Issues and Activities
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 15, 2008. 19 pages.
Proponents of federal support of information technology (IT) R&D assert that it has produced positive outcomes for the country and played a crucial role in supporting long-term research into fundamental aspects of computing. Government-funded IT research often leads to open standards, something that many perceive as beneficial, encouraging deployment and further investment. Industry, on the other hand, is more inclined to invest in proprietary products and will diverge from a common standard when there is a potential competitive or financial advantage to do so. Finally, proponents of government support believe that the outcomes achieved through the various funding programs create a synergistic environment in which both fundamental and application-driven research are conducted, benefitting government, industry, academia, and the public. Critics assert that the government, through its funding mechanisms, may be picking “winners and losers” in technological development, a role more properly residing with the private sector. For example, the size of the NITRD Program may encourage industry to follow the government’s lead on research directions rather than selecting those directions itself.
“Spam”: An Overview of Issues Concerning Commercial Electronic Mail
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 14, 2008. 21 pages.
Spam, also called unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or “junk email,” aggravates many computer users. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing technique that is protected by the First Amendment, and that some consumers want to receive such solicitations. On December 16, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, P.L. 108-187. It went into effect on January 1, 2004. The CAN-SPAM Act does not ban UCE. Rather, it allows marketers to send commercial email as long as it conforms with the law, such as including a legitimate opportunity for consumers to “opt-out” of receiving future commercial emails from that sender. Proponents of CAN-SPAM have argued that consumers are most irritated by fraudulent email, and that the law should reduce the volume of such email because of the civil and criminal penalties included therein. Opponents counter that consumers object to unsolicited commercial email, and since the law legitimizes commercial email (as long as it conforms with the law’s provisions), consumers actually may receive more, not fewer, UCE messages.
Broadband over Powerlines: Regulatory and Policy Issues
Patricia Moloney Figliola. Congressional Research Service (CRS). May 13, 2008. 21 pages.
Congress has expressed significant interest in increasing the availability of broadband services throughout the nation. Broadband over powerlines (BPL) has the potential to play a significant role in increasing the competitive landscape of the communications industry as well as extend the reach of broadband to a greater number of Americans. BPL, like any technology, has its advantages and disadvantages. Proponents state that BPL is less expensive to deploy than the cable and telephone companies’ broadband offerings; it does not require upgrades to the actual electric grid; and, it is not limited by some technical constraints of its competitors. However, critics are concerned that BPL interferes with licensed radio frequencies used for amateur radio, government, and emergency response.
Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology
Peter R. Orszag. Director. Congressional Budget Office (CBO). CBO Paper. May 2008. 46 pages.
Health information technology (health IT) plays a key role in health care. Providers such as physicians and hospitals generate and process information as they provide care to patients. Managing that information and using it productively pose a continuing challenge, particularly in light of the complexity of the U.S. health care sector, with its many different types of providers, services, and settings for care. Health IT has the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of the health sector by helping providers manage information. It could also improve the quality of health care and, ultimately, the outcomes of that care for patients. In this paper, prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, the Congressional Budget Office examines the evidence on the costs and benefits of health IT, possible barriers to a broader distribution and use of it in hospitals and clinicians’ offices, and possible options for the federal government to promote use of health IT.
DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Majority of Broadcasters Are Prepared for the DTV Transition, but Some Technical and Coordination Issues Remain
Government Accountability Office (GAO). Report to Congressional Requesters. April 2008. 38 pages.
This requested report examines the status of broadcast stations in transitioning to digital, the extent to which broadcast stations are encountering issues, and the actions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken to guide broadcasters in the digital transition. To address these issues, GAO conducted a Web-based survey of full-power television broadcast stations. GAO surveyed 1,682 stations and obtained completed questionnaires from 1,122 stations, for a response rate of 66.7 percent.
THINK TANKS AND RESEARCH CENTERS:
The opinions expressed in these publications do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government
HOME BROADBAND ADOPTION 2008
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. July 2008. 31 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf
Some 55% of all adult Americans now have a high-speed Internet connection at home. The percentage of Americans with broadband at home has grown from 47% in early 2007. Poorer Americans saw no growth in broadband adoption in the past year while at the same time nearly one-third of broadband users pay more to get faster connections.
THE INTERNET AND THE 2008 ELECTION
Aaron Smith and Lee Rainie. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. June 15, 2008. 27 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_2008_election.pdf
A record-breaking 46% of Americans have used the Internet, e-mail or cell phone text messaging to get news about the campaign, share their views and mobilize others. A significant number of voters are also using the Internet to gain access to campaign events and primary documents. Some 39% of online Americans have used the Internet to access "unfiltered" campaign materials, which includes video of candidate debates, speeches and announcements, as well as position papers and speech transcripts. Online activism using social media has also grown substantially since the first time the Pew Center probed this issue during the 2006 midterm elections.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY: A STATE-BY-STATE PICTURE OF OCCUPATIONS THAT GAIN FROM GREEN INVESTMENTS
Robert Pollin and Jeannette Wicks-Lim. Political Economy Research Institute. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. June 2008. 15 pages.
http://www.bluegreenalliance.org/atf/cf/%7B3637E5F0-D0EA-46E7-BB32-74D973EFF334%7D/NRDC_report_May28.pdf
This report provides a snapshot of what kinds of jobs are needed to build a green economy in the United States. The authors focus on six key strategies for attacking global warming and highlight some of the major “green jobs” associated with each of these approaches: building retrofitting, mass transit, energy-efficient automobiles, wind power, solar power, and cellulosic biomass fuels. Millions of U.S. workers -- across a wide range of familiar occupations, states, and income and skill levels -- will all benefit from the project of defeating global warming and transforming the United States into a green economy.
RURAL BROADBAND AND THE TV WHITE SPACE: HOW UNLICENSED ACCESS TO VACANT TELEVISION CHANNELS CAN BRING AFFORDABLE WIRELESS BROADBAND TO RURAL AMERICA
Benjamin Lennett. New America Foundation. Wireless Future Program. Issue Brief #22. June 2008. 4 pages.
http://www.newamerica.net/files/Rural_Broadband_and_TV_WhiteSpace.pdf
In 2004, the FCC initiated a proceeding to determine rules to allow the unlicensed operation of wireless communication devices in unused television band spectrum between channels 2 and 51. These vacant and unassigned television channels, known as the TV “white spaces,” would help make affordable wireless broadband in rural America a reality.
THE INTERNET AND CONSUMER CHOICE
John B. Horrigan. The Pew Internet & American Life Project. Report. May 18, 2008. 42 pages.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Consumer.Decisions.pdf
Networked information gives consumers ready access to resources that can provide clues about product quality, terms of service, and other features. This report examines the process by which people come to purchase three types of products that, in different ways, are likely to be influenced by online information. This reports finds that the Internet plays an important role in how people conduct research for purchases, but it is just one among a variety of sources people use and usually not the key factor in final purchasing decisions.
EXPLAINING INTERNATIONAL BROADBAND LEADERSHIP
Robert D. Atkinson, Daniel K. Correa and Julie A. Hedlund. Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). May 2008. 108 pages.
http://www.itif.org/files/ExplainingBBLeadership.pdf
It is hard to follow broadband telecommunications policy without hearing almost weekly that the United States ranks 15th out of 30 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations in broadband adoption. But it is much less apparent why the United States is behind. Indeed, relatively little work has been done to understand why some nations are ahead, and why some, like the United States, are lagging. By examining OECD nations through statistical analysis and in-depth case studies of nine nations, including the United States, this report identifies factors that have spurred broadband performance in other nations, presents key findings that government and the technology industry must recognize if they are to find the right course for the United States, and proposes key policy recommendations that will drive greater broadband performance.
UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL BROADBAND COMPARISONS
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. May 2008. 56 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/wallsten_international_broadband_comparisons.pdf
Discussions about broadband policy in the United States today inevitably begin by citing OECD estimates. Many analysts interpret the low ranking of the U.S. in broadband penetration relative to other OECD countries as meaning that U.S. broadband policy has been a failure. Whatever the relationship between rankings and policy, the OECD estimates are inaccurate and therefore misleading. In fact, broadband is nearly universally available in the U.S. and the U.S. compares favorably to other rich countries in terms of broadband penetration, speeds, and in broader measures of information and communications technology.
THE BROADBAND EFFICIENCY INDEX: WHAT REALLY DRIVES BROADBAND ADOPTION ACROSS THE OECD?
George S. Ford, Thomas M. Koutsky and Lawrence J. Spiwak. Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Public Policy Studies. Policy Paper Number 33. May 2008. 27 pages.
http://www.phoenix-center.org/pcpp/PCPP33Final.pdf
In this paper, the authors assess the performance and efficiency of OECD countries with respect to broadband Internet subscription. Using the econometric technique of Stochastic Frontier Analysis, they estimate scores indicating the efficiency with which a country converts its economic and demographic endowments into broadband subscriptions. With very few exceptions, they find that broadband subscription in OECD countries is consistent with those endowments -- about two thirds of OECD countries have an efficiency rate of 95% or better. Significantly, the United States has an efficiency index of 96.7%, which is slightly higher than Japan (96.3%) and Korea (95.8%). Consistent with earlier research, they find that economic and demographic endowments explain nearly all of the variation in broadband subscriptions (91%).
REVERSE AUCTIONS AND UNIVERSAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE: LESSONS FROM GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
Scott Wallsten. Technology Policy Institute. April 2008. 20 pages.
http://www.techpolicyinstitute.org/files/wallsten_global_reverse_auctions-1.pdf
The United States now spends around $7 billion on universal service programs -- subsidies intended to ensure that the entire country has access to telecommunications services. Most of this money supports telecommunications service in “high cost” (primarily rural) areas, and the High Cost fund is growing quickly. In response to this growth, policymakers are considering using reverse auctions, or bids for the minimum subsidy, as a way to reduce expenditures. While the U.S. has not yet distributed funds for universal service programs using reverse auctions, the method has been used widely.
Previous issues of Information Technologies – Documents on the Web are available at: http://france.usembassy.gov/irc/econ/webalert/default.htm
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