Year in review: Playing politics

Politics: Many words, little action It's almost easier to list what politicians in Washington did not do in 2003 than what they did. Start with the obvious: a federal ban on Internet access taxes expired in November, but Congress before adjourning for the year. Neither the Bush administration nor Congress mandatory Internet security-related regulations on U.S. firms, a set of requirements that technology lobbyists have opposed. Discussion of a proposal demanding that publicly traded U.S. corporations obtain an annual computer security audit has been . Hollywood's lobbyists had pressed for new antipiracy laws but failed to win their passage in Congress. One proposal would who made pre-release movies available in their shared folders, while another would require peer-to-peer companies to obtain parental permission before permitting minors to connect. ( by groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and open-source activists to repeal parts of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act also failed.) File-trading rhetoric waxed red-hot. The Recording Industry Association of America warned Congress that P2P networks are , and Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, of remotely destroying computers used to swap files unlawfully. Meanwhile, six peer-to-peer firms to argue that its members will follow the law. One bill that Congress did manage to approve in December before leaving town for the year was the first federal spam law. It criminalizes some common spamming practices like forging headers and automatically guessing e-mail addresses. It's been criticized for not banning the practice of spamming -- and voiding a California state law that does. While the legislative branch has been preoccupied with the Iraq war, Medicare and other high-profile topics, federal regulators and the courts have been unusually active. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit is weighing both the RIAA's against Verizon Communications and the of the Microsoft antitrust case. For its part, the U.S. Supreme Court requiring libraries accepting federal funds to use Internet filters, and will return to the online pornography topic again by July 2004 in a case involving that may be "harmful to minors." The Federal Communications Commission has been anything but idle. The commission is investigating (VoIP) and . It's also busy with , and what when they use cell phones for text messaging or Web browsing. --Declan McCullagh Internet phone calls are becoming a national security threat that must be countered with new wiretap rules, according to an FBI proposal presented to regulators this month. July 29, 2003 An appeals court questions the interpretation of a 1998 copyright law, wondering whether it permits the unmasking of alleged peer-to-peer pirates by the music industry. Sept. 16, 2003 As the U.S. Senate explores the issue of privacy in the DMCA's subpoena process, one senator introduces a bill to repeal that section of the copyright law. Sept. 18, 2003 Lawmakers approve a spending bill that removes funding for Terrorism Information Awareness, effectively nixing the plan that sought to assemble computerized dossiers on Americans. Sept. 25, 2003 The justices will revisit the constitutionality of restrictions on commercial Web sites with materials deemed "harmful to minors." Oct. 14, 2003 A federal court considers whether a trial judge's order ending Microsoft's antitrust case should be tossed out in favor of harsher remedies. Nov. 4, 2003 The FCC's "broadcast flag" mandate could have a wider-than-expected impact as TVs and computers converge. Nov. 5, 2003 Lawmakers unveil a draft of long-awaited legislation that would require U.S. corporations to certify that they have conducted an annual computer security audit. Nov. 6, 2003 A copyright bill backed by key senators would place file swappers in prison for up to three years if they have a copy of even one prerelease movie in their shared folders. Nov. 12, 2003 Democrats and Republicans alike hail Can-Spam as a long-sought compromise that will curb Viagra ads and get-rich-quick propositions from clogging Americans' in-boxes. Nov. 25, 2003 A federal ban on Internet access taxes will not be renewed until 2004 at the earliest, supporters say. Nov. 26, 2003 Bush administration officials praise industry efforts to create security programs--but pledge that if those initiatives fail, legislation will soon follow. Dec. 3, 2003 The Federal Communications Commission takes the first step toward deciding whether to regulate Internet telephony, a move that could radically transform the fast-growing industry. Dec. 1, 2003 VeriSign fends off critics at ICANN confab SunnComm won't sue 'shift key' grad student ACLU takes aim at record labels' subpoenas Senators ask P2P companies to police themselves U.S.-Singapore trade pact echoes DMCA Israel warns Web sites on war coverage ACLU loses digital copyright battle Ashcroft stumps for Patriot Act

Year in review: Playing politics

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