CDT POLICY POST Volume 8, Number 23, November 4, 2002

A BRIEFING ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ONLINE
from
THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY

CONTENTS:

(1) US Election Day - November 5 - Make Democracy Work: Vote!

(2) 108th Congress, State Legislatures to Confront Host of Internet Issues

(1) US ELECTION DAY - NOVEMBER 5 - MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK: VOTE!

Next Tuesday, November 5, is Election Day. CDT is strictly non-partisan, but we can tell you this: VOTE!

The Internet is not immune from law and regulation. What elected officials do in Washington, in the states, and even at the local level will affect the future of the Internet - whether it remains open, decentralized and user controlled, a medium for innovation and free expression.

We urge you to exercise your democratic right and fulfill your civic duty by voting on Tuesday, November 5. Many elections this year are likely to be very close. Every vote does matter.

(2) 108TH CONGRESS, STATE LEGISLATURES TO CONFRONT HOST OF INTERNET ISSUES

On Tuesday, you will be asked to choose the Congress and many of the state legislatures and governors. Next year, they will be confronting a host of issues that will directly affect your use of the Internet and other digital communications technologies.

Key issues that will be on the policy and lawmaking agenda next year include:

Copyright - A major debate is underway over how to protect copyrighted material in the digital age. This year, legislation was introduced in Congress that would have controlled the design of televisions, computers and other electronic devices. Next year, the debate will resume.
Privacy - The privacy concerns of consumers remain unsatisfied. Legislation will be considered in the States and at the federal level.
Security - Oversight of the effectiveness of PATRIOT Act authorities, the prospect of PATRIOT II, and the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security and its role in computer security are all issues that directly affect Internet users.
Free Expression - Some government officials still want to control what you choose to view on the Internet. Laws continue to be brought up not only at the federal level, but also in the state legislatures, as in the case of a recent Pennsylvania law that authorizes a court to order ISPs to block content with no adversarial hearing and no notice to the content creator.

Detailed information about online civil liberties issues may be found at http://www.cdt.org/.

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