The Internet has tremendous potential to promote free expression and individual liberty online. But will future Internet technologies maximize this potential for freedom? Or will new ways to use the Internet have hidden downsides, such as a reduction of privacy? Will the technical requirements of new Internet services require resources beyond what individuals or small organizations can afford?

Increasingly, technical decisions about the Internet and its development can have far-reaching policy consequences. Often these technical decisions are made with little public awareness or input. At the same time, lawmakers and public interest advocates often debate policies governing the Internet without adequate understanding of technical impact.

To address these concerns, CDT has created the Internet Standards, Technology & Policy Project, intended to increase public interest input into the standards processes, and to increase communication and understanding between Internet technologists and public policy makers and advocates. This Web site and CDT's Standards Bulletin are intended to provide the public policy community with a clear and understandable window into the Internet technical standards processes and the possible impact of new technical standards on issues of public concern.

Standards Bulletin 2.01 -- Standards Spotlight: ENUM and Voice Over the Internet Technology -- April 28, 2003
This Bulletin provides an overview and analysis of the privacy and public policy issues raised by the "ENUM" protocol, developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force ("IETF") to bridge the gap between the traditional telephone system and the Internet. This Bulletin also provides a report on the 56th meeting of the IETF, which took place March 16 through 21, 2003.

Standards Bulletin 1.03 -- Patents On Internet Technology Standards -- December 13, 2002
The question of whether intellectual property rights such as patents should govern technical standards in the Internet area continues to be an important topic of debate. The most significant discussion on the question took place at the W3C Advisory Committee meeting concerning a newly proposed "patent policy" for the W3C. At that meeting, the W3C took steps toward adopting a open patent policy that is viewed as favoring "open source" software and promoting competition.

Standards Bulletin 1.02 -- IETF's new OPES Working Group Raises Important Policy Questions -- August 7, 2002
For the past year, the Standards Project has been engaged in discussions within the IETF about a proposed new Internet protocol named "Open Pluggable Edge Services" ("OPES"). If adopted, the OPES protocol would allow the content of Internet communications between two computers -- for example, a client and a server -- to be modified en route by a third party. There are a number of positive uses for such technology, but serious questions exist about OPES' impact on data integrity and privacy.

Standards Bulletin 1.01 -- IETF Creates New GEOPRIV Working Group to Tackle Tough Location Privacy Issues -- May 28, 2002
A new working group at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is addressing serious issues concerning the privacy of sensitive "location" information used in a variety of emerging technologies. As new technologies expand wireless access to the Internet, a huge array of location-based services are in the works. Along with consumer uses, such services can provide increased security and enhanced emergency services. There are also on-going projects aimed at providing (or in some cases limiting) services and content based on the location of users with stationary Internet access. Significant privacy and security concerns are raised by these location-based services. Although many location-based services will be optional and fully user-controlled, in some cases users will have little choice but to reveal sensitive location information. Even with user-approved services, there is a significant need to protect and limit the dissemination of location information.

CDT Releases Report Analyzing Public Policy Concerns about ENUM Technology - ENUM, a technology protocol that may provide a critical tool in the more widespread adoption of "voice over the Internet" services, also poses risks to privacy. CDT's Standards, Technology & Policy Project has issued a report analyzing a range of privacy and other public policy concerns raised by the ENUM protocol. The report sets out detailed policy recommendations that should be followed by national governments and service providers in any implementation of ENUM. April 28, 2003

• "ENUM: Mapping Telephone Numbers onto the Internet -- Potential Benefits With Public Policy Risks"

Standards Project Presents Paper at Major International Conference - Alan Davidson and John Morris presented a paper in conjunction with the "First International Conference on the Economic and Social Implications of Information Technology," sponsored by, among others, the Information Society Directorate General of the European Commission and the Technology Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. As part of a workshop focused on "Connecting Research and Policy in the Digital Economy," the paper addresses the need for greater attention by policymakers and policy researchers on the impact that technical standards setting bodies have on public policy. January 29, 2003

• First International Conference on the Economic and Social Implications of Information Technology
• Connecting Research and Policy in the Digital Economy
• CDT Research Paper [Word]

Proposed "OPES" Protocol Advances; Policy Issues to Be Considered - As part of a major new project to increase the public voice in Internet standards setting processes, CDT has been engaged in the debate about a proposed new Internet protocol named "Open Pluggable Edge Services" ("OPES"). In late October, the Internet Architecture Board recommended conditions that should be met if work on OPES continues, and in so doing cited CDT's policy concerns and urged that they be addressed. November 12, 2001

• CDT Policy Post 7.13

CDT launches the Internet Standards, Technology & Policy Project - CDT has undertaken a multi-year project to enhance the public voice in the creation of Internet standards, and to increase public interest understanding of the technology standards processes. On the one hand, the project will promote public awareness of and, where appropriate, involvement in the standards-setting, technical governance, and industry bodies that make technical decisions for the Internet. On the other hand, the project will seek to build better communication among technologists, public interest advocates, and academic policy leaders working on issues with broad relevance to Internet policy. May 2001

• Project Overview
• Press Release, April 3, 2001

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