Cost-benefit analyses suggest that consumer information strategies are preferred to direct regulation, and less restrictive strategies are preferred to more restrictive. Choice of strategies depends on the goal of intervention: changing behavior or improving overall welfare. (SK)

Under current policies, cell phone consumers face a lower probability of finding the best carrier for their usage patterns than winning at roulette. Corroborating survey data consistently show significant dissatisfaction among cell phone users, network performance is a major issue, and customer "churn" is high. This problem may be traced to a new…

The Copyright Forum serves as a venue for the discussion of digital copyright issues of interest to Canadian educational institutions, libraries, archives, and museums. The Forum currently comprises 13 national associations. The members of the participating associations are both creators and users of digital intellectual content, and a number of…

Examines the availability of objectionable material on the Internet, censorship, and the feasibility of censorship. Outlines control efforts in the United States, discusses attempts to regulate electronic media in Australia from 1990-96, and summarizes responses of the Australian Council on Library and Information Services and the Australian…

This paper assesses the recommendations made during the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS) from a public policy view, and identifies their meaning for the public's uses and needs for library and information services. Recommendations from the WHCLIS conference which fit best with national goals were found to…

Freedom of information and open government are becoming important issues in the European Community and Union. Although recent reforms have allowed greater access to Community and Union documents by individuals, the question of national parliaments and their rights is unresolved. Openness at the European level is vital if the Community and Union…

The full impact of the current information technology and networking revolution remains unknown, but the experiences of organizations and individuals who are using the tools and resources offered by information technology suggest that it may change our social fabric. Some of the current and emerging trends in information technology include: the…

Discusses policy principles that information provider companies agree upon, including the public's right of access to information; equality of access; diverse information sources; monopoly control of public information; fees for access; and public participation in decisions about access. Funding for the depository library system and new federal…