IT organizations are still here. Why? This question is not about survival of IT as a whole but rather about survival of central IT organizations and their share of the institutional IT pie. IT as a whole will certainly survive, perhaps at even greater institutional overall cost. Decentralization only stimulates appetites for more. And woe to the…

With the rise of the Internet and the debate over the National Information Infrastructure, Congress had an opportunity with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to reassess communication policy in light of the information age. Instead, Congress passed a product of political compromise rather than political vision; it calls for deregulation without…

In this article, the authors cite four reasons why parents and schools should reconsider the use of Internet filters. First, and most simply, filters don't work as advertised. One of the most controversial and contentious issues surrounding the use of new information and communication technologies, especially in schools and libraries, is whether…

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…

Discusses the control of digital content and the stakes for libraries and our democratic culture. Highlights include copyright term extension, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, use of contract law to limit the public domain, database legislation, trademarks versus the public domain, the void in our cultural vocabulary, and the concept of the…

The global dimension of the Internet requires new approaches to formulating policy infrastructures. Commerce must invest in the development of policy infrastructures and governments must support these new approaches; an effective balance between commercial needs and social requirements is necessary in order to achieve universal access. The…

Examines the law for libraries, i.e. potential risks and liabilities of regulating, or not regulating, Internet access and use. Discusses the Communications Decency Act, use of filtering software, Internet policies, liability under local criminal statutes, ordinances for disseminating child pornography, obscene material, and hostile work…

This paper discusses the importance of intellectual freedom for libraries, librarians, and library associations. Examples of attempts at censorship in Australia are presented, including the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Act, 1999, legislation that requires filtering of Internet content. The IFLA (International Federation of…

This paper is a practitioner response by an IT manager to a paper by Duncan Greaves entitled "A pedagogical and economic critique of student charges for Internet access", which appears in the same issue of "IJEDICT." Greaves' article proposes four mechanisms to solve this "public goods problem". The author explores…

This report represents the views and perceptions of participants at a December 1994 Strategic Information Resources Management (SIRM) seminar, held in the District of Columbia, entitled "Building and Managing Government Internet Services." The group was comprised of 67 government officials and contractors who either had or were about to…

The librarians and directors contributing to this article review current trends in censorship, and describe strategies, policies, and practices they would recommend. Discussion includes selection policies, educating the public, new technologies and materials, and the Internet. All agree on the library's responsibility of preserving intellectual…

Cautions that with growing access to new technologies, the expansion of Internet pornography and hate sites is fast becoming a danger for students, teachers, parents, and communities. Discusses technological possibilities for regulating Internet use available at school and at home. Relates Internet regulation with the goals of character education.…

The September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States have contributed greatly to a change in the information environment around the world. The weeks following the attacks saw governments around the world rush to pass legislation designed to prevent future acts of terrorism. Much of this legislation targeted information flow, especially on the…

Addresses issues relating to the Internet and personal privacy. Defines privacy and discusses it in the context of property boundaries, contracts or special relationships, and gossip. Explores clashes between ideals of personal privacy, free speech, and economic freedom in the context of the Internet. (DSK)