Background on Technology

Technology Issues

ICANN: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has managed the Web's domain-name system under contract with the U.S. government for more than a decade--but the Los Angeles-based nonprofit has worked to transform itself into a global organization free of U.S. ties. European Union officials backed the globalization effort, which intensified with Edward Snowden's leaks about the NSA's sprawling surveillance programs. The United States has always played a leading role in overseeing the management of .com and other domain names, but the administration announced Friday night that it will give up its oversight when the current contract expires in fall 2015. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, last month proposed establishing "a clear timeline" for globalizing ICANN and the duties it performs under the U.S. contract. Exactly who would regulate the Web's back-end is unclear, but the decision already has sparked backlash among some in the GOP, who warn it could allow the United Nations or authoritarian countries to step in and seize control of the Web.
SOPA and PIPA: refers to two bills before Congress in 2012 on Internet regulation. SOPA, the House's Stop Online Piracy Act, has 28 sponsors, and PIPA, the Senate's Protect IP Act, has 40 sponsors. Proponents claim the bills would better protect electronic copyright (“IP”, or Intellectual Property); opponents argue that SOPA and PIPA would censor the Internet. Internet users and entrepreneurs oppose the two bills; google.com and wikipedia.com held a "blackout" on Jan. 18, 2012 in protest.
WikiLeaks : refers to a website run by a libertarian technophile Julian Assange. In 2010, WikiLeaks got hold of millions of classified government documents that he and his organization believed should not be kept secret from the public. Many of those documents were posted on the WikiLeaks website. Assange has been under criminal investigation ever since. The documents offer an unprecedented look at the American diplomatic process—from 1966 to cables written as recently as February of 2010. Julian Assange is a hero to progressives who believe in open government and oppose secrecy; in the mold of Daniel Ellsberg and Mike Gravel, who revealed “The Pentagon Papers” about Vietnam.
EMP: refers to “electromagnetic pulse” which is caused by a nuclear weapon detonated at high altitude, which would shut down electrical power and electronic devices over a large area.
Net Neutrality is the principle behind an “open Internet”: that Internet service providers may not discriminate between different kinds of online content. In the view of its proponents, Net Neutrality guarantees a level playing field for all websites and Internet technologies. Proponents of Net Neutrality include Internet content providers such as Yahoo.com, eBay.com, and Amazon.com. In the view of its opponents a free market should allow content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data by paying an extra fee. Opponents include hardware providers such as AT&T and Comcast, plus conservative and libertarian think tanks such as Americans for Tax Reform and the Cato Institute.

Infrastructure Issues

In 2008, Barack Obama backed proposed legislation for a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank. Obama suggested that the Bank would borrow $60 billion to invest in infrastructure over 10 years, while leveraging “up to $500 billion” of private investment. It would invest in high-speed trains to provide an alternative to air travel, energy efficiency, and clean energy, among other kinds of public infrastructure. The Bank would complement existing federal programs to fund infrastructure, such as the Highway Trust Fund or State Revolving Funds. It would invest primarily in surface transport infrastructure, which is likely to include highways, mass transit, and high-speed rail. Obama repeated the call in Sept. 2010, but no legislation resulted.
The "Big Dig" refers to Boston's Central Artery/Tunnel Project--much of which was done during Mitt Romney's Governorship--which converted an elevated highway, I-93, into a 3.5 mile tunnel through central Boston, and added a third tunnel under Boston Harbor to Logan Airport. The original cost of the project in 1998 was proposed at $3 billion; it grew into a $22 billion project by the latest 2012 estimate. In addition to several construction deaths, a motorist was killed when a section of ceiling collapsed in 2006, attributed to inappropriate glue to hold up the concrete ceiling. The project was also plagued by water leaks for several years, attributed to failure to meet contract specifications.
High-speed rail is common throughout Europe and East Asia, but has only one line in the United States, the Acela line from Boston to New York City and Washington DC. President Obama made high-speed rail a goal in January 2009, but no projects are underway as of 2013. High-speed rail projects are proposed in California, Pennsylvania, Texas, and elsewhere. A Florida high-speed rail project was approved by the state legislature in 2009, but canceled by Governor Rick Scott in 2011; a replacement was proposed as of 2012.
Infrastructure investments are divided into two categories: “hard infrastructure” and “soft infrastructure.” “Hard infrastructure” refers to physical structures such as roads, bridges, or mass transit. “Soft infrastructure” comprises human capital and related institutions, such as community colleges, temporary markets, and communication systems. Most political discussions of infrastructure investment focus only on “hard infrastructure.”

Computer and Internet Usage

68% of all American households use computers.
250 million Americans use the Internet regularly; plus another 2 billion elsewhere.
The 'World Wide Web' (with graphics and browsers) began its exponential growth in 1993.
600 million web sites are currently available (as of 2013); growing by about 200% per year.

Internet Issues

Internet access in schools: 78% of schools have access
Internet access in classrooms: 27% of classrooms have access; lower in poor & minority schools.
'E-rate': refers to a $2.4 billion FCC fund, to set up Internet access for schools and libraries.
Internet Sales Tax: There is currently a 3-year moratorium on taxing Internet sales while the issue is being studied. Advocates say that lack of a sales tax will hurt local businesses (who are taxed).
'Digital Divide': refers to good Internet access among middle- and upper-income people, with poorer access, if any, among lower-income people, especially in schools. Generally, discussing the 'Digital Divide' means favoring subsidies for better Internet access in urban schools.
'E-Government': refers to providing government services on-line, or in general to computerizing government functions.

Older Technology Issues

Napster: Napster allows downloading music for free across the Internet. In July 2000, a judge ruled that Napster breached copyright and ordered them closed.
Human Genome Project: The entire human genetic sequence is being recorded in a 15-year project begun in 1990.
Y2K Bug: (or 'Millenium Bug'): Many computers interpret the year 2000 as 1900. The primary political issue concerns the liability for damages caused by Y2K-based computer problems.
Triana Satellite: Proposed NASA satellite (rejected by Congress in 1999) which would broadcast live Internet pictures of the entire earth from high orbit.
V-Chip: A TV device (implemented by FCC, 1999) which allows filtering shows via a TV rating system.

Microsoft Lawsuit

Microsoft vs Netscape: The federal Dept. of Justice sued Microsoft under anti-trust law for monopolistic practices against the Netscape browser and other software products. The case began 10/97; testimony ended 6/99; in 11/99, the court found that Microsoft has acted illegally as a monopolist; in April, Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Microsoft's "predatory" behavior warrants sanctioning Microsoft or possibly breaking up the company. The justice Dept. proposal calls for Microsoft to be split into two companies -- one with its operating system business (Windows holds 85% of the market) and one with its Office software (Word & Excel hold 90% of the market).
Under President Bush, the Justice Department withdrew its lawsuits to break up Microsoft, and negotiated a settlement instead in Autumn 2001.
Microsoft vs Java: Sun Microsystems sued Microsoft for selling a 'polluted' version of its Java program (a common Internet language) that only runs on Microsoft Windows. The case began in Oct. 1997; Sun won a breach of copyright decision 5/99; oral arguments for the appeal begin 6/99.
Intel vs FTC: The Federal Trade Commission sued Intel, the manufacturer of the Pentium chip (which with Windows comprises the 'Wintel monopoly'). The case was settled in 3/99; Intel is now prohibited from withholding technical information as a means of compelling license agreements.

Click for Amazon books on Technology
WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy
The SOPA & PIPA Conspiracy
Return to the Moon
Digital Crossroads


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