http://liberty.pacificresearch.org/rss/tech.xmlTechnologyWed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:00 ESTwww.eResources.com (Generator)eResourcessupport@eresources.com60http://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5903/pub_detail.aspCalifornia is facing budget problems yet again, and once again state lawmakers are hoping to shake down Internet retailers as a fast source of revenue. A bill introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (AB 153) proposes to force out-of-state businesses to collect tax if they use an in-state company to generate leads. It& rsquo;s an idea that has been tested in New York and led to significant losses in that state.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5903/pub_detail.asp#2-2-2011Wed, 2 Feb 2011 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/events/id.103/detail.aspJohn P. WilcoxPublisher, The San Francisco ExaminerEventshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/events/id.103/detail.asp#8-17-2010Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5562/pub_detail.aspGovernor Arnold Schwarzenegger has used the state& rsquo;s IT Strategic Plan as a guiding document to streamline operations, improve efficiencies and accountability across dozens of state agencies. The motive is sound, but whether this effort will succeed remains in doubt.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5562/pub_detail.asp#5-19-2010Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5534/pub_detail.aspCalifornia Disconnect assesses the state& rsquo;s recent IT reorganization plan and its progress to date in reducing financial waste and promoting economic growth.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5534/pub_detail.asp#4-27-2010Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5511/pub_detail.aspA U.S. appeals court ruled last week that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not have the authority to interfere with the Internet& rsquo;s operation via Net neutrality regulations. This is a big win for consumers, but the forces that want to control the Net have vowed to continue their quest.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5511/pub_detail.asp#4-14-2010Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5120/pub_detail.aspThe Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a free-market think tank based in California, found that California& rsquo;s Electronic Waste Recycling Act (EWRA) is a waste of taxpayer dollars. This study, & ldquo;California& rsquo;s E-Waste Waste,& rdquo; by Daniel Ballon, Ph.D., analyzes the history, performance, and consequences of EWRA and provides recommendations to reform e-waste recycling in the state.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5120/pub_detail.asp#11-2-2009Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5033/pub_detail.aspSan Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom last month launched DataSF.org, a new web site designed to improve transparency by disclosing information about city government. Giving residents unfettered access to data such as crime statistics, restaurant inspection records, and public works projects demonstrates a strong commitment to open government, but will it help make San Francisco a model for efficiency and accountability?Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.5033/pub_detail.asp#9-2-2009Wed, 2 Sep 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1851/pub_detail.aspPolicy Alerts highlights PRI& #39;s latest press releases, media coverage and impact on public policy in California and across the nation.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1851/pub_detail.asp#9-1-2009Tue, 1 Sep 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4953/pub_detail.aspFour Senate Democrats last week introduced the Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers (ALERT) which bans text messaging while driving in all 50 states. Lead sponsor Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) believes that & ldquo;drivers will finally be held responsible for dangerous behavior that puts the public at risk.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4953/pub_detail.asp#8-5-2009Wed, 5 Aug 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4863/pub_detail.aspClick Confidential: A Privacy Primer for the Social Web, authored by Daniel Ballon, Ph.D., PRI senior fellow in technology studies, outlines the detrimental affects of government regulated privacy policy on emerging online businesses.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4863/pub_detail.asp#7-8-2009_1:00:00_AMWed, 8 Jul 2009 01:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4862/pub_detail.aspLast week Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed a budget measure that would have cut off the livelihood of thousands of California& rsquo;s small Internet businesses. As the state faces a $26 billion budget deficit and record high unemployment, Schwarzenegger declared that & ldquo;we should be doing everything we can to keep jobs and create jobs in California.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4862/pub_detail.asp#7-8-2009Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.528/blog_detail.aspRead Sonia& #39;s latest blog posts on her website & quot;Digital Dialogues.& quot; Topics include new technologies in communications and medicine, technological innovation, science and politics.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.528/blog_detail.asp#7-3-2009Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4788/pub_detail.aspGovernor Schwarzenegger last month announced a first-in-the-nation plan to offer free digital math and science textbooks for high school students. Facing a $24 billion budget deficit, the governor touts the need for & ldquo;such innovative ways to save money and improve services.& rdquo; Shifting the curriculum online might help reduce the state& rsquo;s yearly textbook tab of $400 million, but technology alone will do little to improve the quality of California& rsquo;s public schools.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4788/pub_detail.asp#6-10-2009Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4665/pub_detail.aspThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) last week passed the world& rsquo;s first low carbon mandate for transportation fuels. Instead of treating all fuels equally, these regulations continue the state& rsquo;s reliance on dubious science to pick winners and losers in the rapidly evolving and extremely complex market for clean technologies. As a result, all Californians could soon face higher prices and fewer choices at the pump.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4665/pub_detail.asp#4-29-2009Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4583/pub_detail.aspThe California Assembly will soon consider proposals to & ldquo;protect& rdquo; residents from two of Silicon Valley& rsquo;s most successful innovators. Google and Facebook help form the backbone of the state& rsquo;s high-tech economy, but some lawmakers see them as a threat to privacy and security.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4583/pub_detail.asp#3-25-2009_11:17:00_PMWed, 25 Mar 2009 23:17:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4584/pub_detail.aspPresident Obama& rsquo;s vision for economic recovery centers on creating & ldquo;green collar& rdquo; jobs through substantial investment in clean technologies. Upon signing his & ldquo;green stimulus& rdquo; bill in February, Obama touted a $4.5- billion provision to & ldquo;create a newer, smarter electric grid that will allow for broader use of alternative energy.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4584/pub_detail.asp#3-25-2009Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4514/pub_detail.aspState lawmakers last week passed the largest tax increase in California history, and will soon consider taking their expanding quest for revenue online. A proposal by Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) would force many Internet retailers to collect sales tax on all orders placed by California consumers. Based on a similar law in New York dubbed the & ldquo;Amazon tax,& rdquo; AB 178 would unnecessarily raise prices, threaten small businesses, and throw a wrench into a thriving e-commerce industry.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4514/pub_detail.asp#2-25-2009Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4477/pub_detail.aspBarack Obama led the most tech savvy presidential campaign in American history, using the Internet to recruit, mobilize, and engage more than 13 million supporters. As president, Obama has pledged to & ldquo;integrate technology into every aspect of government,& rdquo; and usher in & ldquo;a new level of transparency, accountability and participation for America& rsquo;s citizens.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4477/pub_detail.asp#2-4-2009Wed, 4 Feb 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4434/pub_detail.aspFacing a projected $40-billion budget shortfall, Governor Schwarzenegger last week proposed eliminating a redundant state board that has become a symbol of cronyism and inefficiency in Sacramento. Unlike most boards and commissions, which offer a stipend of $100 per meeting, the six members of the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) are paid $132,000 a year to attend four meetings a month. By partially funding this giveaway through a costly tax on the technology sector, politicians risk dulling California& rsquo;s high-tech edge.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4434/pub_detail.asp#1-14-2009Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4455/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - December 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4455/pub_detail.asp#12-31-2008Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/events/id.61/detail.aspCalifornia Public Utilities Commissioner Rachelle Chong will present the key telecommunications and technology issues the new administration will have to address in this event co-sponsored by PRI and Lead21. Eventshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/events/id.61/detail.asp#12-23-2008Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4352/pub_detail.aspLast month, California& rsquo;s Little Hoover Commission, a public watchdog agency, completed its first hearing on the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The proceedings flagged problems of governance and responsibility with the state& rsquo;s stem-cell institute. At the same time, a medical breakthrough in Europe points out the shortfall in CIRM results, though not in revenue.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4352/pub_detail.asp#12-3-2008Wed, 3 Dec 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4424/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - November 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4424/pub_detail.asp#11-30-2008Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4344/pub_detail.aspWith the support of Governor Schwarzenegger, the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose last week announced a $1-billion joint plan to make the Bay Area & ldquo;the electric-vehicle capital of the world.& rdquo; The announcement follows President-elect Obama& rsquo;s pledge to reinvigorate the nation& rsquo;s economy with millions of & ldquo;green collar& rdquo; jobs. Such well-intentioned government policies, however, could turn the & ldquo;green collar& rdquo; into a & ldquo;green noose.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4344/pub_detail.asp#11-26-2008Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4327/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - October 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4327/pub_detail.asp#10-31-2008Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4234/pub_detail.aspOnly two weeks after lawmakers in Sacramento passed a budget, the state is already in the red. As Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature debate more spending cuts and accounting tricks, another solution may be right in front of them: more laws. In California, government owns the laws and forces people to pay for a copy. Therefore, the more legislation and regulations the state creates, the more revenue it generates.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4234/pub_detail.asp#10-8-2008Wed, 8 Oct 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4252/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - September 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4252/pub_detail.asp#9-30-2008Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4141/pub_detail.aspLast week Psystar, an obscure Miami-based company, launched a legal attack on Apple that could cripple one of California& rsquo;s key high-tech innovators. The case offers lessons for entrepreneurs and gives the courts an opportunity to end a legal scam that hurts consumers.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4141/pub_detail.asp#9-3-2008Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4194/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - August 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4194/pub_detail.asp#8-31-2008Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4069/pub_detail.aspFor nine days last month, San Francisco& rsquo;s state-of-the-art new computer network was held hostage by a convicted felon. Even a team of Silicon Valley& rsquo;s best and brightest engineers working around the clock could not crack his code. Finally, in a secret midnight meeting at the Hall of Justice, the mayor himself convinced the perpetrator to relinquish control.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4069/pub_detail.asp#8-6-2008Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4056/pub_detail.aspAmerica& rsquo;s leading tech companies are increasingly under fire from antitrust laws that are being used to crush competition, according to this new report by the Pacific Research Institute, a free-market think tank based in California.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4056/pub_detail.asp#8-1-2008Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4126/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - July 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4126/pub_detail.asp#7-31-2008Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3982/pub_detail.aspThe California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday proposed relaxing 13-year old price caps on basic phone service. Yielding to the demands of public interest groups, regulators currently force telecommunications companies to offer the cheapest basic rates in the nation. But if artificially low prices are necessary to protect consumer welfare, why are consumers abandoning these plans in droves?Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3982/pub_detail.asp#7-2-2008Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4064/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - June 2008Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.4064/pub_detail.asp#6-30-2008Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3969/pub_detail.aspAs the Senate prepares to vote on the current housing legislation, I would like to bring to your attention a dangerous hidden provision that will burden several innovative Bay Area companies and threaten the civil liberties of all Americans.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3969/pub_detail.asp#6-27-2008Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3929/pub_detail.aspOn Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee will consider a proposal by Silicon Valley Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to end restrictions on the most critical resource driving technological innovation. This resource is human talent, and with the greatest public university system in the world, California should be fertile ground. Due to arbitrary and inflexible boundaries imposed by the federal government, however, California& rsquo;s most innovative companies are forbidden from tapping into this abundant talent pool.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3929/pub_detail.asp#6-11-2008Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.338/blog_detail.aspThe FCC convened last week at Stanford University to hear Silicon Valley& #39;s perspective on & quot;Broadband Network Management Practices.& quot; The five commissioners questioned two panels on diverse topics including 18th century economic theory, the 19th century barbershop quartet repertoire, and a haunting tale about the & quot;ghost of Internet future.& quot; Mostly, however, the marathon 8 hour discussion was devoted to demonizing the & quot;ghost& quot; of Comcast, since the company declined to appear in person.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.338/blog_detail.asp#4-21-2008_12:50:00_PMMon, 21 Apr 2008 12:50:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3784/pub_detail.aspNext week California lawmakers meet to consider a new $500-million tax on Internet commerce. Some have dubbed this the & ldquo;iTax& rdquo; because of its application to Apple& rsquo;s iTunes digital music store, but Assemblyman Charles Calderon (D-Whittier) is targeting more than just songs. In reality, AB 1956 is a & ldquo;free speech tax& rdquo; imposing fees on something most Internet users take for granted: the free and unfettered exchange of ideas.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3784/pub_detail.asp#4-9-2008Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3748/pub_detail.aspIn the digital age, Americans are more & ldquo;connected& rdquo; than ever before. As a result, a movement is taking shape to give the government blanket authority over how Americans connect, interact, and innovate. This regulatory movement marches under the banner of & ldquo;network neutrality.& rdquo;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3748/pub_detail.asp#4-2-2008_8:00:00_PMWed, 2 Apr 2008 20:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3711/pub_detail.aspOn February 22, the last day to introduce new legislation in the 2007-2008 session, California& rsquo;s lawmakers unleashed more than 650 bills. In this barrage, legislators seek to derail one of the state& rsquo;s thriving industries: the technology sector. This bipartisan agenda targets e-commerce, arming bureaucrats with vast new authority to monitor, regulate, and tax the Internet.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3711/pub_detail.asp#3-5-2008Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3671/pub_detail.aspThe California Broadband Task Force, convened by Governor Schwarzenegger, concluded last month that high-speed Internet access should be a public investment, much like roads and power lines. The CBTF proposes & ldquo;state-issued broadband bonds& rdquo; to bring ultra-fast connections to the state& rsquo;s most desolate reaches. Without public subsidies, however, California already ranks first in the nation for availability of advanced broadband technologies.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3671/pub_detail.asp#2-6-2008Wed, 6 Feb 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.291/blog_detail.aspThe Federal Communications Commission begins auctioning off a large swath of the nation& #39;s airwaves today, making room for faster mobile broadband technologies. According to a recent survey, 61 percent of respondents did not know about this auction. Even among those with familiarity, 77 percent did not understand the rationale, significance, or consequences. Operating under the public& #39;s radar, a coalition of special interest groups and corporate lobbyists have used this auction to manipulate the FCC, impose regulations on the wireless industry, and restrict innovation over the airwaves.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.291/blog_detail.asp#1-24-2008_2:00:00_PMThu, 24 Jan 2008 14:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.283/blog_detail.aspThe CEO of Amazon.com vowed this week to challenge a French law making it illegal to offer customers discounts and rebates. Last month, a French court ruled that Amazon must raise its prices, or face a fine of $1500 per day. Baffled that a country would force its citizens to pay more for his company& #39;s products, Amazon& #39;s Jeff Bezos proclaimed that & quot;France would be the only country in the world& quot; where offering a good deal & quot;would be declared illegal.& quot; Sadly, however, protectionist policies are spreading all across Europe, punishing consumers with fewer choices and higher prices.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.283/blog_detail.asp#1-15-2008_4:10:00_PMTue, 15 Jan 2008 16:10:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3568/pub_detail.aspLast week Governor Schwarzenegger created a new state agency to help Californians protect their personal information online. With more than one million cases of identity theft reported in California last year, the Office of Information Security and Privacy Protection will serve as a valuable educational resource to help residents stem this tide. When legislators return to work this week, however, they will face strong pressure from consumer groups seeking strict new privacy laws that threaten to impede the growth of Internet commerce worldwide.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3568/pub_detail.asp#1-9-2008Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.279/blog_detail.aspOn the eve of this morning& #39;s inauguration ceremony, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is renewing his pledge to blanket the city with free municipal Wi-Fi Internet access. At first glance, Mayor Newsom& #39;s comments revive memories of the waste, bureaucracy, and mismanagement which plagued the city& #39;s previous projects. At second glance, these words signal a revelation: the Mayor finally understands that success can only be achieved by taking the & lsquo;muni& #39; out of & lsquo;muni Wi-Fi.& #39;Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.279/blog_detail.asp#1-8-2008_4:00:00_PMTue, 8 Jan 2008 16:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.272/blog_detail.aspAmidst growing public concerns over rising fuel prices, instability in the Middle East, and global climate change, a new & lsquo;clean technology& #39; industry dominated tech sector investment in 2007. Despite the influx of private capital, the birth of innovative new startups, and the success of market-based solutions, policymakers stubbornly hold onto an obsolete model where only governments can tackle environmental challenges. If lawmakers cannot resist the temptation to pick winners, set standards, and micromanage research, a thriving new cleantech industry will be strangled in its cradle.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.272/blog_detail.asp#12-28-2007_1:30:00_PMFri, 28 Dec 2007 13:30:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.266/blog_detail.aspOnly two months after ending a four year legal battle and bowing to the demands of European antitrust regulators, Microsoft may be right back where it started. Opera Software, a Norwegian web browser manufacturer, filed an antitrust complaint last week with the European Commission, hoping to breathe new life into decade-old charges. Unable to match the popularity of competing browsers, Opera hopes to gain market share by replacing consumer choice with government mandates.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.266/blog_detail.asp#12-18-2007_9:50:00_AMTue, 18 Dec 2007 09:50:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.262/blog_detail.aspThe House this week reconsiders a plan to double the tax rate for investing in high-risk, innovative technology ventures. Venture capitalists are entrepreneurs with the business skills and vision to capitalize on creative ideas, working hand-in-hand with inventors to help launch and build start-ups. Without venture capitalists, companies like Microsoft, Google, Intel, Apple, and Genentech would never have gotten off the ground. Why would Congress seek to discourage these investments?Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.262/blog_detail.asp#12-10-2007_5:30:00_PMMon, 10 Dec 2007 17:30:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.255/blog_detail.aspWhat if there was a way to live a life without meaningful consequences? What if individuals could participate in a virtual economy largely separate from the one surrounding us in the real world? What if policies could be applied to real people, but with laboratorial consequences? Second Life, an internet-based virtual world often compared to a computer game, and its derivatives may offer answers to those questions.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.255/blog_detail.asp#12-4-2007Tue, 4 Dec 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.253/blog_detail.aspAs this year& #39;s holiday shopping season kicks off, AT& amp;T CEO Randall Stephenson revealed last week that a newer, faster version of the iPhone is headed for stores...next year. Holiday sales are certain to suffer as shoppers reconsider purchasing a soon-to-be obsolete product. How could a 25-year industry veteran make such a huge blunder? Not only has Stephenson potentially cost his company $1 billion, but this announcement likely signals the beginning of the end for AT& amp;T& #39;s exclusive relationship with Apple.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.253/blog_detail.asp#12-3-2007_4:47:00_PMMon, 3 Dec 2007 16:47:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.250/blog_detail.aspWhatever each telecom company does, it appears that the future is in open networks, the kind that are open voluntarily through market forces. No government body forced Verizon to open up its network. It did so because it is in a competitive industry, and it is a good strategic move.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.250/blog_detail.asp#11-30-2007Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.245/blog_detail.aspThe Federal Communications Commission meets today to consider regulating the cable industry. FCC chairman Kevin Martin hopes to invoke an obscure loophole from 1984 to micromanage who cable providers can serve, what they can charge, and which programs they can offer. Why would Chairman Martin reverse his commitment to & quot;deregulatory, not regulatory& quot; policies, opting instead to force higher prices and fewer choices on cable consumers?Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.245/blog_detail.asp#11-27-2007Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.238/blog_detail.aspOver 1500 technology experts from around the world convened last week in Rio de Janeiro for the second annual UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Though established as an international platform for the discussion of emerging technology issues, IGF has much larger aspirations. Many delegates view this forum as the template for a massive bureaucratic regulatory agency with the power to tax, control, and censor Internet traffic worldwide.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.238/blog_detail.asp#11-19-2007Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.234/blog_detail.aspPresidential candidate Ron Paul (R-Texas) became the & ldquo;Internet& rdquo; candidate this month when 36,672 people contributed more than US$4 million online to his campaign in a single 24-hour period. This impressive feat demonstrates the power of an open source culture, a lesson that should not be lost when it comes to other important issues.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.234/blog_detail.asp#11-16-2007Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.231/blog_detail.aspAfter training for nearly a year, Boss and Junior competed last Saturday in a 90-mile race through an obstacle course in the California desert. While both competitors successfully navigated the simulated urban environment, neither will be able to spend the $2 million grand prize or the $1 million awarded for second place. This is because Boss is a Chevy Tahoe, and Junior a Volkswagen Passat.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.231/blog_detail.asp#11-11-2007Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.225/blog_detail.aspA coalition of nine consumer privacy groups requested last week that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission establish a & quot;Do Not Track& quot; list to protect Internet users from targeted online advertising. Unlike the FTC& #39;s popular & quot;Do Not Call& quot; registry which blocks unsolicited telemarketing calls, the proposed & quot;Do Not Track& quot; rules will not only increase unwanted advertisements, but will also restrict consumer freedom and significantly raise the price of online goods and services. Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.225/blog_detail.asp#11-5-2007Mon, 5 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.221/blog_detail.aspA San Francisco based internet start up is shaking things up in the microfinance world by offering online loans from volunteer individuals and the default rate is well below 5 percent.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.221/blog_detail.asp#11-1-2007Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.216/blog_detail.aspAn article in the Sacramento Bee reports this week that plans to blanket Sacramento with free municipal Wi-Fi appear to be on the verge of collapse. This new setback comes only four months after city officials partnered with Metro Connect, a formidable coalition of experts in wireless implementation which includes industry heavyweights Cisco Systems and Intel. While coalition members have been generous with promises and hype, nobody has stepped forward to provide the $7-9 million required to build the network.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.216/blog_detail.asp#10-27-2007Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3391/pub_detail.aspFor more than 200 million Internet users, the real fright this year could come the day after Halloween. On November 1, a law forbidding state and local governments from taxing Internet access will expire, potentially inflating the cost of broadband subscriptions by up to 30 percent.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3391/pub_detail.asp#10-25-2007Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.203/blog_detail.aspThe Supreme Court this week refused to review a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision allowing a RICO suit against Microsoft and Best Buy to proceed in civil court. For those not familiar with Tony Soprano or the Gambino crime family, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) was passed by Congress in 1970 with the clear intent to & quot;seek the eradication of organized crime in the United States.& quot; How can this same tool be used by disgruntled customers to threaten and extort Fortune 500 companies?Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.203/blog_detail.asp#10-18-2007Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.198/blog_detail.aspLast weekend, 150 people attended the Alcor life extension conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. The main subject was cryonics, the use of technology to cool and preserve the human body with the aim of future revival. The technology, still speculative, raises many present-world issues. In 2003, a daughter of Ted Williams attempted to stop the cryonic suspension of the Hall of Fame baseball player. Williams had signed a & ldquo;family pact& rdquo; asking to be preserved, but delays and a media circus ensued. He is not the only one that Alcor, the nation& rsquo;s leading cryonics organization, has had to fight to preserve.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.198/blog_detail.asp#10-12-2007_11:28:00_AMFri, 12 Oct 2007 11:28:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.197/blog_detail.aspAn article in the Examiner reports that Google this week removed advertisements critical of MoveOn.org from its AdWords advertising network. What could possibly motivate a company with the motto & quot;Don& #39;t be evil& quot; to censor the free speech of its customers? Ultimately, Google bowed to the same two forces which led it to block access to thousands of sites in China: politics and money.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.197/blog_detail.asp#10-12-2007_10:54:00_AMFri, 12 Oct 2007 10:54:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.191/blog_detail.aspThe Nobel Prize committee announced this morning that three scientists will share the 2007 award in Medicine or Physiology & quot;for their discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells.& quot; This may sound like a mouthful, but the basic idea is straightforward: Mario Capecchi, Oliver Smithies, and Martin Evans devised a technique to create designer mice. Scientists can learn about human disorders by studying mice customized to develop similar conditions, such as atherosclerosis, cancer, high blood pressure, and cystic fibrosis. Some oddities have also been created using this technology, resulting in fearless mice, & quot;Schwarzenegger mice& quot; with enormous muscles, or mice which glow in the dark.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.191/blog_detail.asp#10-8-2007Mon, 8 Oct 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.184/blog_detail.aspDon& #39;t you love AT& amp;T? If your answer is & lsquo;no,& #39; you& #39;ll be happy to learn about the company& #39;s revolutionary new plan to achieve 100% customer satisfaction. According to recently updated Terms of Service, it seems that dissatisfaction is now strictly prohibited. AT& amp;T has reserved the right to terminate your DSL service & quot;without notice, for conduct that AT& amp;T believes...tends to damage the name or reputation of AT& amp;T.& quot; In other words, if you want to live under Ma Bell& #39;s roof, you need to treat her with respect.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.184/blog_detail.asp#10-1-2007Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.173/blog_detail.aspThe New York Times reports this morning on a new internet telephone service from Pudding Media, promising & quot;free, unlimited calls to any phone in North America.& quot; As you might expect, there& #39;s a catch, or more precisely, a detour. You see, a funny thing happens as your digital banter bounces across the Net: every word is routed through Pudding Media& #39;s servers in Fremont, CA, where voice recognition software picks up key words, and triggers relevant advertisements to appear on your screen. Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.173/blog_detail.asp#9-24-2007Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.165/blog_detail.aspFor years, PRI has been warning San Francisco officials that their so-called & ldquo;free Wi-Fi& rdquo; idea was guaranteed to be a failure. Finally, they realize it. In late August, Earthlink pulled out of a misguided plan to supply the city with free Wi-Fi, saying it was no longer economically viable for the company. This is a big policy win for freedom and reflects the reality that my colleagues and I presented in a study published last February: that municipal Wi-Fi systems, otherwise known as government controlled Internet systems, always end in failure.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.165/blog_detail.asp#9-14-2007Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.164/blog_detail.aspLocated on the Texas/Louisiana border about 150 miles east of Dallas, Marshall, Texas (population 25,000) boasts a rich cultural history, and has the nicknames to prove it: the Cultural Capital of East Texas, the Athens of Texas, and even Pottery Capital of the World! For patent attorneys and multinational technology firms, however, Marshall is known as home of the & ldquo;rocket docket,& rdquo; making it the nation& rsquo;s hottest destination for intellectual property litigation. Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.164/blog_detail.asp#9-13-2007Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3285/pub_detail.aspLast week the United States Department of Justice weighed in on & quot;net neutrality,& quot; important news for California consumers and legislators. Net neutrality sounds innocent but means more government regulation of the Internet, which the DOJ thinks is a bad idea. Californians often opt to pay for faster Internet service but net neutrality would ban differential charges for priority traffic. Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3285/pub_detail.asp#9-12-2007Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3261/pub_detail.aspNet neutrality is the latest slogan in the battle over the & ldquo;digital divide,& rdquo; the notion that high technology in general, and the Internet in particular, automatically created a vast new division of haves and have-nots, which will persist unless politicians pass new laws and impose new regulations.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3261/pub_detail.asp#8-29-2007_10:30:00_PMWed, 29 Aug 2007 22:30:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3185/pub_detail.aspSACRAMENTO & ndash; Last Thursday the California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to require telecom companies to serve their customers in multiple languages. Commission president Michael Peevey told reporters, & quot;I& #39;m proud of what we& #39;ve done,& quot; but he shouldn& #39;t be. This is a bad decision that shows ignorance of California law, history, and the marketplace.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3185/pub_detail.asp#8-1-2007Wed, 1 Aug 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3266/pub_detail.aspPRI Ideas in Action - July 2007Policy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3266/pub_detail.asp#7-31-2007Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3094/pub_detail.aspRFID is a useful technology already enjoying multiple applications, which are certain to expand. That a new technology sparks fear is understandable, especially a device so small that it can be placed under the skin and used to track the bearer. Some who are concerned about RFID do not want to ban the technology but ask for simple rules for tag placement and use.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3094/pub_detail.asp#7-6-2007Fri, 6 Jul 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.99/blog_detail.aspGoogle& rsquo;s mapping service just introduced a new feature called & ldquo;Street View,& rdquo; offering detailed photos of addresses in San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Denver and Miami. While the company might not be breaking any privacy laws, the service raises concerns that need to be addressed.The photographs are not live and were taken from a device with multiple cameras attached to a car that drove down each available street. The problem for some is that the cameras took photos of people not expecting to be photographed and broadcast across the Net. There are photos of women sunbathing at Stanford University, a man caught urinating in San Bruno, Calif., and a very clear picture of a woman& rsquo;s thong underwear as she was getting into her truck.Google argues that the photos are & ldquo;no different from what any person can readily capture or see walking down the street.& rdquo; That& rsquo;s true if you can see the image for a few minutes and then it disappears, or if it is a random photo from a camera phone posted online. However, that& rsquo;s not how it works.[& hellip;]Read more here.Here is the Google Street view of PRI& #39;s SF office. Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.99/blog_detail.asp#6-8-2007Fri, 8 Jun 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.86/blog_detail.aspI have a new piece on why we should avoid statist solutions in the technology sphere up here. Technorati Tags: America, Politics, TechnologyBloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.86/blog_detail.asp#5-21-2007_1:55:00_PMMon, 21 May 2007 13:55:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2968/pub_detail.aspThe digital revolution has positively transformed our lives, but it has also created a number of new policy issues that individuals and their governments must address. For instance, faster and more efficient communication saves an enormous amount of time and money and increases our productivity and incomes, but it also creates new privacy and security issues.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2968/pub_detail.asp#5-9-2007Wed, 9 May 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2759/pub_detail.aspThe Pacific Research Institute commissioned this review of 52 major muni telecom networks that compete in the cable, broadband, and telephone markets. This analysis demonstrates that these public systems are financial disasters.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2759/pub_detail.asp#2-27-2007Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.582/pub_detail.asp& quot;E-voting& quot; machines are a safe way to cast votes on Election Day, but efforts to add burdensome regulations may diminish their benefits, according to a new edition of a policy study released today by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a non-partisan think tank based in California.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.582/pub_detail.asp#10-31-2006Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.236/pub_detail.aspConvergence is the ongoing theme in the nation& rsquo;s communications marketplace, and for the most part it is happening at a decent pace. One area, however, where positive change is not happening fast enough is video service. This lag can be traced to the cable franchise regulatory system whereby local governments set the terms and conditions for businesses to enter the video market.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.236/pub_detail.asp#4-5-2006Wed, 5 Apr 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.128/blog_detail.aspPacific Research Institute& #39;s Josh Trevi& ntilde;o interviews PRI& #39;s Technology Director Sonia Arrison and Technology Policy Fellow Vince Vasquez regarding the proposed & quot;iPod& quot; tax, the movement to tax digital goods and services and other technology issues.Bloghttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/blog/id.128/blog_detail.asp#3-23-2006Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.204/pub_detail.aspTelecommunications growth has created a wide array of job opportunities for the United States & ndash; nearly one million Americans are now employed by the industry.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.204/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2006Wed, 1 Mar 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.238/pub_detail.aspThe telecommunications industry is an integral part of the California economy, providing jobs, tax revenues, and a vital service for every business in the state. With the largest consumer market in the nation, an entrepreneurial spirit, and home to the famous Silicon Valley, California should be a unique place for continued growth and innovation in telecommunications. But the state& rsquo;s decades-old regulatory system however, has failed to keep up with the corporate and consumer trends of the Information Age, and is no longer capable of appropriately managing this dynamic industry.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.238/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2006Wed, 1 Mar 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.244/pub_detail.aspUniversal service, a federal policy that guarantees affordable telecommunications access for every corner of the country, has been disastrous for the interests of consumers, telephone carriers, and industry innovators.Due to political pressures, short-sighted universal service rules have saddled local carriers with wasteful subsidies and deterred new entrants with economic disincentives, denying needy communities the greater benefits of a competitive marketplace.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.244/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2006Wed, 1 Feb 2006 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.506/pub_detail.aspThe Pacific Research Institute has found TechConnect to be a short-sighted project that, over time, has become less about improving Internet access in the underserved communities of the city. Earlier this fall, Newsom& rsquo;s technology office passed up an opportunity to properly assess the local needs for Internet access. Instead, bureaucrats decided to push a splashy catch-all muni Wi-Fi initiative, leaving doubts as to whether the Mayor& rsquo;s plans serve a political or public interest. Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.506/pub_detail.asp#12-12-2005Mon, 12 Dec 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.508/pub_detail.aspWith the convergence of multiple communications technologies, a similar scenario is possible in the video market, but it& #39;s not happening as quickly. That& #39;s because the change relies not on technological advances, but on government taking down roadblocks like cable franchise rules. There& #39;s a big lobby that doesn& #39;t want to see competition, including some local governments, cable companies, and others who benefit from the current regulatory structure. What the NCSL should consider is how these roadblocks harm consumers through lack of competition that increases prices and degrades choice.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.508/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2005Thu, 1 Dec 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3232/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3232/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2005Thu, 1 Dec 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3231/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3231/pub_detail.asp#11-30-2005Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.492/pub_detail.aspPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.492/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2005Sat, 1 Oct 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.382/pub_detail.aspSan Francisco& rsquo;s plan to provide universal wireless broadband access to all of the city& rsquo;s residents is more likely to waste taxpayer dollars than it is to provide state-of-the-art Internet access to residents, according to a coalition of scholars speaking out against the city& rsquo;s plans.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.382/pub_detail.asp#9-1-2005Thu, 1 Sep 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2679/pub_detail.asp& quot;E-voting& quot; machines are a reliable voting method and represent one of the more promising solutions to Election Day voting errors, according to a new report released today by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a non-partisan think tank based in California. Upgrading America & #39;s Ballot Box: The Rise of E-voting, highlights current evidence that finds e-voting is more secure and effective than traditional ballots and offers recommendations to resolve concerns about hardware reliability, faulty software, and voter fraud.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2679/pub_detail.asp#6-27-2005Mon, 27 Jun 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.584/pub_detail.aspElectronic voting has, unfortunately, moved from the realm of science and statistics to conspiracy theory by overheated partisans. Sonia Arrison and Vince Vasquez puncture the myths of the conspiracists in their paper. Even leading Democrats such as Joe Andrew, Bill Clinton& rsquo;s handpicked chairman of the Democratic National Committee, have pointed out that while problems remain that demand vigilance, electronic voting aids the poor, the elderly, minorities, and is more accurate. Last year, Mr. Andrew lamented that & ldquo;When it comes to electronic voting, most liberals are just plain old-fashioned nuts.& rdquo; Those who want to lay out the facts on electronic voting now have a powerful weapon in this Pacific Research Institute paper.& mdash; John FundAuthor of Stealing Elections: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our DemocracyPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.584/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2005Wed, 1 Jun 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2678/pub_detail.aspLate last month, the British House of Lords approved a so-called & quot;designer baby,& quot; escalating the debate over genetic engineering and other body enhancements. Fortunately, the new book More Than Human helps to calm hysterics and explain the issues.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2678/pub_detail.asp#5-9-2005Mon, 9 May 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.376/pub_detail.aspThe United States has fallen far behind other countries in both broadband deployment and speed, so when a company such as SBC works to make itself more competitive, most would consider that a positive step. Unfortunately, a number of interests are attempting to slow SBC down or gain some advantage. If indulged, hese actions will harm all Americans.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.376/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2005Sun, 1 May 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2677/pub_detail.aspToday is tax day, but those who think this expensive event only comes once a year should examine monthly phone bills and beware of recent actions by greedy bureaucrats.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2677/pub_detail.asp#4-15-2005Fri, 15 Apr 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2676/pub_detail.aspFollowing a trend burning across the nation, San Francisco& #39;s Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently approved $300,000 for a feasibility study on whether the city should add broadband to its utility services. This move toward government-run communications systems is dangerous for a number of reasons.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2676/pub_detail.asp#3-25-2005Fri, 25 Mar 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2675/pub_detail.aspEvery year California utility ratepayers unknowingly pay millions to political advocacy groups through a reimbursement scheme called & ldquo;intervenor compensation.& rdquo; This year policymakers should reconsider this process that bilks locals for questionable causes, high-priced attorneys, and special interests.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2675/pub_detail.asp#2-25-2005Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.234/pub_detail.aspModern telecommunications is a mind-boggling marvel of software, switches, and electromagnetic spectrum. But telecommunications policy doesn& rsquo;t have to be complex if guided by fundamental American principles. Among the most basic of these principles is the protection of private property rights. But violation of this principle is the defining feature of current telecom policy, and thus a primary factor in America& rsquo;s lowly ranking in the deployment of advanced technologies.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.234/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2005Tue, 1 Feb 2005 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2673/pub_detail.aspAs California struggles to regain its economic health, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) released three policy agendas that provide Governor Schwarzenegger and the legislature with immediate, practical reforms in business, education, and technology.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2673/pub_detail.asp#12-13-2004Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.186/pub_detail.aspWith the largest consumer market in the nation, an entrepreneurial spirit, and home to Silicon Valley, California should be a unique place for growth and innovation in telecommunications. In recent years, however, heavy regulatory burdens have stifled investment in the Golden State and brought telecommunications-related employment to near-1996 levels, even as employment rose in other sectors.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.186/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2004Wed, 1 Dec 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3230/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3230/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2004Wed, 1 Dec 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2672/pub_detail.aspThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today took a step in the right direction to promote broadband rollout, but there& rsquo;s still more work to be done, according to the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a California-based think tank.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2672/pub_detail.asp#11-9-2004Tue, 9 Nov 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2671/pub_detail.aspThis month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a microchip that can be implanted in humans to provide access to medical records. Privacy regulation advocates were predictably horrified, but the chip does not create the privacy crisis some might imagine.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2671/pub_detail.asp#10-29-2004Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.474/pub_detail.aspThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber) commissioned a comprehensive independent study & quot;Sending the Right Signals: Promoting Competition Through Telecommunications Reform& quot; because the telecommunications industry is in a depressed economic condition and is not recovering along with the rest of the economy. This condition has already cost the nation more than 380,000 jobs and has diverted tens of billions of dollars of capital from the industry. It is now beginning to seriously erode the United States& #39; technological leadership in the world.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.474/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2004Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2670/pub_detail.aspWhen old ideas meet new technology, the result is sometimes a comedy of errors. Such is the case for New York Senator Hillary Clinton, whose outdated thinking produced many a blunder. On one recent occasion, she played the protectionist card on the issue of outsourcing and got caught in her own hypocrisy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2670/pub_detail.asp#7-26-2004Mon, 26 Jul 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3229/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3229/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2004Tue, 1 Jun 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2669/pub_detail.aspPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2669/pub_detail.asp#5-28-2004Fri, 28 May 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2668/pub_detail.aspCalifornia& #39;s legislators are harming the high-tech industry with anti-business voting, and Silicon Valley lawmakers are among the worst offenders, according to a new Pacific Research Institute (PRI) report Punishing Innovation: A Report on California Legislators& #39; Anti-Tech Voting.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2668/pub_detail.asp#5-3-2004Mon, 3 May 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.440/pub_detail.aspThe technology sector is an important part of California& rsquo;s economy, creating jobs and innovative new products for the benefit of the entire state. The technology bust, lingering effects of the energy crisis, and general economic downturn have taken a toll on the industry in the last few years.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.440/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2004Sat, 1 May 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2667/pub_detail.aspWhat do you get when you cross a posse of anti-corporate & quot;consumer advocates& quot; with an innovative new email service that most beta testers enjoy? Trouble, as evidenced by the recent hysterics over Google& #39;s new Gmail service.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2667/pub_detail.asp#4-23-2004Fri, 23 Apr 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2769/pub_detail.aspMarch 2004 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2769/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2004Mon, 1 Mar 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2666/pub_detail.aspComcast recently failed in its bid for Disney but succeeded in raising the issue of media concentration. Critics worry that free speech and diversity of entertainment are at risk if content providers and distributors become one. The way to avoid any such problems when other similar would-be mergers appear is to unleash powerful competition from broadband competitors.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2666/pub_detail.asp#2-18-2004Wed, 18 Feb 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.202/pub_detail.aspAnyone who uses email knows that spam, unsolicited commercial messages, is a frustrating and growing problem. Offers of herbal Viagra, miracle organ enhancement schemes, and those & quot;urgent and confidential& quot; financial scams clog inboxes and waste valuable server space.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.202/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2004Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2665/pub_detail.aspThe problem of spam will soon be solved by charging for entry into consumers& #39; e-mail boxes, according to Canning Spam: An Economic Solution to Unwanted E-mail, a new study from the Pacific Research Institute (PRI).Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2665/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2004Sun, 1 Feb 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2639/pub_detail.aspProposed state legislation that would impose & ldquo;opt-in& rdquo; and other regulatory requirements on the use of consumer information has become one of the hottest issues in Sacramento. The proposals could have dramatic implications for consumers and businesses in California and nationwide.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2639/pub_detail.asp#1-24-2004Sat, 24 Jan 2004 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2764/pub_detail.aspDecember 2003 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2764/pub_detail.asp#12-31-2003Wed, 31 Dec 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2651/pub_detail.aspLast Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled to uphold Verizon& #39;s right to protect its customers from subpoenas issued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This is a win for freedom because it stops the allocation of police-like powers to private entities that threatened privacy and free speech.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2651/pub_detail.asp#12-22-2003Mon, 22 Dec 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2664/pub_detail.aspMany Americans shopped online this holiday season, but consumer cheer may soon be dampened. The reason is Internet taxes. After a five-year moratorium, Congress is now debating whether to ban these taxes permanently or open the door to tax increases. Democrats, of course, are leading the charge for the latter.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2664/pub_detail.asp#12-22-2003Mon, 22 Dec 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2663/pub_detail.aspNew technology allows low-cost calls over the Internet, which is great news for those who dislike big phone bills. The bad news is that regulators are targeting this innovative service in a way that will harm its future and cheat consumers.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2663/pub_detail.asp#12-3-2003Wed, 3 Dec 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3228/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3228/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2003Mon, 1 Dec 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2662/pub_detail.aspA bill to permanently bar some taxes on Internet access is stalled in the U.S. Senate, despite swift passage two months ago by the House. Predictably, states and localities, ever eager for more revenue, are vigorously fighting the measure. But unbeknownst to millions of taxpayers who benefit from an online oasis is the fact that they are actually funding the lobbying effort for higher taxes.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2662/pub_detail.asp#11-20-2003Thu, 20 Nov 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2661/pub_detail.aspThe political theater produced by California& #39;s recall election is fitting given that the people& #39;s replacement for Governor Gray Davis is a Hollywood mega-star. Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for hi-tech movies such as & quot;Terminator& quot; and & quot;Total Recall,& quot; but the question many are asking is: & quot;Will he be good for Silicon Valley?& quot;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2661/pub_detail.asp#10-8-2003Wed, 8 Oct 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.384/pub_detail.aspThis paper examines the level of competition for broadband services in the small and medium-sized business market to assess how well they are being served by a variety of broadband providers such as digital subscriber lines (DSL) and cable modem providers. That question is also being considered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is currently debating whether to carve out a separate product market segment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In a December 2001 inquiry,1 the FCC raised a number of important questions.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.384/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2003Wed, 1 Oct 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2660/pub_detail.aspAt a recent speech before the National Press Club, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman, William Donaldson, was asked if he agreed with his boss President Bush that employee stock options are not an accounting expense. Donaldson said no, and this answer revealed a surprising disagreement within the Bush administration, one that doesn& #39;t bode well for the business community, particularly in Silicon Valley.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2660/pub_detail.asp#9-3-2003Wed, 3 Sep 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2760/pub_detail.aspAugust 2003 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2760/pub_detail.asp#8-31-2003Sun, 31 Aug 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2659/pub_detail.aspA new study released today by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) shows that California consumers are experiencing an annual decline of $120 per average household in economic output because of poorly crafted telecommunications regulations. Nationally, the loss is $101 per household.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2659/pub_detail.asp#8-27-2003Wed, 27 Aug 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2658/pub_detail.aspLast month, the United States Supreme Court held as constitutional the section of the Children& rsquo;s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) that requires public libraries to use Internet filtering software to block access to material that is & ldquo;obscene, child pornography or harmful to minors& rdquo; as a condition of receiving federal funding. The way some libraries plan to respond could set a precedent.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2658/pub_detail.asp#7-11-2003Fri, 11 Jul 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2657/pub_detail.aspOnline music circles are abuzz that Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon, and AOL Time Warner are preparing to launch services that compete with the overwhelmingly successful Apple iTunes store, an a la carte menu of downloadable songs for 99 cents each.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2657/pub_detail.asp#6-24-2003Tue, 24 Jun 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2656/pub_detail.aspIf there& #39;s one thing the open-source community is known for, it& #39;s chutzpah. In a recent online petition, more than 1500 Linux users told the SCO Group, which owns intellectual property rights to key components of the Unix operating system, to sue them.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2656/pub_detail.asp#5-26-2003Mon, 26 May 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.454/pub_detail.aspThe Financial and Public Policy Issues for California Wireless Carriers and CustomersPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.454/pub_detail.asp#3-15-2003Sat, 15 Mar 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2655/pub_detail.aspThe U.S. Supreme Court today considers the case of the Children& #39;s Internet Protection Act, (CIPA), but the issue will not be resolved by a legal ruling, according to The Children& #39;s Internet Protection Act: A Primer for Legislators, Policymaker, and Parents, released today by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI).Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2655/pub_detail.asp#3-5-2003Wed, 5 Mar 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2654/pub_detail.aspLast week marked another stage in the battle between Hollywood and the technology industry when Verizon Communications appealed a judge& #39;s order to reveal the identity of an alleged music pirate to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The legal skirmish highlights the music industry& #39;s resolve for old business models and points to some flaws in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2654/pub_detail.asp#2-7-2003Fri, 7 Feb 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2653/pub_detail.aspANYONE who uses wireless phone services will be interested to know that a new move by California officials threatens to raise prices, slow service, quash improvements and increase hassles.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2653/pub_detail.asp#1-29-2003Wed, 29 Jan 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2652/pub_detail.aspIn an effort to better protect America& #39;s security, the federal government has proposed a number of schemes to keep track of everyone in the United States. While of concern, these proposals are unfortunately not the only or largest threats to individual liberty and privacy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2652/pub_detail.asp#1-16-2003Thu, 16 Jan 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.494/pub_detail.aspBroadband, or high-speed Internet access, has the potential to make a dramatic and rapid transformation in the daily lives of all Americans. It will make it easier for consumers to use many new services such as real-time distance learning, interactive health care, and on-demand entertainment. It will also make it easier for businesses to deliver these services and for workers to telecommute, expanding efficiency in the marketplace.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.494/pub_detail.asp#1-1-2003Wed, 1 Jan 2003 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2650/pub_detail.aspIs it possible to catalogue every human idea? Japan-based researcher Darryl Macer thinks so, and last month he proposed in the journal Nature to count the number of human ideas and map them. This plan , while a clever attention grabber, will not succeed and demonstrates a worrisome mode of thinking.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2650/pub_detail.asp#12-26-2002Thu, 26 Dec 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2649/pub_detail.aspLast week, the United States Supreme Court announced that it will consider the constitutionality of the Children& rsquo;s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a law that attempts to protect children from Internet pornography. The Court& rsquo;s announcement re-ignites the controversy over Internet filtering software in public libraries and indicates the high constitutional importance of the law.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2649/pub_detail.asp#11-26-2002Tue, 26 Nov 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3133/pub_detail.aspNanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of matter at the level of individual atoms and molecules, promises to revolutionize many aspects of human society. At the very least, it can be expected to drastically reduce energy consumption, to dramatically advance medicine& #39;s ability to cure and prevent disease, and to significantly increase the precision and effectiveness of military devices and weapons.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3133/pub_detail.asp#11-1-2002Fri, 1 Nov 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2648/pub_detail.aspAt a recent European Union (EU) sponsored conference on privacy regulations, reports from businesses, media outlets, trade unions, and four EU nations demonstrated why the United States should not follow Europe& rsquo;s pro-regulatory path in protecting privacy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2648/pub_detail.asp#10-28-2002Mon, 28 Oct 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2647/pub_detail.aspThis month, California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon stirred things up when his campaign posted a satire of Governor Gray Davis auctioning public policies at web site eGray.org. While not as outrageous as the vote swapping sites from the 2000 election, it& rsquo;s a reminder that the Internet still affects political discourse.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2647/pub_detail.asp#9-30-2002Mon, 30 Sep 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2646/pub_detail.aspThe USA Patriot& rsquo;s Act (& ldquo;USAPA& rdquo;), a response to September 11, changes 15 federal statutes designed to thwart money laundering and financing of terrorist activities. While the purpose is laudable, the effectiveness is questionable and the measure conflicts with a key federal law on financial privacy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2646/pub_detail.asp#8-8-2002Thu, 8 Aug 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.478/pub_detail.aspThe Internet is an ideal medium for small wineries, especially in California, to showcase their wares, particularly rare and premium vintages. The Internet is also ideal for the wine aficionado seeking to purchase those vintages. But in many states, government and the legal system now work in tandem to keep consumers from ordering wine over the Internet and wineries from shipping their product in response.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.478/pub_detail.asp#8-1-2002Thu, 1 Aug 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2645/pub_detail.aspSilicon Valley entrepreneurs are abuzz because there& rsquo;s finally hope that a bill to grant the President greater authority to negotiate international free-trade agreements might actually pass. Freer trade will stimulate the economy and help poorer countries, so it& rsquo;s shocking that & ldquo;Trade Promotion Authority& rdquo; has been so tough to deliver.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2645/pub_detail.asp#7-1-2002Mon, 1 Jul 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2644/pub_detail.aspThis month& rsquo;s post includes two articles on the Microsoft case. One author is part of the ABM (anything but Microsoft) community, but yet he argues that the free market can do far more than the antitrust trial. The other author discusses how the proposed settlement from the nine hold-out states would affect disabled persons. I hope you find these commentaries interesting and informative.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2644/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2002Sat, 1 Jun 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2643/pub_detail.aspIdentity fraud is a serious problem for individuals but it is really business that should be concerned. Businesses pay the price for fraudulent transactions done in a customer& #39;s name. Therefore they need to keep customers& #39; personal information secure and confidential while preserving the flexibility necessary to run a profitable operation. Fortunately, the solutions are at hand.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2643/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2002Wed, 1 May 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2642/pub_detail.aspIdentity theft is a serious concern, but despite calls from regulation advocates, new privacy laws are not the answer to this insidious crime. As a new report shows, consumer awareness and better enforcement of existing laws are the ways to solve this problem.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2642/pub_detail.asp#3-21-2002Thu, 21 Mar 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2641/pub_detail.aspA new report from the Department of Commerce brings good news to most Americans and serves as a wake-up call for those who believe the digital divide is the civil liberties issue of the 21st century.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2641/pub_detail.asp#3-13-2002Wed, 13 Mar 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.222/pub_detail.aspPrivacy is one of the most contentious issues that the 107th Congress and state legislatures are considering. The pressure is mounting for legislators to act, but hasty reactions to polls and privacy doomsayers could lead policymakers down the wrong path. Since privacy demands fluctuate widely among individuals and different situations, it is essential that privacy remains a matter of individual choice. An examination of the privacy debate shows that there are a number of myths that need to be challenged and dispelled by informed consumers, non-profits, and legislators.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.222/pub_detail.asp#2-5-2002Tue, 5 Feb 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2640/pub_detail.aspNew technologies such as national ID cards, e-mail wiretapping, and facial recognition cameras have been hailed as tools to defeat terrorists. These technologies, however, are not only potentially harmful to our civil liberties, but are also unproven and unnecessary. More practical technologies offer a better solutionPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2640/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2002Fri, 1 Feb 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2637/pub_detail.aspProposed state legislation that would impose & ldquo;opt-in& rdquo; and other regulatory requirements on the use of consumer information has become one of the hottest issues in Sacramento.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2637/pub_detail.asp#1-24-2002Thu, 24 Jan 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3249/pub_detail.aspE-government, the use of technology to streamline government functions, never was a panacea, regardless of what some technology evangelists said. But technology can still be of benefit if used wisely, as some public officials have already discovered.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3249/pub_detail.asp#1-15-2002Tue, 15 Jan 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2638/pub_detail.aspE-government, the use of technology to streamline government functions, never was a panacea, regardless of what some technology evangelists said. But technology can still be of benefit if used wisely, as some public officials have already discovered.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2638/pub_detail.asp#1-1-2002Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2635/pub_detail.aspThe Tech Alliance of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to a discussion with Gilman Louie, the CEO of In-Q-Tel, the venture capital fund of the Central Intelligence Agency. Gilman will be speaking on Opportunities for Technology to Serve the National Interest.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2635/pub_detail.asp#11-8-2001Thu, 8 Nov 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2634/pub_detail.aspA number of technology-related ideas such as national I.D. cards and the extended use of the FBI& rsquo;s email wiretapping device, Carnivore, have been proposed as a means to help stop terrorism. But in the haste to stop the terrorists in their tracks, technologists and politicians alike risk damaging America& rsquo;s great tradition of liberty.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2634/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2001Mon, 1 Oct 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2633/pub_detail.aspAs part of his campaign to empower the nation& rsquo;s law enforcers, President Bush has handed Congress a bill that would permanently expand government& rsquo;s surveillance authority. By jeopardizing the Constitution& rsquo;s balance between surveillance and privacy, this proposal challenges us to recognize not only what has changed in America but also what must remain the same.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2633/pub_detail.asp#9-1-2001Sat, 1 Sep 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2631/pub_detail.aspWith the Internet tax moratorium set to expire, Congress is considering measures that would expand existing sales taxes. This would limit state competition, hinder the Internet& rsquo;s ability to hold government accountable, and harm taxpayers. For these reasons, legislators should ignore their self-interest and renew the moratorium, no strings attached.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2631/pub_detail.asp#8-1-2001Wed, 1 Aug 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2632/pub_detail.aspLast month& rsquo;s flood of financial privacy notices was enough to make even the most wasteful individual scream & ldquo;save the trees.& rdquo; But just in case those pieces of government-mandated junk mail weren& rsquo;t annoying enough, California legislators are working to enact more financial privacy regulations.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2632/pub_detail.asp#8-1-2001Wed, 1 Aug 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1875/pub_detail.aspBill Lockyer, Attorney General of California, has requested& mdash;and the Assembly and Senate have supported& mdash;a roughly 400-percent budget increase for his office to prosecute antitrust complaints against the high-tech sector. This measure, if passed, will harm consumers by arming a campaign to capture private benefits at the public& rsquo;s expense.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1875/pub_detail.asp#7-16-2001Mon, 16 Jul 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1865/pub_detail.aspIt& rsquo;s no secret that California& rsquo;s economy has been hit hard by the dot-com bust and electricity crisis. However, what& rsquo;s been lost in public debate are the wacky bills, concerning availability of discovery documents, recently passed by California legislators.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.1865/pub_detail.asp#6-13-2001Wed, 13 Jun 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2628/pub_detail.aspAs Congress debates proposed regulations governing unsolicited email & ndash; or & quot;spam& quot; & ndash; it should consider how these measures could harm the Internet. While new laws would not reduce spam, they would endanger the Internet& rsquo;s unique civic and political structure and, consequently, its ability to promote freedom and democracy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2628/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2001Fri, 1 Jun 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2630/pub_detail.aspWhen Henry duPont mounted a webcam on his Rhode Island home last fall, he only wanted to provide his neighbors with a scenic view of their community. Eight months later, his snapshots sparked a legal quarrel over privacy in the Information Age. This controversy demonstrates the inherent conflict between privacy rights and free speech.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2630/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2001Fri, 1 Jun 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3419/pub_detail.aspA Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order released April 27 may be the first step in tying up a loophole that is lucrative for competitive local phone carriers, such as Pac-West or Focal, but bad for consumers. The order centers around something called & quot;reciprocal compensation.& quot;Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3419/pub_detail.asp#5-3-2001Thu, 3 May 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2627/pub_detail.aspThe uproar created by Napster& rsquo;s continuing retreat highlights the Internet community& rsquo;s puzzling disdain for copyrights. Why won& rsquo;t Netizens admit that, while intellectual property protections are a nuisance to MP3 junkies, they are good for the Internet itself? The answer lies in the evolution of online culture.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2627/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2001Tue, 1 May 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3420/pub_detail.aspWhile Congress considers new privacy laws, Silicon Valley leaders are discussing how privacy means many things to many people. This makes it imperative that privacy levels remain a personal choice that individuals, not government, make.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3420/pub_detail.asp#4-26-2001Thu, 26 Apr 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.256/pub_detail.aspCurrently, only a small portion of the American population purchases cigarettes or alcohol online. But in time, as people become more familiar with the Net, that number will grow. Of course, that& rsquo;s the case for the sale of any online products, however I think that these products, in particular, will gain and maintain online popularity faster than others. That& rsquo;s because they are fairly easy to ship.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.256/pub_detail.asp#4-1-2001Sun, 1 Apr 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2626/pub_detail.aspIn early February the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began considering whether the activities of non-profits, such as linking to a political website, violate the 501 (c) (3) section of the tax code. This development threatens both free speech and development of the Net.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2626/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2001Thu, 1 Mar 2001 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2625/pub_detail.aspIn the election& #39;s aftermath, the search for a better voting system is on. Despite potential flaws, Internet voting will eventually prove to be the best way to ensure the accuracy and fairness of elections. To restore public faith in American democracy, Congress should start phasing in an online system now.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2625/pub_detail.asp#12-1-2000Fri, 1 Dec 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2624/pub_detail.aspAs election day looms, Al Gore is trying to revive his campaign by emphasizing the high-tech economy. But the Vice-President doesn& #39;t see that the economy he touts helped cause his administration& #39;s demise. By highlighting the benefits of individualism and decentralization, the Internet age has helped discredit Gore& #39;s governing philosophy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2624/pub_detail.asp#11-1-2000Wed, 1 Nov 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2623/pub_detail.aspWith a verdict looming in the Napster trial, the recording industry is lobbying for stronger copyright laws. But the Napster case illustrates why stricter laws would be ineffective and harmful. Copyrights are vital but, as the recording industry& #39;s investments reveal, technological innovation is the best hope against Internet piracyPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2623/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2000Sun, 1 Oct 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3461/pub_detail.aspEarlier this month, the FBI& rsquo;s attempts to smooth public opinion concerning its Carnivore system got even more desperate. Following a U.S. district court order, the FBI handed over documents to the Electronic Privacy Information Center showing that the government had not only been scanning people& rsquo;s e-mail, but had been tracing their web browsing habits as well.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3461/pub_detail.asp#10-1-2000Sun, 1 Oct 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3455/pub_detail.aspIn the battle over control of Internet services, there& rsquo;s a new player and his name is Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney Co. has announced that it wants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to split AOL-Time Warner in two: one company for content and one for distribution. This effort to use government to dislodge AOL-Time Warner from its advantageous market position is misguided and harmful for consumers.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3455/pub_detail.asp#7-21-2000Fri, 21 Jul 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2622/pub_detail.aspTwo recent rulings on Internet libel, one in America, one in Britain, provide a wonderful demonstration of why the occasional tea party and revolution is a good idea. Although the outcomes of the two cases are radically different, they share similar circumstances.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2622/pub_detail.asp#7-7-2000Fri, 7 Jul 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2621/pub_detail.aspThe stunning popularity of Napster, a web-based music trading service, has caused many to predict the recording industry& rsquo;s imminent collapse. But doomsayers ignore the innovative process that spawned the predicament. The status quo may die, but the industry will live on.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2621/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2000Thu, 1 Jun 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3452/pub_detail.aspIn the past month alone, antitrust action in the case against Microsoft has robbed Microsoft stockholders of over 80 billion dollars and helped force the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite into a downward spiral, culminating in the April 14 market crash. The government would be wise to heed the important message that the market is sending out.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3452/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2000Thu, 1 Jun 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3453/pub_detail.aspOn June 7 the government delivered its final ruling in the case against Microsoft, calling for a company break-up to generate competition in the operating systems market. The government& rsquo;s plan sounds simple at first blush& mdash;a symmetrical split of the company into two parts along product lines. But this split-up scheme is ridden with complexities that could fire off a host of dangerous unintended consequences.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3453/pub_detail.asp#6-1-2000Thu, 1 Jun 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.572/pub_detail.aspIn the ongoing antitrust case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) claims that Microsoft is a harm to society, with prices high enough to be called monopolistic, low enough to be called predatory, and innovative products which, though a benefit to consumers, are illegal under antitrust law. But the case against Microsoft is not about protecting consumers or creating healthy competition in the market. It& rsquo;s about helping frustrated competitors in Silicon Valley and elsewhere to attain market share that they have been unable to win from Microsoft on their own merits.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.572/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2000Mon, 1 May 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2620/pub_detail.aspIn 1998, Congress temporarily increased the quota on H1-B visas granted to foreign laborers. But this measure, which will soon expire, brought little relief to the technology companies it was supposed to help. As legislators revisit this critical issue, they should recognize that the best solution to today& rsquo;s skilled labor shortage is to eliminate H1-B quotas entirely.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2620/pub_detail.asp#5-1-2000Mon, 1 May 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2619/pub_detail.aspIn March, the Federal Trade Commission(FTC) unveiled the latest in a string of projects intended to combat online fraud. Though driven by good intentions, these efforts only highlight how the Information Age is rendering the FTC increasingly obsolete. The private sector is devising innovative new mechanisms to protect consumers online, proving that the solution to the Internet& rsquo;s governance problems is usually not more government, but less.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2619/pub_detail.asp#4-1-2000Sat, 1 Apr 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3429/pub_detail.aspWhat do Internet taxes and your privacy have in common? Well, more than most of us would care to imagine. In fact, as Californians are finding out, Internet taxation might as well be called Internet surveillance.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3429/pub_detail.asp#3-17-2000Fri, 17 Mar 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2618/pub_detail.aspWhile John McCain claims to be immune to moneyed interests, his approach to encryption regulations suggests a different story. As Mr. McCain& rsquo;s dramatic reversal in this area indicates, he may have changed his tune to make Silicon Valley donors sing.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2618/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2000Wed, 1 Mar 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3135/pub_detail.aspIf allowed to develop unfettered by government restrictions, the deployment of high-speed Internet technology -- known as broadband -- will bring the World Wide Web to consumers at faster speeds, provide better quality, and allow for new applications that will fundamentally alter the way we work, communicate, and recreate.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3135/pub_detail.asp#3-1-2000Wed, 1 Mar 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3426/pub_detail.aspY2K angst had scarcely subsided when a new crisis emerged, the & quot;digital divide,& quot; hailed by the President of the United States as the & quot;key civil rights issue of the 21st Century,& quot; deserving $2 billion in government programs, and showcased in PBS documentaries. One of these, rebroadcast nationwide on ZDTV, confirms that this vaunted crisis rests on shaky foundations.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3426/pub_detail.asp#2-10-2000Thu, 10 Feb 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2617/pub_detail.aspY2K angst had scarcely subsided when a new crisis emerged, the & quot;digital divide,& quot; hailed by the President of the United States as the & quot;key civil rights issue of the 21st Century,& quot; deserving $2 billion in government programs, and showcased in PBS documentaries.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2617/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2000Tue, 1 Feb 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3424/pub_detail.aspThe government& #39;s stance against Microsoft, as harsh as ever in the last round of arguments Tuesday, may cause Microsoft to end up the loser. But while Microsoft is taking a beating in Judge Jackson& #39;s court, it is winning the day in the court of California public opinion, according to a recent poll.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3424/pub_detail.asp#2-1-2000Tue, 1 Feb 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3422/pub_detail.aspInternet privacy will be one of the hottest issues of the new millennium, a fact which has not been lost on California& rsquo;s bureaucrats. Busy thinking of new and improved ways to regulate consumers, one wonders if any of them found time to celebrate the holidays.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3422/pub_detail.asp#1-18-2000Tue, 18 Jan 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2615/pub_detail.aspAs campaign 2000 accelerates, political web sites and the promise of online voting are reshaping the political landscape. This evolution will only continue if Internet democracy remains unhindered by partisan regulations.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2615/pub_detail.asp#1-1-2000Sat, 1 Jan 2000 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2747/pub_detail.aspDecember 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2747/pub_detail.asp#12-31-1999Fri, 31 Dec 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2614/pub_detail.aspOn December 15, part one of the Clinton administration& #39;s new encryption policy will take effect. This flawed approach will continue harming technology companies while placing Americans& #39; privacy at risk. Congress should now take matters into its own hands by enacting more sensible reformsPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2614/pub_detail.asp#12-1-1999Wed, 1 Dec 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3466/pub_detail.aspWith loud calls for increased competition coming from proponents of & quot;open access,& quot; as the case between AT& amp;T and the City of Portland is pending in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, it& rsquo;s time to recall a basic economic truth. A truly competitive marketplace produces incentives for innovation and falling prices, but mandating competition often leads to unintended consequences. Letting rival firms get a & quot;free ride& quot; on AT& amp;T& rsquo;s cable lines will distort the market and may ultimately harm the consumer.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3466/pub_detail.asp#11-17-1999Wed, 17 Nov 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3467/pub_detail.aspRecently, 300 government officials, academics, and high-tech business people from all over the world gathered in Germany to discuss a proposal to rate Internet content on a global scale. If this plan is embraced, free speech and the growth of the Internet face dangerous times.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3467/pub_detail.asp#11-15-1999Mon, 15 Nov 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3469/pub_detail.aspThe Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, the group considering whether or not to tax the Internet, has split into opposing camps. Predictably, the debate has fallen prey to myths, such as the notion that a tax-free Internet will cause state and local governments to & quot;lose& quot; tax dollars.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3469/pub_detail.asp#11-10-1999Wed, 10 Nov 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3470/pub_detail.aspWith Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson& rsquo;s finding of facts filing last Friday, the Microsoft anti-trust trial has been back in the spotlight and more senseless than ever. Leaving aside serious flaws in the government& rsquo;s case against the software giant, the best hope for Microsoft may be how much the software industry has changed in the 15 months since the trial began.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3470/pub_detail.asp#11-8-1999Mon, 8 Nov 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2613/pub_detail.aspOpponents of Internet privacy laws claim such regulations are unnecessary and would harm the Internet. As the public grows weary of this pro-business rhetoric, advocacy groups and industry organizations would be wise to embrace a forgotten but more substantial argument. New privacy laws would damage the First Amendment, and this powerful fact could permanently end the privacy regulation crusade.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2613/pub_detail.asp#11-1-1999Mon, 1 Nov 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2746/pub_detail.aspOctober 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2746/pub_detail.asp#10-31-1999Sun, 31 Oct 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2612/pub_detail.aspCongress is scheduled to vote this fall on whether to ban gambling sites from cyberspace. Before making this decision, legislators should remember that such a prohibition would be ineffective and damaging to the Internet. Contrary to regulation advocates& rsquo; claims, a gambling ban would harm the Internet& rsquo;s moral character, not help it.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2612/pub_detail.asp#10-1-1999Fri, 1 Oct 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2745/pub_detail.aspSeptember 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2745/pub_detail.asp#9-30-1999Thu, 30 Sep 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2611/pub_detail.aspTwo new surveillance proposals by the Clinton Administration, while intended to combat computer-based crime, jeopardize the future of both civil liberties and the Internet. The White House should abandon this new offensive, which represents the latest chapter in the government& #39;s efforts to circumvent encryption technology.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2611/pub_detail.asp#9-1-1999Wed, 1 Sep 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2610/pub_detail.aspThe Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) is steaming towards its goal of limiting online music piracy, and its progress suggests that solutions to the Internet& #39;s intellectual property problems are within reach. As the SDMI demonstrates, technology -- not government - holds the answers to the most vexing policy questions of the Information Age.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2610/pub_detail.asp#8-1-1999Sun, 1 Aug 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2743/pub_detail.aspJuly 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2743/pub_detail.asp#7-31-1999Sat, 31 Jul 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2051/pub_detail.aspYears ago I recall a cartoon in a lampoon issue of National Review that showed a pot-bellied Archie Bunker-type reading the newspaper and commenting to his wife-in-curlers: & quot;Sez here they& rsquo;ve taught chimpanzees to speak. Great--another Third World country in the U.N.& quot; Sure enough, on Monday came the news out of Georgia State University that researchers there have taught a chimp a vocabulary and grammar of about 3,000 words, and have & quot;conversed& quot; with the chimp by means of a Stephen Hawking-style voice box.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2051/pub_detail.asp#7-27-1999Tue, 27 Jul 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.290/pub_detail.aspIn Washington, D.C., support is growing for new regulations aimed at protecting privacy on the Internet. Consumers fear that web sites abuse their power to collect and distribute personal information.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.290/pub_detail.asp#7-1-1999Thu, 1 Jul 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2609/pub_detail.aspCongress is poised to enact legislation governing digital signatures, a technology that is critical to the Internet& #39;s future. The high-tech industry& #39;s support of this legislation, which is unnecessary and dangerous, demonstrates how the industry is becoming trapped in establishment politics. Technology companies must reverse this trend or find themselves crippled by regulation.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2609/pub_detail.asp#7-1-1999Thu, 1 Jul 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2742/pub_detail.aspJune 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2742/pub_detail.asp#6-30-1999Wed, 30 Jun 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2608/pub_detail.aspThe Information Age& #39;s rapid progress has spawned fears that minorities and the poor will soon be trapped on the wrong side of a & quot;digital divide.& quot; Surveys consistently indicate that minorities, particularly African-Americans, are far less likely than whites to own computers or use the Internet. How, then, can the U.S. ensure that new technologies will not widen society& #39;s divisions?Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2608/pub_detail.asp#6-1-1999Tue, 1 Jun 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2741/pub_detail.aspMay 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2741/pub_detail.asp#5-31-1999Mon, 31 May 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2607/pub_detail.aspIn Washington, D.C. support is growing for regulations aimed at protecting privacy on the Internet. These measures are unnecessary and would hinder electronic commerce. The best policy would avoid regulations and instead harness the profit incentives already driving businesses to protect consumer privacy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2607/pub_detail.asp#5-1-1999Sat, 1 May 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2606/pub_detail.aspSettlement negotiations are underway in the Microsoft antitrust case, and the company has offered to concede several contentious issues. The Department of Justice, however, remains focused on handicapping the software giant. If the DOJ succeeds, it would harm consumers and set a dangerous precedent.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2606/pub_detail.asp#4-1-1999Thu, 1 Apr 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2739/pub_detail.aspMarch 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2739/pub_detail.asp#3-31-1999Wed, 31 Mar 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2605/pub_detail.aspDespite recent events highlighting the futility of its policy, the White House insists on regulating encryption technology. This policy is ineffective, harms U.S. encryption makers, and damages the economy. As they debate encryption reform, legislators should consider a better, proven approach. The ideal policy would eliminate encryption controls and embrace the free market.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2605/pub_detail.asp#3-1-1999Mon, 1 Mar 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3226/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3226/pub_detail.asp#3-1-1999Mon, 1 Mar 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3489/pub_detail.aspDespite recent events that highlight the futility of its policy, the White House insists on regulating encryption technology. This policy is ineffective and harms the Internet, U.S. encryption makers, and the domestic economy.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3489/pub_detail.asp#3-1-1999Mon, 1 Mar 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2738/pub_detail.aspFebruary 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2738/pub_detail.asp#2-28-1999Sun, 28 Feb 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2737/pub_detail.aspJanuary 1999 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2737/pub_detail.asp#1-31-1999Sun, 31 Jan 1999 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2736/pub_detail.aspDecember 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2736/pub_detail.asp#12-31-1998Thu, 31 Dec 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.193/pub_detail.aspSince the mid-1990s, California& rsquo;s state spending has been increasing at an impressive pace. Governor Gray Davis& rsquo;s most recent budget proposal is $102 billion& mdash;almost eight percent higher than last year& rsquo;s proposed budget& mdash;and does not fully account for changing economic conditions and the state& rsquo;s electricity crisis. Figure 1 in this study breaks down the governor& rsquo;s proposed budget by spending area.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.193/pub_detail.asp#12-1-1998Tue, 1 Dec 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3223/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3223/pub_detail.asp#12-1-1998Tue, 1 Dec 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2735/pub_detail.aspNovember 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2735/pub_detail.asp#11-30-1998Mon, 30 Nov 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2734/pub_detail.aspOctober 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2734/pub_detail.asp#10-31-1998Sat, 31 Oct 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2733/pub_detail.aspSeptember 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2733/pub_detail.asp#9-30-1998Wed, 30 Sep 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3222/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3222/pub_detail.asp#9-1-1998Tue, 1 Sep 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2732/pub_detail.aspAugust 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2732/pub_detail.asp#8-31-1998Mon, 31 Aug 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2731/pub_detail.aspJuly 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2731/pub_detail.asp#7-31-1998Fri, 31 Jul 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2730/pub_detail.aspJune 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2730/pub_detail.asp#6-30-1998Tue, 30 Jun 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2729/pub_detail.aspMay 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2729/pub_detail.asp#5-31-1998Sun, 31 May 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2728/pub_detail.aspApril 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2728/pub_detail.asp#4-30-1998Thu, 30 Apr 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.578/pub_detail.aspAs the information revolution advances, vast amounts of valuable data will be stored on computers and communicated using the Internet and other electronic means. This information will inevitably be the target of profit-seeking, computer-savvy thieves and criminals. If the information age is to reach its potential, businesses and individuals must feel secure against this threat.Publicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.578/pub_detail.asp#3-1-1998Sun, 1 Mar 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3220/pub_detail.aspPRI& #39;s Quarterly NewsletterPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.3220/pub_detail.asp#3-1-1998Sun, 1 Mar 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2726/pub_detail.aspFebruary 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2726/pub_detail.asp#2-28-1998Sat, 28 Feb 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2725/pub_detail.aspJanuary 1998 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2725/pub_detail.asp#1-31-1998Sat, 31 Jan 1998 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2724/pub_detail.aspDecember 1997 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2724/pub_detail.asp#12-31-1997Wed, 31 Dec 1997 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2723/pub_detail.aspNovember 1997 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2723/pub_detail.asp#11-30-1997Sun, 30 Nov 1997 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2722/pub_detail.aspOctober 1997 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2722/pub_detail.asp#10-31-1997Fri, 31 Oct 1997 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2721/pub_detail.aspSeptember 1997 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2721/pub_detail.asp#9-30-1997Tue, 30 Sep 1997 00:00:00 ESThttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2720/pub_detail.aspAugust 1997 PRI Ideas in ActionPolicy Update and Monthly Impact ReportPublicationshttp://liberty.pacificresearch.org/publications/id.2720/pub_detail.asp#8-31-1997Sun, 31 Aug 1997 00:00:00 EST