QuickLinks - e-Government
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Issue no. 257 - 26 January 2003
- US - Government opens online portal to rulemaking
(Washington Post)
With the introduction of www.regulations.gov, the Bush administration is taking the first step to expand electronic rulemaking to the entire government and populace. The goal is to enable anyone with a computer and Internet access to find every federal regulation that is open for comment, read it and submit their views.
Issue no. 256 - 18 January 2003
- CH - Geneva Suburb Casts Ballots on the Internet in Test Project
(New York Times)
When the 1,150 citizens of the Geneva suburb of Anièreres vote to decide whether to allow public money to be spent renovating its Michelin-rated restaurant, they will be guinea pigs in Switzerland's continuing effort to make voting easier for its citizens. The voters will have a choice of three ways to cast their ballot. They will be able to vote at a polling place in the elementary school or mail their ballot or, for the first time, vote on the Internet.
Issue no. 255 - 6 January 2003
- US - Bush OKs law to put government information online
(Associated Press)
President Bush signed legislation aimed at improving online access to government information and services. ., the legislation establishes a new Office of E-government within the White House's Office of Management and Budget to oversee government-wide efforts. The measure also requires regulatory agencies to conduct administrative rule-makings on the Internet and federal courts to post information and opinions on their Web sites; provides for temporary exchanges of information technology workers to government from the private sector; and authorizes "share-in savings" contracts, in which contractors provide upfront technology and are paid out of some of the savings they reap for their federal agency customers.
Issue no. 254 - 15 December 2002
- FR - Guide pratique 'Téléprocédures et décideurs publics'
(Forum des droits sur l'internet)
Ce guide pratique a été réalisé en partenariat avec les éditions Berger Levrault. Il est destiné plus particulièrement aux décideurs publics chargés de mettre en place des téléprocédures, a pour but d'éclairer sur les enjeux juridiques et opérationnels liés à la mise en place d’une téléprocédure en leur fournissant un véritable "kit juridique". Version PDF.
- US - Wanted posters pop up on portal - $1 mio reward
(CNET News.com)
The FBI plans to launch an online manhunt for an alleged Boston mob boss, in a novel crime-fighting experiment in partnership with Web portal Terra Lycos. As part of the effort, Terra Lycos has agreed to donate advertising space on its network carrying a likeness of James "Whitey" Bulger and messages alerting people to the $1 million reward for his capture. Bulger is on the FBI's list of the 10 most wanted fugitives FBI to cast Net over fugitive.
Issue no. 252 - 30 November 2002
- UK - Net activism offers lessons for ministers
(BBC)
The increasing use of the internet by political activists could provide valuable lessons for the UK Government. At a summit of ministers, business leaders and net experts in London this week, officials acknowledged that the government needed to do more to get citizens engaged in the political process online.
- US - E-Government Act Passes Congress
(CDT)
The E-Government Act, a bill intended to fundamentally change the way the federal government uses information technology to interact with citizens has been passed by Congress. The final version included several new provisions, notably the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law. Text of S. 803.
Issue no. 251 - 24 November 2002
- DE - BGH-Entscheidungen zum Download im Web
(Heise)
Auf der Website des Bundesgerichtshofes (BGH) stehen alle Entscheidungen, die ab dem 1. Januar 2000 gefällt wurden, zum Download im PDF-Format zur Verfügung.
- UK - Net activism offers lessons for ministers
(BBC)
The increasing use of the internet by political activists could provide valuable lessons for the UK Government. At a summit of ministers, business leaders and net experts in London this week, officials acknowledged that the government needed to do more to get citizens engaged in the political process online.
- US - E-Government Act Passes Congress
(CDT)
The E-Government Act, a bill intended to fundamentally change the way the federal government uses information technology to interact with citizens has been passed by Congress. The final version included several new provisions, notably the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). President Bush is expected to sign the bill into law. Text of S. 803.
- US - Government agency pulls Web site
(CNET News.com)
The Department of Energy closed the online research database Pubscience after receiving complaints that it competed too closely with commercial efforts.
Issue no. 250 - 17 November 2002
- EU - European Parliament site adds 13 new languages
(Europarl)
The European Parliament is opening its site to the citizens of the new countries in their own languages; Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Magyar (Hungarian), Maltese, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene and Turkish.
- US - Supreme Court to judge sex offender databases
(CNET News.com)
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear challenges to a pair of state laws that require sex offenders to register personal facts in publicly accessible databases, in a legal showdown that could set new rules for access to information in the digital age.
Issue no. 249 - 10 November 2002
- EU - Commission welcomes adoption of Directive on public access to environmental information
(RAPID)
The Commission has welcomed the successful outcome of the Conciliation procedure between the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission's proposal for a Directive on public access to environmental information, which is now finally agreed. The Directive will replace the existing Directive 90/313/EC on the freedom of access to information on the environment. see Legislative history.
- UK - Counting the cost of NHS email
(Guardian)
The government is facing growing resentment from within the NHS over its latest multimillion pound outsourcing deal with IT giant EDS. It has emerged that the company is to be given £91m to provide a basic email system for all NHS workers.
Issue no. 247 - 19 October 2002
- EU - Secrecy and openness in the European Union
(freedominfo.org)
The ongoing struggle for freedom of information by Tony Bunyan, Statewatch.
- EU - The misuse of data protection rules in the European Union
(European Ombudsman)
The European Ombudsman is concerned that data protection rules, especially Regulation 45/2001, are being diverted from their proper purpose of helping to ensure respect for the individual right to privacy as laid down by Article 8 (1) of the European Convention on Human Rights: Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. Instead, they are being used to undermine the principle of openness in public activities.
- FI - Government Web portal for Information Society
(eFinland)
eFinland is built and maintained in co-operation with Ministry of transport and Communications, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, National Technology Agency (Tekes), Finnish National Fund for Research and Development (Sitra) and Finnish Information Society Development Centre. see also eBusiness | eGovernment | Education & Culture | Mobility | R&D.
- GPS: Keeping Cons Out of Jail
(Wired)
An electronic tracking system that follows suspects and criminals around their neighborhoods and compares the information to current crimes has received, of all things, the stamp of approval from the American Civil Liberties Union. The Global Positioning System's satellites track probationers and parolees and compare their whereabouts to the location of crimes committed in their vicinity.
- UK - Fears raised over e-voting
(BBC)
Rebecca Mercuri, one of the world's leading experts on electronic voting is warning the government that computer polls cannot be trusted.
- US - Net forces scrutiny of open records
(CNN)
Before the Internet, though, public records were essentially private because of their obscurity. Now governments are examining what information should be made public, or whether different rules should apply to electronic documents.
Issue no. 246 - 29 September 2002
- Südkorea stellt Liste von Sexualstraftätern ins Web
(Heise)
Zum dritten Mal hat die südkoreanische Regierung eine Liste mit Hunderten von verurteilten Sexualstraftätern ins Internet gestellt. Das Verzeichnis über 671 Männer und Frauen umfasst nach Angaben der Jugendschutz-Kommission in Seoul die Namen, Alter, Geburtstage, Berufe und Wohnbezirke der Betroffenen
Issue no. 245 - 15 September 2002
- UK - Capita punishment
(Guardian)
Why is the Government so devoted to a digital future when it plainly doesn't work? The development of large-scale government IT systems whose cost-benefit is open to doubt.
Issue no. 244 - 7 September 2002
- UK - Online tax returns doomed, MPs warn
(Guardian)
Attempts by the Inland Revenue to persuade taxpayers to submit their returns online are doomed unless it can dramatically improve security and reliability of electronic self-assessment, MPs warn. Technical teething troubles, and a security breach allowing personal tax details to be viewed by other users, have sapped public confidence, according to the Commons public accounts committee.
- US - Dirty Laundry, Online for All to See
(New York Times)
The difficult balance between open access and privacy in putting court records online.
Issue no. 243 - 31 August 2002
Issue no. 242 - 30 July 2002
- AU - Government to block access to list of blocked sites
(ZDNet Australia)
Federal Government is attempting to change freedom of information legislation to prevent the public discovering that Internet censorship laws have failed, according to civil liberties group Electronic Frontiers Australia. Proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) would extend the Government's current powers to censor documents containing information about the activities of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) and the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC). According to the EFA, the amendments are designed to prevent public scrutiny of the operation and effectiveness of the Internet censorship regime, and should be rejected. See EFA Press Release and detailed commentary on bill. (Baker & Mackenzie Elaw Alerts).
- U.K. Libraries Jump Into the Net
(Wired)
An ambitious U.K. project, the People's Network, will see all of the United Kingdom's more than 4,000 libraries linked to the Internet to become access-and-learning centers by the end of this year. The project will see 30,000 terminals installed, stuffed with digital delights like e-mail, browsing, office applications, digital imaging and video conferencing. The vast majority will be connected to the Internet by 2-MB lines. Over 100 million pounds will be spent on the project, with the money coming from the United Kingdom's lottery cash through the New Opportunities Fund.
Issue no. 241 - 24 July 2002
Issue no. 240 - 14 July 2002
- EU - eGovernment Observatory
(Europa)
IDA Interchange of Data between Administrations. In the following sections and pages, we will be presenting the very latest and best information on all things eGovernment in Europe. At the moment, we have just the very first pieces of information loaded. Over the coming days, weeks and months, this resource will be expanded and regularly updated.
- FR - e-Gouvernement : l'administration entre le chaud et le froid
(Yahoo!)
Coup sur coup, deux études sur l'administration en ligne viennent de paraître. Comme celles qui les ont précédées, elles alternent le chaud et le froid. D'un côté, le livre blanc d'EDS, intitulé L'e-gouvernement en France : une ardente obligation, estime que « la France se dégrade quant à la qualité des services en matière d'e-administration ». Plusieurs éléments sont néanmoins mis en avant : 1 200 formulaires (65 % du total) sont téléchargeables, et le portail Service-public.fr figure parmi les dix meilleurs sites publics mondiaux. De l'autre, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (CGEY), dans son rapport e-Europe, où en est-on ?, commandité par la Commission européenne, note que le développement des services publics en ligne y aurait crû de 12 points au cours des six derniers mois, passant de 49 % en octobre 2001 à 61 % en avril 2002. Par comparaison, ce taux n'est que de 10 points - de 45 à 55 % - sur l'ensemble des dix-huit pays européens analysés.
Issue no. 239 - 30 June 2002
- DE - Stasi im Netz: Wie Datenschützer gegen Stasi-Aufklärer vorgehen
(Spiegel)
Private DDR-Aufklärer stellen immer wieder Stasi-Dokumente ins Internet, zum Missfallen der Datenschutzbeauftragten. Nun jagen die beamteten Datenschützer die Aufklärer - und erwägen dabei zweifelhafte Methoden, die ihrerseits an die Stasi-Zeit erinnern.
- UK - Poor technology 'lets down' courts
(BBC)
A senior judge has blamed poor technology systems for miscarriages of justice and delays in the British judicial system. Lord Justice Brooke warned that the justice system is in danger of disintegrating if an investment of at least £500m is not made. "Information technology systems have been lousy, leading to serious delays and in some cases serious miscarriages of justice," he told the technology news magazine Computing.
Issue no. 238 - 22 June 2002
- AU - Censor secrecy okay: tribunal
(Australian)
Internet censors will continue their work in secret, following an Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision to withhold information about banned content. Electronic Frontiers Australia had requested access under the Freedom of Information Act to a number of Australian Broadcasting Authority documents relating to censored websites. But the ABA refused to release details that identified the nature of the material. Last week the AAT supported the ABA decision, ruling that release of the information would have a "substantial adverse effect on the ABA's ability to administer the co-regulatory scheme" for internet content. see also ABA welcomes AAT decision on Internet content (Press Release).
Issue no. 237 - 16 June 2002
Issue no. 236 - 8 June 2002
- EU - Openness and access to documents
(Commission)
Article 255 of the EC Treaty, implemented through Regulation 1049/2001, grants a right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents to any Union citizen and to any natural or legal person residing, or having its registered office, in a Member State. his site will guide you in the search for Commission documents.The Guide explains how to exercise your right of access. The Registers of documents will help you to identify documents. Also Organisation chart of the Directorates -general and other services of the Commission - legal acts on public access - links to websites of European Parliament and the Council - Member State rules on access.
- Fourth International Conference on Law via the Internet - Call for Papers
(LEXUM)
0ct 2, 3 et 4, 2002 Montréal, Canada. The 4th International Conference on Law via the Internet aims to bring together the diverse contributors and partakers in the process of publishing and consulting legal information on the Web. Communications must be related to the general subject of Internet based legal resources. Papers related to new practices and standards for law on the Internet will be particularly welcomed. Papers must be submitted by June 15th 2002.
- UK - Parliament makes e-history
(Guardian)
The public is to get a formal say in the legislative process for the first time when a parliamentary committee takes evidence over the internet. The experiment is being carried out as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the communications bill, with the intention of ironing out flaws in the draft legislation before its formal passage through parliament. The public can participate by logging on to the committee's session at www.parliamentlive.tv today from 10.15am. Emails with comments and suggestions can be sent to edemocracy@lse.ac.uk. The emails will be received by a mediator working for the committee (appointed by the independent Hansard Society) who will weed out any junk emails and distill the useful contributions for the consideration of members of the committee.
- US - Court to Rule on Sex Offense Law
(Washington Post)
Setting the stage for a major review of sex offender registry laws across the country, the Supreme Court announced today that it will rule on a constitutional challenge to a state law that requires convicted sex offenders' names, addresses and photographs to be posted on the World Wide Web.
- US - FirstGov site gets high marks
(Federal Computer Week)
Efforts to build a more user-friendly FirstGov are paying off. Visitors to the redesigned government portal are giving it much higher marks than its predecessor earned.
- EU - Commission proposes Directive on exploitation of public sector information
(RAPID)
The European Commission has proposed a Directive aiming to facilitate the re-use of public sector information throughout Europe. The aim is to lower the barriers which Europe's content companies face as they develop a new generation of information services and products based on public sector information. The result should decrease the gap between European companies and their counterparts in the US, where a single set of rules has helped stimulate a market several times larger than in the EU.
Issue no. 235 - 20 May 2002
- UK - Government goes mobile
(FT)
Imagine getting your exam results, an update on your passport application or news that your state benefit was in your bank via mobile phone. It could become a reality as the UK Government considers mobile communications as part of its drive to make all public services available electronically by 2005.
- UK - Sky's the limit for e-government
(Guardian)
The debut of government services on digital television last month came without policy statement or consultation. This impulsiveness may cost the e-government programme dear. What is certain, however, is that by pressing on regardless, the government has allowed the desire to appear technologically progressive to prevail over its more fundamental duty of being consultative and commercially neutral.
Issue no. 234 - 11 May 2002
Issue no. 233 - 4 May 2002
- USA - N.Y. Court Commission to Study Effects of Case Info Online
(law.com)
A commission to advise the judiciary on possible privacy interests affected by the posting of New York state court case files on the Internet was appointed by the New York Court of Appeals. The Commission on Public Access to Court Records is expected to issue a report next year examining technology that allows easy access to the sometimes sensitive personal information in court documents.
- Balanced E-Government
(Bertelsmann Foundation)
E-Government has begun to conquer the public sector. Under the roof of electronic democracy - or E-Democracy - a new culture of political participation is evolving. The Bertelsmann Foundation wants to investigate how far the integration of both concepts has advanced. The results of the research, which was conducted in cooperation with Booz, Allen, Hamilton, are summarized in the study Balanced eGovernment - Connecting Efficient Administration and Responsive Democracy.
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QuickLinks
Links to news items about legal and regulatory aspects of Internet and the information society, particularly those relating to information content, and market and technology. QuickLinks consists of
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QuickLinks is edited by Richard Swetenham richard.swetenham@cec.eu.int