/PRNewswire/ -- Scientists working for NASA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. have developed continually updating "movies" of satellite imagery that allows on-line, iPhone and iPad viewing of any cyclone's movement in the Hurricane Alleys of the Atlantic Ocean or Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) GOES-13 satellite captures visible and infrared images of the weather over the U.S. East coast. These images are overlaid on a true-color background map, and fed into small and medium-sized videos of the Gulf of Mexico and the nearby Atlantic Ocean for the last 3 days. The GOES-11 satellite provides similar coverage of the U.S. west coast and Eastern Pacific.
The GOES satellites scan further into the oceans twice per hour, offering the opportunity to watch storm development in the swath called "Hurricane Alley," from Atlantic to Pacific. The bigger scans are used to make large-scale Hurricane Alley movies for the last three to five days, illustrating the life-cycle of subtropical storms, as some of them spin up to become hurricanes.
The GOES satellites also scan the entire disk of the Earth every three hours. These are used to produce "full disk movies" from the last five days of satellite imagery data from GOES-13 in the Atlantic and GOES-11 in the eastern Pacific. With just eight frames per day, time flies by quickly as weather circulates across the Western Hemisphere.
"We have recently changed the code for the up-to-date GOES movies, including the "Hurricane Alley" movies, that have links on the page goes.gsfc.nasa.gov," said Dr. Dennis Chesters of the NASA GOES Project at Goddard. "They are now all encoded with H264, the digital compression standard used by the cable TV industry."
Because of the modern video standard, these play on all personal computers (Windows and Macs) that are up-to-date.
Dr. Chesters said that the NASA GOES Project also slightly resized the GOES movies, so that all of the movies have at least one dimension that is a sub-multiple of a standard HDTV dimension (720/1080). "This makes it easy for software that automatically fits movies to a screen to resize them without complicated interpolation," Dennis said. "So, the movies appear sharp and have snappy playback on small-screen devices. For instance, they work nicely on the popular iPads."
As a hidden bonus, each of the four frames at the top of the page (WEST+EAST for USA+GLOBE) is linked to a "reference movie" that downloads a movie that is the right size for your device. This is a Quicktime-only feature that will work on all Apple computers and Windows PCs that have Quicktime installed. The "reference movie" will accommodate iPhones and iPads as well as Macs and PCs. It sends a highly compressed version if the device is using a slow G3 phone link, but sends a larger, less compressed version to bigger screens with faster connections.
For the 2010 hurricane season, the NASA GOES Project is considering creating a gallery of up-to-date movies in many sizes/formats, with a separate web page with explanations and links.
To access to today's GOES Hurricane Alley movies, visit: http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Protect Your Computer: Don’t be Scared by 'Scareware'
We’ve all seen them—pop-up messages telling you your computer is infected with a virus. To get rid of it, all you have to do is order the antivirus software being advertised.
Before you click, though, know this: few Internet security companies use ads to tell you about a virus on your computer. Most of these pop-ups are scams, and it’s one of the fastest-growing types of Internet fraud today.
These scams have a name. They’re called “scareware” because they try to frighten you into purchasing fake antivirus software with a seemingly genuine security warning. But if you do try to buy this program, it will either do nothing…or it could compromise your computer by installing malicious software onto your system. And in some instances, you don’t even have to click on the pop-up box…the software downloads automatically.
Cyber criminals often use notorious botnets—networks of compromised computers under their control—to push out their software. They’ll also masquerade as legitimate Internet security companies and buy ads on other websites—called “malvertising”—but when consumers click on the ads to purchase the products, they are redirected to websites controlled by the bad guys.
Many of these criminals operate outside the U.S., making investigations difficult and complex for the FBI and its partners. But we’ve had successes—just this past May, for example, three people were charged in Illinois in connection with a scheme that caused Internet users in more than 60 countries, including the U.S., to buy more than $100 million worth of bogus scareware software.
Two of the defendants, including an American, are accused of running an overseas company that claimed to sell antivirus and computer performance/repair software over the Internet. A third man operated the company’s Cincinnati call center, which was responsible for technical and billing support to its customers (but in reality deflected complaints from consumers who realized the software didn’t work).
According to the indictment, proceeds from the sales of the software (which was typically purchased by credit card) were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants and others throughout the world and then quickly transferred to accounts in Europe.
In addition to the consumers victimized by the scam, a number of legitimate companies tricked into selling ad space on their websites for the bogus software were allegedly defrauded of about $85,000 in unpaid fees.
Don’t let it happen to you. Here are a few words of advice on scareware.
How to spot a scareware scam:
* Does the pop-up use “non-clickable” icons? To build authenticity into their software, scareware will show a list of reputable icons—like those of software companies or security publications. However, the user can’t click through to the sites to see the actual reviews or recommendations.
* Is the pop-up ad hard to close? Scareware pop-ups employ aggressive techniques and will not close easily after clicking the “close” or “X” button.
* Have you heard of the software before? Cyber criminals use easy-to-remember names like Virus Shield, Antivirus, or VirusRemover.
How to protect yourself from scareware: Make sure your computer is fully protected by legitimate, up-to-date antivirus software.
If you think you’ve been victimized by scareware: File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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Before you click, though, know this: few Internet security companies use ads to tell you about a virus on your computer. Most of these pop-ups are scams, and it’s one of the fastest-growing types of Internet fraud today.
These scams have a name. They’re called “scareware” because they try to frighten you into purchasing fake antivirus software with a seemingly genuine security warning. But if you do try to buy this program, it will either do nothing…or it could compromise your computer by installing malicious software onto your system. And in some instances, you don’t even have to click on the pop-up box…the software downloads automatically.
Cyber criminals often use notorious botnets—networks of compromised computers under their control—to push out their software. They’ll also masquerade as legitimate Internet security companies and buy ads on other websites—called “malvertising”—but when consumers click on the ads to purchase the products, they are redirected to websites controlled by the bad guys.
Many of these criminals operate outside the U.S., making investigations difficult and complex for the FBI and its partners. But we’ve had successes—just this past May, for example, three people were charged in Illinois in connection with a scheme that caused Internet users in more than 60 countries, including the U.S., to buy more than $100 million worth of bogus scareware software.
Two of the defendants, including an American, are accused of running an overseas company that claimed to sell antivirus and computer performance/repair software over the Internet. A third man operated the company’s Cincinnati call center, which was responsible for technical and billing support to its customers (but in reality deflected complaints from consumers who realized the software didn’t work).
According to the indictment, proceeds from the sales of the software (which was typically purchased by credit card) were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants and others throughout the world and then quickly transferred to accounts in Europe.
In addition to the consumers victimized by the scam, a number of legitimate companies tricked into selling ad space on their websites for the bogus software were allegedly defrauded of about $85,000 in unpaid fees.
Don’t let it happen to you. Here are a few words of advice on scareware.
How to spot a scareware scam:
* Does the pop-up use “non-clickable” icons? To build authenticity into their software, scareware will show a list of reputable icons—like those of software companies or security publications. However, the user can’t click through to the sites to see the actual reviews or recommendations.
* Is the pop-up ad hard to close? Scareware pop-ups employ aggressive techniques and will not close easily after clicking the “close” or “X” button.
* Have you heard of the software before? Cyber criminals use easy-to-remember names like Virus Shield, Antivirus, or VirusRemover.
How to protect yourself from scareware: Make sure your computer is fully protected by legitimate, up-to-date antivirus software.
If you think you’ve been victimized by scareware: File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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Sunday, July 4, 2010
Evaluate Appeals for Help from Friends Traveling Abroad with Caution
The Internet Crime Complaint Center continues to receive reports of individuals’ e-mail or social networking accounts being compromised and used in a social engineering scam to swindle consumers out of thousands of dollars.
Here’s how it works: Hackers infiltrate your social networking page, claim to be you, and write your contacts/friends. They portray themselves as “victims” who were robbed while traveling abroad and state they need money immediately because they don’t have a passport, money, credit cards, or cell phone and are stranded.
Some claim they only have a few days to pay their hotel bill and promise to reimburse costs upon their return home. Recipients may be tempted to respond to these appeals because they appear to be from a friend and there’s a sense of urgency to help.
If you receive a similar notice and aren’t sure if it is a scam, you should always verify the information before sending any money. If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other cyber crime, report it to the IC3 website at www.IC3.gov.
The IC3’s database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns.
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Here’s how it works: Hackers infiltrate your social networking page, claim to be you, and write your contacts/friends. They portray themselves as “victims” who were robbed while traveling abroad and state they need money immediately because they don’t have a passport, money, credit cards, or cell phone and are stranded.
Some claim they only have a few days to pay their hotel bill and promise to reimburse costs upon their return home. Recipients may be tempted to respond to these appeals because they appear to be from a friend and there’s a sense of urgency to help.
If you receive a similar notice and aren’t sure if it is a scam, you should always verify the information before sending any money. If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other cyber crime, report it to the IC3 website at www.IC3.gov.
The IC3’s database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010
EarthLink Files Opposition to Comcast-NBCU Merger; Seeks to Enhance Consumer Choice of Internet Services
PRNewswire -- EarthLink, Inc. (NASDAQ:ELNK) , one of the nation's leading Internet service providers, today filed at the Federal Communications Commission a Petition to Condition or Deny the proposed merger of Comcast Corporation and NBC Universal. (See http://www.earthlink.net/go/merger for EarthLink's Petition.)
EarthLink believes the transaction would result in Comcast engaging in a range of anti-competitive actions that will reduce consumer choice, restrict content diversity, and interfere with Internet competition. To remedy these harms, EarthLink proposed the FCC adopt a condition requiring Comcast to offer wholesale standalone broadband access to independent Internet service providers. EarthLink's successful and long-standing wholesale relationship with Time Warner Cable demonstrates that merger conditions implementing competitive broadband access can enhance consumer choice and create commercial benefits for all parties.
"The access condition that EarthLink proposes today for the Comcast-NBCU merger will be a win for consumers and a win for online competition," said EarthLink Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rolla Huff. "The condition essentially enables Comcast customers to 'break the bundle' and purchase only the services they need or want. We look forward to working with the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure the transaction results in greater consumer choice and competition."
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EarthLink believes the transaction would result in Comcast engaging in a range of anti-competitive actions that will reduce consumer choice, restrict content diversity, and interfere with Internet competition. To remedy these harms, EarthLink proposed the FCC adopt a condition requiring Comcast to offer wholesale standalone broadband access to independent Internet service providers. EarthLink's successful and long-standing wholesale relationship with Time Warner Cable demonstrates that merger conditions implementing competitive broadband access can enhance consumer choice and create commercial benefits for all parties.
"The access condition that EarthLink proposes today for the Comcast-NBCU merger will be a win for consumers and a win for online competition," said EarthLink Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rolla Huff. "The condition essentially enables Comcast customers to 'break the bundle' and purchase only the services they need or want. We look forward to working with the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure the transaction results in greater consumer choice and competition."
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Study Says Regulators Should Preserve Pricing Flexibility for Broadband Service to Help Close Digital Divide
/PRNewswire/ -- A new study released today by the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy looks at how broadband pricing plans that recover a greater share of costs from the heaviest users, including high-bandwidth consuming content providers, would help the United States achieve universal broadband adoption sooner and accelerate the end of a digital divide across income, racial and ethnic lines. The study found that such a digital divide should end before the end of this decade, if Internet Service Providers (ISPs) apply flexible pricing strategies.
The paper, by economists Robert J. Shapiro, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, and Senior Fellow at the Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy, and Kevin A. Hassett, Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, notes that the exploding demand for bandwidth, primarily from video applications, will require that the ISPs invest several hundred billion dollars to expand the broadband infrastructure. The study also finds that the pricing approaches used to fund those investments could largely determine the pace of broadband adoption over the next decade. The study utilizes findings from the FCC's National Broadband Plan to update an earlier analysis released last fall.
"Pricing models that recover costs equally, on a per-household basis to all subscribers, will substantially slow adoption," Shapiro and Hassett find. "However, a more flexible pricing model that recovers a greater share of these additional costs from high-bandwidth consumers or content providers would keep most subscribers' fee low and facilitate broadband adoption by all groups of Americans. Under this model, effective universal adoption should be achieved by all racial and ethnic groups by 2018 or 2019."
Shapiro and Hassett say pricing models are critical, because price is the largest factor determining whether a household subscribes to broadband. They observe that given the additional investments required to accommodate fast-rising demand for bandwidth and to avoid Internet congestion, the prevailing flat-fee pricing plans which charge the same fee for both modest and very heavy use of bandwidth will slow how fast lower-income Americans subscribe to broadband services. The paper finds that under the flat-fee pricing approach, fewer than 85 percent of Americans will have home broadband service by the end of this decade - well short of the 100 percent goal set by President Obama. For African Americans and Hispanics, who account for a disproportionate share of lower-income households, adoption rates would be 82 and 83 percent, respectively, if the cost of additional investment is borne equally by all consumers.
"Small price increases for current broadband users, especially middle-income and high-income subscribers, are unlikely to drive them back to dial-up. However, higher prices may have a much larger impact on the Internet subscription choices of households currently without service or using dial-up. Moreover, the evidence suggests that lower-income households are particularly sensitive to higher broadband prices," the study says.
The paper assumes that high bandwidth users, whose bandwidth consumption is fueling the growth of infrastructure investment needs, are relatively insensitive to price increases. It also observes that if that assumption does not hold, the largest share of the additional infrastructure investment could be funded through higher fees from the heaviest bandwidth-consuming content providers.
According to Shapiro and Hassett, "The same narrowing differences in broadband adoption would occur if the 80 percent share of the additional investment is passed along in higher charges to bandwidth-intensive content or applications providers, rather than their consumers. Some such approach would be the most efficient way to ensure that very high-bandwidth users do not drive up the costs of basic broadband service for everyone else."
The authors argue that as a matter of national social policy, average users should not be required to subsidize high-bandwidth consumers and content providers, as they have to date.
"Government policy should protect the ability of ISPs to employ flexible pricing strategies and ensure that government does not, even inadvertently, effectively compel pricing practices that would perpetuate differences in broadband adoption by income, race or ethnicity," added Shapiro and Hassett.
To access the complete study, visit the following link: http://tinyurl.com/2blzrv6. For additional information or media inquiries, please contact Andrea Salvatore by e-mail at cbpp@msb.edu.
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The paper, by economists Robert J. Shapiro, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, and Senior Fellow at the Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy, and Kevin A. Hassett, Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, notes that the exploding demand for bandwidth, primarily from video applications, will require that the ISPs invest several hundred billion dollars to expand the broadband infrastructure. The study also finds that the pricing approaches used to fund those investments could largely determine the pace of broadband adoption over the next decade. The study utilizes findings from the FCC's National Broadband Plan to update an earlier analysis released last fall.
"Pricing models that recover costs equally, on a per-household basis to all subscribers, will substantially slow adoption," Shapiro and Hassett find. "However, a more flexible pricing model that recovers a greater share of these additional costs from high-bandwidth consumers or content providers would keep most subscribers' fee low and facilitate broadband adoption by all groups of Americans. Under this model, effective universal adoption should be achieved by all racial and ethnic groups by 2018 or 2019."
Shapiro and Hassett say pricing models are critical, because price is the largest factor determining whether a household subscribes to broadband. They observe that given the additional investments required to accommodate fast-rising demand for bandwidth and to avoid Internet congestion, the prevailing flat-fee pricing plans which charge the same fee for both modest and very heavy use of bandwidth will slow how fast lower-income Americans subscribe to broadband services. The paper finds that under the flat-fee pricing approach, fewer than 85 percent of Americans will have home broadband service by the end of this decade - well short of the 100 percent goal set by President Obama. For African Americans and Hispanics, who account for a disproportionate share of lower-income households, adoption rates would be 82 and 83 percent, respectively, if the cost of additional investment is borne equally by all consumers.
"Small price increases for current broadband users, especially middle-income and high-income subscribers, are unlikely to drive them back to dial-up. However, higher prices may have a much larger impact on the Internet subscription choices of households currently without service or using dial-up. Moreover, the evidence suggests that lower-income households are particularly sensitive to higher broadband prices," the study says.
The paper assumes that high bandwidth users, whose bandwidth consumption is fueling the growth of infrastructure investment needs, are relatively insensitive to price increases. It also observes that if that assumption does not hold, the largest share of the additional infrastructure investment could be funded through higher fees from the heaviest bandwidth-consuming content providers.
According to Shapiro and Hassett, "The same narrowing differences in broadband adoption would occur if the 80 percent share of the additional investment is passed along in higher charges to bandwidth-intensive content or applications providers, rather than their consumers. Some such approach would be the most efficient way to ensure that very high-bandwidth users do not drive up the costs of basic broadband service for everyone else."
The authors argue that as a matter of national social policy, average users should not be required to subsidize high-bandwidth consumers and content providers, as they have to date.
"Government policy should protect the ability of ISPs to employ flexible pricing strategies and ensure that government does not, even inadvertently, effectively compel pricing practices that would perpetuate differences in broadband adoption by income, race or ethnicity," added Shapiro and Hassett.
To access the complete study, visit the following link: http://tinyurl.com/2blzrv6. For additional information or media inquiries, please contact Andrea Salvatore by e-mail at cbpp@msb.edu.
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Monday, June 21, 2010
Fraudulent Telephone Calls Allowing Fraudsters Access to Consumer Financial and Brokerage Accounts
The FBI Newark Divisionreleased a warning to consumers concerning a new scheme using telecommunicationsdenial-of-service (TDoS)attacks.
The FBI determined fraudsters compromised victim accounts and contacted financial
institutions to change the victim profile information (i.e. email addresses, telephone
numbers and bank account numbers).
The TDoS attacks used automated dialing programs and multiple accounts to overwhelm
victims' cell phones and land lines with thousands of calls. When victims answered
the calls they heard dead air (nothing on the other end), an innocuous recorded
message, advertisement, or a telephone sex menu. Calls were typically short in duration
but so numerous that victims changed their phone numbers to terminate the attack.
These TDoS attacks were used as a diversion to prevent financial and brokerage institutions
from verifying victim account changes and transactions. Fraudsters were afforded
adequate time to transfer funds from victim brokerage and financial online accounts.
Protection from TDoS attacks and other types of fraud requires consumers to be vigilant
and proactive. In Newark’s Public Service Announcement (PSA),
they recommend consumers protect themselves by:
* Implement security measures for all financial accounts by placing fraud alerts with
the major credit bureaus if you believe they were targeted by a TDoS attack or other
forms of fraud.
* Use strong passwords for all financial accounts and change them regularly.
* Obtain and review your annual credit report for fraudulent activity.
If you were a target of a TDoS attack, immediately contact your financial institutions,
notify your telephone provider, and promptly report it to the IC3 website at: www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints to assist in referrals to the appropriate law enforcement agency for
case consideration. The complaint information is also used to identity emerging
trends and patterns.
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The FBI determined fraudsters compromised victim accounts and contacted financial
institutions to change the victim profile information (i.e. email addresses, telephone
numbers and bank account numbers).
The TDoS attacks used automated dialing programs and multiple accounts to overwhelm
victims' cell phones and land lines with thousands of calls. When victims answered
the calls they heard dead air (nothing on the other end), an innocuous recorded
message, advertisement, or a telephone sex menu. Calls were typically short in duration
but so numerous that victims changed their phone numbers to terminate the attack.
These TDoS attacks were used as a diversion to prevent financial and brokerage institutions
from verifying victim account changes and transactions. Fraudsters were afforded
adequate time to transfer funds from victim brokerage and financial online accounts.
Protection from TDoS attacks and other types of fraud requires consumers to be vigilant
and proactive. In Newark’s Public Service Announcement (PSA),
they recommend consumers protect themselves by:
* Implement security measures for all financial accounts by placing fraud alerts with
the major credit bureaus if you believe they were targeted by a TDoS attack or other
forms of fraud.
* Use strong passwords for all financial accounts and change them regularly.
* Obtain and review your annual credit report for fraudulent activity.
If you were a target of a TDoS attack, immediately contact your financial institutions,
notify your telephone provider, and promptly report it to the IC3 website at: www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints to assist in referrals to the appropriate law enforcement agency for
case consideration. The complaint information is also used to identity emerging
trends and patterns.
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Thursday, June 17, 2010
Verizon Statement on FCC Vote on Broadband Internet Services Inquiry
/PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Communications Commission approved a Notice of Inquiry by a 3-2 vote on Thursday (June 17) to begin public consideration of possible legal frameworks for commission action on broadband Internet services. The following is a statement by Tom Tauke, Verizon executive vice president for public affairs, policy and communications:
"Reclassifying high-speed broadband Internet service as a telecom service is a terrible idea. The negative consequences for online users and the Internet ecosystem would be severe and have ramifications for decades. It is difficult to understand why the FCC continues to consider this option.
"Rather than attempting to make the new world of broadband fit into the regulatory scheme of the old telephone world, the FCC should acknowledge that this is an issue Congress should address. Nearly 300 members of Congress have signed letters to the FCC, warning against reclassification and expressing support for congressional action.
"We will continue to work with the Congress, the FCC and other interested parties to resolve these issues in a manner that encourages investment, innovation, jobs and the best possible online experience for users."
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"Reclassifying high-speed broadband Internet service as a telecom service is a terrible idea. The negative consequences for online users and the Internet ecosystem would be severe and have ramifications for decades. It is difficult to understand why the FCC continues to consider this option.
"Rather than attempting to make the new world of broadband fit into the regulatory scheme of the old telephone world, the FCC should acknowledge that this is an issue Congress should address. Nearly 300 members of Congress have signed letters to the FCC, warning against reclassification and expressing support for congressional action.
"We will continue to work with the Congress, the FCC and other interested parties to resolve these issues in a manner that encourages investment, innovation, jobs and the best possible online experience for users."
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Americans for Prosperity Slams FCC's Internet Takeover Attempt
/PRNewswire/ -- Phil Kerpen, vice president for policy at Americans for Prosperity (AFP), released the following statement in response to the Notice of Inquiry announcement today by the Federal Communications Commission:
"Today marks a troubling and dangerous step forward in the Federal Communications Commission's ongoing effort to take over the internet. The FCC's Notice of Inquiry is an aggressive step in their reckless effort to force decades-old Title II public utility regulations on Internet providers.
"Such a radical change undoes a remarkable decade of success with a free-market, hands-off Internet. No wonder we have seen mounting bipartisan opposition to reclassification from consumers worried about the impact Title II would have on innovation and competition, small businesses worried about a sudden drop in investment, and free-market allies worried about the increased role of the federal government in internet policy.
"Despite the outcry from nearly 300 Democrats and Republicans, President Obama's FCC is determined to regulate. We therefore urge Congress to step in immediately to stop the Commission's dangerous efforts to get regulatory control of the Internet."
AFP's new website -- www.NoInternetTakeover.com -- provides information and tools for Americans to engage their members of Congress on this critical issue.
Americans for Prosperity(TM) (AFP) is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. The grassroots members of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.
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"Today marks a troubling and dangerous step forward in the Federal Communications Commission's ongoing effort to take over the internet. The FCC's Notice of Inquiry is an aggressive step in their reckless effort to force decades-old Title II public utility regulations on Internet providers.
"Such a radical change undoes a remarkable decade of success with a free-market, hands-off Internet. No wonder we have seen mounting bipartisan opposition to reclassification from consumers worried about the impact Title II would have on innovation and competition, small businesses worried about a sudden drop in investment, and free-market allies worried about the increased role of the federal government in internet policy.
"Despite the outcry from nearly 300 Democrats and Republicans, President Obama's FCC is determined to regulate. We therefore urge Congress to step in immediately to stop the Commission's dangerous efforts to get regulatory control of the Internet."
AFP's new website -- www.NoInternetTakeover.com -- provides information and tools for Americans to engage their members of Congress on this critical issue.
Americans for Prosperity(TM) (AFP) is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. The grassroots members of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.
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Thursday, June 3, 2010
Op Ed: We Need a New System for Interrogating Terrorists
It's been nearly nine years since 9/11, but we still have no established procedures for interrogating terrorist suspects detained inside the United States. The military-based system developed during the Bush Administration disregards civil liberties. The criminal justice model used in many terrorism cases inhibits intelligence collection. We need a better system.
To meet our counterterrorism objectives, Congress should enact a law that allows the government to interrogate a suspect for intelligence purposes, without counsel present, for up to seven days. To protect the suspect's constitutional rights, the information gained during this time could not be used as evidence against him in a criminal trial.
While civil libertarians will decry this proposal as a form of administrative detention, it's far more protective of civil liberties than the system devised during the Bush Administration (and affirmed by the Supreme Court). Under this military system, suspected terrorists (including U.S. citizens) can be designated enemy combatants by the president, placed in military custody and held indefinitely without trial. Judicial review of the lawfulness of the detention does not take place for months, even years.
High-ranking Bush lawyer Jack Goldsmith, upon seeing 22-year-old U.S. citizen Yasser Hamdi isolated in a naval brig after being designated an enemy combatant, said, "Something seemed wrong. ... This is what habeas corpus is for."
There is a "public safety" exception that was used to justify short interrogations in the Flight 253 and Times Square cases without Miranda warnings. And, in both of these cases, it appears the suspects continued to provide information to law enforcement even after being read their rights. But this is more a matter of good fortune than the result of good policy.
To meet our counterterrorism objectives, Congress should enact a law that allows the government to interrogate a suspect for intelligence purposes, without counsel present, for up to seven days. To protect the suspect's constitutional rights, the information gained during this time could not be used as evidence against him in a criminal trial.
Once the interrogation is complete, the suspect would be turned over to the criminal justice system for a normal prosecution, with all the usual civil liberties protections. Such a system would maximize the chances of gaining valuable intelligence while leaving our criminal justice system undisturbed.
High-ranking Bush lawyer Jack Goldsmith, upon seeing 22-year-old U.S. citizen Yasser Hamdi isolated in a naval brig after being designated an enemy combatant, said, "Something seemed wrong. ... This is what habeas corpus is for."
But, as critics have pointed out, the criminal justice procedures used following the failed bombing of Flight 253 to Detroit and the botched car-bomb attack in Times Square could squander opportunities to gain intelligence. Normally, when a suspect is arrested, he is read Miranda rights and given the opportunity to see a lawyer. In most cases, suspects are advised to stop providing information, at least until the lawyer can evaluate the case. Even if a suspect waives his Miranda rights and submits to an interrogation, he must be "presented" in court "without unreasonable delay." These procedures create obstacles to collecting intelligence in national security cases.
Recognizing this, Attorney General Holder floated the idea of expanding the public safety exception to allow for a longer interrogation without Miranda warnings or a court appearance. Civil libertarians correctly note this proposal would undercut the logic of Miranda and threaten the constitutional protection against self-incrimination. Moreover, if Congress disposes of Miranda warnings in terrorism cases, the argument could be made that this protection can also be circumvented for other national security crimes - like espionage - and then serious violent crimes, and so on.
Allowing an "intelligence-only" interrogation would not raise Fifth Amendment problems because the information would be excluded from any subsequent trial. And, because this limitation would complicate prosecutions, the government is only likely to use it in cases where core national security interests are at stake.
Congress should build multiple levels of protection into this system. First, the government should be forced to establish probable cause of a terrorism crime to justify the interrogation. Second, to prevent this authority from being used to conduct secret interrogations, family members should be notified that a relative has been detained. Third, to protect against abusive treatment, the suspect's entire time in custody should be videotaped.
Congress would set the outer limit for this detention. In the United Kingdom, pre-charge detention is allowed for 28 days. We have a more libertarian tradition than the U.K., so an outer limit of seven days or less might be a reasonable period.
Detention for interrogation is an unsettling concept. But neither the criminal justice system nor law of war is perfectly suited for dealing with terrorism. To deal with this threat that combines aspects of both crime and war, we need to craft flexible institutions and legal procedures.
By David H. Schanzer
Durham, NC
David Schanzer is the director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security at Duke and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This op-ed ran in the Baltimore Sun, Newark Star-Ledger, Allentown Morning Call and the (Raleigh) News & Observer.
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Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Geolocation Apps and Social Networks Can Be a Dangerous Combo
/PRNewswire/ -- Geolocation, or identifying the geographic location of people via Internet-enabled devices, has spawned a new type of social networking--one that leading outlets like CNN and ZDNet say has relevant future business applications but dangerous capabilities. According to Edison Research, only 7 percent of Americans are aware of location-based social networks--which means awareness should start now before the trend grows in popularity.
Foursquare, one of the most popular social geolocation networks, has pushed sharing geo-location data mainstream, with Facebook and Twitter now offering geolocation options for updates. But is this new trend simply an open invitation to criminals? Foursquare acknowledges the problem on their blog saying that the question is a legitimate one that should include all methods of giving away one's location, such as posting about a vacation on Facebook or tweeting with "headed to" followed by a location on Twitter.
"Smartphones are more prevalent now, especially among preteens and teens, and social networks like Foursquare and Gowalla target that demographic by using geo-locational data as part of a game," said InternetSafety CTO Aaron Kenny. "Linking the game to social networks like Twitter--an easy integration--publicly displays the location of you or your child, representing a potentially dangerous and invasive privacy breach. It's clear that the sites want people to share their data, so it's up to individuals to make sure their use of these sites is safe."
Users of geolocation apps can follow a few basic tips to limit the amount of personal location data they share:
-- Monitor connected accounts - If your child has a Twitter page, make
sure that games like Foursquare and Gowalla aren't linked to it.
Twitter's feed runs over a public network and makes location-based
data available to prying eyes.
-- Educate Yourselves and Your Kids - Take time to learn the pitfalls of
sharing location-based data and explain to your kids why sharing
location-based privacy data is dangerous. Weighing the risks and
rewards that these services provide is a great start.
-- Know Your App - Be sure to check and double-check all settings in all
apps that broadcast geolocation data. These apps seek to make as much
information public as possible because it increases the visibility of
the app, and using the most popular social networks to do so helps the
app spread virally. The unwanted side effect is that the user's exact
location is made public to the world.
In addition to providing industry-leading web filtering products, InternetSafety.com seeks to spread awareness of potentially dangerous online interactions and activities. Visit www.internetsafety.com for more information.
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Foursquare, one of the most popular social geolocation networks, has pushed sharing geo-location data mainstream, with Facebook and Twitter now offering geolocation options for updates. But is this new trend simply an open invitation to criminals? Foursquare acknowledges the problem on their blog saying that the question is a legitimate one that should include all methods of giving away one's location, such as posting about a vacation on Facebook or tweeting with "headed to" followed by a location on Twitter.
"Smartphones are more prevalent now, especially among preteens and teens, and social networks like Foursquare and Gowalla target that demographic by using geo-locational data as part of a game," said InternetSafety CTO Aaron Kenny. "Linking the game to social networks like Twitter--an easy integration--publicly displays the location of you or your child, representing a potentially dangerous and invasive privacy breach. It's clear that the sites want people to share their data, so it's up to individuals to make sure their use of these sites is safe."
Users of geolocation apps can follow a few basic tips to limit the amount of personal location data they share:
-- Monitor connected accounts - If your child has a Twitter page, make
sure that games like Foursquare and Gowalla aren't linked to it.
Twitter's feed runs over a public network and makes location-based
data available to prying eyes.
-- Educate Yourselves and Your Kids - Take time to learn the pitfalls of
sharing location-based data and explain to your kids why sharing
location-based privacy data is dangerous. Weighing the risks and
rewards that these services provide is a great start.
-- Know Your App - Be sure to check and double-check all settings in all
apps that broadcast geolocation data. These apps seek to make as much
information public as possible because it increases the visibility of
the app, and using the most popular social networks to do so helps the
app spread virally. The unwanted side effect is that the user's exact
location is made public to the world.
In addition to providing industry-leading web filtering products, InternetSafety.com seeks to spread awareness of potentially dangerous online interactions and activities. Visit www.internetsafety.com for more information.
-----
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Thursday, May 20, 2010
Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE) Opposes The FCC's "Third Way" Approach to Address Network Neutrality
/PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE) expressed opposition to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) recently developed "third way" approach to regulating the Internet, and urged Congress to play a larger role in the network neutrality debate.
"This policy shift appears to be a risky experiment and will likely lead to higher broadband prices," said ADE Chairman Julius H. Hollis. "It could conceivably keep 100 million Americans economically disenfranchised and locked out of our society - keeping the miracles and benefits of this 'Digital Revolution' far beyond their reach. That is something that we as a country simply cannot afford and, as such, we strongly feel that this is the wrong path to take."
In the letter, ADE urged Congress to play a larger role in the net neutrality debate. The group asked for "sensible action to guarantee all Americans have access to the benefits of high-speed Internet technology," and made several recommendations to achieve this.
"As the world of business, medicine and education shift towards a more digital-based economy, the Chairman's proposal could worsen the problems of low and moderate-income Americans, who are already stretched financially and have disproportionately borne the brunt of this recession," said Manuel A. Diaz, Vice Chairman of the ADE Board of Directors.
"ADE and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) are dedicated to closing the economic divide through digital technology so that everyone, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, has the opportunity to access information in order to improve their quality of life, said Larry Cohen, CWA President. "With quick action from Congress, we can move forward to build the world class Internet society that will truly transform our nation into a better and fairer society for all Americans."
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"This policy shift appears to be a risky experiment and will likely lead to higher broadband prices," said ADE Chairman Julius H. Hollis. "It could conceivably keep 100 million Americans economically disenfranchised and locked out of our society - keeping the miracles and benefits of this 'Digital Revolution' far beyond their reach. That is something that we as a country simply cannot afford and, as such, we strongly feel that this is the wrong path to take."
In the letter, ADE urged Congress to play a larger role in the net neutrality debate. The group asked for "sensible action to guarantee all Americans have access to the benefits of high-speed Internet technology," and made several recommendations to achieve this.
"As the world of business, medicine and education shift towards a more digital-based economy, the Chairman's proposal could worsen the problems of low and moderate-income Americans, who are already stretched financially and have disproportionately borne the brunt of this recession," said Manuel A. Diaz, Vice Chairman of the ADE Board of Directors.
"ADE and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) are dedicated to closing the economic divide through digital technology so that everyone, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, has the opportunity to access information in order to improve their quality of life, said Larry Cohen, CWA President. "With quick action from Congress, we can move forward to build the world class Internet society that will truly transform our nation into a better and fairer society for all Americans."
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Remington Financial Group Chairman Issues 'Email Fraud Warning,' Alerts FBI
/PRNewswire/ -- Chairman and founder of Remington Financial Group, Andy Bogdanoff, has alerted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that an email scam is falsely using Remington's name to gain private information that may be used in identity theft.
In making the announcement, Bogdanoff emphasized that none of Remington's customer data had been breached by what appears to be a 'copycat email' scam similar to those that attempted to victimize bank and credit card customers in the past.
Remington is a national financial services company, specializing in providing commercial real estate owners and developers with access to needed capital. Since 1993, Remington has arranged more than $5 billion in financing for all types of commercial property.
Remington uncovered the "phishing" scheme through routine monitoring of the Internet for potential fraud activity. "In keeping with Remington's fraud policy," Bogdanoff said, "we referred the data we collected to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and appropriate state and local authorities."
Earlier in the year, Remington implemented what is believed to be the most comprehensive and stringent fraud policy in the financial services industry. At the time, Bogdanoff called on others in the industry to "shore up" their fraud policies and to rectify any deficiencies. "By doing so," Bogdanoff said, "the financial services industry can help regain public confidence and trust, which has been sorely tested by recent scandals."
The Remington Financial Group Fraud Policy includes strict monitoring controls and rigorous due diligence procedures designed to protect the integrity of the company and the interests of every person and entity involved in Remington activities.
"My hope is that Remington's Fraud Policy will become the 'gold standard' throughout the industry," Bogdanoff said. "At Remington, our goal is clear: To be super-vigilant against even the hint of fraudulent or other inappropriate activity by any employee, customer or lender associated with Remington. Any such behavior will not be tolerated. And any violation of this policy will be met with swift and appropriate disciplinary or legal action," Bogdanoff said.
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In making the announcement, Bogdanoff emphasized that none of Remington's customer data had been breached by what appears to be a 'copycat email' scam similar to those that attempted to victimize bank and credit card customers in the past.
Remington is a national financial services company, specializing in providing commercial real estate owners and developers with access to needed capital. Since 1993, Remington has arranged more than $5 billion in financing for all types of commercial property.
Remington uncovered the "phishing" scheme through routine monitoring of the Internet for potential fraud activity. "In keeping with Remington's fraud policy," Bogdanoff said, "we referred the data we collected to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and appropriate state and local authorities."
Earlier in the year, Remington implemented what is believed to be the most comprehensive and stringent fraud policy in the financial services industry. At the time, Bogdanoff called on others in the industry to "shore up" their fraud policies and to rectify any deficiencies. "By doing so," Bogdanoff said, "the financial services industry can help regain public confidence and trust, which has been sorely tested by recent scandals."
The Remington Financial Group Fraud Policy includes strict monitoring controls and rigorous due diligence procedures designed to protect the integrity of the company and the interests of every person and entity involved in Remington activities.
"My hope is that Remington's Fraud Policy will become the 'gold standard' throughout the industry," Bogdanoff said. "At Remington, our goal is clear: To be super-vigilant against even the hint of fraudulent or other inappropriate activity by any employee, customer or lender associated with Remington. Any such behavior will not be tolerated. And any violation of this policy will be met with swift and appropriate disciplinary or legal action," Bogdanoff said.
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Friday, May 7, 2010
Small Business Group Bemoans Federal Intrusion on the Internet
/PRNewswire/ -- Despite the fact that Congress has not given the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to regulate the Internet, along with a recent court decision informing the government agency that it exceeded its regulatory boundaries in trying to do so, the FCC announced that it will move forward with intrusive and risky rules that hurt innovation, the economy and small business. According to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council), such federal government intrusion dictating how the Internet operates will suffocate innovation, chill investment, and erode U.S. competitiveness. Moreover, Internet regulation undermines two crucial goals of the Obama Administration - accelerating the pace of economic recovery, and making broadband available for every American who wants access.
Commenting on the FCC's fixation to control the workings of the Internet where no problem exists, SBE Council President & CEO Karen Kerrigan said: "I cannot tell you how disappointed and concerned we are that the federal government has decided to intrude into an area where creativity, capital and freedom have joined to produce unprecedented gains and opportunities for the individual, society, entrepreneurs and our economy. We are particularly troubled because the FCC has not offered any compelling evidence that an 'Open Internet' has been compromised. In fact, the vast record accumulated by the FCC over the years proves this point: There is no problem."
Raymond J. Keating, SBE Council's chief economist, added: "The FCC's drive to micromanage broadband networks is a case of irrational exuberance for government interference. While Internet providers have every incentive to serve their markets well, and clearly no market failure exists, the FCC chairman nevertheless wants government calling the shots on broadband pricing and operations. Investment and innovation will suffer accordingly, as will the entrepreneurs and small businesses that rely on and contribute to the Internet. At a time of great uncertainty regarding the economy and markets, the FCC inexplicably is creating greater uncertainty."
As the SBE Council has argued in its comments to the FCC, certainty is needed in order for broadband providers to invest the billions upon billions needed to fully deploy broadband and maintain its complex operations and growth. Indeed, the FCC has developed a National Broadband Plan recognizing the need for massive private sector investment in order to reach its goal of making broadband available to every American who wants access. Unfortunately, the FCC's obsession with regulation will undermine the essential goals it sets out in the National Broadband Plan, according to SBE Council.
Kerrigan continued: "Chairman Genachowski is moving full-steam ahead with a risky regulatory scheme even though the Congress has never given the Commission such authority to regulate the Internet. As consumers of broadband, and as entrepreneurs engaged in its deployment, maintenance and development; small business owners have the most to lose if intrusive new rules are enacted. That is why small business owners overwhelmingly oppose 'net' regulation, and we will continue to work with our supporters and small business leaders in Congress to ensure the FCC does not impose burdensome rules that disrupt innovation, service offerings, deployment as well as the Internet's staggering progress and the opportunities it offers."
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Commenting on the FCC's fixation to control the workings of the Internet where no problem exists, SBE Council President & CEO Karen Kerrigan said: "I cannot tell you how disappointed and concerned we are that the federal government has decided to intrude into an area where creativity, capital and freedom have joined to produce unprecedented gains and opportunities for the individual, society, entrepreneurs and our economy. We are particularly troubled because the FCC has not offered any compelling evidence that an 'Open Internet' has been compromised. In fact, the vast record accumulated by the FCC over the years proves this point: There is no problem."
Raymond J. Keating, SBE Council's chief economist, added: "The FCC's drive to micromanage broadband networks is a case of irrational exuberance for government interference. While Internet providers have every incentive to serve their markets well, and clearly no market failure exists, the FCC chairman nevertheless wants government calling the shots on broadband pricing and operations. Investment and innovation will suffer accordingly, as will the entrepreneurs and small businesses that rely on and contribute to the Internet. At a time of great uncertainty regarding the economy and markets, the FCC inexplicably is creating greater uncertainty."
As the SBE Council has argued in its comments to the FCC, certainty is needed in order for broadband providers to invest the billions upon billions needed to fully deploy broadband and maintain its complex operations and growth. Indeed, the FCC has developed a National Broadband Plan recognizing the need for massive private sector investment in order to reach its goal of making broadband available to every American who wants access. Unfortunately, the FCC's obsession with regulation will undermine the essential goals it sets out in the National Broadband Plan, according to SBE Council.
Kerrigan continued: "Chairman Genachowski is moving full-steam ahead with a risky regulatory scheme even though the Congress has never given the Commission such authority to regulate the Internet. As consumers of broadband, and as entrepreneurs engaged in its deployment, maintenance and development; small business owners have the most to lose if intrusive new rules are enacted. That is why small business owners overwhelmingly oppose 'net' regulation, and we will continue to work with our supporters and small business leaders in Congress to ensure the FCC does not impose burdensome rules that disrupt innovation, service offerings, deployment as well as the Internet's staggering progress and the opportunities it offers."
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FCC's Third Way Would Transfer Costs for Digital Expansion to the Un-served and Underserved
/PRNewswire/ -- The CEO and Chairman of the Alliance for Digital Equality (ADE), Julius Hollis, issued the following statement regarding FCC Chairman Genachowski's announcement yesterday that the FCC will seek to reclassify broadband providers as common carrier services under certain provisions of Title II of the Communications Act, in order to restore a legal foundation to their regulatory authority following the recent FCC vs. Comcast lawsuit:
"Yesterday's announcement by Chairman Genachowski is both perplexing and concerning. The FCC, after conferring with various stakeholders, crafted a comprehensive National Broadband Plan which seeks to guide the build out of high speed Internet and stimulate much-needed job growth. The FCC's National Broadband Plan provides a level and competitive landscape across all networks allowing for the spread of broadband to all American consumers. All this while maintaining an open Internet.
However, the Chairman's "third way" approach constricts economic development, particularly in communities of color that have been economically marginalized for decades due to the absence of private sector investment. This "third way" that the Chairman speaks of could further perpetuate economic inequalities by restricting consumers' choice and access to affordable broadband as our society moves towards a digitally-based economy.
"The Alliance for Digital Equality fully supports an open Internet and a regulatory environment that incentivizes the private investment necessary to bring digital technology to our currently un-served and underserved communities, leading to economic equality. ADE calls on the FCC today to focus on the critically important task of getting all Americans connected as delineated in the National Broadband Plan by promoting a more balanced regulatory environment. The ADE encourages Chairman Genachowski to reconsider his plans to implement a third way."
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"Yesterday's announcement by Chairman Genachowski is both perplexing and concerning. The FCC, after conferring with various stakeholders, crafted a comprehensive National Broadband Plan which seeks to guide the build out of high speed Internet and stimulate much-needed job growth. The FCC's National Broadband Plan provides a level and competitive landscape across all networks allowing for the spread of broadband to all American consumers. All this while maintaining an open Internet.
However, the Chairman's "third way" approach constricts economic development, particularly in communities of color that have been economically marginalized for decades due to the absence of private sector investment. This "third way" that the Chairman speaks of could further perpetuate economic inequalities by restricting consumers' choice and access to affordable broadband as our society moves towards a digitally-based economy.
"The Alliance for Digital Equality fully supports an open Internet and a regulatory environment that incentivizes the private investment necessary to bring digital technology to our currently un-served and underserved communities, leading to economic equality. ADE calls on the FCC today to focus on the critically important task of getting all Americans connected as delineated in the National Broadband Plan by promoting a more balanced regulatory environment. The ADE encourages Chairman Genachowski to reconsider his plans to implement a third way."
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Thursday, May 6, 2010
FCC Moves Toward More Government Regulation of the Internet
/PRNewswire/ -- According to reports, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genacowski will seek to reclassify broadband services under New Deal-era "common carrier" laws created for early landline telephone technology, thereby allowing the government to regulate the Internet via outdated rules. In response, Center for Individual Freedom's Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs Timothy Lee issued the following statement:
"The FCC should not attempt to apply archaic 1930s rules to 21st century technologies. This move by Chairman Genacowski will do nothing but stifle innovation, investment and growth within the broadband sector.
"Reclassifying broadband will merely allow the government to intervene in a thriving Internet market and hamper the constant service improvement and innovations to which consumers have become accustomed. It's the proverbial 'solution in search of a problem.' This bald partisan move also ignores all of the new technologies that are available precisely due to limited government intervention, and will ultimately move us backward to old-fashioned rules that once governed telephone services in the early 20th century.
"With everything else going on, do we really need a government take over the Internet?"
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"The FCC should not attempt to apply archaic 1930s rules to 21st century technologies. This move by Chairman Genacowski will do nothing but stifle innovation, investment and growth within the broadband sector.
"Reclassifying broadband will merely allow the government to intervene in a thriving Internet market and hamper the constant service improvement and innovations to which consumers have become accustomed. It's the proverbial 'solution in search of a problem.' This bald partisan move also ignores all of the new technologies that are available precisely due to limited government intervention, and will ultimately move us backward to old-fashioned rules that once governed telephone services in the early 20th century.
"With everything else going on, do we really need a government take over the Internet?"
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