White House
Daley Touts Tour For Tech Divide
     The Clinton Administration reasserted itself as a friend of the high-tech industry as it used a Commerce Department summit to allow corporations such as America Online and AT&T to highlight their blueprints to bridge the digital divide. Additionally, Commerce Secretary William Daley announced a 12-city tour starting in January that will highlight various public-private initiatives to bring technology into underserved and urban areas. The announcement coincided with a presidential directive issued to all executive branch agencies calling on them to take "specific actions to help Americans benefit from advances in information technology." The cities will be closely tied to regions President Clinton targets for his second "New Markets" tour to highlight the digital divide.

Export
Armey Asks For More Answers
     House Majority Leader Richard Armey, R-TX, sent a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno urging the administration reconsider its draft regulations of encryption export controls and clarify its online privacy policies. The White House promised encryption export relief in September, announcing that it would allow for the export of retail encryption products of unlimited strength level to be exported without a license after a technical review. Non-retail products could be exported to non-government users, although exports to government users would require a license. Additionally, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-CA, the chief Democratic supporter of encryption legislation in the House has called on Clinton to help ensure regulations implementing the White House's major policy shift on encryption exports live up to the relief it promised. Leaders of the House New Democrat Coalition also joined the chorus of criticism, and did the Information Industry Technology Council.

Cyberterrorism
Teaming Up To Fight Crime
     As the Clinton Administration continues to work on a national plan for protecting the nation's critical infrastructure computer systems from cyberterrorism, Commerce Secretary William Daley unveiled a "Partnership for Critical Infrastructure" between the department and 80 companies to work on resolving private sector vulnerabilities in computing security.

Cyberterrorism
CIA Faces Deluge Of Business Proposals
     A CIA official involved in the agency's new venture capital firm said that there has been "crushing" interest in the company's efforts to harness innovations aimed at addressing the spy organization's technology needs. Since the CIA's venture capital firm, In-Q-It, was launched in April, it has received more than 400 inquiries and proposals from government contractors, small entrepreneurial firms, other venture capital companies and others, said Basil Scott, technology director with the CIA's Q Interface Center.

Trade
Better Luck Next Time?
     The failed World Trade Organization conference has left many unanswered questions for the high-tech community after the ministerial meeting derailed with no decisions on any trade matters. Because ministers didn't agree to launch a new trade round, issues dear to the high-tech community, such as the moratorium on Internet tariffs, intellectual property protections and anti-dumping laws are left hanging until the WTO conference reconvenes. Despite the fact that high-tech issues were not resolved, many in the industry say they're just happy not to have lost any ground.

Internet Access
AT&T Cracks Open Its Network
     One of the authors of legislation that would require cable companies to open high-speed Internet networks to competing Internet service providers welcomed AT&T's announcement that it would take such action, but cautioned that a national regulatory policy is needed. "They've led the opposition to it, but now it appears they've abandoned their arguments that it's technically impossible," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-VA, who along with Rep. Rick Boucher, D-VA, introduced the only broadband legislation in Congress that deals with the cable Internet issue. Meanwhile, it remains unclear what will happen to the long distance giant's fight in federal court opposing a local directive to require such open network access. AT&T General Counsel James Cicconi said the company has no intention of losing its appeal in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and would not comment further on the status of the case against Portland, OR, city officials.

Telecom
Cable Wooed Capitol Hill And It Worked
     The cable industry has won over policymakers on Capitol Hill and the Federal Communications Commission to the extent that it is unlikely either would take any action to regulate the cable's entry into high-speed data services, the industry's chief spokesman said. Robert Sachs, president of the National Cable Television Association, said that he doesn't anticipate Congress taking any action regarding cable broadband any time soon.

Contributions
Telecom, High-tech Firms Give To RNC
     Major telecommunications and high tech companies gave more than $125,000 in so-called soft money to the Republican National Committee in October, according to the most recent FEC filings compiled by Public Disclosure, a non-partisan campaign research group. The analysis found that Microsoft and U S West led the charge. Also this week, Republican presidential candidate Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-AZ, came under attack from Center for Public Integrity for taking contributions from AT&T employees weeks after introducing a bill earlier this year aimed at speeding up telecommunications mergers.

Culture
Advocating Zero-Tolerance For Web Hate
     As the number of Web sites promoting hate continues to proliferate, law enforcement, civil rights and high-tech officials say education and intolerance of racism and bigotry online may be the most effective ways to deal with the problem. During a conference sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League on Internet hate, civil rights leaders and law enforcement officials urged Internet service providers, parents and others to take action on their own.

Campaigns
Here's The Real Deal
     At least eight states have agreed to publish directories of official campaign Web sites in an attempt to resolve the problem of "cybersquatting" and parody Web sites that plague some candidates. Secretaries of States in Minnesota, North Dakota, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming have announced they will ask candidates when they file to run for office to list their official campaign Web sites so the agencies can compile an accurate directory of sites.

Internet Access
Putting The 'E' In Europe
     In an effort to launch Europe full speed into the information age, Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, unveiled his comprehensive "eEurope" plan, which aims to create a digitally-savvy Europe. The plan addresses increasing competition and wide-spread Internet access, technology education, lowering the cost of Internet access, helping the disabled access the Internet, and providing health care online. In addition, the plan would help researchers obtain fast Internet access and promote the use of smart cards.

White House
Ask The White House At AOL
     The White House's press office trumpeted a new online forum for Internet users to ask the administration policy questions in conjunction with the unveiling of America Online's new "Government Guide." Every week, America Online subscribers are invited to submit questions they want to ask the White House, and AOL will pick the top five most frequently asked questions for the administration to answer. The White House is also reaching out to other online organizations with news groups to host similar forums.

We welcome your feedback; please e-mail comments to Managing Editor Sharon McLoone at smcloone@nationaljournal.com.