But many consumers' concerns over privacy have actually been creating a whole new category of businesses — "infomediaries" that claim to help mediate between consumers and businesses. The founder of one of them, the 6 million-member AllAdvantage.com — which pays customers to surf the Web — is speaking at two Democratic-sponsored events Tuesday. Sen. John Kerry, D-MA, invited senators to a meeting with founder and CEO Jim Jorgensen in the morning. Jorgensen will be joined by Bridget Jorgensen, founder of the Summit Consulting Group and Why Me Foundation, at the House Democratic Caucus luncheon hosted by Chairman Martin Frost, D-TX and Vice Chair Robert Menendex, D-NJ. There, they will speak on the theme of "Inside the World of High Tech Start-ups."

     Republicans are continuing to play the high-tech game as well. On Wednesday, when House leaders are expected to vote on the Internet Tax Moratorium, the Republicans plan to kick off their eContract 2000. Among those expected at the rally are House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-TX, Conference Chairman J.C. Watts, R-OK, Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, R-CA, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-VA, and Rep. Heather Wilson, R-NM — where they will digitally sign their "contract." The proceedings of the 10 a.m. meeting will be Webcast by Voter.com and Yahoo.

     MCIWorldCom formally has dropped the MCI from its name to reflect the growing diversity of its business after multiple corporate takeovers, a spokeswoman said. WorldCom will be the name of the corporate parent, while the company still uses the MCI and UUNET names for individual products and services, said company spokeswoman Claire Hassett. "We decided to change the name now because it reflects more of what we are today," she said. There also were concerns that after the proposed merger with Sprint is finalized MCIWorldComSprint would be a mouthful for customers.

     The Electronic Frontier Foundation is continuing to hit hard against the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's use against programmers who have posted software code that about how to hack a digital video disc. The San Francisco-based group retained noted First Amendment lawyer Martin Garbus at a discounted rate, said attorney Robin Gross. Garbus, an attorney with Frankfurt, Garbus, Klein and Selz in New York, has represented controversial comedian Lenny Bruce, novelist Salmon Rushdie, and has won 20 out of 20 cases argued before the Supreme Court. Garbus will fight a New York judge's order prohibiting a Web publisher from posting software code on its Web site. "There is no reason that the Internet should have more restrictions that radio, television or print," said Garbus. "When The New York Times makes reference to the same controversial material, no one tries to stop it."

     On the other side of the free speech vs. copyright divide is Frederic H. J. Hirsch, who recently left the Motion Picture Association to become senior vice president and head of intellectual property enforcement for the Interactive Digital Software Association. As the head of the MPA's anti-piracy program for the past two years, Hirsch busted motion picture and video pirates for association members such as Paramount Studio and Sony Pictures Entertainment. "In Hong Kong, the Motion Picture Association had a major operation we took down in 1998 called 'Golden Science,' " said Hirsch. "It was an operation in multiple locations involving over 50 [illegal] replication machines. Each one probably ran an enterprise close to a million dollars."

     The AOL Foundation and the National Center for Small Communities announced the launch of the second annual AOL Rural Telecommunications Leadership Awards, a partnership that its patrons hope will help bridge the digital divide in rural America. Applications are due by July 14, and on Sept. 1, five $10,000 winners and ten $2,000 finalists will be selected in the following categories: Infrastructure Technology; Public Access, Skills and Training; Community/Economic Development and Job Creation; Health Information and Services and Enhanced Disability Access; and Youth Development and Leadership. The winner and finalist awards will be presented at RuralTeleCon '00, the National Rural Telecommunications Conference in Aspen, CO, Oct. 1-4. The program was highly praised by Sen. Conrad Burns, R-MT, co-chairman of the Internet Caucus, and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-ND. To be eligible for the award, community leaders must demonstrate that they have enhanced rural telecommunications through a public-private partnership in communities with populations of 10,000 or less.

     Sen. Rick Santorum, R-PA, told 25 of the Washington region's tech executives at a CapNet event that they should take a more active role in government and politics. Speaking at the event, which was hosted by Leadership Council member Duncan Smith at the law offices of Dyer, Ellis and Joseph, Santorum urged CapNet members to make their employees aware of the issues facing the industry such as H-1B visas, permanent normal trade relations with China, privacy and Internet taxation. High tech companies "have not come close to maximizing their potential" on Capitol Hill, he said. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR, will speak at the next CapNet forum on May 12.

     District of Columbia Councilmember David Catania, R-At Large, announced the creation of a new E-conomy Advisory Group of DC-based high-tech CEOs hoping to advise the District Council on how to attract and retain tech businesses. Co-chairing the advisory group will be Shabbir Safdar, co-founder of mindshare Internet Campaigns, and Sandy Saunders, a partner in Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld's technology practice. "Our nation's capital is in one of the leading high tech regions of the world," said Catania, "but the District itself is not sharing in the success of the new economy as best as it can. The New E-conomy Advisory Group will assist us on how best to attract high tech businesses to the District, and suggest how impediments to growth can be resolved by the Council."

- by Drew Clark