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New E-sign Law Proves Controversial
Digital signatures might not usher in the e-commerce revolution lawmakers had intended by crafting a new law, critics of the legislation said Monday at a conference held by the Consumer Bankers' Association (CBA). But states are optimistic that they have alternatives to remedy the matter. They say that S.761 — the law that grants electronic signatures the same legal weight as pen-on-paper ones — has many holes that say digital signatures do not apply to many every day business transactions.
"The digital signatures law laid the groundwork as far as a total network of laws that would legitimize digital commerce," but it is "next to useless" to markets other than those involved in business-to-business e-commerce, said Geoff Gray, a senior staff member of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. Gray said the bill was stripped of some pieces desired by Republicans in order to get a bill passed in June. Some measures excluded include wills and trusts — two key business-to-consumer transactions.
But Daniel Greenwood, former aide to Massachusettes Gov. Paul Cellucci, R, and current director of the E-Commerce Architecture Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said states can fill gaps in the measure by adopting the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). UETA, first proposed by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL), is a vountary legislation that states can enact to accept digital signatures in other transactions.
"We have a very low-bar requirement on electronic signatures now," Greenwood said. Initiatives "should come from the bottom up and be market driven, not from the federal regulators down."
UETA extends to all transactions and is an opt-in policy where businesses still have their usual responsibilities, such as adhering to consumer promises about deadlines. UETA does not force governments to accept electronic filing methods, but does allow individual businesses within the state to do so.
During the federal debates on digital signatures, NCCUSL argued that Congress was overstepping states' responsibilities in making documents legally binding. But S.761 maintains that a state law may supercede a federal law in this area if the state adopts the uniform version of UETA.
Shopping Deals Give Big Money To Republicans
Shopping online may result in some of your money going into Republican coffers for the upcoming elections.
The California Republican part is getting a little help from its online retail friends as part of its Web-based fundraising strategy. Republicanshopping.com was introduced by the state party last month in an effort to find alternatives to the telephone and the traditional mail system to solicit campaign money. The site directs you to other sites, such as Barnes&Noble.com, CDnow.com and Officemax.com. When shopping online, 100 percent of the rebates — averaging 10 to 13 percent — offered by participating vendors will go into California Republican war chests.
Republicanshopping.com creator ebates.com is reportedly willing to partner with Democrats as well, but that move is proving problematic since California Republicans also own the Web address democraticshopping.com.
The state Republican site also leads viewers to links such as stophillarynow.com, which offers the latest headlines, related links and ways voters can "stop Hillary" Clinton from beating Republican Senate candidate Rick Lazio for the New York seat.
Digitally Saying 'I Do'
Wise County, VA, is bringing the traditional ceremony of reciting marriage vows and saying "I Do" to the homes of friends and relatives of the bride and groom via the Internet.
The parties must have a Virginia marriage license issued before the ceremony begins. The bride and groom may conduct a civil ceremony from the location with the clerk or a designated deputy clerk or may choose a minister in advance to conduct the ceremony if desired. The court's transmission system of five cameras, eight microphones and a DSL connection allows loved ones to view the proceedings from home. The total cost of getting married online is $150 — $100 for equipment use, $30 for the civil ceremony and the $20 tape.
Broadband Here, Broadband There, Broadband Everywhere
A recent Forrester Research study analyzed how broadband rollout was coming along in 60 of the country's top metropolitan areas and in eight Canadian metro areas. The study of 90,000 households found that all areas studied had different demand, adoption of the technology and types used.
About 20 percent of households in North America are "extremely" or "very" interested in receiving high-speed Internet access, but demand exceeds 30 percent in areas like Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, Austin, TX, and Washington, DC. Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and the San Francisco Bay follow in demand. In Canada, demand was highest in Ottawa and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Areas topping the North American average levels of adoption of broadband are: Cincinnatti; Tampa-St.Petersburg, FL; San Diego; Columbus, OH, Syracuse, NY; Austin; and Edmonton, Alberta. Nearly all households responding used the same type of broadband technology: DSL or cable modem.
The study found that underserved U.S. local markets are still up for grabs for DSL and cable modem providers — and consumers will most likely go for whatever is cheaper. It noted that completed or pending mergers like Verizon and NorthPoint, America Online and Time Warner, AT&T and other broadband providers are giving the adoption of broadband a boost.
Casting Politics Over The Web
The San Diego City Council held its first live Web cast Sept. 12. Mayor Susan Golding said it was the first time any of the nation's 10 largest cities broadcast a council meeting over the Net. The move is just one in a series to keep the city in step with the high-tech reputation of areas of the state like Silicon Valley an Palo Alto.
But a city task force studying the city's role in getting on the IT high road is finding that the city is falling short. The group's report, called "San Diego: City of the Future, The Role of Telecommunications," suggests a long list of expensive, but seemingly vital steps to linking the community. Suggestions include creating an online system where residents can book functions at local parks, do library research, obtain building permits and pay parking tickets. Task force leaders say areas such as Singapore, Helsinki, Blacksburg, VA, the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina, Austin and Seattle are great example to follow when looking for guidelines.
The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy in June released a study — "Developing High Technology Communities: San Diego" — that found the San Diego's rebirth from a period of 7.7 percent unemployment in the early 1990s down to 3 percent today is attributed in large part to the growth of small high-tech firms.
Giving E-Government A Kick Into Gear
Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci, Lt. Gov. Jane Swift and Lycos CEO Bob Davis kicked off the governor's E-Government Task Force, a 60-member group of public and private sector high-tech experts last Wednesday. This group will employ public and private best practices to improve and expand the state's Web site and e-government capabilities, ultimately creating a fully integrated, task-based enterprise portal. The task force will meet regularly over the next few months to assist in the creation of a plan that will be complete in early 2001.
The task force will first perform an e-diagnostic of existing state services to determine who their key customers are and what services need to be provided to them. Cellucci said one of the critical factors for success in rebuilding egGovernment was complete coordination with all state government.
"This next evolution of state government needs full integration, so that consumers and businesses can achieve true one-stop shopping," he said in a statement.
The state has also contracted with Andersen Consulting to work directly with the Information Technology Division to guide the process.
Where Will The Net Be Next?
Have you ever seen the commercial where the guy wanders around his apartment and there's a TV in every room, even in the refrigerator? Well now think of the Internet being everywhere. In an initiative that began Monday, New Yorkers can ride in one of 10 Internet taxis that are armed with Palm VII handheld computers linking users to weather, sports news and stock prices while riding down Broadway or 5th Avenue. Yahoo teamed up with Palm Inc., Medallion Financial — which owns taxi-top advertising rights — and Team Systems, which is one of the largest taxi fleets in the city, for a six month trial program. A similar program was tested in San Francisco cabs last year using laptops.
- by Liza Porteus
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