Download Locations:
Summary:
The growth of the Internet may be affected by issues being debated by Congress. This report summarizes several key technology policy issues that were under consideration by the 106th Congress. 1. The long-running encryption debate concerns balancing the interests of personal privacy, competitiveness of U.S. computer companies, and law enforcement and national security requirements in setting limits on what encryption products can be exported. 2. Electronic signatures are of congressional interest both in terms of the respective roles of federal versus state laws governing their use and requiring government use of electronic signatures to enable electronic filing of information. 3. Concerns about computer security, particularly unauthorized access or ''hacking,'' are prevalent both in government and the private sector. Issues also have been raised about the vulnerability of the nation's critical infrastructure (e.g., electrical power grids and telecommunications) to cyber attacks. 4. Individuals and businesses considering whether to use the Internet are increasingly concerned about Internet privacy, particularly of personally identifiable information. While many in Congress and the Clinton Administration hope industry self-regulation will solve these problems, others believe that legislation is needed. 5. How to protect children from unsuitable material on the World Wide Web has been a major focus of concern but attempts to restrict content on the Internet have encountered legal challenges on First Amendment grounds. A new law passed by the 106th Congress requiring most schools and libraries receiving federal funds to use technology to block Web sites with certain content on computers used by minors, and in some cases, adults, is also expected to be challenged in the courts. 6. Unsolicited commercial electronic mail (UCE), or ''junk e-mail'' or ''spam,'' aggravates many computer users because it is a nuisance and the cost may be passed on to consumers through higher charges from Internet service providers who must upgrade their systems to handle the traffic. Proponents of UCE insist it is a legitimate marketing technique and protected by the First Amendment. 7. The administration and governance of the Internet's domain name system (DNS) is currently under transition. Issues for the 106th Congress included how domain name trademark disputes should be resolved, and the progress of the federal government's efforts to transfer control of the DNS to the private sector. 8. Broadband Internet access gives users the ability to send and receive data at speeds far greater than current Internet access over traditional telephone lines. With deployment of broadband technologies beginning to accelerate, Congress is seeking to ensure fair competition and timely broadband deployment to all sectors and geographical locations of American society.
