Internet on a Space Voyage..Lessons for Cyber Democracy
A research group headed by Dr Vinton G. Cerf has submitted a
proposal to Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) on a a communication
system to provide Internet-like services across interplanetary distances
in support of deep space exploration. (Interplanetary Internet -IPN)
Some of the concepts used in the document have implications even
in the terrestrial Internet...
If one can control access to different parts of the Internet effectively,
"Virtual Property" "can be "Confiscated" and a "Digital Person" can be
"Arrested and Imprisoned".
Behind this thought lies a path of a "Cyber Democracy" and "Cyber
Nation-hood" which is free from the administrative controls of the Meta
society Governments.
Detailed Story here.
Noble Objectives and Unpredictable Implications
Many of the legal enactments are made with noble intentions. But when it coems to
implementation, it is the words used in the legislation that matters. A glaring example in Hong Kong reveals
that a legislation to curb "Computer Piracy" in the form of an ordinance to amend Copyright Act, makes
possession of a photo copy of a news paper article an offence punishable with a fine of KK$50000!!
Virus Alert? or a Hoax?
A message was received from some of my alert IT friends about a Virus that was likely to strike on June 1st.
I found the subject file on my computer too and alerted visitors of this site and some of my friends about the virus.
The details of the viurs as reported is available
here.
I have been informed by another IT specialist that the said file is a "Microsoft Utility" for handling long file names
and the alert is as such a "Hoax". I am waiting for confirmation from Mcafee/K7.
However, this is an indication of how some mischievous minds
take pleasure in inconveniencing others.
Instructions from Mcafee.com for Restoration of deleted file
Trapping Cyber Criminals
Fighting Cyber Crimes is a difficult art...The objective of the Law Enforcement Authorities
worldwide is to device strategies for catching the criminal
while he is in the act of committing a crime and also capture enough evidence
to prosecute him...In one of the recent cases, which
may be of academic interest to the students of Cyber Crimes in India, the
New York Police arrested a Roman Catholic priest after allegedly
having explicit sexual conversations online with an undercover agent posing
as a 14-year-old boy.
Read the
Detailed Story here
Aimster faces Napster like suit
The Recording Industry Association of America has taken on Aimster alleging Copyright
violation like Napster. This is likely to be an opportunity for the judiciary to revisit the
legality of "File Sharing" technology.
Report from cnet.com
ISP Managers Beware...You may land in jails..if...
Have the ISP 's realized this responsibility cast on them by Section 65 of the ITA-2000?
Are they aware that they may find themselves in jail for
three years for "Knowingly destroying" the evidence which may be required by a law?....
In order to clarify things and to determine different time periods for storage of different types of data we
actually need a law similar to the Bankers Books Evidence Act. This law which may be called
"Electronic Documents Evidence Act"....
Naavi
May 25, 2001
Read the
Detailed Story here
Air India Can now make billions of dollars...
In yet another significant domain name arbitration case
(American Online, Inc. v. John Deep) the National Arbitration Forum (the largest U.S.-based provider of domain name dispute resolution services and
one of the world’s largest neutral administration and mediation services)held that the domain name www.aimster.com
belongs to the owner of the trademark AIM. The owner of Aimster Mr Deep was recently in the news
for opposing the RIAA, the powerful music body in USA which got Napster stumped with a legal decision.
In future therefore thousands of domain name owners such as www.*aim*.*
will have to relinquish their names to AOL the holder of the Trademark AIM.
The moot point is, since Air India owns the trademark AI atleast by "Usage",
it appears that it can succesfully claim a right over
AIM and AIMSTER now... If so, I think the Indian public sector company can wipe out all its past losses
by re-selling all www.*ai*.* domain names. I urge Air India to immediately take up the case with the same
Arbitration authorities who gave the verdict.
Do you think it is ridiculous?
I can only say that either the arbitration award is ridiculous or the claim of AI has the potential to
stand in the society where greedy Trademark owners try to claim right over everything and more often, get away with it.
Report from msnbc.com
Full text of the decision
Naavi
May 22, 2001
Send your views here
The Dilemma of ID s for Cyber Cafe..Fit Case for a Big Debate.
The move of the Mumbai Police to bring in a rule that "Cyber Cafe Visitors"
should produce ID cards has evoked wide spread negative responses from
the community. We need to look at this development along with the public
interest litigation that has been filed in Delhi where the Government has
been requested by a member of the public to introduce a similar provision
as a "law". It appears therefore that there are both supporters and opposers
for the move.
The proposal is like creating an "Apartheid" policy and treating all
"Cyber Cafe" visitors as "Potential Criminals". I would like Mumbai Police
to remember that the Indian Freedom struggle had its roots in South Africa
where Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi took up the civil disobedience movement
against issue of passes to the people of black origin. The proposed regulations,
remind me of the need for a similar movement to "Liberate" the "Cyber Society"
from the "Apartheid policies" of "Regulation by Non -Netizens on the Netizens".
If the Police knew that there are
better ways of regulating Cyber Crimes, they would not perhaps awakened
the memories of a "Historic Civil Disobedience Movement " in the community.
Read the
Detailed Story here
