Caron Carlson

The government now calls it “factual data analysis,” but data mining by any other name smells as potentially rotten to civil liberties advocates. The U.S. House subcommittee on technology and information policy last week heard from three federal proponents of the technology to consider whether it enhances national security. Civil liberties activists are urging Congress […]

Six months after a federal settlement was ordered to remedy Microsoft Corp.s anti-competitive conduct, two states, several business rivals and some users still say the software company wields too much power in the marketplace. Attorneys General Thomas Reilly of Massachusetts and Darrell McGraw of West Virginia are continuing the battle for tough antitrust remedies after […]

The government now calls it “factual data analysis,” but data mining by any other name smells as potentially rotten to civil liberties advocates. Three federal agencies—the Pentagons Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Transportation Security Administration, and the FBI—are developing new data analysis systems. The systems are slated to move beyond the tactics of traditional […]

It took the U.S. military less than one month to occupy Baghdad, but the states battling Microsoft Corp. because of its antitrust violations are gearing up for a sixth year of fighting. Massachusetts and West Virginia this week attacked the court-approved antitrust remedies that the government agreed to in November 2001. Nine states and the […]

With new federal health-care information rules going into effect this year, Safeway Corp. was recently tasked with bringing up to date nearly 7,000 pharmacy employees scattered across the 50 states. Travel for so many employees at once was out of the question, so the company turned to an upgraded satellite video system and completed the […]

The prospect of federal anti-spam regulation is no longer a question of “if” but rather “how much?” U.S. lawmakers who were once resistant to wading into Internet regulation are now expressing the need to act quickly before the problem of unwanted messages outweighs the benefit of e-mail. Last week, two new federal bills joined the […]

The news is bad for people looking for tech jobs, but for users of IT services, a persistent lackluster need for new IT hires bodes well. A new study showing a four-year low in the demand for IT workers indicates that prices for IT services will likely come down. This year, the industry will hire […]

Large corporate telecom users teamed up with the providers that serve them to urge the government to address what they call excessive rates charged by Regional Bell Operating Companies for allowing businesses to connect directly to their networks, known as “special access services.” While the Bells fight for continued deregulation, user groups and competitors are […]

A fourth U.S. lawmaker threw her hat into the anti-spam ring this week, announcing planned legislation to combat the increasingly costly scourge of unsolicited e-mail. Previously opposed to measures limiting Internet use, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said Wednesday that she will introduce a bill that creates a bounty for identifying spammers. The question surrounding the […]

Joining the growing crusade against the scourge of e-mail messages like “$2,000,000 Instant Win Game!,” “Hot, Horny Sex Videos!,” and “Feel and Look Younger Again!,” U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Tuesday introduced a bill that proposes the toughest penalties yet for spammers, including jail time. Illustrating the level of frustration lawmakers are registering over […]

The Bush administrations loss of two top cyber-security experts in as many months has left a leadership gap that industry experts say relegates the safety of the nations IT networks to second tier. Presidential adviser Howard Schmidt (pictured) resigned suddenly last week, following cyber-security czar Richard Clarkes resignation in March. Responsibility for cyber-security now resides […]

As corporate America tries to work more closely with the federal government to improve network security, a primary goal among CEOs is avoiding new federal regulations. However, executives who are directly responsible for network security do not necessarily share that goal. CIOs and chief security officers across the country are quietly advocating regulation to spur […]