Disturbing news from Washington today…

By a 410-15 vote on Thursday July 27, the House of Representatives has passed the DOPA (Delete Online Predators Act), an extension of the Communications Act. This bill seeks to cut the use of social networks in schools and libraries in order to stop online predators. However, the phrasing of the bill is such that any commercial website that provides blogs, user profiles, chat or other online discussion is included! This potentially means that not only MySpace but Blogger, Slashdot and thousands of other commercial websites with bulletin boards or user accounts will be blocked by schools and libraries lest they risk the loss of Federal E-Rate Funding.

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This week we talk to Gregg Gillis of the experimental/mashup act Girl Talk.

Wikipedia is likely to start cooperation with Library of Congress and the United States Holocaust Museum. This will be an important milestone not only for those organizations, but for the cause of copyleft, since those who want to cooperate with Wikipedia have to address that issue.

Last week we saw the broadcast and print media pick up on Senator Ted Steven’s “series of tubes” speech after it consumed the blogosphere. Most of these stories focused on the comedy of the word “tubes”. Many offered the apology that his analogy was sound, but he just used the word “tubes” instead of the more commonly used “pipes”. But there is more to the story of the Senator’s statement. He clearly doesn’t understand the issue of net neutrality.

Digital Citizen would like to welcome Liz Pruszko! You may remember Liz from the Digital Nugget MPAA vs. the Pirates. Liz will be providing news and thoughts on happenings in the world of copyright policy and digital rights management.

PA Senator Arlen Specter’s proposed compromise regarding the secret, unauthorized wiretapping conducted by this administration will effectively sweep all court cases regarding the wiretapping out of the public eye by sending them to the FISA court.

Call to action.

Rosenzweig’s excellent academic article on Wikipedia.
Wikimania is almost here.
Stable version is on the way.
Read on for more!

Digital Citizen would like to welcome Brad Kozlek and Piotr Konieczny! Brad and Piotr will be blogging and participating in the podcast in the coming episodes…

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From Wired:

Court Deals AT&T A Setback
Stumbling Into a Spy Scandal
AT&T Whistleblower’s Evidence
The Tech Behind The Tapping

EFF v AT&T

EFF on Wednesday’s Judgement

BoingBoing on AT&T

On the Media transcript with Morton Halperin

Ars Technica’s Coverage

Verizon and Bellsouth Deny Report (via cbsnews.com)

Executive Order Permits Intelligence Director to Authorize Telcos to Lie without Violating Securities Law (via thinkprogress.org)

2:47 break

Help America Vote Act

Diebold
Sequoia
ES&S

Diebold Problems in PA (via blackboxvoting.org)

Voting Machines Found Hackable in PA (via Bradblog)

Professor to Hack Voting …

David Totten discusses the problems and pleasures of e-filing your taxes.

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