E-commerce will pass a major milestone this weekend when a much-anticipated U.S. digital signature law goes into effect, although the legislation's full influence likely won't be felt for some time.

The law is designed to make consumers and businesses feel more secure about sealing big-ticket deals, such as buying a house, online by making an electronic signature just as binding as one in ink. While that legal guarantee is expected to accelerate the growth of e-commerce, the law may be more of a boon for companies developing e-signature technology than for consumers or businesses, analysts said.

BW e.biz--09/22/00--Street Wise: Will Privacy Sins Come Back to Haunt Net Stocks? . Investors have already chastised online ad firms, and consumer wariness may weaken e-commerce shares in subtle, but important, ways

For many investors, the idea that respect for a consumer's privacy could affect a Web company's stock price may seem strange. Except for companies that serve ads or mine databases, most analysts have largely treated privacy as a nonissue. But as the shakeout in cyberland persists, there's growing evidence that Web companies are getting more aggressive about using customer data, rather than complying with industry guidelines backed by the Federal Trade Commission ("Ad Services Aren't the Only Data Trackers," Privacy Matters, Sept. 15, 2000). Against that backdrop, abusive privacy policies could soon become a factor to consider in investment decisions. Investors, take note.

Boston Globe Online / Business / Bill banning sale of Social Security numbers advances. A privacy measure that would prohibit federal, state, and local government agencies from selling or displaying Social Security numbers was quickly approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. The legislation still faces other obstacles, however, and its prospects for congressional passage are cloudy as time runs out in this year's session. Propelling the legislation is concern about identity theft, one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States, which victimizes an estimated 750,000 people a year. The key is a Social Security number, which experts say is easier than ever to get, usually by buying it on the Internet. Across the country, an army of information brokers and private investigators are said to be stealing personal financial data and selling it. The measure would bar governments at all levels from selling Social Security numbers, displaying them to the public, or using them in checks they issue. (AP)

Computerworld - Resources/Research Story | They may not steal your privacy, but they sure want to kill it. By JOSEPH REINHARDT (September 22, 2000) Editor's note: A few weeks ago, reader Debora Goldstein wrote a column saying that there was "no conspiracy to steal your privacy." She made the point that information collected by companies on the Web could actually help companies better serve their customers. Reader Joseph Reinhardt of Charlotte, N.C. has a different opinion, however.

Computerworld | Privacy Reportin.

Computerworld (IDG) - Location information could invade privacy of wireless users, analysts warn.

Worries about loss of privacy over wireless devices will rock the budding wireless industry, analysts and users warned yesterday.

"I think there are huge land mines with wireless ahead," said Alan Davidson, staff counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington, a public interest group that works with industry and government on social issues involving technology. The issue is especially acute with wireless vendors preparing location-based applications that will allow carriers and marketers to track where users are and send them alerts about sales on travel or personal goods, he said.

Compared to the privacy uproar over the wired Internet of recent years, privacy concerns over wireless will be "exponentially bigger," Davidson said at a conference of the Personal Communications Industry Association in Chicago.

UpsideToday Newsroom:Fiderus focuses on Internet security and privacy.

IBM's (IBM) former director of security and privacy services for its Global Services Division has founded an Internet privacy and security firm with $75 million in venture capital from GTCR Golder Rauner LLC. Fiderus founder Al Decker says he wants to build up a multibranch services, training and consulting operation whose very specific focus on security and privacy will be its calling card.

"In many organizations, security and privacy is 'something we also do,' " said Decker, who before joining IBM had headed security for consultants Coopers & Lybrand. "This is our first chance in our careers not to play second fiddle to the rock stars."

CNN.com - Technology - Law dean chosen to review 'Carnivore' isn't afraid of its bite .

Perritt dismissed previously reported suggestions that anything written in the presentation could be altered or edited by the Justice Department, saying he has heard nothing that points in that direction. Several high-profile universities turned down the review offer this month because they felt the Justice Department's requirements were too confining.

Seems to be a Ra-Ra piece. I don't see how he can dismiss suggestions that the Justice Department can edit his report. All you have to do is read the original request from the Justice Department to see that they reserve the right to edit any report generated.

Slashdot | Inside the CueCat Hardware.

The Center For Democracy & Technology POLICY POST Volume 6, Number 18 September 29, 2000 - Policy Post 6.18 | CDT Launches New Web Resources.

CONTENTS:
(1) CDT Expands Online Privacy Guide, Other Data Privacy Resources
(2) Tutorial Reviews Online Political Activity, Federal Regulations
(3) Expanded CDT Resources Focus on Cyber-security and Gov't Surveillance
(4) CDT and Internews Outline Principles for Internet Policy
(5) Online Domain Names Election Approaches; CDT Educates Voters
(6) Test the Publius Censorship-Resistant Publishing System
(7) Online Resource Library Is Expanded
(8) Use Our New Feedback Feature

The Center For Democracy & Technology(CDT) - Opt-Out | Get Off the Lists!.

Slashdot | Extending UCITA To Printed Books?.

GRC's NanoProbe Technology.

Slashdot | Net Security With "NanoProbes".

Culture News from Wired News - Hey Armey, You've Been Filtered.

When Congressman Dick Armey (R-Texas) spoke up in favor of filtering software and other Net censorship measures, he probably didn't think it'd come back to bite him in the, um, ass.

But irony being what it is, the House majority leader's own conservative Freedom Works site is one of the many blocked by filtering software, according to the winner of the Foiling the Filter contest's Poetic Justice Award.

Salon.com News | Keeping an eye on protesters. International authorities are sharing information -- not all of it accurate -- about anti-globalization activists.

Political News from Wired News - FCC Could Adopt Carnivore.

With some reservation, telecommunications industry experts are expected Friday to recommend Carnivore technology to the FCC as one way to keep digital wiretaps on the up-and-up.

"If Carnivore could be tested through the normal testing process that the industry uses, I think there are a lot of people who do think that it's a solution that could work," said Grant Seiffert, vice president of government relations for the Telecommunications Industry Association.

But privacy groups remain skeptical. They charge that Carnivore's use constitutes an illegal government search because it allows the cops to get access to the content of communications without meeting the burden of proof necessary to obtain a full warrant.

The courts have sided with privacy groups, ruling that law enforcement agencies cannot gain access to the content of Internet-borne communications (the message in the envelope) with the lesser proof required for call-identifying information (the addresses listed on the outside of the envelope).

Technology News from Wired News - DNA Database to Fight Crime. The program is the latest in a number of initiatives in New York to use DNA analysis to solve crimes. This effort focuses on evidence from sexual assault cases where no suspect has been identified, but DNA evidence was collected after the crime.

Building SSH1 on MacOS X.

New York Times - free registration required Suit Considers Computer Files. A novel lawsuit could determine whether a computer file that tracks Internet use in a New Hampshire public school is a public document, similar in spirit to school budgets and the minutes of school board meetings. [ ... ] Some companies also are allowed peeks at Internet history logs, as these tracking files are known, as a quid pro quo for supplying schools with free Internet hardware and software, some education experts said.

New York Times - free registration required The Ad Campaign: Another Look at Gore the Man. "Fight violence and pornography on the Internet, helping parents block out what children shouldn't see" The quote comes from one of his campaign ads. And how does he plan on doing this without violating the rights of every other person?? It has already been proven that censorware just doesn't work reliability. Is the net going to be censored down to level of a 5 year old?? and make that a not very smart 5 year old. I have no problem with parents finding and installing a censorware product of their own chosing, but I do have a probelm with the government doing it for us.

Slashdot | Gore-Lieberman on Filters.