Do Government Policies and Laws Hinder Tech Advances?
This kind of government regulation of technology may seem reasonable, but other government interventions are more controversial.
For example, governments devise various ways to prevent you from visiting websites or downloading apps that lawmakers don't like. Some states have laws that forbid cities to build their own broadband networks, while other states want to impose privacy rules that could affect users all over the world.
Meanwhile, litigation sometimes serves to line the pockets of patent and copyright holders that are willing to file massive lawsuits against individuals, small businesses, and large corporations. And if you think the Internet is a wild frontier, check out the mess that legislators and courts make as they try to create and interpret laws governing this ever-growing digital medium.
Whether you're for or against more government regulation--online or on your smartphone--here's a look at 10 controversial areas of legal wrangling going on in the halls of power in the United States and in other parts of the world.
Patently Broken System
The Issue
The Controversy
Critics point to lawsuits by patent-holding company Lodsys against small third-party iOS app developers for patent infringement as an example of what's wrong with U.S. patent law. Intellectual property rights activist and patent blogger Florian Mueller says that companies like Lodsys are able to use property rights to "exploit the miserable state of affairs of the U.S. patent system."
The Result
Despite critical objections to Lodsys's actions, the company is probably looking at a good-size paycheck. Big companies such as Apple may find it cheaper to pay out a settlement to such companies than to endure the uncertainty of an infringement trial, according to Mueller. But Lodsys may have a tougher time than is typical for most patent-holding companies engaging in lawsuits. Apple recently filed to intervene in Lodsys's infringement suit against app developers in a U.S. District Court in Texas. Meanwhile, Mueller says that at least three companies are seeking to invalidate Lodsys's patents in a U.S.District Court in Illinois. These companies include The New York Times Company, market research firm OpinionLab, and customer analytics company ForeSee Results.
Europe's e-G8 Forum: More Harm Than Good?
The Issue
The Controversy
Sarkozy has said before that he wants to create a "civilized Internet." That notion alone spooked many technology enthusiasts. Critics such as writer and blogger Cory Doctorow saw the meeting as cover for imposing extensive government regulation over the Internet. Blogger, writer, and academic Jeff Jarvis, who attended the e-G8 forum, said in a blog post that he saw the meeting as "government's opening volley against the Internet" to prevent technology from disrupting the traditional role of government.
The Result
The G8 world leader summit that followed the e-G8 Forum issued a vaguely worded statement about the Internet that was included in the G8 meeting's closing declaration.
Outlaw Apps
The Issue
The Controversy
Schumer believes that apps such as DUI Dodger, Buzzed, and MrDUI allow drunk drivers to subvert the law by helping them evade police checkpoints. "The DUI applications are nothing more than a how-to guide in avoiding law enforcement. They provide drunk drivers with the tools they need to go undetected, putting innocent families and children at risk. Simply put, if it breaks the law, there shouldn't be an app for that," Senator Schumer said in a statement to PCWorld.
But not everyone agrees. "DUI Dodger does nothing more than support the free flow of PUBLIC information. Censoring it merely impedes on free speech," Geno Rose, creator of DUI Dodger told PCWorld.
The Result
Apple recently updated its App Store submission guidelines to ban apps that contain DUI checkpoint locations not published by law enforcement agencies, or those that encourage and enable drunk driving. Apple is also requiring DUI apps currently in the App Store to comply with the new regulations. On the other hand, so-called radar-detection apps (actually speed-trap location apps) seem still to be available at the App Store.
Is Bitcoin Money Laundering?
The Issue
The Controversy
Some reports have speculated that the Drug Enforcement Administration may investigate the use of Bitcoin as a tool for online illicit drug transactions. But big questions remain about whether the government could do anything to stop the online use of Bitcoins. The Bitcoin Project uses a peer-to-peer distributed network to circulate the currency, and the network's decentralized nature would make shutting it down very difficult.
The Result
The fate of Bitcoin is an open question, but the currency is gaining in popularity. At the time of this writing 1 Bitcoin was trading at (or was equal to) $19.63. For a full discussion on Bitcoin and how it works check out the Bitcoin episode of the Security Now podcast with Steve Gibson. Of course, if instances where people lose their accumulated Bitcoins grow more frequent, the desirability of the currency may plummet.
Next: Under Examination--Pirate Streaming Sites, Facebook Privacy, Copyright Infringement, Broadband, and Twitter
